Ten of the silliest comedies to watch now
• Naked Gun review — Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson are irresistible
Groucho Marx, Chico Marx and Harpo Marx on the set of A Night at the Opera, 1935
METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER/GETTY IMAGES
There'd be no screwball comedy without the Marx Brothers. Arguably Duck Soup, the one about Groucho ruling the fictional country of Freedonia, is the Brothers' lodestone, but their canvas was wider in this, a romp that never pauses for breath, featuring a breathtaking physical skit set in a cabin on a cruise liner ('and two-hard boiled eggs'), the immortal gag 'there ain't no such thing as a sanity clause' and a climactic lampoon of Verdi's baffling Il trovatore. It's bliss. Buy/rent
Michael Crawford as Frank Spencer
BBC
Few characters are as infantile as Frank Spencer, for all his good intentions, and as he accidentally creates mayhem wherever he goes, he also creates timelessly funny farce. His DIY skills will end in systematic destruction of the room, reversing a car will somehow result in it hanging off a cliff edge ('You promise you won't be angry with me?' he asks his wife, Betty, nervously) — the man is a walking catastrophe in a tank top and proof that dumbness never ages. iPlayer
Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder in Blazing Saddles
ALAMY
Who could watch a western — or eat baked beans — in the same way after seeing Mel Brooks's fantastically silly postmodern takedown of the genre? Packed with surreal gags and clever anachronisms, it featured a sublime central performance from Gene Wilder but it's the campfire scene that many people remember: it was believed to have set a record for the number of on-screen farts in a film.
• Read more film reviews, guides about what to watch and interviews
Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker would become kings of the spoof with Hot Shots!, Top Secret! and the Naked Gun franchise but this airline disaster comedy, arguably their daftest moment, was their breakthrough. A blitzkrieg of sight gags and awful puns, it included this immortal exchange between Robert Hays's Ted Striker and Leslie Nielsen's Dr Rumack: 'Can you fly this plane and land it?' Rumack says. 'Surely you can't be serious,' Striker says. 'I am serious … and don't call me Shirley.' Buy/rent
Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest and Michael McKean in This Is Spinal Tap
ALAMY
So many expressions from this semi-improvised mock-rockumentary have entered the culture — 'These go to 11'; 'There's a thin line between clever and stupid' — that it can be hard to remember just how flaming funny it is. It's played beautifully straight, studded with great set pieces — Stonehenge almost being crushed by a dwarf; the band failing to find the stage at showtime — and has long been endorsed as ludicrously lifelike by the people it satirises. Buy/rent
Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean
ITV/SHUTTERSTOCK
If we're talking daft comedy, there is no one dafter than Mr Bean. Like a British Jacques Tati, Rowan Atkinson is a silent clown, the entire series and its films a vehicle for his gormless, rubber-faced facial expressions as he creates chaos. Where? Everywhere: in the dentist's chair, watching a scary film at the cinema (putting popcorn in his ears), meeting the Queen in a line-up with a broken trouser zip. Admit it, you were laughing. ITVX/Netflix/Prime Video
Rik Mayall as Richie and Adrian Edmondson as Eddie in Bottom
BBC
Nihilistic, violent and at times chaotic, Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson's sublime comedy of the absurd gave us big laughs in the Nineties across three brilliant series. Taking their Young Ones characters Richie Richard and Eddie Hitler and dropping them into a filthy flat in Hammersmith, the show is driven by the duo's ridiculous plots to make money and impress women, their perverted fantasies and an overfamiliarity that has long ago turned to contempt. iPlayer
Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy in Bowfinger
ALAMY
Perhaps the last gasp of out-and-out silliness from its writer and star, Steve Martin, and a reminder that Eddie Murphy is a performer of genius. Martin plays the never-say-die film-maker Bobby Bowfinger and Murphy plays both the paranoid superstar Kit Ramsey — whom Bowfinger films secretly on the streets of Hollywood after he refuses to star in his no-budget sci-fi thriller 'Chubby Rain' — and his shy, hopeless twin-cum-body double, Jiff. Oh, and Heather Graham is their ruthlessly ambitious co-star. Ridiculous. Glorious. Buy/rent
Larry David as a version of himself in Curb Your Enthusiasm
ALAMY
Larry David, the brilliant Seinfeld co-creator and producer, was not a man for boundaries in the more than two decades in which he played a hyper-real version of himself. Every episode had him offending someone, whether wearing a Maga hat to ward off unwelcome members of the public or dating a woman in a wheelchair to earn social kudos. Perhaps the silliest 'I want to die' moment came when he placed an obituary tribute to his 'beloved aunt'. Only, of course, the 'A' was accidentally switched for a 'C'. Now
Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler in They Came Together
ALAMY
Is it too much to hope for, one really funny film comedy a year? Well, how can Hollywood commit to out-and-out grown-up laughs when a masterpiece like this spoof, the Airplane! of rom-coms, bellyflopped on release? Yet David Wain's film is constantly inventive: Paul Rudd is the corporate candy exec — 'handsome but in a non-threatening way … vaguely but not overtly Jewish' — who meets the single mother Amy Poehler, who runs a small, not-for-profit candy store (yeah, one of those) in New York. Every detail is smartly observed but, as with the best spoofs, somehow you care what happens to these goons too. Buy/rent
Love TV? Discover the best shows on Netflix, the best Prime Video TV shows, the best Disney+ shows , the best Apple TV+ shows, the best shows on BBC iPlayer , the best shows on Sky and Now, the best shows on ITVX, the best shows on Channel 4 streaming, the best shows on Paramount+ and our favourite hidden gem TV shows. Don't forget to check our comprehensive TV guide for the latest listings
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Former child star reveals they went to 'weight loss camp' for Hunger Games role that Jennifer Lawrence won
Former child star Alyson Stoner revealed that they went to a 'medical weight loss camp' in preparation to audition for the lead role in The Hunger Games - which went to Jennifer Lawrence. The 31-year-old Camp Rock alum — who previously ended their feud with Demi Lovato — got candid about the 'strenuous' lengths they took in their upcoming memoir Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything which hits shelves on August 12. Alyson — who came out as queer in 2018 and uses they/them pronouns — described the workout regime and diet they underwent while simultaneously battling an eating disorder. In an excerpt of the book, per Vanity Fair, the star penned that playing Katniss would be the 'ultimate role' and 'ultimate strong female lead.' They continued, 'But the role was playing with fire for me. Katniss was characteristically thin — not starving, but small enough to reflect growing up in an underfed district — and muscular from hunting and archery. 'If I was going to devote myself to checking every box of the character description, I had to commit to strenuous training without fully succumbing to my eating disorder.' Alyson began undergoing more intense workouts months before the audition. The star explained that they were ready for such a pivotal role in their career and explained, 'I'd spent my whole career erring on the side of practicality and it hadn't amounted to a breakthrough. So this time, I jumped for the moon.' At the age of 17, Alyson was approved to attend a 'world-renowned medical weight loss camp' — which offered a two-week program that included 'seven hours of daily exercise on a calorie deficit.' At the time, the former Disney channel star admitted to already being underweight and wrote that they 'didn't recognize the irrational exceptions that doctors (and society) made for Hollywood, because it was all I knew.' Alyson recalled getting a physical done when they were 10 before filming Cheaper By The Dozen. They explained a doctor found a heart murmur but didn't add the discovery to their file 'because it "might stop the production company from letting you work." 'I followed the doctor's orders and ignored the murmur like he did, deducing that Hollywood must exist above medicine, above the law, and even above common sense.' Alyson's initial goal when preparing for the Katniss audition was not to lose weight but instead build muscle. At the age of 17, Alyson was approved to attend a 'world-renowned medical weight loss camp' — which offered a two-week program that included 'seven hours of daily exercise on a calorie deficit'; seen in 2010 at age 17 in NYC 'Doctors and trainers should've never permitted an underweight minor to do seven hours of fourteen-mile hikes, heavy lifting, and high-intensity cardio,' the star penned. 'But all I had to say was that I was training for an acting role. They assessed me as mentally stable and opened the door.' By the end of two weeks, Alyson revealed the results from the intense training and diet and said their 'body fat percentage dropped into the range of elite gymnasts.' The star shared how they became 'hooked' on the regime which negatively affected their immune system and caused massive fatigue as well as lightheadedness. Alyson prepared three scenes for the day of the audition and one of the scenes ended up being cut. They waited to hear back following the audition for days, and their body ended up going into 'starvation mode.' Alyson recalled 'completing the biggest binge of my life' and wrote, 'Twelve hours later, I awoke to a revolting migraine and lethargy. 'Somehow, I was still craving sugar. But before I could think about spoiling another day, I had to face the self-inflicted damage of the night before.' The star added, 'When I stepped onto the scale, I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. What the hell? I gained back every single pound I lost over two months? In a few hours?! It was my worst nightmare. 'My body had held on to every morsel of food and liquid ounce, unsure when it would be fed again. All my progress was erased.' While Alyson did not end up winning the role of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games franchise, they are known for other projects. The star appeared in movies such as Cheaper By The Dozen (2003), Step Up (2008) as well as the Disney channel movies Camp Rock (2008) and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010). Alyson showcased their dance skills in the past by appearing in Missy Elliot's 2002 music for Work It at the age of nine. They have also previously talked about the effect that the audition preparation for The Hunger Games had on them. During an interview with Access Hollywood in 2022, they explained, 'I am not sure I have ever shared this explicitly, but I was auditioning for The Hunger Games for the lead role, Katniss. 'I was so committed to the audition process that I underwent very intense physical training, and I was on a very restrictive diet.' The star appeared in movies such as Cheaper By The Dozen (2003), Step Up (2008) as well as the Disney channel movies Camp Rock (2008) and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010); seen with Demi Lovato in Camp Rock sequel Alyson admitted to checking themselves into rehab and remembered, 'My hair is starting to fall out, my skin is sallow, and I'm medically underweight. I feel obsessive about these behaviors, and I really need help.' The star has been candid with fans over their struggles with anorexia, bulimia and anxiety. In 2018, Alyson came out as queer and later revealed that they were fired from a children's television show soon after, although they didn't disclose the name of the series. They have continued to voice the character of Isabella in the animated series Phineas And Ferb and attended 2025 Comic Con in San Diego last month to take part in a panel for the show.
The Guardian
25 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Eddie Palmieri, pioneering Latin jazz musician and Grammy winner, dies aged 88
Eddie Palmieri, the avant-garde musician who was one of the most innovative artists of rumba and Latin jazz, has died aged 88. Fania Records announced Palmieri's death Wednesday evening. Palmieri's daughter Gabriela told the New York Times her father died earlier that day at his home in New Jersey after 'an extended illness'. The pianist, composer and bandleader was the first Latino to win a Grammy award, in 1975 for the album The Sun of Latin Music, and he would win seven more over a career that spanned nearly 40 albums. He kept releasing music into his 80s, even performing through the early coronavirus pandemic via livestreams. Palmieri was born in New York's Spanish Harlem in 1936, at a time when music was seen as a way out of the ghetto. He began studying the piano at an early age, like his famous brother Charlie Palmieri, but at age 13, he began playing timbales in his uncle's orchestra, overcome with a desire for the drums. He eventually abandoned the instrument and went back to playing piano. 'I'm a frustrated percussionist, so I take it out on the piano,' the musician once said in his website biography. In a 2011 interview with the Associated Press, when asked if he had anything important left to do, he responded with his usual humility and good humour: 'Learning to play the piano well ... Being a piano player is one thing. Being a pianist is another.' Palmieri dabbled in tropical music as a pianist during the 1950s with the Eddie Forrester Orchestra. He later joined Johnnie Seguí's band and Tito Rodríguez's before forming his own band in 1961, La Perfecta, alongside trombonist Barry Rogers and singer Ismael Quintana. La Perfecta was the first to feature a trombone section instead of trumpets, something rarely seen in Latin music. With its unique sound, the band quickly joined the ranks of Machito, Tito Rodríguez, and other Latin orchestras of the time. Palmieri produced several albums on the Alegre and Tico Records labels, including the 1971 classic Vámonos Pa'l Monte, with his brother Charlie as guest organist. Charlie Palmieri died in 1988. Eddie's unconventional approach would surprise critics and fans again that year with the release of Harlem River Drive, in which he fused Black and Latin styles to produce a sound that encompassed elements of salsa, funk, soul and jazz. Later, in 1974, he recorded The Sun of Latin Music with a young Lalo Rodríguez, and the album became the first Latin production to win a Grammy. Eight-time winner Palmieri was instrumental in the creation of the best Latin jazz album category at the Grammys in 1995; when the category was eliminated in 2011, he accused the academy of 'marginalizing our music, culture and people even further'. The category was reinstated the following year. In the 1980s, he won two more Grammy awards, for the albums Palo Pa' Rumba (1984) and Solito (1985). Palmieri released the album Masterpiece in 2000, which teamed him with the legendary Tito Puente, who died that year. It was a hit with critics and won two Grammy awards. The album was also chosen as the most outstanding production of the year by the National Foundation for Popular Culture of Puerto Rico. During his long career, he participated in concerts and recordings with the Fania All-Stars and Tico All-Stars, standing out as a composer, arranger, producer and orchestra director. In 1988, the Smithsonian Institution recorded two of Palmieri's concerts for the catalog of the National Museum of American History in Washington. Yale University in 2002 awarded him the Chubb fellowship award, an award usually reserved for international heads of state, in recognition of his work in building communities through music. Over his career, Palmieri worked with renowned musicians such as timbalero Nicky Marrero, bassist Israel 'Cachao' López, trumpeter Alfredo 'Chocolate' Armenteros, trombonist Lewis Khan and Puerto Rican bassist Bobby Valentín. In 2010, Palmieri said he felt a bit lonely musically due to the deaths of many of the rumberos with whom he enjoyed playing with.
Reuters
25 minutes ago
- Reuters
Sony hikes annual profit forecast by 4%, citing smaller trade war impact
TOKYO, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Sony (6758.T), opens new tab raised its full-year operating profit forecast on Thursday by 4% to 1.33 trillion yen ($9.01 billion), citing a diminished impact from U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. In May, Sony forecast a profit of 1.28 trillion yen, factoring in a 100 billion yen hit from the tariffs. The Japanese conglomerate has transformed from a maker of household electronics such as the Walkman to an entertainment behemoth spanning games, movies, music and chips. Sony reported a 36.5% rise in operating profit to 340 billion yen for the April-June quarter, beating an estimate of 288 billion yen from eight analysts surveyed by LSEG. ($1 = 147.5700 yen)
