Particularly in recent years, the movie studio A24 has made a name for itself as one of the most popular independent entertainment companies in America, garnering legions of dedicated fans.
Being such a vast studio, it has produced all kinds of films, from Oscar-winning dramas to surrealist horror films. Another genre that it has excelled in is comedy, where it has delivered a variety of movies, from a fun biopic like The Disaster Artist to a cute family-friendly movie like Marcel the Shell With Shoes On. Many of these comedies have received an outstanding reception from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, proving A24's versatility in making people laugh.
10) A Unique Look at Modern American Life — 'Red Rocket' (2021)
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Sean Baker is known for his grounded but vibrant explorations of American life. Yet, he constantly surprises critics and audiences with movies like Red Rocket, about a former porn star who returns to his hometown after a long absence.
Showcasing a magnetic performance by Simon Rex, who used to be a star of the adult film industry himself, the movie was applauded for its delightfully comedic but subtly dark atmosphere and the terrific way in which Baker turns the setting of Texas City into another one of the film's characters. For this, it has a Tomatometer of 90%.
9) They Can't Lose — 'Mississippi Grind' (2015)
One of A24's less talked-about films, Misissippi Grind follows a down-on-his-luck man played by Ben Mendelsohn, and how he joins a charismatic poker player played by Ryan Reynolds on a gambling road trip in the hopes of turning his life around.
This dramedy captures the essence of gambling, addiction, and loneliness excellently, earning it an outstanding Tomatometer score of 91%. Although audiences on Rotten Tomatoes weren't too fond of the movie, critics celebrated it for its two fantastic main performances and how it balances thoughtful drama with joyful humor.
8) An Unconventional Horror Comedy — 'In Fabric' (2018)
Yet another of the studio's most underrated outings, In Fabric is a gripping ghost story set against the backdrop of a busy winter sales period in a department store, following the life of a cursed dress.
Peter Strickland's movies are known for paying homage to classic horror cinema, but this movie goes far beyond that. It transcends genres and concepts, becoming a strange experience that is simultaneously surreal, funny, chilling, and unapologetically risky. Proof of its complexity is its score of 91% on the Tomatometer.
7) Love, Life, and Loving Life — 'Gloria Bell' (2018)
The star-studded Gloria Bell is a dramedy about a free-spirited divorcée who spends her nights on the dance floor at clubs around Los Angeles, where she's looking for love.
Gloria Bell is a rather austere movie that largely relies on Julianne Moore's lead performance, and critics on Rotten Tomatoes thought she was more than up to the challenge. Aside from the acting, though, the movie's rich, nuanced, and funny narrative was also lauded with a 91% score on the Tomatometer.
6) Oh, Hi, Tommy — 'The Disaster Artist' (2017)
Based on Greg Sestero's book of the same name, where he shares his experience of the tumultuous development of the Holy Grail of bad movies, Tommy Wiseau's The Room, The Disaster Artist is a biopic about how Sestero (played by Dave Franco) met Wiseau (played by James Franco), and the consequent production of The Room.
One of the most enjoyable movies about filmmaking ever made, The Disaster Artist is charming while also offering effective moments of poignancy. Because of this, it has the approval of 91% percent of critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
5) A Movie About Literally Everything — 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' (2022)
There are few movies as vast and ambitious as The Daniels' Everything Everywhere All At Once, about an elderly Chinese immigrant who's swept up in an insane battle for the universe, where only she can save it by connecting with the lives she could have led in other universes.
Multiverse movies are all the rage nowadays, and Everything Everywhere is perhaps the best in the subgenre. It's hilarious, wholesome, admirably well crafted, and overall just so great that it has a 95% on the Tomatometer.
4) Based on an Actual Lie — 'The Farewell' (2019)
The Farewell is about a headstrong Chinese-American woman played by Awkwafina who returns to China when her beloved grandmother (Zhao Shuzhen) is diagnosed with a terminal illness. The family decides to keep her in the dark about it.
Beautiful, relatable, and extremely hard not to love, the film is a bittersweet family dramedy full of great performances. Critics lauded its complex narrative, interesting themes, and loving depiction of Chinese culture, for which the movie boasts a 97% on the Tomatometer.
3) Step Aside, Paddington; There's a New Adorable Cutie in Town — 'Marcel the Shell With Shoes On' (2022)
One of the sweetest films made in recent years, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On is a mockumentary-style family comedy about an adorable one-inch-tall shell (Jenny Slate) living an idyllic existence with his grandmother Connie (Isabella Rossellini) and pet lint, Alan. With the help of a documentary filmmaker, Marcel sets out to find his long-lost family.
In the same vein as Paddington, Marcel the Shell is a movie that oozes love, warmth, and comfort. It's thematically profound, heartwarming, and a great film to watch with the whole family, which earned it a thumbs up from 98% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
2) The Most Awkward Years of Our Lives — 'Eighth Grade' (2018)
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A charming look at teenagehood in modern times, Bo Burnham's Eighth Grade follows thirteen-year-old Kayla (Elsie Fisher) as she makes her way through the last week of middle school.
Critics called Fisher a jaw-dropping revelation, also celebrating the endearing and realistic performances of the rest of the cast. Avoiding the pitfalls of most teen comedies and dramas, Burnham managed to craft one that's more sincere, kind, and universally relatable than most others in the genre. For this, the movie has a score of 99% on the Tomatometer.
1) Greta Gerwig's Semi-Autobiographical Masterpiece — 'Lady Bird' (2017)
The second film of acclaimed writer-director Greta Gerwig was the Oscar-nominated Lady Bird, about a seventeen-year-old (Saoirse Ronan) with big dreams coming of age in Sacramento, California.
It's next to impossible not to find at least a few things to love about this captivating comedy. Honest, intelligent, and laugh-out-loud funny, Lady Bird is a touching ode to growing up, leaving the nest, and dreaming big. It's a rollercoaster of emotions that's more than deserving of its 99% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.