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Why Watch That

Since we had so much fun recording our comedy episode, we decided to break it into two parts. In part two of this episode, the Critic and the Referee are back again to discuss even more of their favorite comedies. Let the laughter continue!

Film

Dumb & Dumber (Comedy)
Directed by Peter Farrelly
Released on December 16, 1994

Plot: Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels) are best friends and roommates living in Providence, Rhode Island who struggle at every aspect of life. Lloyd, a limousine driver, falls instantly in love with Mary Swanson (Lauren Holly), a woman he is driving to the airport. She intentionally leaves her briefcase in the terminal; Lloyd, unaware that it contains ransom money for her kidnapped husband Bobby, retrieves it and tries to return it to her, but her Aspen-bound plane has already departed.

Critic: “I’ve never laughed so much in a movie theater!”
Referee: “This is a typical Jim Carey comedy!”

Liar Liar (Comedy)
Directed by Tom Shadyac
Released on March 21, 1997

Plot: Fletcher Reede (Jim Carrey) is a career-focused lawyer and divorced father who can’t lie for 24 hours due to his son’s birthday wish. Fletcher has a habit of giving preference to his job, breaking promises to his son (Justin Cooper) and his ex-wife Audrey (Maura Tierney), and then lying about the reasons.

Critic: “One of Jim Carey’s best comedic performances!”
Referee: “Make sure that you watch the outtakes!”

Meet The Parents (Comedy)
Directed by Jay Roach
Released on October 6, 2000

Plot: Gaylord “Greg” Focker (Ben Stiller) is a nurse living in Chicago. He intends to propose to his girlfriend Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo), but his plan is disrupted when he learns that Pam’s sister’s fiance had asked Pam’s father for permission before proposing. Greg and Pam travel to Pam’s parents’ house to attend Pam’s sister’s wedding. Greg hopes to propose to Pam in front of her family after receiving the permission of her father Jack (Robert De Niro), a retired CIA counterintelligence officer.

Critic: “This series of films is okay for me.”
Referee: “Check this movie out.”

Meet The Fockers (Comedy)
Directed by Jay Roach
Released on December 22, 2004

Plot: Gaylord Myron “Greg” Focker (Ben Stiller) and his fiancée Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo) decide to introduce their parents to each other. They first fly to Oyster Bay, Long Island, to pick up Pam’s father, retired CIA operative Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro), her mother Dina (Blythe Danner), and one-year-old nephew Little Jack. But, rather than going to the airport as planned, Jack decides to drive the family in his new RV to Miami to meet Greg’s eccentric but fun-loving and amiable father, Bernie (Dustin Hoffman), and mother, Roz (Barbara Streisand).

Blazing Saddles (Comedy)
Directed by Mel Brooks
Released on February 7, 1974

Plot: To ruin a western town, a corrupt political boss appoints Bart (Cleavon Little), a black sheriff, who promptly becomes the boss’s most formidable adversary. With his quick wits and the assistance of drunken gunslinger Jim (Gene Wilder), also known as “The Waco Kid”, Bart works to overcome the townsfolk’s hostile reception.

Referee: “This is hilarious!”
Critic: “I have to be honest, this was just okay.”

The Sting (Comedy/Crime)
Directed by George Roy Hill
Released on December 25, 1973

Plot: In 1930s Chicago, a young con man seeking revenge for his murdered partner teams up with a master of the big con to win a fortune from a criminal banker.

Critic: “The pacing is brilliant, and the acting is great. You have to see this movie!”

Trading Places (Comedy)
Directed by John Landis
Released on June 8, 1983

Plot: A snobbish investor (Dan Aykyroyd) and a wily street con artist (Eddie Murphy) find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.

Referee: “I say watch this; expect a clever and witty Eddie Murphy.”
Critic: “It’s a well crafted comedy.” “It doesn’t make me laugh that much, but I can appreciate it.”

National Lampoon’s Vacation (Comedy/Adventure)
Directed by Harold Ramis
Released on July 29, 1983

Plot: Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase), wanting to spend more time with his wife Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo) and children Rusty (Anthony Michael Hall) and Audrey (Dana Barron), decides to lead the family on a cross-country expedition from the Chicago area to the Los Angeles amusement park Walley World, billed as “America’s Favorite Family Fun Park”.

Referee: “The 3 franchises are strong.”
Critic: “It’s okay… National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation was my favorite.”

Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (Comedy/Adventure)
Directed by Tim Burton
Released on August 9, 1985

Plot: When eccentric man-child Pee-Wee Herman discovers that his beloved bike has been stolen in broad daylight, he sets out across the U.S. on the adventure of his life to retrieve it.

Critic: “This really is a special movie. . .it’s an acquired taste.”
Referee: “It’s not for everyone.”

Waiting for Guffman (Comedy)
Directed by Christopher Guest
Released on January 31, 1997

Plot: The director and marginally talented amateur cast of a hokey small-town Missouri musical production go overboard when they learn that someone from Broadway will be in attendance.

Critic: “This is all about improve-style comedy.”