At the moment, what everyone needs is a good laugh. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the funniest comedies have to exist in their own bubble; many of the best examples of the genre have held a mirror up to society, in all its complexity and absurdity. But then many also manage to divert and entertain on their own terms, too. Whether you’re into jet-black political satire, deceptively clever romantic comedies or broad farce, there’s something here for everyone. Even if humour remains the most personal of inclinations, these half-dozen masterpieces are endlessly, hilariously rewatchable.
The Death of Stalin
Armando Iannucci’s second film is a note-perfect combination of humour and horror, which makes you laugh and then stops the laughter almost immediately with some new nastiness. Set in Russia at the height of the terror, it focuses, as the title suggests, on the aftermath of Stalin’s death and the jockeying for position that ensues. The starry cast (including Jason Isaacs, Michael Palin, Steve Buscemi and many more) are all exemplary, but the best of all is Simon Russell Beale as Beria, the head of the secret police. Anyone who’s seen him on stage will know what a remarkable actor he is, and here, moving from hilarity to terrifying nastiness in a heartbeat, he’s particularly effective.
Monty Python’s Life of Brian
Palin is also prominently featured in the Monty Python team’s best film, a still-cutting satire on religious zealotry and bigotry. Hugely controversial on release because of various people misconstruing the Pythons’ intentions, it not only contains the iconic moments everyone remembers (‘Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life’, ‘He’s not the Messiah…he’s a very naughty boy!’) but has a sly, dark wit to it that the Python members often demonstrated in their individual projects but seldom managed to bring to their group endeavours.
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