If there's one thing I'm sure of right now, it's that many of us could use a good laugh. Thankfully, British filmmaker Edgar Wright is on the case. Recently the director of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, HOT FUZZ, and SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD shared a list of his favorite 100 comedies on the Letterboxd website.
Wright included a caption alongside the list, in which he expressed sympathy for those affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The list is meant to offer a bit of comfort to those who're having a difficult time while practicing social distancing, and might need a hearty gut-laugh during what is assuredly a very difficult time:
“To get you through these tough times, please enjoy a generous helping of SOME of my favourite screen comedies that I’ve enjoyed over the years. I could easily do another 100 so don’t say ‘Where’s so and so?’. Just sit back and enjoy the movies. Let us know below, which ones you raise a smile. (NB: No, I'm not so immodest to put my own on here. x)”
While you won't find any of Wright's original comedies on his personal list, you will find a number of classics that helped define the genre, such as , SAFETY LAST! (1923), the timeless Marx Brothers feature DUCK SOUP (1933), and THE LADYKILLERS (1955). Also featured on the list are a few of my personal favorites, including THIS IS SPINAL TAP (1984), PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE (1985), PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES (1987), BEETLEJUICE (1988), SCHOOL OF ROCK (2003), Stephen Chow's KUNG-FU HUSTLE (2004), and of course, Taika Waititi's WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS (2014).
While encouraging other filmmakers to join the fun, Wright had tagged KNIVES OUT director Rian Johnson in the post, suggesting that he create one of his very own. As a response, Johnson crafted a list of his favorite '70s musicals. You can check Johnson's list out by clicking here.
What are some of your favorite comedies and musicals of all time? Do you have any special movie watching plans to help you pass the time while remaining indoors? Let us know what you've been up to in the comments section below.