The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Rolling Stone’s 70 Greatest Comedies of the 21st Century is a critic-curated discovery list, not an objective scorecard. Its 19 contributors did not share one definition of “hilarious,” and the page says the list was first published in early 2018 and later updated with 20 new entries. Treat its 70 films and their order as Rolling Stone’s current editorial selection—not a universal verdict or a guarantee that every film will suit your taste.
How to use Rolling Stone’s 70-film list
Start with the kind of comedy you want, then use the ranking as a route into films you may have missed. The list ranges across comic forms, including romantic comedy, raunch comedy, droll humor, improvised ensemble work and genre hybrids. Its rank order reflects editorial judgment; the introduction does not describe a formal scoring system or a poll of viewers.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
![Universal 10-Film Judd Apatow Comedy Collection [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51xZW024qsL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Universal 10-Film Judd Apatow Comedy Collection [DVD] | $18.90 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Vacation Collection (DVD) | $9.89 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Happy Gilmore / Billy Madison / I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry 3-Movie Laugh Pack [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51yVjRUz3eL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Happy Gilmore / Billy Madison / I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry 3-Movie Laugh Pack [DVD] | $6.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![The Great Outdoors / Uncle Buck Double Feature [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51hzBDZPDEL._SL160_.jpg)
|
The Great Outdoors / Uncle Buck Double Feature [DVD] | $6.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
SON IN LAW | $3.74 | Buy on Amazon |
For a more useful shortlist, consider the film’s comic mode, tone, cultural perspective and tolerance for mature humor. These are practical ways to navigate the selection, not criteria Rolling Stone says it formally applied.
- Comic mode: Look for satire, physical comedy, deadpan delivery, gross-out humor, romance or improvisation.
- Tone: Decide whether you want something light, bittersweet, dark or deliberately strange.
- Genre blend: Some comedies draw much of their energy from action, horror, romance or another genre.
- Perspective: A film’s national or cultural context can shape its jokes and references; not every style travels equally well.
- Content comfort: Raunchier or darker entries may be a poor fit for viewers seeking a family-friendly comedy.
One example of the list’s range
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Rolling Stone places Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World at number 70. The magazine describes it as an adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s comics, combining video-game styling, indie-rock references and comic-book action. That mix makes it a useful example of a comedy whose appeal is not limited to jokes: its humor is part of a fast-moving, stylized genre hybrid.
#1 Best Overall
If the film sounds like your kind of watch, it can be added to a personal watch list. Physical editions and retailer listings change, so check the format, edition and availability directly before buying.
How this selection differs from other comedy lists
There is no single neutral benchmark for the “best” comedies. Different lists cover different eras, countries and purposes, so their rankings should not be treated as direct confirmations or contradictions of one another.
Rank #2
| List | Scope and perspective | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Rolling Stone: 70 Greatest Comedies of the 21st Century | A 21st-century selection shaped by input from 19 writers; the page says it was first published in early 2018 and later updated with 20 new entries. | A critic-curated discovery guide whose order is an editorial judgment. |
| BFI: 10 great comedy films of the 21st century | A separate 2015 selection that illustrates a range beyond Hollywood studio comedy, including Swedish deadpan absurdism, Mexican coming-of-age sex comedy, American dysfunctional-family comedy, British zombie parody and Hong Kong action comedy. | Useful context for the international and stylistic breadth of comedy; its examples are not all asserted to be in Rolling Stone’s 70. |
| AFI’s 100 Years…100 Laughs | An all-time list limited to qualifying American films, with criteria including feature length, American production elements, comedic impact and legacy. | A different national and historical scope, not a direct comparator for an international 21st-century selection. |
| Rotten Tomatoes: 150 Essential Comedy Movies To Watch Now | An all-time list; its editors say it is not simply a ranking of the best-reviewed films and that the Tomatometer is not the only guide. | A broader watch guide with a different method and time span, not evidence for Rolling Stone’s ranking. |
When comedy edges into tragedy
Comedy does not always mean an uncomplicated or consistently light experience. In its 2015 selection, the BFI quotes Swedish director Roy Andersson describing his films: “in my films a larger portion is comedy than tragedy… but not a comedy that is very easily read.” The observation speaks to the boundary between comic and tragic modes in Andersson’s work; it is not a universal definition of comedy.
That boundary is worth keeping in mind when choosing from a critics’ list: a film can be funny and still feel melancholy, unsettling or emotionally demanding.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Factory sealed DVD
Rank #4
Rank #3
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
