Movie Musings: Funny Girls

Haha funny...

Just last week, the wonderful Time Out London magazine compiled a list of the 100 Best Comedies as chosen by the cream of the comedy crop.  Oh I do love me some comedy! It's quite possibly my favourite movie genre. 

The list included some of (but not all!) my absolute favourite comedies of all time.  In no particular order:

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Dumb and Dumber

Napolean Dynamite

Zoolander

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

In The Loop

Best in Show

This is Spinal Tap

Get Him to the Greek

Night at the Roxbury

Two movies from that list are there thanks to one of the most talented comedy directors and writers of all time, Christopher Guest.  He wrote, directed and starred in 'Best in Show' and co-wrote and starred in 'This is Spinal Tap' amongst a myriad of other gems.  If you haven't seen them, please do! Or any of his movies - they're an absolute treat!

One of the things I love about him is that he more or less always works with the same troupe of actors: Eugene Levy, Parker Posey, Fred Willard, Michael McKeen, Harry Shearer, John Michael Higgins and three of the most underrated comedic actress in our midst today - Jennifer Coolidge (whom you may know from American Pie as Stifler's Mom), Catherine O'Hara (Kevin's mom in Home Alone) and none other than Jane Lynch aka Sue Sylvester.  Sure, everyone knows who she is now thanks to Glee but she was at her absolute best before the all-singing, all-dancing highschoolers entered her life.

It's commonly accepted that women comediennes are not funny.  And this is made obvious by the lack of female presence in Time Out's list.  There's Bridesmaids...but don't get me started on that.  Sure you have your Tina Fey's and your Kristin Wiig's but Jennifer and Catherine and Jane are in a league of their very own.  These women are gorgeous AND hilarious and they're keeping it up way into their 50s and beyond.  I love them and I think they each should get some sort of comedy lifetime achievement award.  

They've all done so so so much, but I've chosen some of my favourite clips from three of Christopher Guests' films, 'Best in Show', 'For Your Consideration' and 'A Mighty Wind' to showcase each of their unparalleled talents.

What do you think of comedy actresses today?  Who are your favourites?

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