High Faydelity: The Top 5 Blog (Pt. 3): My Unappreciated Comedies

Something about the success of 'The Hangover' and its sequel rubbed me the wrong way. Was it the ridiculous amount of hype? Maybe. Was it that everyone seemed to focus on approximately 3 scenes and Mike Tyson's cameo while seeming to ignore the mediocrity of the rest of the movie? Perhaps.  Could it be Bradley Cooper's obnoxious smirk and my inability to see past his role as the asshole fiance in 'Wedding Crashers'? Most likely. But primarily, it's that I have personal issues with society heaping praise upon certain artistic endeavors while ignoring other more deserving ones (see my campaigns against Cook, Dane and Wayne, Lil). I'm not looking for highbrow comedy here. These are just five personal favorites that fall in a similar category as 'The Hangover'. As a great archcriminal once said, "let's put a smile on that face..."

TOP 5 UNDERAPPRECIATED COMEDIES

1: 'THE GOODS: Live Hard, Sell Hard' (2009): Jeremy Piven at his PCU finest. David Koechner in his best role since Champ Kind. Kathryn Hahn making her role in Step Brothers look like a prudish pilgrim virgin. Ed Helms as a mid-30s boy band member. A Will Ferrell cameo. And Ving Rhames looking for love while delivering one of my favorite lines in the history of film (see below). I know most won't agree but this was the best R-rated comedy of 2009 to me. An incredible honor since I can only think of 2 R-rated comedies from 2009...



2: 'Undercover Brother' (2002): In this role Eddie Griffin almost makes you forgive him for being Eddie Griffin. Dave Chappelle. Enough said. And this signaled the start of the offbeat Neil Patrick Harris roles that have made him the most beloved actor of this generation. If you watch this movie and don't appreciate it for all its racial splendor then you and I can no longer be friends. Bring your orange soda.

 

3: 'The Great White Hype' (1996): The movie that made me end my professional boxing career so as not to support the boxing industry. And I don't like getting punched. The trailer below will give you a rundown of the oddly impressive cast involved but for me this movie was the last thing a Wayans brother was involved in that didn't make me want to stab their mother. Peter Berg was great if unbelievable as a former amateur standout turned rocker turned fabricated heavyweight challenger (although that's kind of the point). And to this day I still quote Samuel L. Jackson..."well, ammmmm!"



4: Harlem Nights (1989): Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx before they passed. Eddie Murphy before he became a family man. Della Reese as an honest hoe. And Sunshine...ahhh, Sunshine. A lot of people were disappointed in the movie given the cast and in some ways I can understand why (Pryor actually plays the straight man while everyone else gets to cut loose a bit) but I cannot see this movie on TV without stopping to watch. For the record I could not find a video on YouTube for the pinky toe fight scene that wasn't shot by some dude in his living room...



 

5: On Deadly Ground (1994): Granted this is the only one on the list that isn't funny intentionally but...you just have to watch it. First, there's something funny about Steven Seagal in any situation. The squinty eyes, the Christian-Bale-as-Batman voice, the condescending zen-like attitude even though a number of his co-stars have described him as a racist (DMX), violent (John Leugizamo) prick (everyone's who's ever met him). Add in an environmental message that's about as subtle as a kick to the nuts, plus my favorite worst movie scene ever (too long to explain here, ask me about it sometime) and you've got a recipe for unintended hilarity.

Watch. Give feedback. Or just watch and keep it to yourself. I've done my part to promote good comedy and that lets me sleep at night. That and my My Little Pony nightlight of course.