In The Heights Movie, An Updated Cast List

In The Heights Movie, An Updated Cast List

Movie musicals have always been a tried and true genre in the film world, and there have been quite a few major hits over the years. It's a genre with a penchant for awards attention, with movies like Chicago, La La Land, and Les Miserables all able to pick up Oscars. In the world of musical theater, there's currently no name quite as famous as Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the writer/actor is currently developing the film adaptation of his first Broadway hit, In The Heights.

In The Heights broke new ground by bringing hip hop to Broadway, and a movie has been slowly developing for a number of years. But things appear to be moving forward, as Lin-Manuel Miranda and company have begun assembling the movie adaptation's cast. And there's some impressive talent attached.

Anthony Ramos (Usnavi)

Hamilton star Anthony Ramos is playing the lead role of Usnavi in In The Heights, after taking a run as the character in the Kennedy Center Production. Following the wild success of Hamilton, Ramos began getting more film work, and you might recognize his face from certain high profile projects. After starring in Spike Lee's Netflix series She's Gotta Have It and a recurring role in Will & Grace, Ramos co-starred alongside Lady Gaga in A Star Is Born as Ally's best friend Ramon.

Jimmy Smits (Kevin Rosario)

Another big name attached to In the Heights is Jimmy Smits, who has had a long career in film and TV. Smits is known for his roles in Dexter, Star Wars, as well as Sons of Anarchy. Smits is playing Kevin Rosario in the In The Heights movie, the patriarch of the Rosario family. Smits isn't necessarily known for his singing, and it should be interesting to see if he ends up getting belt out Kevin's big number "Inútil".

Daphne Rubin-Vega (Carla)

While not exactly a household name for her work in film, Daphne Rubin-Vega is a name that any self-respecting Broadway fan knows well. Rubin-Vega originated the role of Mimi in RENT on Broadway, and can be heard on the cast recording. She's one of two original cast members didn't appear in the film version, with Rosario Dawson taking on the mantle of Mimi. Aside from her continued work on the stage, Rubin-Vega was seen in NBC's Smash, and the Sex and the City movie. She'll play Carla, owner of the neighborhood salon.

Corey Hawkins (Benny)

Corey Hawkins' star power has been growing over the past few years, due to his work in both television and movies. On the small screen, he had brief stint on The Walking Dead, he lead the ill-fated 24 reboot. And in movies, Hawkins had roles in BlackKklansman and Straight Outta Compton. Hawkins is playing Benny, one of the few non-latin characters in the cast. He's got In the Heights' main love story on his shoulders, and should be belting out a variety of iconic songs.

Dascha Polanco (Cuca)

Dascha Polanco is best known for her leading role as Daya in Netflix's Orange is the New Black. She's also had roles in Joy and American Crime Story, but In The Heights should be a major moment for her career. There's just one question: who is she playing? Polanco was announced to be playing Cuca, but she's not a character in the stage play. Will she work in Carla's salon? We'll just have to wait for more information.

Olga Merediz (Abuela Claudia)

Olga Merediz is another In The Heights cast member who audiences should recognize, but might not be able to figure out where. She's also another Orange is the New Black alum, as Merediz has a recurring character in Lourdes, Gloria Mendoza's Aunt. Merediz will be playing Abuela Claudia, the adoptive grandmother of not only Anthony Ramos' Usnavi, but the entire barrio.

Stephanie Beatriz (Carla)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Stephanie Beatriz is heading back to theaters with In The Heights, and should be lending her speaking and singing voice to the role of Carla. Beatriz has played Rosa Diaz in B99 for a whopping 130 episodes, and clearly has the comedic chops and experience to play Carla. In the stage version of In The Heights, Carla is Daniela's dimwitted best friend who has a passion for neighborhood gossip.

Gregory Diaz (Sonny)

Lin-Manuel Miranda is presumably going to make some changes to the characters and plot of In The Heights, to best adapt the Tony Award winning musical onto the silver screen. One of these changes can be seen with the casting of Gregory Diaz as Sonny. Sonny is Usnavi's younger cousin, although he's usually at least high school aged, and helping to run the convenience store with Usnavi. But he's going to be much younger in the movie version, and it should be interesting to see how Diaz balances Sonny's comedic beats with his penchant or social justice.

Melissa Barrera (Vanessa)

Vanessa is the subject of Usnavi's affection, and should be equal parts ambitious bombshell and caring member of the community. The In The Heights movie has cast Melissa Barrera in the role. Barrera is best known for starring in Starz's LatinX drama Vida, which is set to debut it second season shortly. Vanessa also belts out some crazy high notes, so the actress should probably start warming up now.

Leslie Grace (Nina Rosario)

Nina and Benny have the main love story of In The Heights, so casting for the ingenue was very important. Ultimately Lin-Manuel Miranda and company landed on Leslie Grace to play the college student who returns home for hard lesson. While not a film star, Grace is a recording artist who is also a New York City native. Starring in the In The Heights movie has the potential to be a major moment in Grace's career, and possibly herald in a film career. One thing is clear: she's not going to have any problem singing.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's In The Heights cast is coming together, making the upcoming movie finally feel real. And while Hamilton may be a bigger title at this point, bringing Usnavi and The Barrio to the silver screen will allow casual fans who appreciate his other Broadway musical. In The Heights was no sleeper hit either, as it won the Tony for Best Musical, and was even nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Aladdin Toy Seemingly Reveals Princess Jasmine's Brand New Song

Aladdin Toy Seemingly Reveals Princess Jasmine's Brand New Song

We’ve finally gotten a look at the whole new world in the live action Aladdin. We’ve seen blue genies and heard a bit of the classic music that will be reinvented for the 2019 movie onscreen. However, what we hadn’t really heard was any new music from the upcoming flick. That all seems to have changed this weekend thanks to –did you guess it?—a toy leak. Take a listen.

Please note, if you are having trouble hearing the music, you may need to turn the volume up considerably.

The voice on the track certainly sounds like Naomi Scott, the actress who is voicing Princess Jasmine in Aladdin. We’ve known for a while that Aladdin would be getting new music. In particular, Princess Jasmine will get her own song “Speechless,” which was written by Pasek and Paul (Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who just so happen to have written music for La La Land) and the lyrics indicate this should be how her solo song sounds.

The doll was found in a store and recorded, so it’s certainly not as solid or booming as it will likely be in theaters, but if you are wanting a snippet of what new content you should be getting with Aladdin, it more than does the trick.

Naomi Scott previously said about “Speechless” that it was about giving the character more of a voice as a leader, noting,

I mean, how timely is that? [Jasmine's] not perfect. She doesn't get it right all the time. It's just showcasing that she gets to a point where, 'It's not going to be easy and I may lose this fight, but I need to step up. Of course I'm incredibly connected to it, but I really do feel like it's going to touch upon some things and hopefully speak to young girls out there. That's my aim, always.’

If you’ve caught the latest trailer for Disney’s Aladdin, you should already have heard a bit of Will Smith’s rendition of “Friend Like Me,” not to mention Aladdin and Jasmine singing the sweeping ballad “A Whole New World.” If you haven’t taken a look at the full trailer yet, be sure to check it out.

Toy leaks often reveal big and minor things about upcoming movies. When it’s a movie that is as high profile as Aladdin and it’s a movie that is bound to have a ton of merchandise being made available ahead of release, it’s not real surprise that things like musical moments might get spoiled.

In this case, however, it just makes me more excited to hear a better quality version of “Speechless.” If you feel the same way, you won’t have too long to wait. The new musical live action film will be hitting theaters on May 24.

It’s only one of several live action Disney films hitting theaters this year. You can take a look at the full list of all the projects in the works with our updated guide.

Billie Lourd Will Share Scenes With Mother Carrie Fisher In The Rise Of Skywalker

Billie Lourd Will Share Scenes With Mother Carrie Fisher In The Rise Of Skywalker

Star Wars is arguably the biggest franchise in the business, having spanned decades of filmmaking and accrued entire generations of rabid fans. And since Disney acquired Lucasfilm years back, plenty of new and exciting projects have helped expand the galaxy far, far away. But despite the standalone films and upcoming live-action series, all eyes are on what J.J. Abrams will do with Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.

The pressure is on for J.J. Abrams to not only conclude the current sequel trilogy, but the entire Skywalker Saga as a whole. What's more, he's also grappled with the challenge of bringing Carrie Fisher's Leia back to the screen through unused footage from the previous two movies. Abrams recently revealed that Fisher will be sharing more scenes with daughter Billie Lourd in the blockbuster. And while he originally wrote out Lourd from certain scenes to spare her emotions, she insisted. As Abrams revealed:

And so, there are moments where they’re talking; there are moments where they’re touching. There are moments in this movie where Carrie is there, and I really do feel there is an element of the uncanny, spiritual, you know, classic Carrie, that it would have happened this way, because somehow it worked. And I never thought it would.

Well, I've got chills. Seeing Carrie Fisher share scenes with her daughter Billie Lourd in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi was already an emotional experience, but things will be even more heightened in the wake of Fisher's death. Because it's like she'll be brought back to have final moments with Lourd's Lt. Connix on screen.

When Carrie Fisher passed away in December of 2016, shortly after wrapping her role in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. So while Rian Johnson's sequel was able to use Leia as intended, it was unclear if/how the General would have a role in Episode IX. Luckily, there appears to be enough leftover footage from Fisher's last two appearances, which will be used to complete Leia's story once and for all.

Related: Billie Lourd’s Star Wars Excitement Makes Episode IX Sound Worth The Wait

Billie Lourd's role as Lt. Connix has been mostly tertiary, with the 26 year-old actress getting just one quick line in The Force Awakens. Connnix's role was eventually expanded in The Last Jedi, as she was instrumental to Finn's escape to Canto Bight and Poe's mutiny in the film's second act. And from J.J. Abrams' comments to Vanity Fair, it looks like she'll get more screen time in The Rise of Skywalker, even physically touching her late mother's character in the process.

Leia's role in The Rise of Skywalker will likely remain one of the most talked about aspects of the movie ahead of its release. The character had an unpredictable outing in The Last Jedi, so it seems like anything is possible for the final installment in the Skywalker Saga.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will arrive in theaters on December 20th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

There’s Already A Petition Against Robert Pattinson Playing Batman, Because Of Course

There’s Already A Petition Against Robert Pattinson Playing Batman, Because Of Course

It's only been about half a day since the news broke that Robert Pattinson is reportedly set to be the new Batman in Matt Reeves' upcoming film. That's plenty of time for the internet to organize into a mob of unstable rage monsters. Some are apparently already outraged with the decision to cast Pattinson in the iconic role of Bruce Wayne/Batman and so, the last bastion of the outraged, the online petition, has been broken out, and it asks Warner Bros. to reconsider the decision.

If you're wondering what the rationale behind the argument is, you might be surprised to learn that there really isn't one. The entire text of the petition is three sentences long and it simply asks WB to not make the "Batfleck mistake" again and to "stop trashing" the DC universe. There's no explanation of exactly why this casting decision would do that.

As of this writing the petition has only about 200 signatures on it. While that will certainly increase as the petition gains publicity, because, well, we're taking about it too, thus far it doesn't look like all that many people are seriously concerned with the choice as of yet.

And of course, it's entirely possible that all of this energy is being misplaced. While some reports claim that Robert Pattinson has earned the role of the next Batman, others are reporting that he's merely on the short list, alongside Nicholas Hoult as another potential dark knight.

While not stated outright, it seems clear that the Pattinson hate is due to the fact that several years ago the actor stared in a film franchise where he played a sparkly vampire. Of course, since then, Robert Pattinson has gone on to make a wide variety of films where he has received a great deal of acclaim. There's really no valid argument that the man isn't a good actor.

I find the swipe at Ben Affleck to be maybe the most curious part of the petition. A lot of people, even those who have their issues with the previous DCEU movies, would argue that Affleck's Batman was one of the high points of the existing franchise. It's certainly true that not everybody was convinced of that when he was cast, but he brought a lot of people around.

The same has happened with other roles in the history of the Batman franchise. A lot of very vocal people thought casting Heath Ledger as the Joker was the worst possible idea, and an Academy Award later we all know the truth about that.

Is it possible that the guy who once played a sparkly vampire could actually turn out to be an excellent Batman? Of course it is.

These online petitions never amount to anything beyond letting people vent, and this one won't be any different. If Robert Pattinson has indeed been cast as the new Batman, that's not going to change. I, for one, can't wait to see how Pattinson makes the role, that has been played by so many, feel like his own.

Matt Reeves The Batman is set for release June 25, 2021.

Apparently Quentin Tarantino Got Snippy When Asked About Margot Robbie's Limited Role As Sharon Tate

Apparently Quentin Tarantino Got Snippy When Asked About Margot Robbie's Limited Role As Sharon Tate

Quentin Tarantino’s eagerly anticipated and star-studded ninth film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival yesterday, alongside the release of a new trailer. On Wednesday morning, director Quentin Tarantino and stars Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie fielded questions about the film from reporters at the festival and that’s where things got a bit testy.

Quentin Tarantino got snippy about a question from a New York Times reporter about Margot Robbie’s role in the film, according to Variety. Specifically, the reporter mentioned Margot Robbie’s acting talents and reeled off the names of some of the acclaimed films she’s been in. They then mentioned that Robbie doesn’t get many lines as Sharon Tate in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and asked why that was, to which Quentin Tarantino responded:

Well, I just reject your hypothesis.

The auteur seemed none to thrilled at the question and left his answer at that. He didn’t bother to actually address why Margot Robbie didn’t have more lines in the film, instead limiting his response to a terse rebuke of the question’s very premise.

Quentin Tarantino was clearly unhappy and took issue with either the notion that Margot Robbie was underused in his film and/or the possible subtext of the question as to why an actress of her caliber had such a limited role.

The exchange and Quentin Tarantino’s snippy response appeared to make for quite the awkward press conference moment. The question was also directed at Margot Robbie and she got to cut the tension with her own, more verbose answer, saying:

I think the moments I was on screen gave a moment to honor Sharon… I think the tragedy was the loss of innocence. To show the wonderful sides of her could be done without speaking. I did feel like I got a lot of time to explore the character without dialogue, which is an interesting thing. Rarely do I get an opportunity to spend so much time on my own as a character.

Margot Robbie seems to be quite pleased with her experience filming Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and framed her limited dialogue in the film as something of an acting challenge. The actress got to just live in the character on her own and convey Sharon Tate’s innocence and how wonderful she was in non-verbal ways.

The Oscar-nominated actress views the scenes she is in in the film as honoring Sharon Tate and serving the story, and if she did feel displeased with or underutilized in the role, she didn’t say so. It was deftly handled by Margot Robbie, who was basically being asked ‘Hey, should this guy sitting next to you, who cast you in his movie, have given you more lines?’ Like a true pro, she gave a good answer to diffuse an awkward moment.

Even if this wasn’t going to be one of the points of discussion around Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, it probably will now given Quentin Tarantino’s response. However, without having seen the film, it’s tough to evaluate the fairness and merit of the question or Margot Robbie’s role as Sharon Tate.

Those who have seen Once Upon a Time in Hollywood seemed to really enjoy it, with the early reactions out of Cannes highlighting the humor and the performance while also noting that it may be controversial.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood opens in theaters on July 26. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all of this summer's biggest movies.

Bohemian Rhapsody Might End Up Getting A Sequel

Bohemian Rhapsody Might End Up Getting A Sequel

Bohemian Rhapsody was a massive hit however you define it. The film became the most successful box office musical biopic of all time. It won a slew of awards, culminating in a Best Actor Oscar for Rami Malek's performance as Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury. It's exactly the sort of movie that you would expect Hollywood to make a sequel to, and while you might have thought that wasn't an option here, apparently that may not be where things stand.

Rudi Dolezal, a man responsible for filming several Queen music videos over the years recently told Page Six that there is actually serious discussion going on within the "Queen family" regarding the idea of doing a sequel to Bohemian Rhapsody that would pick up after the Live Aid appearance that ended the original movie.

This technically isn't the first time we've heard reference to a potential sequel. Brian May, Queen guitarist and producer of Bohemian Rhapsody, made comments to that effect several months ago. Although, it didn't really seem like he was being serious. If felt like he was having fun with the idea based on the success the movie was happening. These comments certainly don't sound like they're joking.

It needs to be said that it's very possible there was a miscommunication or a misquote here and the idea of a sequel to Bohemian Rhapsody may not be quite as possible as it seems. It does seem like an odd decision.

Bohemian Rhapsody left the story in a pretty good place that certainly doesn't require a sequel. The entire film was framed about the triumphant return of Queen to Live Aid, and we saw that. Afterward, we got all the details of what happened afterward in on screen text.

Turning the rest of Freddie Mercury's life into a second film may be a bit harder than simply picking up where the first movie left off. Bohemian Rhapsody covered a lot of ground chronologically speaking, a lot more than a sequel would have to work with. The original film also made some pretty significant changes to the Freddie Mercury timeline for dramatic purposes, changes that would then have to become part of any sequel. This would likely make the follow up significantly more historically inaccurate, since it would have to assume things like Freddy's AIDS diagnosis was known to the entire band for years.

Still, it's far from shocking if there are serious conversations currently going on about how a sequel might fly. Nobody wants to let the success of one movie just sit there by itself when an opportunity for more success seems guaranteed. The first Bohemian Rhapsody was a hit with audiences and awards despite lukewarm reaction by critics, so there's no fear of bad reviews here.

If the new movie has enough big Queen performance set pieces, it will likely satisfy the audience that wants it.

The Best Comedy Movies To Watch When You Need To Cheer Up

The Best Comedy Movies To Watch When You Need To Cheer Up

Let’s be honest with ourselves here: sometimes life is a bit too much for even the hardest of souls. No matter the circumstances, there are just those moments where you want to hole up for a day, drink plenty of fluids, and just take some time to practice the important art of self care. Part of a good afternoon of recovering from whatever life has thrown at you is a good movie or two.

Or, in the case of the list below, several good movies that you can throw on to lighten the mood and help lift your spirits through the healing powers of laughter. Your sampler pack below ranges through the decades, and includes some off-beat selections as well as some fan-favorite titles, because we all could use some unexpected laughter in our lives.

Game Night

Absurdity is a word you’ll probably read a lot reading through this list, and that’s a good thing. Some of the best comedy movies embody that very quality, and last 2018’s Game Night is certainly no exception. The movie’s as absurd as it is laugh-filled, as a simple night of indoor gaming turns into a crime-solving comedy rampant with serious errors.

With an ensemble that includes Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, as well as a couple of surprise appearances, Game Night takes a crime mystery and infuses it with both action and laughter. Also, Jesse Plemons steals the entire damned movie, as a security guard who’s a little friendlier than he should be, and has a big grudge against the Frito-Lay chip company.

Mean Girls

Teen comedies are pretty good at cheering people up as well, as most of the time there’s a positive message of loving oneself and trying to accept others. Though since they’re also comedy movies, there’s also a lot of antics like the ones in Mean Girls involved as well. Based off of a self-help book involving the behavior of cliques, writer/co-star Tina Fey takes a very serious subject, and not only does she give it a teen movie makeover, but she also uses a lot of her own comedic flare to make it a movie only she could have created.

Insanely quotable, and also featuring Rachel McAdams, Mean Girls is the story of Lindsay Lohan’s fish-out-of-water Cady, and her first experience with the school system in the U.S. With McAdams as her mean girl adversary, and Amanda Seyfried and Lacey Chabert as the backup friends, it’s not easy for Cady to win their trust. But the process is extremely funny.

It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

We’re now approaching a classic entry in the comedy movie pantheon: It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. The flick is certainly a treasure to behold for anyone who has or hasn’t seen it. The movie centers its story around a bunch of cash buried in a California park, and the group of strangers who are racing against time, and each other, to get to it first. A literal who’s who of comedic legends take part in this film, with Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Jonathan Winters, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, and Buddy Hackett all taking part in the festivities. So if star power is your thing, look no further.

Perhaps the strongest card this movie plays is the fact that it breaks the cardinal rule of comedy and does it in style, as this almost three-hour film is not a short and simple joke. The cast grows as large as the stunts and jokes do, and by the end of It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, the finale is something so amazingly funny, you’ll see why it’s still known as one of the best comedy movies to date.

Monty Python And The Holy Grail

Absurdity. There’s that word again. It’s something that most definitely applies to the legendary comedy troupe of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, and doubly so when discussing the group's most well-known film, Monty Python and The Holy Grail. Spinning Arthurian legend into a semi-musical, semi-animated, and very meta quest for the Holy Grail, this comedy movie is a landmark event that helped cement the group’s reputation worldwide.

Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin all-star as various members of this classic quest, and what begins as a straight medieval adventure almost instantly turns into one gigantic farce. Camelot has never been this silly, and you’ll be better for watching Monty Python and The Holy Grail.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

John Hughes always had a special gift when it came to his unique brand of comedy movies. He knew when to be sweet, he knew when to be bitter, and he always knew how people worked. Yet, perhaps one of his most upbeat products in his entire repertoire was the classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, starring none other than Matthew Broderick.

Chronicling the hijinks of a teenager who skips school one too many times during a calendar year, Matthew Broderick’s Ferris ropes his best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) and his girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara) into a whirlwind tour of Chicago--one that includes outrunning his vengeful principal (Jeffrey Jones), and outsmarting his equally angry sister (Jennifer Grey). If you’re looking for a guy who's part spiritual guru and part Bugs Bunny, Ferris Bueller is your righteous dude.

A Night At The Opera

It’s hard to beat The Marx Brothers in the game of comedy, as even in our modern world their antics and shenanigans are still so classic that they hold up among the greats. A Night At The Opera certainly stands out among their collected works, with memorable songs and gags that keep the audience smiling long after the movie has finished. The basic plot sees one of the usual Marx Brothers staples put to good use yet again, as Groucho Marx’s lead prankster tries to win frequent collaborator Margaret Dumont’s money by investing in an opera.

That’s basically all you need to know, as your standard Marx Brothers movies will tend to use a simple plot to hang a string of jokes on. With scenes that see a very crowded stateroom ordering an obscene amount of food, and a gag that suggests that Groucho Marx really was able to bend space and time to his will, A Night At The Opera is a sure fire ticket to excitement.

The Producers (1967)

Comedy legends rarely earn their place on the first go-around, and Mel Brooks is one of those stories of fame and fortune that took a little time to get going. When The Producers was released in 1967, Brooks’ first film was seen as the sick joke to end all sick jokes. Then again, a musical supporting Hitler will always likely be an odd flex. But once the joke behind the musical became apparent to the audience-at-large, the film became one of the most classic comedy movies of all time.

With Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder putting on said musical to defraud almost all the little old ladies in New York, and Hitler being played by Dick Shawn’s hippie beatnik Lorenzo St. DuBois, The Producers was actually a comedic masterpiece that poked fun at outrage culture, cashing in on tragedy, and the insane chemistry between Mostel and Wilder. It doesn’t take long for this one to get going, so make sure you’re ready once you hit play.

Back To The Future

Most people remember Back To The Future as a sci-fi movie, what with its plot revolving around time travel and making sure Michael J. Fox’s Marty McFly still exists at the end of the day. What’s also important to remember is this Robert Zemeckis-directed film is still amazingly funny. While Marty does have to make sure he and his siblings make it out of the other end alive, he has to deal with his awkward parents too.

The biggest gag at the center of this comedy movie classic is that history may be written by the generation before us, but that doesn’t mean what they’re telling us is the truth. Michael J. Fox’s charm as Marty and Christopher Lloyd’s eccentric Doc Brown are a pairing for the ages, and the humor plays like a teen movie crossed with a sci-fi epic. If you’re willing to go down this road, go ahead and clear out a whole afternoon and watch the entire trilogy.

Airplane!

Deadpan comedy is an artform that’s just as valuable as flat out funny comedy. If you can land a joke without a smile or a laugh, it can really knock a room dead. Just ask The Zucker Brothers, as that’s what their comedy classic Airplane! did when it took the genre of doomed flight movies like Airport and turned them into comedy gold. It also helped that casting skilled performers like Julie Hagerty and Robert Hays and pitting them against seasoned drama vets Robert Stack and Leslie Nielsen was a big part of that old Airplane! charm.

The heart of this comedy movie’s ability to make a crowd erupt with laughter is the fact that its core plot revolving around food poisoning on a late night flight and the traumatized pilot who serves as its only hope of landing safely, is pretty solid as a drama. It’s just all of the comedy that surrounds that drama, disguising itself as more serious material, that makes the film work.

Happy Gilmore

One of the best comedy movies to hit theaters in our modern times is, no question, Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore. His first film after the success of Billy Madison, the film’s story is a tale as old as time, as his titular hockey player loses his temper and gets kicked out of the league, only to become a golf sensation for a very personal cause. Also, a fist fight with Bob Barker occurs, which you may or may not have known about.

Speaking of familiar faces, if you’re a Modern Family fan, you’ll be surprised to see Julie Bowen as Sandler’s comedy partner on the side of good. In fact, an amusing chunk of the movie is the pair trying to keep themselves in the game long enough to pay off Happy's grandmother’s tax debt. If you’re a comedy fan, then appearances by Christopher McDonald, Joe Flaherty, and Ben Stiller will definitely make you smile, as all three present rather interesting challenges for Adam Sandler to move past on his road to fame and security.

Dumb and Dumber

Vintage Jim Carrey is like comedic wine: always good at parties, and never gets old. Dumb and Dumber is quite possibly one of the best comedy movies of the ‘90s, as it’s aged so well it still gets the laughs it did upon its initial launch. Again, simple but agile comedy, and a basic plot, help win the day, no matter its faults.

Pairing Jim Carrey with Jeff Daniels, the film sees the two play complete idiots making their way across the continental United States in the name of love, lost luggage, and a kidnapping. Dumb and Dumber introduced the film world to the comedy stylings of The Farrelly Brothers for the very first time. It was a first impression that would last forever, and it’s waiting for you to pull its finger and watch the madness that ensues.

Step Brothers

It’s hard to have a list of comedy favorites and not include at least one Will Ferrell movie on that list. And no other Ferrell film has made the world laugh more than his collaboration with John C. Reilly in director Adam McKay’s Step Brothers. It’s a comedy movie that’s become a cultural touchstone, reigning as one of the films from the last decade or so of filmmaking that’ll probably see itself become a classic.

While the gags definitely hit some dark notes, Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly come at them from an angle of such misguided glee that every joke causes a hearty, mood brightening laugh. It also helps that the supporting cast of heavy hitters like Mary Steenburgen, Richard Jenkins, Kathryn Hahn, and Adam Scott all add to the madness stew that is Step Brothers, with everyone’s unique acts shining through to create a complete puzzle of laughter.

If you’re not feeling any better after watching this list of comedy movies designated to cheer you up, then you may need to call a doctor, or switch to some stronger acting comedies on the market. That being said, the films on this list might cause you to hunt through streaming platforms or rental services to find them. But they are very much worth the time and energy, as each one brings its own brand of comedy movie mayhem in a strong fashion. So take a day off, and let yourself laugh into another world. You'll feel better if you do.