One producer who has really helped breathe some life back in the comedy film genre is Judd Apatow. With cult hit TV shows like Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared under his belt, Apatow made the leap to feature films, and the decision has proven to be a good one. He has had his hand in several of the best comedies of the past few years, and his movies will feature prominently on this list.
Curious to see which films made the cut? Read on to see my picks for the top 5 funniest movies of 2007:
5 – Juno – Though most people saw this film in 2008, it was actually released Christmas day and thus squeezes onto the list of the funniest comedies of 2007 by a few days. Juno was the surprise hit of the year, and featured a brilliant acting performance by Ellen Page, who played Juno MacGuff, the young protagonist of the film who is struggling with teenage pregnancy. Though the premise of the film might not scream laugh-out-loud comedy, trust me when I tell you this film will have you laughing from start to finish. Juno’s sardonic wit might go over some viewers’ heads, but if you appreciate sarcastic humor then you should definitely watch this film. The supporting cast is brilliantly funny as well, including Arrested Development alum Michael Cera and Jason Bateman, as well as J.K. Simmons, who plays J. Jonah Jameson in the blockbuster Spideman films. Even if you are not in the mood to laugh you should still check out Juno. It is a multi-dimensional movie that straddles several genres, and can be enjoyed by all audiences regardless of taste or mood.
4 – Hot Fuzz – Okay, I’m going off the board a little with this pick on the list of the funniest movies of 2007, but anyone has seen this British comedy is likely nodding their head in agreement right now. No it may not have had the budget or the fanfare that accompanied the other movies on this list, but the production value is top notch and the laughs never dry up. Simon Pegg, who really made a name for himself in the sleeper hit, Shaun of the Dead in 2004, is once again brilliantly funny, and Nick Frost, who always seems to appear with Pegg is just as good. Much like Super Troopers before it Hot Fuzz parodies not only cop films, but action movies in general. Looking for something a little different and appreciate that dry British humor? Give Hot Fuzz a rent. Oh, and if you haven’t seen Shaun of the Dead yet, definitely pick it up as well.
3 – Knocked Up – As I mentioned in the intro of this article Judd Apatow is currently Hollywood’s comedy king, and he really seems to have the Midas touch with his films, as each movie he has had a hand in, from The 40 Year Old Virgin to Pineapple Express, has made a mountain of gold. A big part of Apatow’s success has to do with his loyalty to the actors he worked with back when he was making Freaks and Geeks, and Undeclared. Seth Rogen has carved a name for himself as one of Hollywood’s biggest comedy stars, and actors like James Franco, Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Jonas Hill and Bill Hader have also become hot commodities. Knocked Up features Rogen as the main male lead, a slacker stoner who is just coasting through life until he ends up impregnating up and coming TV star Alison Scott (played by Grey’s Anatomy’s Katherine Heigl) in a night of drunken passion. Rogen’s character Ben Stone is forced to grow up in a hurry as the reality of fatherhood comes crashing down on him. The situation may be a Hollywood cliche, but Apatow puts his own humorous twist on this oft-used plot device, and the result is non-stop laughs.
2 – Blades of Glory – Speaking of Hollywood’s kings of comedies, few actors have been hotter in any genre over the past few years than former Saturday Night Live star Will Ferrell. This time around Ferrell teams up with Napoleon Dynamite star Jon Heder as a pair of world class figure skaters who wind up banned for life from the sport. Hilarity ensues when the pair of bitter rivals come across a loophole that will allow them to start competing again in the sport – as a figure skating pair! Will Arnett and Amy Poehler play their main rivals, and work hard to try and sabotage the pair. Plenty of physical humor in this comedy, and though, like most of Ferrell’s movies, the gags can sometimes be over the top and goofy you will find it pretty difficult to keep a smile off your face as you watch the misadventures of Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElroy as they team up to dominate the sport of figure skating.
1 – Superbad – This one was a landslide. In my opinion there can be only one choice as the funniest movie of 2007, and though the other movies on this list were good, they were completely outclassed by Judd Apatow’s funniest movie to date. Starring Michael Cera and Jonas Hill as Evan and Seth, two high school losers who get in all sorts of trouble when they try and score some alcohol for some hot girls at school. Seth Rogen and Bill Hader also play a major role as Officer Michaels and Officer Slater, two above the law cops who drink on the job. However, the biggest scene stealer in the show is Christopher Mintz-Plasse, who plays Seth and Evan’s buddy Fogel. Mintz-Plasse scored himself a spot in pop culture lore when he presented his fake ID, sporting the name McLovin’, to his buddies. McLovin’ spends most of the night separated from Seth and Evan, but has plenty of adventures of his own when he is taken under the wing of Michaels and Slater, including firing a gun and blowing up a cop car! If you are a fan of comedy then odds are you have likely already seen this film, but that shouldn’t stop you from watching it again. Superbad was super good, and this Apatow masterpiece should be enjoyed again and again.
