75 comedies everyone should see

and by everyone, I mean those who like crass, low-brow humor.

So I always read top ten lists, top 25 lists, top 50 lists, and top 100 lists, but when was the last time you saw a top 75?

Well you guys are in luck.

It amazes me how many of the people I know who are younger than me have missed out on so many of my favorite comedies, and even if they saw them, I’m not too sure they would even find them funny.  I’ve slowly realized, and also come to appreciate, that I’m at the tail end of a generation who was the first to truly embrace (and be greatly influenced by) the sub-genre of comedy that has dominated for the last few decades, which started with the Farrely Brothers’ Dumb and Dumber masterpiece and has evolved and meandered and transformed into the R-rated “bromedy’s” of the last few years.  At the heart of all these movies are typically irredeemable or immature male characters that get into ridiculous situations filled with low-brow humor but somehow instill us with some sentimental value by the end of the film. There were plenty of these movies that fall into that category made before my time, some of which are included, but for the most part they were the exception rather than the norm.

So if you are between the ages of 18-30,  or just want to understand most of the movie references I make, which go unnoticed way too often, the following list should be mandatory viewing (this is just as much for my selfish benefit so that I don’t look like a fool when my random quotes aren’t recognized).

I have somehow sorted out the hundreds upon hundreds of hilarious theatrical movies I’ve seen in my life and have picked out the best 75. And by best 75 I mean my favorite 75. This is a favorites list, not a film criticism list. There are some classics that I probably missed, so please excuse their absence. I also mostly left out animation, ‘cuz that opens a whole new bag of worms, mainly called Pixar, which would greatly complicate things. I’ve also left out a lot of older comedies (with a few exceptions), mainly because this is a list for my generation.

Now without further adieu, and with zero authority on the matter, I pronounce the 75 classic comedies of my time (give or take). 

The Top Ten

1.       Superbad

People Don't Forget

Life-changing is an understatement

2. Dumb and Dumber

Where the beer flows like wine, and the women flock like the salmon of Capistrano

3.       Old School

Frank the Tank is my hero

4.       South Park: Bigger, Longer, and uncut

That movie has warped my fragile little mind

5.       Role Models

I'm sorta into politics

6.       Road Trip

Are you here for the feeding?

7.       Harold and Kumar (1 and 2)

Extreme Cheddar!

8.       The 40 Year Old Virgin

Like Bags of Sand

9.       Happy Gilmore

Well now your back is gonna hurt, 'cuz you just pulled landscaping duty. 

10.   American Pie(s)

I can taste the bubbles...

I just realized Sean William Scott is in four of these movies. So what if I'm a little biased? Stifler is the greatest character of all time.

And the rest, IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER:

• The Hangover
• Caddy Shack
• Dogma
• Knocked Up
• Wedding Crashers
• Mallrats
• Billy Madison
• Dude Where’s my Car
• Saving Silverman
• Waiting
• Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
• Clerks
• Ace Ventura (Both of them)
• Forgetting Sarah Marshall
• Anchorman
• The Simpsons Movie
• Grandmas Boy
• The Rundown
• Rushmore
• How High
• Hot Fuzz
• The Big Lebowski
• 10 Things I hate about you
• The Princess Bride
• Office Space
• Next Friday
• Jackass
• Van Wilder
• Animal House
• Beavis and Butthead Do America
• There’s Something About Mary
• Wayne’s World 2
• Blues Brothers
• EuroTrip
• Spaceballs
• Rush Hour
• Meet the Parents
• The Girl Next Door
• Bad Santa
• Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
• Blue Streak
• Hot Tub Time Machine
• I love you man
• Scary movie
• Dead Man on Campus
• GroundHog’s Day
• Ferris Bueller’s Day off
• Ghostbusters
• Tommy Boy
• Pineapple Express
• Half Baked
• Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
• Zack and Miri make a Porno
• Beerfest
• Super Troopers
• Waterboy
• Liar Liar
• The Naked Gun
• Airplane
• Tropic thunder
• Step Brothers
• Austin Powers
• Zoolander
• Dodgeball
• Mystery Team

Obviously the dominance of the R-rated comedy reflects my taste for slapstick and stoner humor. Yeah Dr. Strangelove is funny as hell, but I’ll laugh way harder watching Dude Where’s my Car (This would be the appropriate time to call me an idiot. Followed by me saying suck on my Summa Cum Laude balls).

My pruning memory probably forgot some awesome ones, so add them to the comments! Let me know what else should be in there and we can make a top 100!