Over the years, comedies have been hard to come by. Some have tried too hard and others barely got recognized until they were out of theaters. There has been a lull in studio comedies because, unfortunately, those films do not bring in the same box office as they used to. Since the market has shifted, audiences can always go back to the comedies that flew under the radar.
The 2010s had some fun movies that no one paid attention to because audiences were afraid to take a risk on a studio comedy. They were slowly starting to get phased out, but some underrated comedies have stood the test of time.
'21 Jump Street' (2012) - Stream on Netflix
When 21 Jump Street was released in theatres, audiences had no idea what to really expect. All some of them knew, was that this movie is a remake of a television series starring Johnny Depp. This movie gave us the duo of the decade because their chemistry was perfection.
Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill brought the laughs and made one iconic comedy that became bigger than it initially was because of others talking about it. Between Tatum and Hill's reactions, this movie isn't praised enough.
'Easy A' (2010) - Stream on Hulu
Emma Stone became an overnight sensation after Easy A but it still doesn't get the recognition it deserves. Due to the fact that there is a female lead, the general audience maybe wasn't accepting enough of it early in the decade.
This had a strong story about a young girl pretending to get intimate with boys at her school for money. Even though people never knew the whole story she was still labeled a jezebel. The cast worked together so well and there were some great lessons in this movie.
'Neighbors' (2014) - Rent on AppleTV
Another film that became more recognized as time went on because of word of mouth is Neighbors. The story of a couple with a newborn baby being forced to live next to a fraternity was hilarious. Zac Efron truly gives his best performance alongside Seth Rogen as they battle it out with each other over pranks.
The way the pranks escalate and how their relationship develops is really strong, and they make the movie. When the sequel came out, more fans of the first one went to go support it making Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising even bigger than the first one.
'This is the End' (2013) - Stream on Starz
To be able to get some of the funniest actors of this generation to come together for an apocalyptic movie playing themselves is truly an accomplishment. Every single comedian had a cameo in this movie and it was so much fun. Seeing these actors play themselves during the apocalypse also put many things into perspective.
Audiences saw actors for who they truly are, and they all did a great job portraying that vulnerability on screen. The standouts from this ensemble are Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Chris Robinson, and Danny McBride. They all had their moments to shine to make the movie memorable.
'Game Night' (2018) - Rent on AppleTV
Putting Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams together was a match made in comedy heaven. Game Night should have gotten more recognition because it was a game within a game. There are two levels to this movie and it's so interesting how they did it.
A couples game night with all their friends turns into one gigantic mystery game with multiple obstacles. It felt like a mixture of classic games on the big screen. Not many people went to go watch this in theatres at the time and this was later on in the decade when the studio comedies began to fizzle out.
'The Nice Guys' (2018) - Rent on AppleTV
Audiences missed out on The Nice Guys in theatres, but now it has gotten a cult following. Ever since the movie came out fans have petitioned for it to get a sequel, solely based on how hilarious Ryan Gosling was. His facial reactions and neuroticism carried the movie.
He made it so fun to watch that his high-pitched screams became the highlight. Russell Crowe as the straight man to Gosling's over-the-top character worked so well. It also has a strong detective story that takes place in the 70s, and the time period added to the humor.
'The Heat' (2013) - Stream on Disney+
Put Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy side by side, and you have one of the funniest buddy cop comedies ever. What is so enjoyable about The Heat is the fact that these two women are just as laid back as the men on the precinct. It's hard to find good chemistry in movies in this current decade, so it's always nice to go back and watch comedies like this one.
It's the first time that audiences have ever seen two women lead a cop comedy. McCarthy's awkwardness and Bullock's hissy fit made this such an entertaining watch. It is the best McCarthy movie in her string of hits after Bridesmaids.
'Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping' (2016) - Rent on AppleTV
There was a time when Andy Samberg was trying to find footing after leaving Saturday Night Live. Right after he left he joined Brooklyn Nine-Nine and became an even bigger television sensation. Samberg has done some great work with parodies and that's why Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is a really fun movie.
The fans of Samberg will automatically love this because it's his humor. He spoofed so much but also put a mirror up to society at the time. He also made fun of many artists and that is what made it entertaining. The Lonely Islands have always fused music with their brand of humor and that's why their work is always unique. When millennials listened to their songs growing up, that brand of humour influenced what they would find funny as they grew older. In a way, Andy Samberg and The Lonely Islands shaped a whole generation of comedy.
'Blockers' (2018) - Rent on AppleTV
A studio comedy being released in 2018 was a struggle because of how the tide shifted. Blockers is such an underrated comedy because it's marketed for teenagers, but really it's for adults. Audiences have all had high school experiences with different kinds of parenting, and that's exactly what this movie highlights.
There's the overprotective father in Ike Barinholtz, the nosy mother in Leslie Mann, and the overly emotional father in John Cena. What these parents go through before and during prom night is more than entertaining because it shows two different perspectives. The best part of the movie is when Cena becomes overly emotional, and he steals the spotlight from the other two veteran comedians.
'We're The Millers' (2013) - Stream on Netflix
Jason Sudeikis is another actor from Saturday Night Live who was always going to have an awesome career after leaving the show. Shortly after he left, Jennifer Aniston made sure she worked with him and that's how We're The Millers came about. It is by far one of the funniest movies to be released, even if the story is a bit underdeveloped.
It's still fun because four very different people come together and pretend to be a family in order to get some big payout. In the end, these lonely people actually form a bond because of the crazy things they went through together. The chemistry between the four of them as the movie went on became stronger. It's also very fun for Aniston fans to see her in a darker comedy instead of her typical rom-com role.