Kindergarten Cop (1990)

 Genre: Action / Comedy
Directed by: Ivan Reitman
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Penelope Ann Miller, Pamela Reed
Running time: 111 minutes

 

John Kimble, a police officer prone to violent action in the workplace, is forced to go undercover as a kindergarten teacher, hoping to locate the wife and young son of Cullen Crisp, a drug dealer he has been chasing for a while.

Back in 1990, this was one of the first comedic vehicles given to action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger. He showed some comedic skills. Kindergarten is a fun, albeit silly, movie that is not totally devoid of entertainment value. Not bad.

Rating: «««

Weeds (2005-2012)

Genre: TV / Comedy / Drama
Starring: Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins, Justin Kirk
Number of seasons: 8

 

Nancy Botwin finds herself the young, widowed mother of two boys after the death of her husband. To support her family and to make ends meet, she decides to turn to selling marijuana, with the help of her late husband’s brother, her accountant Doug and the husband of her best friend.

Over eight seasons of this show created by Jenji Kohan, things evolve at quite a pace. There is a revolving door of supporting cast members. I enjoyed this one very much. The acting was solid and the stories had a great way of hooking you. I particularly enjoyed the last episode, that tied things up pretty neatly.

Rating: ««««

Bungalow (2022)

Genre: Franco / Comedy / Drama
Réalisation: Lawrence Côté-Collins
Distribution: Sonia Cordeau, Guillaume Cyr, Geneviève Schmidt
Durée: 101 minutes

 

Sarah et Jonathan sont un couple de jeunes adultes qui prennent la décision d’acheter une vieille maison en très mauvaise condition, tout ce qu’ils peuvent se permettre compte tenu de leur situation financière, avec l’intention de la rénover eux-mêmes. Ce projet amènera son lot de stress et de tensions dans leur couple, à mesure que la situation va dégénérer.

Visuellement très intéressant, ce film contient des moments savoureux de dialogues qui m’ont fait sourire. L’ensemble de l’œuvre est un peu bizarre et champ gauche. C’est un bon divertissement.

Rating: «««

Bert Kreischer: Lucky (2025)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Jeff Tomsic
Cast: Bert Kreischer
Time: 67 minutes

 

Bert Kreischer’s comedy is not everyone’s cup of tea. Sure, he tends to be a little over-the-top, but I usually dig his stuff. This latest comedy special is no different. Sure, he falls a little in the TMÌ zone discussing sex with his wife that much, but the material is funny. The last bit about his late dog made the show for me. It is so good. Funny and touching at the same time. I was entertained and moved. Those pants, though, damn!

Rating: ««««

Canadian Bacon (1995)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Michael Moore
Cast: Alan Alda, John Candy, Bill Nunn
Running Time: 90 minutes

 

A US president who is struggling in the polls is convinced by his advisors to stage a cold war with neighboring Canada to make the population forget their dislike for their leader. In the meantime, a sheriff on the New York side of Niagara Falls decides to get involved in the war with his friends, causing much chaos in the process.

This comedy had flown under the radar as far as I was concerned. Never even knew Michael Moore was not only a documentary director. This was his only fiction film, but you can clearly see his viewpoint here.

 Canadian Bacon goes for the silly and low-brow side of things, but it is really entertaining in the process. And I must say it feels not so far-fetched anymore, given the actual state of relations between Canada and the US. It was cool to see such a star-studded cast in action delivering laughs.

Rating: ««««

Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years (2025)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Ben Tishler
Cast: Bill Burr

 

In his latest comedy special, available on Hulu and Disney +, Bill Burr offers a version of himself that is at his most personal and introspective. Now in his 50’s, he discusses such topics as depression, the feelings men can have, relationships, family and the possibility for a man to drop dead just like that after a certain age.

I relate so greatly to Bill Burr’s comedy. The man is amazing in the way he tackles difficult topics and manages to make you laugh about them. This show is no exception. The man has truly become a master of his art.

Rating: «««««

Novocaine (2025)

Genre: Action / Comedy
Directed by: Dan Berk and Robert Olsen
Cast: Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson
Running Time: 110 minutes

 

Nathan Caine is an assistant bank manager who has always lived a sheltered life because of a condition that makes him unable to feel pain. His outlook on life starts changing when he meets Sherry, another employee at the bank who goes out with him and then spends the night with him. The following day, there is bank robbery and Sherry is taken hostage by the three criminals dressed as Santa Claus. Dissatisfied with the cops’ reaction, Nathan Caine decides to take matters into his own invulnerable hands.

This film is a fun thrilling ride. Sure, some of the violence is over-the-top and there is major suspension of disbelief is needed, but it is all so entertaining. The chemistry between Quaid and Midthunder is undeniable, and Ray Nicholson (yes, Jack’s son) has great potential as a villain. Really good.

Rating: ««««

Un homme heureux (2023)

 Genre: Franco / Comedy
Réalisation: Tristan Séguéla
Distribution: Fabrice Luchini, Catherine Frot
Running time: 89 minutes

 

Jean Leroy est le maire ultraconservateur d’une petite ville du Nord de la France. Alors qu’il s’apprête à vivre une autre campagne électorale en vue de sa réélection, voilà que sa femme, Edith, lui annonce qu’elle s’est toujours senti comme un homme et qu’elle veut entreprendre le processus de transition.

Voilà une comédie française qui traite d’un sujet fort actuel et très sensible, avec beaucoup d’humour, sans toutefois tomber dans la moquerie ou la caricature. La complicité à l’écran entre les deux acteurs principaux est palpable. Un film court et punché que j’ai trouvé très divertissant.

Rating: ««««

Hesher (2010)

 Genre: Comedy / Drama
Directed by: Spencer Susser
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rainn Wilson, Natalie Portman, Devin Brochu
Running Time: 105 minutes

 

TJ Forney lives with his father Paul and his grandmother Madeleine. Paul is in a deep depression after losing his wife in a car crash. TJ is also having a hard time dealing with the loss of his mom, while getting bullied at school. Hesher, a heavy metal listening lush, suddenly decides to invite himself in the Forney household. In his own unique way, Hesher manages to help bring the Forney family members out of their funk.

I appreciate the off-beat nature of this film. Joseph Gordon-Levitt offered a very credible performance as the lead character. The story was interesting. It felt a little flatter than I hoped for in the end, but I am still happy to have watched it. It was fun.

Rating: «««

Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer (2023)

 Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Stan Lathan
Cast: Dave Chappelle
Running Time: 56 minutes

 

In this comedy special, Dave Chappelle discusses the importance of dreams, going back to his time doing the Chappelle Show and then discussing his ever-growing standup career. He also talks about Jim Carrey, the trans community, handicapped people, the Will Smith slap received by Chris Rock and much more. It was a very good special, it just felt a little short to me. I would have taken more.

Rating: ««««

The Monkey (2025)

Genre: Horror Comedy
Directed by: Osgood Perkins
Cast: Theo James, Christian Convery, Colin O’Brien
Time: 98 minutes

 

Twin brothers Hal and Bill Shelburn are twin brothers that had their lives turned upside down by an evil drum-playing monkey toy that caused multiple deaths in their entourage. They had etched a plan to get rid of it, but, years later, it is back causing more damage.

This film is based on a short story written by Stephen King. I absolutely loved the tone of this movie. It was a cool mix of horror and comedy that kept me wildly entertained all the way through. It was over-the-top, it was gory, it was fun.

Rating: ««««

Shameless (2011-2021)

 Genre: TV / Comedy / Drama
Starring: William H. Macy, Emmy Rossum, Ethan Cutkosky, Emma Kenney, Jeremy Allen White
Number of seasons: 11

 

In this American adaptation of the British series of the same name, we see the Gallagher clan go through life in the South side of Chicago. The father, Frank, is a raging alcoholic and drug addict who is rarely there for his six kids. The mother has left the home a while back, so the older kids are left to fend for themselves and their younger siblings.

After watching the British original, I decided to give this version a chance. I am glad I did. There were less of a turnover of character is the US version and a better constant focus on the Gallaghers throughout the 11 seasons. It was cool to see the characters evolve and age through the years.

There was a lull halfway through where things were dragging and I almost lost interest, but the series ended strong, with lots of dark humor and some touching elements. A good ensemble cast delivering compelling material.

Rating: ««««

Tous toqués! (2024)

Genre: Franco / Comedy
Réalisateur: Manon Briand
Distribution: Julie Le Breton, Édouard Baer, Élodie Fontaine
Durée: 90 minutes

 

Sonia travaille comme douanière aux frontières entre le Québec et les États-Unis. Elle s’est aliéné une bonne partie de la population de son village en étant trop intransigeante dans son travail. Lorsque sa fille Lili-Beth s’inscrit à un concours de jeunes chefs, malgré peu de talent naturel en cuisine, Sonia fait appel à Victor, un chef français à qui elle a récemment donné du temps dur aux douanes, espérant éviter à son enfant une autre humiliation.

C’est un petit film sympathique, quoique légèrement prévisible. On y va fort dans le cliché parfois, mais, tout de même, c’est une bon divertissement.

Note: «««

80 for Brady (2023)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Kyle Marvin
Cast: Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Ritsa Moreno, Sally Field
Time: 98 minutes

 

Lou, Trish, Maura and Betty are four older women who have been best friends for many years. They are also huge fans of the New England Patriots, and especially of their quarterback Tom Brady. On a whim, they decide to travel to Houston to attend Superbown LI, opposing the Patriots to the Atlanta Falcons.

This film, based on a true story, is a lot of fun. Good doses of laughter and more touching moments. Sure, there is a lot of silliness, but the strength of the four ladies forming the main cast is the true pillar of this flick.

Rating: ««««

Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005)

Genre: TV / Comedy
Starring: Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, Brad Garrett, Doris Roberts, Peter Boyle
Number of seasons: 9

 

This sitcom centers around the life of Raymond “Ray” Barone, a sportswriter for Newsday, who lives on Long Island with his wife and three young children. Across the street are Ray’s Italian American parents, two very overbearing and ever-present people, always meddling in their son’s life. Also in the picture is Robert, Ray’s older brother. In spite of his age, Robert is ever jealous of the attention that Raymond gets from his parents and from the rest of the world.

Everybody Loves Raymond is a fun sitcom. By the time you reach season 9, you sense patterns and repetitiveness in certain moments, but the storylines are mostly quite entertaining. The strength here are the characters. They are well-defined and the casting was well done. Every cast member feels more like real people than TV characters. Very entertaining. Some laughter and some touching moments here and there.

Rating: ««««

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

 Genre: Christmas / Comedy
Directed by: Jeremiah S. Chechik
Cast: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Randy Quaid
Time: 97 minutes

 

Clark Griswold lives in the Chicago area with his wife Ellen and his two kids, Audrey and Rusty. Clark’s plan is to have a big shindig where he hosts all of the extended family for Christmas. He also hopes to get a big seasonal bonus from work to surprise his family with a big expense. But with redneck cousin Eddie dropping by uninvited with his family and so many other issues, things do not go as planned.

This is an all-time Christmas classic film, with zany situations and slapstick comedy. I am not the biggest Chevy Chase fan out there, but he was in true peak cinematic form here. The rest of the cast does a good job too. This one is so much fun.

Rating: «««««

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Genre: Christmas / Fantasy / Comedy
Directed by: Ron Howard
Cast: Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski
Time: 105 minutes

 Based on the famous Dr. Seuss children’s book of the same name, this film tells the story of the Grinch, a mean and unhappy green creature who sets out to ruin Christmas for the residents of Whoville, after they mistreated him years before.

This is very effective retelling of the old tale, thanks in large part to Jim Carrey’s natural ability for physical transformation. He was so perfect to play the Grinch. Taylor Momsen also shines off the screen with cuteness as Cindy Lou. This is such a fun film that I love to revisit every Christmas season. Some find the tone too dark, but I dig it.

Rating: ««««

Le Bonheur de Pierre (2009)

Genre: Franco / Comedy
Réalisateur: Robert Ménard
Distribution: Pierre Richard, Rémy Girard, Sylvie Testud, Louise Portal
Durée: 106 minutes

 

Pierre Martin est un physicien cantique parisien veuf depuis 10 ans qui apprend de son notaire qu’il est le seul héritier, avec sa fille, de l’auberge de sa défunte tante au Canada. Désireux de vivre autre chose et d’inculquer sa vision du bonheur à sa fille carriériste, Pierre décide de déménager avec elle dans l’auberge située à Sainte-Simone-du-Nord, au Saguenay. Malheureusement, le maire du village n’est pas très accueillant. Il tente par tous les moyens de les faire fuir, voulant lui-même acheter l’auberge.

Compte tenu de la distribution, j’avais de grandes attentes pour ce film. J’ai été un peu déçu. Ici, Robert Ménard y va fort sur les clichés du petit village québécois un peu arriéré. C’est de la grosse caricature. En plus, le ton est un peu bizarre. Ça se veut une comédie, mais le ton devient tellement âpre à la longue que c’est agaçant. Pour ce qui est du message, c’est tellement gros que c’est difficile d’embarquer. Quelques moments drôles l’ont sauvé de la déchéance totale à mes yeux.

Note: ««

A Christmas Story (1983)

Genre: Christmas / Comedy
Directed by: Bob Clark
Cast: Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Peter Billingsley
Time: 108 minutes

 

Ralphie Parker narrates stories from the period around the Christmas of the 1939, when he was 9-years old. Back then, his dream was to get a specific air riffle for Christmas, but everybody kept telling him that he was going to put his eye out with that thing.

This film is based on a 1966 book by Jean Shepherd. It remains a Christmas time classic for me. So many years later, the story is a bit dated, but such topics such as the dreams of youth and bullying are still pretty current. Overall, a fun movie to revisit during the holidays.

Rating: «««

Mlle Bottine (2024)

Genre: Franco / Comedy / Drama
Réalisateur: Yan Lanouette Turgeon
Distribution: Antoine Bertrand, Marguerite Laurence, Marilyn Castonguay
Durée: 114 minutes

 

Simone est une jeune fille de 11 ans qui vit à la campagne avec sa grand-mère suite au décès de ses deux parents dans un accident de voiture. À la suite du décès de sa grand-mère, elle se voit contrainte d’aller vivre en ville avec le seul membre restant de sa famille, son oncle célibataire qu’elle ne connaît pas, Philippe, un compositeur d’opéra souffrant d’un grave cas d’anxiété. Dans cette situation qui doit d’abord être temporaire, la petite amène avec elle sa moufette domestique, Bottine, et elle saura bouleverser la vie de son oncle.

Ce film est une adaptation du classique des Contes pour tous, Bach et Bottine. Mlle Bottine est fortement inspiré de l’original, sans toutefois s’accrocher pleinement à l’œuvre d’André Melanson. Je trouve que les gens impliqués ont fait du bon travail pour moderniser l’histoire pour la rendre plus réaliste pour l’ère moderne.

Le duo formé par Antoine Bertrand et Marguerite Laurence est formidable. La petite crève tout particulièrement l’écran. Certainement un film à voir et à revoir. J’ai ri et j’ai été touché, j’ai adoré.

Note: «««««