100 Best Comedy Movies - Contributors Lists - A

View top ten list of comedy movies chosen by the likes of Dan Ackroyd, Tom Allen and Terry Alderton

As chosen by...

Linked title denotes top 100 placing

James Acaster

Stand-up James Acaster won the Laughing Boy New Act competition in 2010, has supported Milton Jones and Josie Long on tour and guested on ‘Russell Howard’s Good News’. He recently performed his debut solo show ‘Amongst Other Things’ at the Edinburgh Fringe. See James Acaster live.

When I first saw ‘Spinal Tap’ I was 15 and didn’t get it. Then I started quoting it with my brother for some reason and we realised it was funny, watched it again and then I never stopped showing it to all my friends.

Edward Aczel

Edward Aczel first tried stand-up in 2005, aged 38. He’s known for his unique style of anti-comedy, performing hugely funny joke-free hours.

My parents were worried that if I saw the sacrilegious humour of ‘The Life of Brian’ aged 12, I would be changed forever! Still exceptionally funny.

Derek Adams

Derek Adams is a film writer at Time Out.

Scott Adsit

Scott Adsit is most familiar as long-suffering producer Pete in ‘30 Rock’. He’s also appeared in numerous movies, including ‘For Your Consideration’ and ‘Last Night’, as well as writing, directing and producing his own show, ‘Moral Orel’.

In ‘Windy City Heat’, the filmmakers constructed a huge, elaborate prank where everyone is in on the joke except their ‘leading man’. This is a movie where the dialogue creeps into my life on nearly an hourly basis. It's a warm bath of schadenfreude. ‘Saturday’s Lesson’ is the funniest movie I've ever seen. It's a Little Rascals silent short with Wheezer, Mary Ann, Farina and Joe that I saw before the main attraction at the Silent Movie Theater in LA. The premise is simple: the kids won’t do their chores until a salesman dressed like The Devil scares them into obeying their mothers. Doesn't sound like much but I've never heard an audience roar like that and I was literally sore for hours afterwards.

Yianni Agisilaou

Yianni Agisilaou is a British-based, Australia-born comic who regularly performs at the Edinburgh Fringe and Melbourne International Comedy Festival. See Yianni Agisilaou live.

1. Anchorman (Adam McKay, 2004)
2. Withnail & I (Bruce Robinson, 1987)
3. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (Stephen Herek, 1989)
4. Shrek 2 (Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, 2004)
5. Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995)
6. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (Trey Parker, 1999)
7. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (Jay Roach, 1999)
8. American Pie (Paul Weitz, 1999)
9. Duck Soup (Leo McCarey, 1933)
10. This Is Spinal Tap (Rob Reiner, 1984)

Terry Alderton

Comedy circuit legend Terry is a former goalkeeper for Southend United, was nominated for the Perrier Award in 1999, has appeared on ‘Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow’ and holds the record for the most number of encores at The Comedy Store. See Terry Alderton live.

I love this film as it's original, pure, and funny! Everything that the young Steve Martin believed in.

Dana Alexander

Dana Alexander is a stand-up who has recently moved to the UK from Canada, where she was the only black, female comedian in the country.

1. Rushmore (Wes Anderson, 1998)
2.The Bird Cage (Mike Nichols, 1996)
3.Murder by Death (Robert Moore, 1976)
4. The Gods Must Be Crazy (Jamie Uys, 1981)
5.She-Devil (Susan Seidelman, 1989)
6.Norbit (Brian Robbins, 2007)
7. Undercover Brother (Malcolm D. Lee, 2002)
8.Half Baked (Tamra Davis, 1998)
9. Napoleon Dynamite (Jared Hess, 2004)
10.The Wedding Singer (Frank Coraci, 1998)

I think Wes Anderson is my favourite because his style is so unique and distinct. The humour in his movies is often subtle, which makes them great for repeat viewing. There is no one in the world like Max Fischer in ‘Rushmore’ – he’s a reminder to be ourselves.

Tom Allen

Tom Allen is a previous winner of the So You Think You’re Funny? award and the BBC New Comedy Award. He has toured the US with Reggie Watts and Eugene Mirman and performed several solo shows at the Edinburgh Fringe and Soho Theatre. See Tom Allen live.

The subtle hilarity of the murder of Lord Ascoyne D'Ascoyne and his heirs in ‘Kind Hearts and Coronets’ showcases many sublime character performances, not least the eight played by Alec Guinness, plus some straight-faced black comedy. Perfect in its structure, rhythm and tone – for me, the epitome of an excellent Ealing Comedy.

Bennett Arron

Bennett Arron is the only Welsh, Jewish comic on the comedy circuit. He has supported Ricky Gervais on tour and his documentary ‘How to Steal an Identity’ was shortlisted for a Bafta.

Almost every line in ‘Airplane!’ is a verbal or visual gag, or the set-up for one. It has yet to be equalled – although there have been some dreadful attempts. Surely it will be considered one of the funniest films ever.

Dan Antopolski

Inventive stand-up Dan Antopolski has been nominated for both the Perrier Best Newcomer and main awards, played Jeffers in BBC2’s ‘Hyperdrive’ and in 2009 won Dave’s Best Joke of the Fringe at the Edinburgh Festival for his gag, ‘Hedgehogs. Why can’t they just share the hedge?’ See Dan Antopolski live.

1. Borat (Larry Charles, 2006)
2. Rushmore (Wes Anderson, 1998)
3. Duck Soup (Leo McCarey, 1933)
4. This Is Spinal Tap (Rob Reiner, 1984)
5. Team America: World Police (Trey Parker, 2004)
6. Night On Earth (Jim Jarmusch, 1991)
7. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (Adam McKay, 2006)
8. Love and Death (Woody Allen, 1975)
9. My Favourite Wife (Garson Kanin, 1940)
10. Mon Oncle (Jacques Tati, 1958)

Debra-Jane Appelby

Winner of the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year and Funny Women award in 2005, Debra-Jane Appelby plays regularly on the UK comedy circuit. See Debra-Jane Appelby live.

1. Blazing Saddles (Mel Brooks, 1974)
2. Monty Python's Life of Brian (Terry Jones, 1979)
3. Mouse Hunt (Gore Verbinski, 1997)
4. The Great Dictator (Charles Chaplin, 1940)
5. The Pink Panther Strikes Again (Blake Edwards, 1976)
6. Ghostbusters (Ivan Reitman, 1984)
7. Carry on Cleo (Gerald Thomas, 1964)
8. The Princess Bride (Rob Reiner, 1987)
9. Annie Hall (Woody Allen, 1977)
10. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Jim Sharman, 1975)

‘Mouse Hunt’ features Nathan Lane at his scenery-chewing finest, partnered with Lee Evans in a live action nod to Tom and Jerry. It's not surprising these two went on to delight the West End in ‘The Producers’. With amazing slapstick and one of the best uses of CGI ever to impart real pathos and intelligence in a cartoon mouse, this is a genuine successor to those awesome slapstick cartoons.

Stephen Armstrong

Stephen Armstrong is The Sunday Times’ comedy critic.

Tim Arthur

Tim Arthur is the editor of Time Out.

Dan Atkinson

Dan is a comedian, writer and the resident MC at the Sunday Special at Up the Creek in Greenwich. He’s one of the core writers of ‘Russell Howard’s Good News’, a Chortle Award nominee and one third of comedy collective ‘GIT’ with Jon Richardson and Lloyd Langford.

‘Life of Brian’ is the best because it is important, irreverent, challenging without being preachy, has great lines and there is simply no other film like it. The ultimate expression of what was so vital about ‘Monty Python's Flying Circus’.

Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykroyd is Dan Aykroyd. You need more? He wrote ‘Ghostbusters’, ferchrissakes, and is hopefully working on a new sequel. Plus he’s doing a lot of other cool stuff.

1. Duck Soup (Leo McCarey, 1933)
2. Sons of the Desert (William A. Seiter, 1933)
3. The Great Dictator (Charles Chaplin, 1940)
4. It Happened One Night (Frank Capra, 1934)
5. Take the Money and Run (Woody Allen, 1969)
6. Carry on Doctor (Gerald Thomas, 1967)
7. Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (Stanley Kubrick, 1964)
8. It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World (Stanley Kramer, 1963)
9. The Bellboy (Jerry Lewis, 1960)
10. Goodfellas (Martin Scorsese, 1990)

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