It’s been a long time since the purest comedy is in the doldrums. The producers know that the rise of sitcoms makes people prefer to laugh at home and do not consider a room as the favorite place to do it. A movie theater is for living adventures or feeling terror, but not for laughing. Or not, at least, since this is the main ingredient of the session: that’s why laughter is an increasingly important part of Marvel movies, detective thrillers or youth adventure movies.
Whether it’s pure comedy or not, we have rescued thirteen films from a chaotic 2022 that, at least, will make you laugh. Twelve little glimpses for an audience that increasingly (sadly) rejects humor and even gets angry when it forms part of the plot of a film of another genre. No problem: humor will always prevail.
‘Daggers in the Back: The Mystery of the Glass Onion’
Direction:Rian Johnson Distribution: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson, Ethan Hawke
If the first installment of ‘Puñales por el espalda’ had its sarcasm but was a detective story in its essence, in his second part he has given himself to the chufla without concessions. The portrayal of an absolutely pathetic Elon Musk (or Mark Zuckerberg) is just the beginning of a film that laughs and points to the rich, has a great time messing with them and their customs curling the loop with a final joke worthy of applause. A certain sector of the population will not like it, but it is appreciated that a film like this exists.
Criticism in Espinof by Randy Meeks | Available on Netflix
‘The menu’
Director: Mark Mylod Distribution: Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Ralph Fiennes, Hong Chau, John Leguizamo, Janet McTeer, Judith Light
And another humorous critique of the world of the rich and powerful. If ‘Stabs in the Back: The Mystery of the Glass Onion’ is a narrative labyrinth, ‘The Menu’ goes on a single path, but taking very dangerous curves along the way. What at first seems like a subtle parody of the foodie world soon reveals itself as the blackest comedy of the year, a nightmare for the characters that the audience can absolutely enjoy between smiles and laughter. Make no mistake, it’s not an appetizer: it’s a unique, top-notch dish.
Criticism in Espinof by Jorge Loser
‘Jackass Forever’
Direction: Jeff Tremaine Distribution: Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Jason Acuna, Ehren McGhehey, Preston Lacy, Dave England, Eric André
In terms of pure and hard laughter, that uncontrollable one that comes from inside you and you can’t stop no matter how hard you try, the twilight latest installment of ‘Jackass’ takes the cake. Indeed, here there are no surprises in how it works (but there are in how it works) and, therefore, nothing to blame Johnny Knoxville and his friends, who come together again to inflict pain on themselves in the most creative ways possible. To highlight a scene with a bear, another with ping pong paddles and an ending to remember due to the unexpected. Never has a movie about punching oneself in the genitals had so much love behind it.
Criticism in Espinof by Randy Meeks | Available on Prime Video
‘Chip and Chop: The Rescue Guardians’
Direction: Akiva Schaffer Distribution: KiKi Layne, Chris Parnell, Andy Samberg, John Mulaney, Will Arnett, JK Simmons, Eric Bana, Seth Rogen
Controversial for some, insufficient for others, nobody had in their pool of 2022 that the return of Chip and Chop was going to give something to talk about. And yet its meta comedy (the arrival in the Uncanny Valley is essential) works at a time when we are already more than used to seeing it on film and television. maybe it’s because it doesn’t try to be more adult than it is, because it’s still a Chip and Chop movie or because the humor of The Lonely Island sneaks between the frames, but it is inevitable to laugh at ease with the return of the two most remembered rescuers from Disney (with permission from Kangarooland).
Criticism in Espinof by Randy Meeks | Available on Disney+
‘The Inside Outtakes’
Direction: Bo Burnham Distribution: Bo Burnham
In 2021, Bo Burnham broke his five-year silence after his cathartic end as a comedian in ‘Make Happy’ with a new comedy special filmed during the pandemic…and about the pandemic. ‘Inside’ was the funniest (and devastating) thing of his year, and in 2022 Bo has given us everything he didn’t get into in that hour and a half: his discards are better than most others are capable of giving. A tour de force through the creative mind of a desperate artist who, even at his worst, is capable of making things like ‘The Chicken’ or ‘1985’. A wonderful pairing that brings us back to a genius in its purest form.
Criticism in Espinof by Víctor López | Available on YouTube
‘Thor: Love and Thunder’
Direction: Taika Waititi Distribution: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Chris Pratt, Taika Waititi, Jaimie Alexander, Karen Gillan
I thought until the last second if it was worth making the enmity of the Internet with the inclusion of ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’, but above all, sincerity. I had a great time with the fourth part of the character, I laughed at Waititi’s antics and the gags worked for me. I understand that for a lot of people it was too much, but personally I was somewhat reconciled to phase 4 thanks to this little galactic nonsense with a great Christian Bale who clearly didn’t know what movie he was in. Was ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ better? Yes, even if it was for the surprise factor. Does the combination of idiotic humor and epic action work like a shot? Well it depends on the person I guess. I can’t get more diplomatic with a tape whose funniest joke has to do with a bleating goat.
Criticism in Espinof by Víctor López | Available on Disney+
‘DC League of Super Pets’
Direction: Jared Stern and Sam Levine Distribution: Dwayne Johnson, Kate McKinnon, Natasha Lyonne, Ben Schwartz, John Krasinski, Kevin Hart
Of the two movies that Dwayne Johnson has released this year for DC, this is the good one.. And it’s not even a joke: Krypto, Ace and the rest of the super pets rescue the naive adventurous spirit of a company that has lost its search for seriousness and spectacularity. The comedy has the timing measured to perfection and, once the proposal caught by the hair has passed, it is perfectly enjoyable by everyone. To be honest? Hopefully James Gunn has a sequel in mind.
Criticism in Espinof by Víctor López | Available on HBO Max
‘Camera Cafe: The Movie’
Direction: Ernest Seville Distribution: Arturo Valls, Carlos Chamarro, Ana Milán, Carolina Cerezuela, Joaquín Reyes, Marta Belenguer, Álex O’Dogherty, Esperanza Pedreño, Ingrid García Jonsson
This year Spanish comedies have been in a small coma, between the usual childishness of Santiago Segura (doubly this time) and attempts at a high concept that don’t quite hit the nail on the head (‘Espejo, espejo’, ‘Mañana is today’). Therefore A comedy as honest as the film adaptation of ‘Camera Café’ is appreciatedwhich goes with everything from the first to the last minute, wasting an evolution of the funny humor that we already sensed in the wonderful series ‘Chapter 0’ and at the same time giving a dose of nostalgia and novelties until culminating in a delirious competition narrated by the very same I was going Llanos. You may like it more or less, but you can’t be more transparent in your intentions.
Criticism in Espinof by Mikel Zorrilla | Available in Movistar Plus+
‘Bob’s Burgers: The Movie’
Direction: Loren Bouchard and Bernard Derriman Distribution: H. Jon Benjamin, Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman, Larry Murphy, John Roberts, Kristen Schaal
It took 13 seasons until the kindest (and perhaps for that reason, most groundbreaking) cartoon series for adults had its own movie. It is true that it does not fully encapsulate the spirit of ‘Bob’s Burgers’ wanting to make the story as epic as possible, but it’s a fan cameo fest, the characters are still just as fun as ever (and one of the longest fan-talked-about mysteries is revealed) and the songs they are superb. It may have been a little disappointing for me, but That does not mean that he has absolutely hilarious moments.
Criticism in Espinof by Randy Meeks | Available on Disney+
‘Minions: the origin of Gru’
Direction: Kyle Balda Distribution: Pierre Coffin, Steve Carell, Taraji P. Henson, Michelle Yeoh, RZA, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lucy Lawless, Dolph Lundgren
If a year ago they had told me that would end up putting a Minions movie among the best comedies of the year I wouldn’t have believed it. But, nevertheless, this prequel to ‘Gru: my favorite villain’ (and at the same time a sequel to ‘The Minions’) is one of the funniest parts of the saga, in which the emotional component is dampened to offer a festival of bludgeons, jokes and bananas with a charismatic antagonistic villain group that is sadly given very little role. If the rest of the franchise is going to be like this, go ahead with whatever comes next.
Criticism in Espinof by Randy Meeks
‘Look how they run’
Direction: Tom George Distribution: Saoirse Ronan, Sam Rockwell, Adrien Brody, Ruth Wilson, David Oyelowo, Harris Dickinson, Sian Clifford
The only problem with ‘Look how they run’ is that it arrived the same year as the sequel to ‘Daggers in the back’, which play the same but better. Otherwise, this satire of serial detectives with guest appearances, ‘Mousetrap’ references, and absolute fourth-wall breaking is as funny as it is light: his first half hour is a roller coaster but he never manages to make you feel the same again after that. Of course, it is a most pleasant and fun trip that we want to repeat soon.
Criticism in Espinof by Mikel Zorrilla
‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’
Direction: Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado Distribution: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillen, Florence Pugh, John Mulaney, Olivia Colman
Evolving the ‘Shrek’ saga and combining it with the animation of ‘Spider-man: a new universe’, The late second part of ‘Puss in Boots’ had the only stumbling block of being released the week after ‘Avatar: The Sense of Water’. And it’s a shame, because Antonio Banderas nails his character, who, far from repeating the mistakes of the first part, unmasks himself as someone with different layers of depth, on this occasion accompanied by a group of charismatic and playful secondary. This is my favorite hero.
Criticism in Espinof by Randy Meeks
‘Grid’
Direction: Domee Shi Distribution: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Hyein Park, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho
The same year of the hit in theaters of ‘Lightyear’, Pixar triumphed in streaming with a story as personal as it was universal: that of a girl who symbolizes her rite of passage to maturity by becoming a giant red panda. Beyond the absurd controversies that always arise when a Pixar movie is released (in this case it had to do with some compresses), ‘Red’ is as tender and emotional as it is hilarious, proving that the present of humor is still lively.
Criticism in Espinof by Mikel Zorrilla | Available on Disney+