NWI Awards: Best Comedy

This was a rough year for comedy, but In fairness most years are rough years for comedy so it least this one graciously refuses to break the pattern. Essentially this is a list of comedies that were the least shit, with a couple of exceptions.




Best Comedy




6) Baby Mama

Highly flawed star vehicle for 30 Rock's Tina Fey, its occassionally funny and keeps the mawkishness to a minimum. Features a good Steve Martin performance, something which is a collector's item of late.




5) Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Hardly original, but it has some moments of laughing matter. Mostly thanks to Russell Brand who takes to the Apatow improve-centric style much better then expected. A film for TV nerds to see, with Veronica Mars' Kristen Bell and Family Guy's Mila Kunis filling out the cast.




4) Juno

It sure tries hard to be quirky, and thankfully a good 65% of it lands. In terms of the funnies, they mostly come from the soon to be huge Ellen Page and The always awesome JK Simmons, who can add this film to the list of ones he has stolen.




3) Burn After Reading

It amazes me how many times I'm listing this film, because it is such sub-par Coen. But, sub-par Coen is still better then most, and two hilarious performances from Brad Pitt and John Malkovich keep one smiling.




2) Pineapple Express

The Seth Rogen machine may be just about losing steam now, but 2008 he had one hyped up year. Ironically he gives himself the unrewarding straight man role, and is duly out-hilarioused by James Franco and Danny McBride.




1) The Savages

Only a half comedy really, but I wanted a film I actually thought was good to win so sue me.