Top Comedy Movies of 2007

1. Superbad

A great Odyssey narrative about high-schoolers who act like actual high-schoolers (so I'm told. I never got drink or go to parties, but neither did Evan, Seth, or McLovin till that night...parties, not alcohol). Penned by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen beginning when they were 13, the comedy is the culmination of years of refinement. It's a shame they haven't been able to match that quality since.

2. Knocked Up

Hey look. It's Seth Rogen again. 2007 was a very good year for him. This is the second writer/director showcase for Judd Apatow and arguably his best, balancing the comedy with enough heart to make it endearing. A great example of one of those movies that shot so much good stuff they couldn't keep it under 2 hours.

3. The Simpsons Movie

A movie 18 years in the making. Matt Groening and company said they were waiting for the right story to make a movie for. Not sure how much I believe that. This was one of those movies that's a lot of fun for the first hour, then remembers it needs a plot and gets a lot less enjoyable on the home stretch (I'm looking at you Hancock).

4. Hairspray

I laughed. I sang. I danced in my seat. And I wasn't one of the people in my group who went drinking before seeing the movie. Tongue and cheek and loving it. The movie's a hard sell because it doesn't look like it's going to have the edge that it does. Bonus points for Travolta in drag.

5. Ocean's Thirteen

A return to form for the series. After a largely disappointing second movie Soderbergh went back to basics, bringing the cast together one more time and staying in Vegas. Since it doesn't break any new ground here I can't put it any higher, but for recognizing it's strengths I commend the Ocean crew.

6. Enchanted

Disney self parody. They get to have their cake and eat it too with this one. Most of the fun of the movie is in poking at the tropes Disney lived on for years yet they still manage to have a story that largely is a classic Disney princess tale. Impressive.

7. Juno

This movie was so well aware of how hip it was that it hurt. That withstanding, a breakout performance by Ellen Page (who needs to do more movies and fewer Cisco commercials), Michael Cera playing himself but admirably so, and Jason Bateman making a strong case to be cast as a D-bag more often. While a lot of the movie doesn't work for me, enough does to still find it engaging. Besides, she has a hamburger phone.


HONORABLE MENTION

Hot Fuzz
This was no Shawn of the Dead. Still good. Impossible comparison.

The Ten
This is about the most under the radar movie I can think of. Odd concept. Quirky execution. I'm told that it's a "guy movie" even though it isn't boob-tastic or gross-out humor. Regardless, a stacked cast of people that make you say, "Oh yeah, I like that guy." If I could ever get a handle of what the aim of the movie was, It'd probably break my top 7.

Ratatouille
Pixar movies are always fun. This one was better than the premise let on, but most of the humor was [for anyone 13+] grin-worthy, not laugh-worthy.

Stardust
A poor man's Princess Bride. I mean that in the same way one says Lebron James is a poor man's Michael Jordan. Nothing to scoff at, but it knows it's place.

Dan in Real Life
One of those movies that is called a comedy because it casts comedic actors. No a bad movie, just not particularly funny.