it's not what a movie is about, it's how it is about it

This is an update of a post that I've done a couple of times before (in 2005 and 2007). I've been watching a lot of movies lately--and they've been really, really dark. I need more happy in my life. Going over this list again is a way of seeking more of that out, again.

This is the AFI's (American Film Institute) 100 Years...100 Laughs list, originally aired in 2000.

Key: Seen it / Own it / Want it

# MOVIE--YEAR

1. Some Like it Hot--1959
2. Tootsie--1982
3. Dr. Strangelove, or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb--1964
4. Annie Hall--1977 (Woody Allen offends me on an elemental level, and his movies have never appealed to me.)
5. Duck Soup--1933 (I'd like to see it, but I don't think I need to own it.)
6. Blazing Saddles--1974
7. M*A*S*H--1970
8. It Happened One Night--1934 (A marvelous film!)
9. The Graduate--1967
10. Airplane!--1980
11. The Producers--1968 (I don't think this has held up as well as a lot of Mel Brooks' work)
12. A Night at the Opera--1935
13. Young Frankenstein--1974
14. Bringing Up Baby--1938
15. The Philadelphia Story--1940
16. Singin' in the Rain--1952
17. The Odd Couple--1968
18. The General--1927
19. His Girl Friday--1940
20. The Apartment--1960 (How this is a comedy, I don't know. I recall it being bittersweet and sad.)
21. A Fish Called Wanda--1988 (Kevin Kline just doesn't do it for me.)
22. Adam's Rib--1949
23. When Harry Met Sally--1989 (Meg Ryan really, really doesn't do it for me.)
24. Born Yesterday--1950
25. The Gold Rush--1925
26. Being There--1979
27. There's Something about Mary--1998 (I had my fill of sophomoric humor with Nick.)
28. Ghostbusters--1984
29. This is Spinal Tap--1984
30. Arsenic and Old Lace--1944 (Terrific film!)
31. Raising Arizona--1987
32. The Thin Man--1934
33. Modern Times--1936
34. Groundhog Day--1993
35. Harvey--1950
36. National Lampoon's Animal House--1978
37. The Great Dictator--1940
38. City Lights--1931
39. Sullivan's Travels--1941
40. It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World--1963
41. Moonstruck--1987 (Not precisely a comedy, in my mind, but a terrific movie anyway.)
42. Big--1988
43. American Graffiti--1973
44. My Man Godfrey--1936
45. Harold and Maude--1972
46. Manhattan--1979
47. Shampoo--1975
48. A Shot in the Dark--1964
49. To Be or Not to Be--1942
50. Cat Ballou--1965
51. The Seven Year Itch--1955
52. Ninotchka--1939
53. Arthur--1981
54. The Miracle of Morgan's Creek--1944
55. The Lady Eve--1941
56. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein--1948
57. Diner--1982
58. It's a Gift--1934
59. A Day at the Races--1937
60. Topper--1937
61. What's Up, Doc?--1972
62. Sherlock, Jr.--1924
63. Beverly Hills Cop--1984
64. Broadcast News--1987
65. Horse Feathers--1932
66. Take the Money and Run--1969
67. Mrs. Doubtfire--1993
68. The Awful Truth--1937
69. Bananas--1971
70. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town--1936
71. Caddyshack--1980
72. Mr. Blandings Builds his Dream House--1948
73. Monkey Business--1931
74. 9 to 5--1980
75. She Done him Wrong--1933
76. Victor/Victoria--1982
77. The Palm Beach Story--1942
78. Road to Morocco--1942
79. The Freshman--1925
80. Sleeper--1973
81. The Navigator--1924
82. Private Benjamin--1980
83. Father of the Bride--1950 (I may have seen this? The remake was good enough.)
84. Lost in America--1985
85. Dinner at Eight--1933
86. City Slickers--1991
87. Fast Times at Ridgemont High--1982 (Dazed and Confused was so much better....)
88. Beetlejuice--1988
89. The Jerk--1979
90. Woman of the Year--1942
91. The Heartbreak Kid--1972
92. Ball of Fire--1941
93. Fargo--1996
94. Auntie Mame--1958
95. Silver Streak--1976
96. Sons of the Desert--1933
97. Bull Durham--1988 (Best of the genre.)
98. The Court Jester--1956
99. The Nutty Professor--1963
100. Good Morning, Vietnam--1987

Thoughts, suggestions, comments?

[the title quotation is by Roger Ebert]