Borat (2006)

Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian
Director: Larry Charles
Country: USA
Genre: Comedy

High five! Make sexy time with this moviefilm.

The ambush style of docu-comedy  is very bittersweet. At once it evokes an incredibly uncomfortable squeamish feeling, but quite often it induces uncontrollable laughter. Borat is much like any on-the-street-with-the-people comedy, only more so. While it boasts one of the most dedicated performances in the history of cinema, the real stars of this film are the real people and their reactions to this foreigner. It’s sometimes transparent that the filmmakers set up a situation to squeeze the most comedy out of it, but with the editing, the laughs are plentiful and that’s all that matters. By the time Borat is over, my stomach hurt and I wasn’t sure if it was laughing so much or from seeing just how hateful our country can be, sometimes. Love it or hate it, this film is an undeniable part of this decade’s pop culture.

Knocked Up (2007)

Starring: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl
Director: Judd Apatow
Country: USA
Genre: Comedy

It’s all fun and games until someone pops a baby out.

After his 2004 gem The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Judd sharpened his hooks to sink into a more mature story with immature characters. Apatow and gang know how to craft a crude yet insightful coming of age comedy that can glide between its main character tripping on mushrooms to the fear that comes from having a child. Few films that attempt their hand at both comedic and dramatic can boast success, but then there definitely aren’t enough that give it their all. Knocked Up does, and there’s no question whether or not it works because it all just feels so natural. Most of the funniest comedies, and even some of the most dramatic films could find here a lesson in genuineness.

Superbad (2007)

Starring: Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Seth Rogan, Bill Hader
Director: Greg Mottola
Country: USA
Genre: Comedy

It was only a matter of time before the R-rated comedy trickled its way back down into teen territory, where, in all honesty, it belongs. Teens have some of the foulest mouths and dirtiest minds on the planet, and I say this not from observation but from memory. So it’s only natural that a backdrop such as high school, having a crush in high school, being invited to a party hosted by the girl you have a crush on while you are still in high school, provides the best environment for not only unadulterated laughs, but also opportunities to capture the horror of the awkwardness that comes with the age. A lot of talented forces came together to tell a wonderful story about friendship; Greg Mottola’s retro-style direction added the right sense of nostalgia, Rogen and Goldberg’s script is both truthful and hilarious, and everyone in the cast is spot on. If you don’t mind a bit of hilarious vulgarity with your coming-of-age stories, this is one of the best the decade has to offer.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

Starring: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogan, Catherine Keener
Director: Judd Apatow
Country: USA
Genre: Comedy

Say what you will about Apatow-brand films, but you cannot deny the influence they have had on modern day comedy. The grouping of films range from broad comedies (Anchorman (2003),) to coming-of-age hilarities (Superbad (2007),) to big-budget action-comedies (Pineapple Express (2008),) (and yes, even some flops (Walk Hard (2007), Drillbit Taylor (2008), Year One (2009),) but none quite stack up to the films in which Judd finds himself in the directors seat, and they all begin with The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Steve Carell puts in a brilliant performance as the late bloomer who finds himself in a series of confusing and frustrating situations, trying to deal with his virginity. What this film does best is define the line of vulgar humor, (of which there is a lot,) and genuine heart. It never condescends to its main character’s problem, like so many sex-comedies do, but rather treats it with the respect it deserves, which is actually from where most of the humor derives. For my money, as bold of a statement as it is,  The 40-Year-Old Virgin is the funniest ‘laugh-out-loud’ film of the decade.

The Hangover (2009)

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zack Galifianakis
Dir.: Todd Phillips
Country: USA
Genre: Comedy

The story for The Hangover picks up theoretically where Bachelor Party leaves off– the day after one of the biggest nights of partying the characters have ever seen. But this hugely “what if” concept movie doesn’t falter in anyway as it provides some of the decade’s biggest laughs. Director Todd Phillips plays within familiar territory developing the friendship of a group of males through a series of extraordinary circumstances, (see Road Trip, Old School,) and The Hangover trumps all of his previous efforts (probably put together.) In a market so saturated with formulaic “comedy”, this movie brings an edginess to its humor, a relentlessness, and is very unapologetic about it, which is why it’s so effective. Possibly the strongest aspect of the film is its cast, which though unusual for a major Hollywood film, consists of relatively unknowns, (though since the release of this film they are all on-the-rise, and will eventually reach A-list status.) This is sure to become a comedy classic, as it’s already become the highest grossing R-rated comedy of all-time.