This year has been a great year for comedy movies. While basically all of the comedies we saw opening up in theaters managed to underperform – which is a trend that started before COVID -, there was still no shortage of comedy films to watch.
Today, we’re gonna take a look at some of our favorite films that were released this year. In no ranked order…
Jackass Forever
The much talked about fourth Jackass installment took over 10 years to come out. But for many fans, it was worth the wait. While the film was lacking the presence of the late Ryan Dunn and the controversial Bam Margera, notable names like Eric Andre stepped in to fill the void. And if you’re looking for a fun film that’s in line with the others, this will surely not disappoint.
Easter Sunday
Jo Koy has become more and more of a household name over the past few years, thanks to his popular Netflix special. Going off of that success, Koy parlayed that success to the big screen in a Steven Spielberg produced film. The film is loosely based on Koy’s life and finds him going home to see his family for Easter, and all the love and drama that goes along with it.
Bob’s Burgers The Movie
For a decade now, Bob’s Burgers has built up a rabid fan base for itself on Fox. So it would stand to reason that the Belcher’s would eventually make the leap to the big screen. And in their theatrical debut, they didn’t disappoint. The film follows Bob and Linda’s struggles to try and keep their business afloat. And as fans of the series, we definitely enjoyed where they took things in the film!
Beavis and Butthead Do The Universe
In the 90’s, they did America. In 2022, Mike Judge brought his most famous characters back for another go around, where this time, they encounter older parallel versions of themselves and are hunted by the government. Fans weren’t quite sure what to expect all these years later. Luckily, both fans and critics alike were receptive to the film. When you watch it, it feels like no time has passed at all.
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
When news broke that there was a new Weird Al Yankovic biopic coming out starring Daniel Radcliffe, people weren’t sure what to expect. After all, Yankovic is nearly a foot taller than the British Radcliffe, and they aren’t exactly the spitting image of each other. That was actually the point. The film embraces how ridiculous it is, and other than the names, everything is completely made up. It acts as both a hilarious new comedy and a good statement on just how much biopics like to play with the facts to suit the narrative.
Clerks 3
This year also saw Kevin Smith return to familiar territory with Clerks 3. The film follows his characters Dante and Randal as they are dealing with getting older and still in the same spot they were 28 years ago. Things come to a halt when Randal has a heart attack – the same that Smith had – and decides he needs to do something with his life. The result is Randal essentially making Clerks. The film has lots of laughs loaded throughout, but also takes fans on an emotional journey that we guarantee you won’t be prepared for. It’s a fitting closure on at least this iteration of the story.
Bros
Bros got a lot of attention for a magnitude of reasons. For starters, it broke ground as it featured Billy Eichner as the first gay male to lead a gay romantic comedy released by a major studio. It also got attention as a result of the film underperforming at the box office, which Eichner blamed on homophobia, which he’s not wrong about. That definitely played a role in certain markets. What isn’t being talked about is how funny the movie is in spite of that blowback. Anyone who did see it can attest to just how many jokes they manage to showcase, and it features more cameos than you can even count!
The Unbearable Weight of a Massive Talent
Clerks 3 wasn’t the only meta comedy to open this year. Nicolas Cage stars in The Unbearable Weight of a Massive Talent as himself, who is hired by the US government to take down a super fan assassin who has hired Cage to come show up at his birthday party. The film is as bonkers as the premise is, and plays into how ridiculous it is while never managing to wink at the camera. It’s a film that manages to have its cake and eat it too, in the most bizarre way.
A Christmas Story Christmas
There’s been loads of Christmas movies coming out this year, and also loads of sequels and retelling a of to A Christmas Story to come out over the years. But for our money, none of them came as close to getting things right as A Christmas Story Christmas. That’s mostly due to the return of Peter Billingsly as Ralphie, who is now trying to give his own kids the ultimate Christmas. It’s got callbacks to the original, but never feels like it’s a retread of familiar situations. It’s the perfect blend of old and new that everyone has been waiting for.
Bodies Bodies Bodies
The horror comedy Bodies Bodies Bodies could’ve easily been your predictable horror film we see released every year. It’s got all the familiar tropes, such as a group of teenagers with too much time, a friend with a rich parent who is out of town, and a game that goes wrong. But the film’s writing and cast manages to add a unique take on the tropes, where you genuinely have no idea where things are going.