40 Best Comedy Movies On Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime is one of the most efficient services online and not just because you can put a 4K TV and a "Game of Thrones" adult coloring book in the same order and get it two days later. The streaming service is a treasure trove of movies, particularly comedies — so many that it can be hard to suss them out or keep track of what's on the service. That's where we come in.
We've picked out 40 comedy movies for every conceivable taste. Whether you're looking for something family-friendly or a raunchy sex comedy, something lowbrow or something classy, one of the all time greats or a forgotten gem, we've got you covered. Something important to keep in mind: Comedy is among the most subjective of genres, so judge each Rotten Tomatoes score how you will.
Updated on January 10, 2021: As Amazon Prime changes its selection, we'll keep this list updated to reflect the changes in its streaming catalog. Be sure to check back each month for films that will leave you laughing, as we'll be keeping this list current with the latest and greatest comedy films to hit the site.
(500) Days of Summer
Tom is an emotionally immature romantic. Summer (the platonic ideal of the so-called "manic pixie dream girl") is a fun loving woman who doesn't believe in true love. These two are, improbably, a couple ... for 500 days until Summer abruptly dumps Tom. Looking for answers, Tom reflects on various points in their relationship to figure out where things went wrong. Along the way, he learns some harsh truths about himself — and figures out his real passions.
- Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Chloë Grace Moretz
- Director: Marc Webb
- Year: 2009
- Runtime: 95 minutes
- Rating: PG-13
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
The first "Ace Ventura" movie hasn't aged all that well, given that the central plot point is blatantly transphobic in retrospect. "When Nature Calls," however, has aged just well enough that we can appreciate the Jim Carrey goodness. "When Nature Calls" follows Ace Ventura as he investigates the whereabouts of a missing white bat, a scared animal critical to forging peace between two warring African tribes. Sophomoric humor and classic Carrey shenanigans ensue, and the 72% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes show how this was made for fans, not critics.
- Starring: Jim Carrey, Ian McNeice, Simon Callow
- Director: Steve Oedekerk
- Year: 1995
- Runtime: 94 minutes
- Rating: PG-13
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 25%
The Bad News Bears
Morris Buttermaker, a drunk ex-minor league pitcher, gets put in charge of the Bears — a little league team full of seemingly talentless outcasts. Realizing they need a good player, Buttermaker recruits Amanda Whurlitzer, the 11-year-old daughter of an ex-flame with a cannon for an arm. Soon enough, these kids start getting good, but are they good enough — and at what cost? "The Bad News Bears" is one of the original misfit sports comedies — there's no "Mighty Ducks," "Major League," or "Dodgeball" without it.
- Starring: Walter Matthau, Tatum O'Neal, Vic Morrow
- Director: Michael Ritchie
- Year: 1976
- Runtime: 102 minutes
- Rating: PG
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
The Big Lebowski
"The Big Lebowski" starts with lovable slacker Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski's rug getting destroyed after a bunch of goons mistake him for a different Jeffrey Lebowski. His search for compensation — during which he's aided by bowling buddies, Vietnam vet Walter and general weirdo Donny — quickly spirals down a rabbit hole. His quest for a new rug is quickly compounded with the search for a kidnapped trophy wife, an adult film kingpin who wants him dead, and his bowling commitments. For potential new "Lebowski" fans, you'll need to watch this movie. For avowed "Lebowski" fans, the fact that it's streaming is enough of a reason to rewatch this. And if you're not a fan? That's just like, uh, your opinion, man. (This included with IMDb TV, which is free with ads.)
- Starring: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi
- Directors: Joel and Ethan Coen
- Year: 1998
- Runtime: 117 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
The Big Sick
"The Big Sick" is based on the real-life tragicomic story of star Kumail Nanjiani and his now-wife Emily V. Gordon. The movie follows Kumail playing a version of himself, a stand-up comic who starts dating Emily. While worrying about what his Pakistani parents would think of him dating a white woman, Emily contracts an illness that leaves her comatose. During this time, Kumail bonds and overcomes cultural differences with Emily's parents and discovers the depths of his feelings for his sick girlfriend.
- Starring: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter
- Director: Michael Showalter
- Year: 2017
- Runtime: 119 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Nearly 15 years after the events of the first "Borat" movie, reporter Borat Margaret Sagdiyev is brought out of the gulag for a new assignment — to bring a gift from Kazakhstan to President Donald Trump. The plan falls apart quickly after Borat arrives in America, especially when he finds out that his daughter, Tutar, stowed away on the trip. As a backup plan, Borat and Tutar conspire to offer her as a gift to Vice President Mike Pence. A surprisingly emotional story acts as a through line for a movie that blends fact and fiction, during which Borat encounters (and gets the worst out of) politicians, influencers, conspiracy theorists, and vile people of all stripes.
- Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Maria Bakalova, Rudy Giuliani
- Director: Jason Woliner
- Year: 2020
- Runtime: 96 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
Brittany Runs a Marathon
Brittany is a hard-partying New Yorker in her late 20s. When she visits a doctor to acquire an Adderall prescription, she gets bad news: She's overweight and unhealthy, and she needs to fix that. When she's priced out of gym memberships, she does what she can do free — namely, running. After setting and succeeding at smaller goals, she sets a big one — compete in the vaunted New York City Marathon. Writer/director Paul Downs Colaizzo based the inspirational story of "Brittany Runs a Marathon" on his roommate, who also lived an unhealthy lifestyle and took up running when she didn't like what she'd become.
- Starring: Jillian Bell, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Michaela Watkins
- Director: Paul Downs Colaizzo
- Year: 2019
- Runtime: 103 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Coming 2 America
The long-awaited sequel to comedy classic "Coming To America," the aptly named "Coming 2 America" shows the new adventures of Prince Akeem and Semmi. When the two find out that Akeem has a son in Queens from their adventure all those years ago, they travel back to New York to find him — lest Zamunda's neighboring country of Nexdoria marry one of their own into Akeem's family and take over the country. "Coming 2 America" frequently calls back to the original, often to a fault, but it's hard not to smile seeing Akeem do his thing again.
- Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Leslie Jones
- Director: Craig Brewer
- Year: 2021
- Runtime: 108 minutes
- Rating: PG-13
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 49%
Damn Yankees
Based on the musical of the same name, "Damn Yankees" follows Joe Boyd, middle-aged man and a diehard fan of the lousy Washington Senators. Joe declares that he'd sell his soul to see the Senators beat the "damn Yankees," and -– lo and behold -– the devil appears in the form of Applegate. Joe is offered a deal: Become a young, talented baseball player who will help the Senators win the pennant. The catch? If Joe stays with the team through the end of the season, his soul becomes property of the devil. (Given that the Senators would relocate to Minnesota a mere two years after this movie debuted, maybe Joe should've made a different deal with Applegate.)
- Starring: Tab Hunter, Gwen Verdon, Ray Walston
- Director: George Abbott, Stanley Donen
- Year: 1958
- Runtime: 110 minutes
- Rating: NR
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%
Despicable Me
Gru is a supervillain, living in a lair deep below his suburban home. He's planning his biggest heist yet — steal the moon. Yes, the moon. But all his gadgets and all his villainy are no match for three little orphan girls who see him as a possible dad. The movie also saw the debut of the Minions, who'd go on to both start their own franchise and become a staple of boomer memes for years to come.
- Starring: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand
- Director: Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin
- Year: 2010
- Runtime: 95 minutes
- Rating: PG
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
"Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot" is a tragicomic biopic about cartoonist John Callahan by indie film icon Gus Van Sant. Callahan, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, became quadriplegic after a car accident. His struggles with alcohol predated the accident and certainly don't get better after it, but after reluctantly entering treatment, he discovers that he has a talent for drawing. It's just the start for the artist, who goes on to draw macabre and irreverent comics for years and also, somehow, forgotten Nicktoon "Pelswick."
- Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara
- Director: Gus Van Sant
- Year: 2018
- Runtime: 113 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%
Doris Day in The Pajama Game - A Musical Comedy Classic!
Yes, this movie is normally just called "The Pajama Game," but Amazon Prime lists it as "Doris Day in The Pajama Game — A Musical Comedy Classic!" We're here to help you find the movies, not justify weird naming conventions. Based on the hit musical, the movie follows an Iowa pajama factory, where the workers are demanding a seven-and-a-half-cent raise. The factory boss enlists supervisor Sid Sorokin to stifle the demand. Through this work, he encounters "Babe" Williams, a factory worker very much in favor of the raise ... and there's a clear connection between the two.
- Starring: Doris Day, John Raitt, Carol Haney
- Director: George Abbott, Stanley Donen
- Year: 1957
- Runtime: 110 minutes
- Rating: NR
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
Dude, Where's My Car?
Jesse and Chester — two empty-brained, pothead partiers — wake up after with splitting headaches ... and, more importantly, zero memory of what happened last night. They find no shortage of unusual things around their apartment, including an answering machine message from their girlfriends promising a "special treat." After realizing they don't know where Jesse's car is, the two retrace their steps to find their vehicle and get that "treat," discovering quite a few strange people, places, and things along the way. Yes, the movie is dumb. So was everything and everyone else in the year 2000, including you –- just have some fun.
- Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Seann William Scott, Jennifer Garner
- Director: Danny Leiner
- Year: 2000
- Runtime: 93 minutes
- Rating: PG-13
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 17%
Funny Girl
Before "Funny Girl" was adapted from stage to screen, Barbra Streisand was a popular singer. After "Funny Girl," Streisand became an icon, and that's the reason this movie endures. The movie follows the story of Broadway star and comedian Fanny Brice, played so effectively by Streisand that she nabbed the Oscar for it. We see Fanny working her way up through the New York theater scene, all while navigating her complex and turbulent relationship with husband — swindler Nicky Arnstein.
- Starring: Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif, Walter Pidgeon
- Director: William Wyler
- Year: 1968
- Runtime: 148 minutes
- Rating: G
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Army brat Janey moves to Chicago, setting down something resembling roots after her father retires from active duty. She quickly becomes friends with Lynn, a classmate, after learning that they both love a show called "Dance TV." They soon learn that "Dance TV" is looking for a new couple to join the show, and they each try to join. There's just one problem: Janey's father cannot sanction this buffoonery. Though "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" wasn't a critical darling in it's day, it's picked up a cult following in years since, and it marks an early, fun project for Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt.
- Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker, Helen Hunt, Lee Montgomery
- Director: Alan Metter
- Year: 1985
- Runtime: 87 minutes
- Rating: PG
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 38%
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Zero Moustafa, now the owner of the dilapidated Grand Budapest Hotel, recounts his story during the glory days of the enterprise. We follow his journey as a lobby boy under the tutelage of Monsieur Gustave H., the concierge of the Grand Budapest Hotel. We learn about Gustave's unusual relationships, a priceless painting, and how war changed the politics of the Alpine land surrounding the hotel. "The Grand Budapest Hotel" is one of Wes Anderson's best, and it features a star-studded cast, including Anderson regulars like Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, and Jason Schwartzman.
- Starring: Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Tony Revolori
- Director: Wes Anderson
- Year: 2014
- Runtime: 99 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Guess Who
"Guess Who" is a modern (as much as 2005 is "modern" anymore) remake of "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner," with a major twist. Instead of a white woman introducing her Black boyfriend to her family, this film centers a Black woman introducing her boyfriend, played by Ashton Kutcher, the avatar of mid-aughts whiteness. It features a strong early showing from Zoe Saldana, but the true reason to watch "Guess Who" is the interplay between Kutcher and the late, great Bernie Mac.
- Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Zoe Saldana, Bernie Mac
- Director: Kevin Rodney Sullivan
- Year: 2005
- Runtime: 105 mins
- Rating: PG-13
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 42%
Heathers
The setting is Westerburg High. And here, Veronica is part of a clique with the three most popular girls in school, all named Heather, but she's not happy and wants to go back to the nerdy kids. Her life is upended when she meets a compelling new student named J.D., a sociopath who leads her in a truly dark direction. This pitch-black teen comedy classic has since been turned into a TV series and a musical, but the original is here to stream on Amazon Prime.
- Starring: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty
- Director: Michael Lehmann
- Year: 1989
- Runtime: 103 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
His Girl Friday
"His Girl Friday" is one of the most recognizable and acclaimed screwball comedies of all time, bolstered by the sizzling chemistry between Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. An adaptation of the hit play "The Front Page" with a romantic twist, "His Girl Friday" starts with no-nonsense newspaper editor Walter Burns finding out that his vivacious star reporter/ex-wife Hildy Johnson is quitting to live a boring wife with a boring fiance. Walter dedicates himself to sabotaging these plans by roping Hildy into one last story, which — surprise, surprise — goes off the rails in the funniest way.
- Starring: Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy
- Director: Howard Hawks
- Year: 1940
- Runtime: 96 minutes
- Rating: PG
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
After an arrest, Jay and Silent Bob are swindled by a lawyer — Hollywood is planning a reboot of "Bluntman and Chronic," and the two get tricked into signing away the rights to their own names. This leads the pair on a cross-country adventure to San Diego Chronic-Con, where the final scene of the reboot is being shot, to stop production and get their names back. Along the way, they discover that Jay has a daughter named Millennium "Milly" Faulken, who joins them on their journey. Smith made "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot" specifically for View Askew fans, and he took this movie on a roadshow journey instead of a theatrical release. Now, you can watch it on Amazon Prime.
- Starring: Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Harley Quinn Smith
- Director: Kevin Smith
- Year: 2019
- Runtime: 105 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 66%
Jennifer's Body
Jennifer — a stereotypical high school cheerleader — gets possessed by a demon, turns into a succubus, and starts devouring her male classmates. Her nerdy friend, Needy, realizes that something is wrong and it's up to her to stop it in this horror comedy. "Jennifer's Body" was released when Megan Fox was at both her most popular and most reviled, and it was a pretty big flop. But in recent years, especially in a post-#MeToo world, the movie has seen significant critical reevaluation. The movie is now a feminist cult classic, and Fox calls it her favorite role, so don't let the bad Rotten Tomatoes scores scare you off.
- Starring: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Brody
- Director: Diablo Cody
- Year: 2009
- Runtime: 102 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 45%
John Tucker Must Die
John Tucker is a high school basketball star, one who thinks he has a good scam going — dating three different girls at his school. How does he get away with this? He makes sure they're from cliques that don't overlap and convinces each of them to keep their relationship a secret. All three girls eventually find out, and they team up with a new girl to publicly humiliate John. "John Tucker Must Die" didn't please the critics, but it's got a pretty good audience score -– after all, teen comedies are made for teens, not reviewers.
- Starring: Jesse Metcalfe, Sophia Bush, Ashanti
- Director: Betty Thomas
- Year: 2006
- Runtime: 89 minutes
- Rating: PG-13
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 27%
The Kentucky Fried Movie
"The Kentucky Fried Movie" isn't so much a "movie" as it is a series of unconnected sketches thrown together in feature-length form. There are spoofs of genres like kung fu flicks and Blaxploitation, fake commercials, absurd news reports, and educational films. There's dozens of celebrity bit parts, ranging from Donald Sutherland to George Lazenby. It's an early work of Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker, the trio who'd go on to write/direct/produce "Airplane!" and the "Naked Gun" series. Be forewarned: Many of the references and parodies are dated, riffing on then-mainstream pop culture since lost to time. But even those just add to the absurdity of the entire enterprise, and they stay funny as chaotic items in and of themselves.
- Starring: Bill Bixby, George Lazenby, Evan C. Kim
- Director: John Landis
- Year: 1977
- Runtime: 83 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
Late Night
Katherine Newbury is a legendary talk show host, albeit one on a slow decline. Under orders to right the ship or lose her gig, Katherine hires Molly, an Indian-American woman and the first woman to ever be added to the show's writing staff. Though Molly is clearly a diversity hire with little experience, she and Katherine hit it off and improve the show — and fight to keep Katherine's job. In addition to her starring role, Mindy Kaling also wrote the screenplay for "Late Night," which means it's pretty darn funny.
- Starring: Emma Thompson, Mindy Kaling, John Lithgow
- Director: Nisha Ganatra
- Year: 2019
- Runtime: 102 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%
The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
Steve Zissou is a famous oceanographer. One day, while shooting a documentary, a rare jaguar shark kills one of his crew members. Zissou decides his next project will document him tracking down the shark and getting revenge by killing it. He takes a misfit crew along for the ride, where they run into all kinds of obstacles — aquatic and otherwise — on their journey. This movie is packed with Wes Anderson regulars: Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Anjelica Huston, and Jeff Goldblum. Willem Dafoe and Cate Blanchett round out this star-studded cast. While not one of Anderson's more acclaimed movies, it's still a lot of fun and has picked up a cult following in the years since its release.
- Starring: Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett
- Director: Wes Anderson
- Year: 2004
- Runtime: 118 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 56%
McLintock!
George Washington "GW" McLintock, a rancher and cattle baron by trade, is perhaps the wealthiest man in his territory. He spends his time both trying to keep his land to himself and peace between his neighbors, all while dealing with his estranged wife. Starring John Wayne, "McLintock!" is a slapstick Western and, as such a mess, of contradictions. The Native Americans are largely white actors in some kind of redface, but it's also one of the few movies of the era where the Natives are sympathetic, including a subplot where GW takes their side against the government. It also features a variety of fleshed-out female characters, one of whom is spanked as a form of punishment. An adaptation of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew," it's certainly not boring, and it's a curious entry in Wayne's canon.
- Starring: John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Yvonne De Carlo
- Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
- Year: 1963
- Runtime: 121 minutes
- Rating: NR
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 57%
My Name is Nobody
Jack Beauregard was long considered the fastest gunslinger in the West, but all he wants to do is retire in Europe. Before he can, however, he stumbles into a ratchety young man named Nobody. Nobody idolizes Jack and wants his hero to go out in a blaze of glory by taking on the entire Wild Bunch. Directed by spaghetti Western veteran Tonino Valerii — who worked as an assistant director on the Man With No Name trilogy — and scored by legend Ennio Morricone, "My Name is Nobody" is a curious and comical entry in the Western canon.
- Starring: Henry Fonda, Terence Hill, Jean Martin
- Director: Tonino Valerii
- Year: 1973
- Runtime: 116 minutes
- Rating: PG
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
Napoleon Dynamite
If you've seen "Napoleon Dynamite" already, here's your chance to see it again. If you've never seen "Napoleon Dynamite," good luck getting an easy description. The movie is far more vibes than plot, but we'll give it a whirl. Napoleon is a strange teenager who doesn't really fit in at his school. He has a strange uncle who just makes his home life more bizarre. Looking for some kind of connection, he befriends Pedro, a new kid in school, and they set up a campaign to make Pedro class president. There's also a llama, a crazy dojo, and some amazing dance moves involved. Just give it a shot, and go where it takes you.
- Starring: Jon Heder, Jon Gries, Aaron Ruell
- Director: Jared Hess
- Year: 2004
- Runtime: 94 minutes
- Rating: PG
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%
Paper Moon
"Paper Moon" stars the father/daughter duo of Ryan and Tatum O'Neal as a couple of Depression-era swindlers. Moses (Ryan) is a con man based out of Kansas, who meets 9-year-old orphan Addie (Tatum) and ends up promising to transport the girl to her aunt in Missouri. The two end up forming a formidable team, conning people across their journey. Tatum O'Neal won great acclaim for the role, winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress — which made her the youngest person to ever win an Oscar, a record held to this day.
- Starring: Ryan O'Neal, Tatum O'Neal, Madeline Kahn
- Director: Peter Bogdanovich
- Year: 1973
- Runtime: 102 minutes
- Rating: PG
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
Porky's
It's hard to pinpoint the exact origin of the teen sex comedy, but few — if any — were more successful and influential than "Porky's." The story largely follows a group of Floridiain high school boys who go to the titular strip club to lose their virginity, only for the owner to take their money and humiliate them. The boys seek revenge on Porky and his sheriff brother, all while various sexcapades happen around them. Like most movies of its kind, "Porky's" was panned by critics, but it was a huge financial success that spawned a franchise and decades of imitators.
- Starring: Dan Monahan, Kim Cattrall, Alex Karras
- Director: Bob Clark
- Year: 1981
- Runtime: 98 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 35%
The Royal Tenenbaums
Royal Tenenbaum is the father of three children. Each of them was an unquestionable genius as a child. Each of them are also miserable failures in their adulthood, burnt out after various combinations of shortcomings and stupid decisions. Royal, who separated from his wife years ago, realizes that he needs to bring his family together, and he comes up with a ruse to get them all in the same house once again. "The Royal Tenenbaums" is quintessential Wes Anderson. It features many of his regulars in Owen Wilson, Anjelica Huston, and Bill Murray, and it's anchored by an all-time great Gene Hackman performance.
- Starring: Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller
- Director: Wes Anderson
- Year: 2001
- Runtime: 109 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
Runaway Bride
Maggie Carpenter gets extensive tabloid coverage as "the Runaway Bride," famous for leaving three men at the altar. After writing a piece on her that's fraught with errors, journalist Ike Graham makes a bid to restore his reputation by writing a longform article on her. He goes to cover her fourth wedding, but since this is a romcom, he naturally starts developing feelings for her. "Runaway Bride" sees the reunion of Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, nearly a decade after smash hit "Pretty Woman." They don't quite have the same spark they did then, but when everyone is this pretty and this charming, who cares? Just have fun, and don't let anyone judge you.
- Starring: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Joan Cusack
- Director: Garry Marshall
- Year: 1999
- Runtime: 116 minutes
- Rating: PG
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 46%
Rushmore
Max is the king of the extracurriculars at Rushmore Academy, though it seems to be at the expense of his education –- he's warned that if his grades don't improve, he'll get kicked out. During this time, Max runs into Herman, an industrialist and the parent of Max's classmates, and the two strike up an unlikely friendship. Meanwhile, Max encounters a beautiful first-grade teacher named Rosemary Cross and falls in love with her. Things get complicated when Herman starts developing feelings for her too. A classic coming-of-age comedy, "Rushmore" was one of Wes Anderson's first big movies, and it gave Bill Murray new life as an indie film star.
- Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams
- Director: Wes Anderson
- Year: 1998
- Runtime: 92 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
Shopgirl
Based on Steve Martin's book of the same name, with a script written by Martin and also starring Martin, "Shopgirl" follows struggling artist Mirabelle. She works at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. Her quiet life is upended when she enters into a love triangle with two men — a fellow starving artist named Jeremy and a suave and successful older man named Ray. Claire Danes is especially good in "Shopgirl" as Mirabelle, and the movie is worth watching for her performance alone.
- Starring: Steve Martin, Claire Danes, Jason Schwartzman
- Director: Anand Tucker
- Year: 2005
- Runtime: 106 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 61%
Sister Act
Deloris is a lounge singer based out of Nevada ... or, at least she was until she saw her mobster boyfriend execute someone. Forced to enter witness protection, Deloris ends up disguised as a nun at a San Francisco convent. Her lively nature ends up causing all manner of trouble with the sisters, but she finds a place with the choir -– one she turns into something so popular that it threatens to undermine her guise. "Sister Act" features Whoopi Goldberg at the peak of her comedy powers and spawned both a sequel and a Broadway musical.
- Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, Harvey Keitel
- Director: Emile Ardolino
- Year: 1992
- Runtime: 110 minutes
- Rating: PG
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74%
Sleepless in Seattle
It's hard to find a better or more pure example of a romcom than "Sleepless In Seattle." Tom Hanks plays Sam Baldwin, a widowed father who ends up becoming the object of many women's affections after his son gets him vulnerable on a radio show. Meg Ryan plays Annie Reed, a journalist who hears his story and is compelled by it. The two start a correspondence. Does it end predictably? Yes. Will you be emotional by the time it happens? Also yes.
- Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman
- Director: Nora Ephron
- Year: 1993
- Runtime: 105 minutes
- Rating: PG
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%
Something's Gotta Give
Harry Sanborn is a wealthy businessman who, despite his age, only dates women under 30. When Harry and his young girlfriend, Marian, visit her mother's beach house in the Hamptons, Harry has a heart attack and is prescribed bed rest. As he recovers, he gets to know Marian's mother, playwright Erica Barry ... and starts to realize that she might be a better match for him than her daughter. In addition to Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton, "Something's Gotta Give" has a solid supporting cast including Amanda Peet, Keanu Reeves, Frances McDormand, and Jon Favreau
- Starring: Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves
- Director: Nancy Meyers
- Year: 2003
- Runtime: 128 minutes
- Rating: PG-13
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%
Super Troopers
Vermont state troopers up near the Canadian border spend most of their time goofing off, pulling pranks on each other, and generally being bad at their jobs. When they find out that their jobs are in jeopardy due to low productivity, they spring into action -– both to save their paychecks and to outdo the rival local police. "Super Troopers" does have a plot, but more than anything else, it's an excuse for the Broken Lizard comedy troupe to do their shtick -– which may not have been a hit with critics, but it's developed a cult following strong enough to spur a sequel almost 20 years later.
- Starring: Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme
- Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
- Year: 2001
- Runtime: 100 minutes
- Rating: R
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 35%
Tortilla Soup
Martin is an experienced chef who lost his sense of smell and taste after his wife died. Even so, he still cooks elaborate Mexican meals. He lives with his three grown daughters, and he has one non-negotiable rule for them: Show up for Sunday dinner. Though they love him, his daughters find themselves chafing under his values and looking for fulfillment elsewhere. This creates a rift in the family, exacerbated further when the visiting Hortensia sets her sights on the single father. An English language remake of Ang Lee's "Eat Drink Man Woman," with a Mexican-American twist, "Tortilla Soup" is a delightful and charming feel good family comedy.
- Starring: Héctor Elizondo, Raquel Welch, Elizabeth Peña
- Director: María Ripoll
- Year: 2001
- Runtime: 103 minutes
- Rating: PG-13
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74%
Waitress
Jenna, a waitress in the Deep South, is stuck in a miserable marriage with a control freak husband. After finding herself unexpectedly pregnant, she develops a bond with Dr. Jim Pomatter, her obstetrician and the new guy in town. There's just one problem: He's also married. "Waitress" was the last film made by actress/director Adrienne Shelly before her untimely murder, but this movie helped her leave a legacy. It was popular enough that it was adapted into a hit Broadway musical.
- Starring: Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines
- Director: Adrienne Shelly
- Year: 2007
- Runtime: 107 minutes
- Rating: PG-13
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%