2024 was a tumultuous year for the world, but luckily the comedy movie slate was there to get us through some eventful times. Plenty of fun films arrived in theaters and on streaming, from returns of beloved animation franchises to swoon-worthy rom-coms starring Hollywood's biggest stars to heartwarming yet laugh-out-loud feel-good films. Below, read our list of the best comedy movies that filled our watchlists in 2024.
'Anora'
Acclaimed filmmaker Sean Baker's latest dramedy, which took home the Palme d'Or at Cannes, is about a sex worker (Mikey Madison) in N.Y.C. neighborhood Brighton Beach as she enters a whirlwind relationship with the son of a Russian oligarch (Mark Eydelshteyn). Their relationship becomes rather high-stakes, leading to wild hijinks and surprising turns, even as the film balances several tones. Madison shines as the titular Anora, or Ani as she calls herself; she'll be one to watch this awards season.
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'Babes'
This friendship comedy, co-written by Broad City star Ilana Glazer and Pamela Adlon's directorial feature debut, stars Glazer and Michelle Buteau as two lifelong friends going through growing pains. When the "aggressively single" Eden (Glazer) gets pregnant from a one-night stand, big life changes bring some surprising friction to her relationship with her married bestie (and recent mother of two) Dawn (Buteau).
'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice'
36 years after Tim Burton's Beetlejuice arrived in theaters and became an instant spooky season classic, he got the gang back together for a sequel. When the Deetzes are drawn back to their old home after a death in the family, Winona Ryder's iconic character Lydia must reconnect with the demon (Michael Keaton) she sparred off with years ago after her daughter (Jenna Ortega) is swept away to the world of the undead.
'The Book of Clarence'
This revisionist comedy from The Harder They Fall filmmaker Jeymes Samuel puts an irreverent spin on a classic Hollywood Biblical epic. Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield), an ordinary man living in 29 A.D. Jerusalem, tries to capitalize on the rise of Jesus Christ by claiming to be a new Messiah sent by God to free himself of debt and gain a life of glory.
'Despicable Me 4'
Let's be real; Despicable Me fans don't come to these movies for the plot as much as the latest Minion-filled adventures. This time, Gru (Steve Carell), Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), and their girls are joined by some new additions: a mysterious set of Super Minions, and Gru Jr., a brand-new member of the family who isn't his dad's biggest fan.
'Dìdi'
Sean Wang's coming-of-age comedy is a nostalgia-filled journey back to the summer of 2008. The film's description reads, "In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can’t teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom."
'Drive Away Dolls'
In this comedy road trip from Ethan Coen, free spirit Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and her calm bestie Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) set off on an "impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way," per the film's description.
'Fitting In'
This semi-autobiographical dramedy by writer-director Molly McGlyn follows 16-year-old Lindy (Maddie Ziegler), who is "unexpectedly diagnosed with a reproductive condition, MRKH syndrome. The diagnosis upends her plans to have sex, her presumptions about womanhood and sexuality, her relationship with her mother, and most importantly, herself," per the film's description.
'Hit Man'
Glen Powell co-wrote this film with his frequent collaborator Richard Linklater, and it couldn't be more charming. Loosely based on a true story, the film is inspired by a real-life Texas man who worked with the police department by going undercover as a hit man. The movie takes a surprising rom-com tone when his new career brings him into contact with a mysterious woman (which means viewers get to swoon over Powell and Adria Arjona's electric chemistry).
'Hundreds of Beavers'
This slapstick indie comedy has been dubbed a cartoon come to life, and it's a must-watch for anyone seeking to get in touch with their silly side. It follows an applejack salesman whose becomes a fur trapper after his farm destroyed by a bunch of (life-sized) beavers. Unfortunately for him (but fortunately for our funny bones), his revenge plots can channel Wile E. Coyote more than Bugs Bunny.
'The Idea of You'
You're probably more familiar with this as "the Anne Hathaway movie that may or may not be based on Harry Styles fan fiction." Officially, it's a rom-com adaptation of Robinne Lee's 2017 novel of the same name. It follows Solène (Hathaway), a single mother in her 40s, who has a secret relationship with the lead singer of the fictional boy band August Moon (Red, White, and Royal Blue's Galitzine) after they meet at a concert.
'Inside Out 2'
In this sequel to the beloved 2015 coming-of-age film, Riley is now 15 and going through a lot, so Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), and the rest of the emotions we met via the then-11-year-old have to make way for a whole new set of feelings taking over the controls. You can expect Anxiety (voiced by Maya Hawke) to be one of them.
'I Used to Be Funny'
In this dramedy from writer-director Ally Pankiw, Rachel Sennott plays Sam, an aspiring stand-up comedian who has become reclusive while dealing with PTSD. The film jumps through time as we see Sam before a traumatic incident when she was a nanny to a precocious teen (Olga Petsa), and after, when she considers joining the search for the now-missing girl.
'Kung Fu Panda 4'
2024 was a big year for beloved animated franchises making a return. The fourth Kung Fu Panda film (and the first in the franchise since 2016) follows Po (Jack Black) as he searches for his successor as the Dragon Warrior while fighting a new villain called The Chameleon (Viola Davis).
'Lisa Frankenstein'
Writer Diablo Cody's monstrous rom-com is about a gloomy high schooler named Lisa (Kathryn Newton) and her love interest, a long-dead Victorian corpse (Cole Sprouse). "After horrific circumstances bring him back to life, the two lovers embark on a murderous journey to find love, happiness, and a few missing body parts along the way," reads the synopsis. Sounds romantic.
'Mean Girls: The Musical'
The beloved 2004 comedy received a musical makeover this year, with an adaptation of the Broadway version based on Cady and the Plastics. The new flick features a cast of young superstars, including Reneé Rapp as Regina George and Avantika as Karen. It also gave us an excuse to bring back our Barbie looks, 'cause on Wednesdays, we wear pink.
'Música'
Real-life couple Rudy Mancuso and Camila Mendes star in this fantastical Prime Video rom-com loosely based on the former's life (and co-starring his real mom). "Música is a coming-of-age love story that follows an aspiring creator with synesthesia, who must come to terms with an uncertain future while navigating the pressures of love, family, and his Brazilian culture in Newark, New Jersey," per the film's description.
'My Old Ass'
The official synopsis for Megan Park's sophomore feature reads, "An 18th birthday mushroom trip brings free-spirited Elliott (Maisy Stella) face-to-face with her wisecracking 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). But when Elliott’s 'old ass' starts handing out warnings about what her younger self should and shouldn’t do, Elliott realizes she has to rethink everything about family, love, and what’s becoming a transformative summer."
'The People's Joker'
In this transgender coming-of-age Batman parody, co-writer/director/actress Vera Drew puts her own spin on the Joker the Harlequin, making the iconic villain into a queer Gotham City comedian who's grappling with her gender identity. When she strains against the oppressive rules of a prestigious comedy team, Joker forms a new troupe to challenge Gotham's corrupt comedy scene.
'Problemista'
Comedian Julio Torres writes, directs, and stars in this surrealist comedy about an aspiring toymaker from El Salvador who takes a job with unhinged artist Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton) to keep his visa and stay in the U.S.
'A Real Pain'
Jesse Eisenberg writes, directs, and stars opposite Kieran Culkin in this dramedy. The two play quarreling cousins who set out on a trip across Poland to honor their grandmother, inevitably digging up old family wounds. It's been a hit at festivals throughout the year and is said to be full of biting humor—so watch out for this one as awards season rolls around.
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'Ricky Stanicky'
A trio of friends have been running a longtime con: They came up with a fake friend, Ricky Stanicky, to use whenever they need an excuse for their immature antics. When the ruse goes too far and their partners demand to meet Ricky, the men hire a washed-up actor (John Cena) for "the role of a lifetime." Things quickly go off the rails in this return to the classic raunchy R-rated comedy.
'Robot Dreams'
This Oscar-nominated animated film finally made it to streaming this year after its film festival run. Directed by Pablo Berger, it takes place in an alternate 1980s Manhattan where androids are seen as second-class to animals. The plot is simple—a robot and a dog are besties until their friendship takes an unexpected turn—but don't underestimate how their story will make you laugh out loud and quietly sob in equal measure.
'Saturday Night'
Set in the final hours of October 11, 1975, this highly-anticipated ensemble comedy is "based on the true story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live. Full of humor, chaos, and the magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, we count down the minutes in real time until we hear those famous words…" per the film's description.
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'Scrambled'
Leah McKendrick wrote, directed, and stars in this comedy based on her own experience with egg freezing. She plays Nellie, a directionless, newly-single woman who's always a bridesmaid, never a bride. After several wake-up calls, Nellie has to decide whether to freeze her eggs, and sets out to reconnect with some past hookups to see whether any of them were Mr. Right after all.
'Thelma'
This wild action-comedy follows the titular Thelma (June Squibb), a 93-year-old grandmother who has possibly become our new role model. When she loses $10,000 after being scammed by a caller pretending to be her grandson, the nonagenarian "sets out on a treacherous quest across Los Angeles, accompanied by an aging friend (Richard Roundtree) and his motorized scooter, to reclaim what was taken from her," per the film's description.
'Wicked Little Letters'
In this comedy based on a true story (no, really), a 1920s seaside town is turned on its head when the town elders begin receiving profanity-laden letters. A foul-mouthed woman named Rose (Jessie Buckley) is put on trial for the national scandal, but as other women in the town investigate the crime, including Rose's prim neighbor Edith (Olivia Colman), they find that Rose may not be the culprit.
'Wicked Part 1'
This long-awaited film adaptation of the iconic Broadway musical puts a new spin on The Wizard of Oz. Before Dorothy touched down, before they became the Wicked Witch and the Good Witch, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) were just two young women who formed an unlikely friendship in Oz.
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'The Wild Robot'
Based on Peter Brown's children’s book of the same name, this gorgeous, emotional—make sure to bring tissues—animated film follows the android ROZZUM unit 7134, or Roz (Lupita Nyong'o) for short. After she's marooned on a deserted island, Roz "must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings, gradually building relationships with the animals on the island and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling," per the film's description.
'Y2K'
SNL alum and former Good Neighbor comedy troupe member Kyle Mooney helms (and makes an appearance in) this movie, so you can expect it to be zany. Set on New Year's Eve when 1999 turned into 2000 and the Y2K panic was very real, it imagines the technological bug happened and caused all tech to turn against humanity. It follows a group of high schoolers played by a bunch of rising upstarts that night.
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