Spy (2015) - ★★★★

Director: Paul Feig

Writer: Paul Feig

Stars: Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Jude Law, Jason Statham, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, Peter Serafinowicz

Spy is a damn hilarious film. Not everyone can identify with Melissa McCarthy's humour, but I sure can. The way she improvs her lines gives the legends of cinematic comedy a run for their money.

It's a star studded, action-packed entertainment extravaganza that surprisingly won favour with many critics the world over. Is it one of the greatest comedies of all time? No. However, it manages to deliver the laughs in both clever and crass ways.

This is the kind of film I could watch about 10 times and still laugh. I'm going to give Paul Feig a big thumbs up and say, "you outdid Bridesmaids." 

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) - ★★★★½

Director: Wes Anderson
Writers: Stefan Zwig (inspired by the works), Wes Anderson, Hugo Guinness (Story)
Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, F. Murray Abraham, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Saoirse Ronan, Harvey Keitel, Jude Law, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Murray, Mathieu Amalric, Edward Norton... and many more.

The Grand Budapest Hotel gave me one of the grandest experiences I've ever had at the cinema. It's stunning to look at, pleasing to listen to, and filled with characters that tickled my funny bone from start to finish. It reminded me a lot of Grand Hotel (1932), a classic that starred many of Hollywood's greatest actors of that time. Except it contained Anderson's flare for tongue-in-cheek humour, and over-the-top set production and style. I truly loved this film, and I loved seeing many of my favourite actors take turns in bringing their own personal flare to the screen. It's films like this that ignite my passion for cinema. You can tell that it's a labour of love, and a film that may just stand the test of time.

My Girl (2005) | ★★★★½ [Korean Drama TV Series]

Genre: Korean Drama, Romantic Comedy.
Stars: Da-hae Lee, Dong-Wook Lee, Jun-ki Lee, Si-Yeon Park, Seok-Hwan Ah, Hie-bong Byeon, Ran Choi

My Girl is up there with the funniest Korean dramas I’ve ever seen. It was so refreshing to watch, breathing life into a genre that I was starting to find repetitive and unexciting. It contains many of the things I love about Korean dramas, and cuts out almost all of the things I hate about them. It’s just a perfect show for me! Words cannot do justice to how immensely joyful I felt whilst watching My Girl. The characters were hilarious, the story was hysterical, and the romance had everything I wanted and more. Each episode made me laugh, swoon, and more than a little emotional. I couldn’t ask for anything more than that. If it weren't for the sub-par ending, I'd call this the greatest romantic-comedy I've ever seen. 

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) - ★★★★½

Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Terence Winter (screenplay), Jordan Belfort (book)
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Rob Reiner, Kyle Chandler, Joanna Lumley, Jean Dujardin, Jon Bernthal

The Wolf of Wall Street is easily one of the best films of 2013. Scorsese's newest flick is a breath of fresh air! It's an electric, roaringly fun movie that manages to make its 3 hour running time just fly by. It's nice to see DiCaprio shake a leg and play an eccentric, despicable man. What was even better for me was seeing Jonah Hill flex his acting chops and establish himself as a big player in the world of supporting actors. I'm not gonna lie, movies like this usually aren't my sort of thing. I go for substance, character development, and true portrayals of the human condition. Here we mostly see Scorsese's signature flare for the dramatic and a penchant for over-the-top entertainment. Wolf of Wall Street one-ups American Hustle by paying equal attention to its story and characters, making it a consistently brilliant work of cinema.

Ghost World (2001) - ★★★★

Director: Terry Zwigoff
Writers: Daniel Clowes (Comic Book), Terry Zwigoff
Stars: Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi, Brad Renfro, Illeana Douglas, Bob Balaban, Stacey Travis

I have a lot of mixed feelings about Ghost World. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, it boasts some pretty wicked dialogue and a distinct late-1990s flare. The performances are fantastic, the cinematography is effective, and the score by David Kitay accompanies the scenes beautifully. I found it so hard to like the protagonist, who at first is one of the snobbiest bitches I've ever seen on film. As the story and characters start developing, everything becomes so much more entertaining and interesting. An unorthodox friendship, and a gripping look at the human condition of two major characters, made me enjoy Ghost World immensely. It's a film with edge, a spark that you just don't see in cinema anymore. I can't put my finger on it, but the whole experience was just one big nostalgia trip. I loved it.

Spider Baby or, The Maddest Story Ever Told (1968) - ★★★★

Director: Jack Hill
Writer: Jack Hill
Stars: Lon Chaney Jr., Carol Ohmart, Quinn K. Redeker, Beverly Washburn, Jill Banner, Sid Haig

Spider Baby is without a doubt, the best 'bad' movie I've ever seen. My family and I were in stitches, laughing at the madness that unfurled in this movie. The story is savagely hilarious, the dialogue is damned funny, the performances hit all the right notes, and most importantly, the events that take place are wickedly entertaining. From seeing a group of mentally challenged cannibals all locked up in a basement, to watching Carol Ohmart running around a field in nothing but her lingerie, Spider Baby truly does have it all. It's a cheaply produced, badly acted piece of cinema... but it's the funniest, most entertaining bad film you'll probably ever see. Ed Wood eat your heart out, this is bad cinema done right!

This Is the End (2013) - ★★★★

Director: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
Writers: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Jason Stone (Short Film)
Stars: Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, Danny McBride, Emma Watson, Michael Cera, Rihanna

This is the End is one of the funniest comedies of 2013. It had its moments that made me roar with laughter, and an all-star comedic cast that rivals films like It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963). Seth Rogen is proving to be a formidable comedic super-star, putting the likes of Adam Sandler and his crew to shame. While this isn't a very original film, the improv from these hilarious men make it one of the most memorable and unpredictable comedies made in recent years. Its biggest asset is the way the actors don't take themselves too seriously, but its biggest folly is that there are frequent, and sometimes prolonged dull-moments. Whatever its shortcomings, I'll always remember the performances of Jonah Hill and Danny McBride, who were the cream of the crop.

The Kings of Summer (2013) - ★★★½

Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Writer: Chris Galletta
Stars: Nick Robinson, Nick Offerman, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias, Erin Moriarty, Megan Mulally, Marc Evan Jackson

The Kings of Summer is a visually beautiful, entertaining film. It's basically like the movie Into the Wild, but for teenagers. It boasts an amazing soundtrack, exquisite cinematography, and an Oscar worthy performance by the hilarious Nick Offerman. I couldn't connect with the characters, because they were the kind of people I generally dislike. However, their complicated feelings and impulsive actions were both easy to relate to, and at times unbelievable. I enjoyed this movie because it made me feel some pretty strong emotions, and it didn't become preachy about in-depth teenage problems. It's just an interesting look at the lives of three boys, who are sick of their lives and want to escape. It's far from a perfect film, but there's enough substance there to call it a great movie.

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013) - ★★★★½

Director: Jeff Tremaine
Stars: Johnny Knoxville, Jackson Nicoll, Greg Harris, Georgina Cates

Bad Grandpa is one of the most uproariously funny movies I've ever seen. Scene after scene, this film was consistent in its level of unpredictability, originality, and downright hilarious gags. I'd go as far as to say that this is the BEST Jackass movie ever made. No, it doesn't have the classic stuntmen/pranksters such as Chris Pontius, Bam Margera, or Steve-O. It's simply Johnny Knoxville and the sensational Jackson Nicoll, who together have a damned funny, infectious chemistry. It's a surprisingly well put-together film, with a laid-back soundtrack and nice cinematography. What makes this movie work on a cinematic level is that it sticks to a coherent storyline, that is played out through enacted scenes AND pranks on real human beings. I just loved Bad Grandpa, which deserves high praise for making me almost fall out of my chair in laughter, twice!

Frances Ha (2013) - ★★★★★

Director: Noah Baumbach
Writer: Noah Baumbach
Stars: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Michael Esper, Adam Driver, Michael Zegen, Charlotte d'Amboise, Grace Gummer, Justine Lupe

Frances Ha is undoubtedly my favourite film of 2013! It has a naturally funny, infectious charm about it that just made my heart sing from the opening credits to the end. I love the style, I love the performances, I love the dialogue, I love the characters, I love the music, and I love how different this movie is from anything I've ever seen. It's so refreshing to finally see a comedy about REAL people again, not just the usual cliched throw-up from the same-old comedic actors. This film captivated me so much, that I saw it again the very next day. The characters are at times frustrating and hard to relate to, but that made no difference for me because they were like real people, rather than fictional movie characters. It's definitely not for everyone, but I really identified with the story and characters on film.

Jackie Brown (1997) - ★★★★

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Writers: Elmore Leonard (Novel), Quentin Tarantino (Screenplay)
Stars: Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster, Robert De Niro, Michael Keaton, Bridget Fonda

Jackie Brown is one funky, sassy, entertaining film! It has such an old-school 1970s feel to it. I just adored the soundtrack, cinematography, dialogue, and performances by Pam Grier and Robert Forster. This definitely has a Tarantino-esque feel to it, but in my opinion, it's the most unique film he has ever made when compared to his body of work. One thing I respect about Tarantino's film-making is that you can tell he puts so much thought and planning into each scene. This is what makes his movies consistently entertaining the whole way through. However, with Jackie Brown, I personally felt that there were too many scenes, and that some of the scenes were too long. The storyline is simple, too simple for a 154 minute runtime. Despite this, I found it to be a very entertaining movie.

Blue Jasmine (2013) - ★★★★

Director: Woody Allen
Writer: Woody Allen
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Sally Hawkins, Bobby Cannavale, Peter Sarsgaard, Alec Baldwin, Andrew Dice Clay, Louis C.K.

Blue Jasmine is essentially your simple, entertaining Woody Allen film. What separates this from his huge repertoire of comedies is the outstanding performance by Cate Blanchett, and the not so light-hearted story within. I think he goes out of his way to create unlikable characters, yet I almost always find myself rooting for them to succeed. It was a bit slow to start, but once the ball got rolling, I found it to be a wickedly entertaining drama. There's no doubt in my mind that Blanchett will receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for Blue Jasmine, but it may very well be nominated for Best Screenplay and Supporting Actress too. The whole film just gels well, and for once, I didn't find Allen's film to be irritating in the least. It's one of his more solid, entertaining films. He's lucky Blanchett signed on to play Jasmine, because she truly makes it a memorable experience.

City Lights (1931) - ★★★★★

Director: Charles "Charlie" Chaplin
Writer: Charlie Chaplin
Stars: Charlie Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Harry Myers, Florence Lee, Al Ernest Garcia, Hank Mann

City Lights is one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen. Whenever I think about it, I just feel the most profound sense of joy. I laughed several times, and nearly cried my eyes out at the end of the film. I was always intrigued to see City Lights because many people called it Chaplin's greatest work. Now that's a huge statement to make, considering his classics like The Gold Rush (1925), The Circus (1928), Modern Times (1936) and my personal favourite, The Great Dictator (1940). Now that I've finally seen this film, I can honestly say that it deserves to be called his greatest work. It's simply a masterpiece... a silent film that will be enjoyed forever.

Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie (2012) - ★★★

Directors: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim
Writers: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim
Stars: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, Twink Caplan, John C. Reilly, Zach Galifianakis, Will Ferrell, Will Forte, Ray Wise

Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie was a huge disappointment. My favourite comedy TV show happens to be Tim and Eric's Awesome Show: Great Job! In their show, they make intelligent, hilarious, and ultimately disturbing commentaries on the stupid shit mankind does (whether it is inventing stupid products, or stupid TV shows). The actual story of the film is its biggest letdown. It doesn't give them many opportunities to flex their crazy, off-coloured humour. They have to follow a coherent storyline that makes a little bit of sense, which throws their usual methods out of whack. While I still enjoyed this movie immensely, I'd call it the longest, unfunniest episode of Tim and Eric I've ever seen. It's funny, but I miss the non-stop laughs they used to give me.

In Bruges (2008) - ★★★★½

Director: Martin McDonagh
Writer: Martin McDonagh
Stars: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes, Clemence Poesy, Jordan Prentice

*Warning* Inappropriate language used in this review.

In Bruges was such a breath of fresh air! It's one of the funniest, intelligent, well made dark comedies of all time. Every once in a while I stumble upon a movie filled with high points, and that's exactly what happened with In Bruges. The humor and wit reminded me a bit of Father Ted (1995), but instead of priests they were hit-men. It's the classic 'grown-up partnered with man-child' routine, yet McDonagh managed to make it fresh and consistently funny. In Bruges was so darn entertaining that I literally watched it again the very next day.

Barton Fink (1991) - ★★★½

Director: Joel Coen
Writers: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Stars: John Turturro, John Goodman, Judy Davis, Michael Lerner, John Mahoney, Tony Shalhoub, Steve Buscemi

"I'll show you the life of the mind!" The last half hour of Barton Fink was pretty darn amazing. Whenever John Goodman was on screen, I found myself enthralled with the film. Barton Fink has a huge cult following... some people call it the greatest movie of all time. While I'm not one of those people, I can see how someone can get swept up in the craziness of it all. I found the film to be really slow and pretty uninteresting whenever John Goodman wasn't present. Not much happens in the first hour alone, and I didn't really laugh during that time either. It's a movie I'll have to see over and over to truly appreciate, but as it stands I found it to be an above-average surreal experience.

Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) - ★★★★

Director: Sam Raimi
Writers: Mitchell Kapner, David Lindsay-Abaire, L. Frank Baum
Stars: James Franco, Rachel Weisz, Michell Williams, Mila Kunis, Zach Braff, Joey King, Bill Cobbs, Tony Cox

I was so pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Oz the Great and Powerful. While others didn't get the whole 'Oz' vibe, I felt like I'd never left. When I first heard that they were doing a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, the first thing I said was "that's going to suck." Sam Raimi had huge shoes to fill because the 1939 classic is literally cinema perfection (it is to me anyway). Not only did it exceed my expectations, it went above and beyond! I loved the new characters they introduced, I really liked the story they came up with, but perhaps most importantly, it made me feel as giddy as a child again. It's not perfect, but I'd call it a great movie.

Jack and Jill (2011) - ★★

Director: Dennis Dugan
Writers: Steve Koran, Adam Sandler (Screenplay), Ben Zook (Story)
Stars: Adam Sandler, Al Pacino, Katie Holmes, David Spade, Nick Swardson, Tim Meadows, Eugenio Derbez

I can't help but smile at the thought of everyone being miserable while watching this movie. For some reason, I wasn't miserable. In fact, I laughed quite a few times! Jack and Jill is pretty despicable, relying on cheap humour, fart jokes, racial jokes, and bucket loads of product placement. The thing is, I'm not above this sort of humour if it's done right. There were so many jokes that fell flat, but there were quite a few of them that made me roar with laughter. I'm probably losing all credibility as a reviewer right now, but if I'm being honest, I enjoyed this movie.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) - ★½

Director: Woody Allen
Writer: Woody Allen
Stars: Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Chris Messina, Patricia Clarkson, Kevin Dunn
Genre: Drama, Romance, Comedy

This movie really bugged me. There were so many things that frustrated me about Vicky Cristina Barcelona that I don't know where to start.

Piranha 3DD (2012) - ★½

Director: John Gulager
Writer: Patrick Melton, Marcus Dunstan, Joel Soisson (Screenplay)
Stars: Danielle Panabaker, Matt Bush, David Koechner, David Hasselhoff, Christopher Lloyd, Gary Busey, Ving Rhames

Piranha 3DD is, as you would expect, a god-awful movie. It's raunchy, amateurish, and filled with horrible performances. However, it's not all bad. I laughed my ass off towards the end of the movie. This is probably the lowest form of comedy, yet to me a lot of the gags were just plain hilarious! If not for the irritatingly slow and unfunny first half, I'd probably have given this 3 Stars.