It's less about the death of studio comedies and more about the death of the middle budget films in general. Comedies these days are either big budget action adventure flicks or much smaller indie dramedies.
There’s an interview with Stellan Skarsgard from the past year or two where he breaks this down wonderfully. The industry is only looking to bet big or small with little, if any, risk. Either a $400 million monstrosity that has a 95% chance of brining in $2-3 billion or a small, $1 million drama/horror that brings in $50 million. Anything else is a failure or a risk not worth taking.
@@83croissant or erotic thrillers. It used to be a totally normal thing for adults to go to the cinema and watch a movie with some steamy scenes, it was just something adults did. Now everything is damn near owned by Disney or is a tiny indie, and it’s almost impossible to find genuinely sexy mainstream movies.
@@dairebeare7839 oh in the 70’s there used to be full on theatrically released pornography ranging in quality from foreign art house films to cheap trash , it didn’t even just play in the “porno” theaters either , if they were popular they might make an R cut and an X cut for different markets . Emmanuelle , etc. But yeah adult movies are not the same, and then they don’t even make just movies for adults either. It would be hard to find a financer for something like Secretary now .
@@dairebeare7839 there’s a whole lot of vaguely undefinable by genre types of mid-budget films that just rarely happen anymore outside of independent films or fluke passion projects by known directors who aren’t trying to make an Oscar movie . Like a courtroom drama or a murder mystery or a coming-of-age movie or a like an ensemble dramedy thing where a group of old friends get together one weekend and just have it all out - like those movies you used to go to and think, “was this a play or something? I don’t know if I like it or not, but I am still thinking about it so maybe it’s good ? I hope that one gal gets a best supporting nomination, she’s a strong character actor and has been due for one for years“ Movies for adults , mature adults. I mean anyone can see them but children would be bored by them. Or people financing films just assume children would be bored by them. But really we underestimate children. I met a 10 year old that said his favorite film right now was 12 Angry Men , which he recently watched for school .
I think there is also a point to be made about overall mood as a society. In last couple of years general public attitude turned rather pessimistic and I think because of that people feel bad if they allow themselves to watch a simple comedy without any deeper meaning. Also I think those types of comedies resonate less with people now, because people feel more overwhelmed and less joyfull and while those comedies sure would make them feel better, they are less relatable. I think it is similar to something I heard somewhere, that we create sci-fi depending on our present, as in sci fi of 40s to 60s was this clean techno-utopia with flying cars and from 80's till now trend became this conflict ridden neo-noir techno dystopia. I'd say in similar fashion we represent comedies, in those times more realistic, bitter-sweet comedies better represent our lives, instead of the over the top absurdist slapstick without things to worry underneath.
Honestly I agree, especially with the start of, (I know everybody hates this word) the pandemic. Everyone was inside, and some are still inside now. (and although things are pretty normal now, I know some friends who still only go to school, nowhere on the weekends, strictly due to how scared their parents are of covid) I feel like this just led to people being angrier, sadder, etc. I also feel like we had so much time to listen, see, and experience things, which is why some movies feel repetitive… we’ve seen 100 movies like them in our quarantine free time. Same with songs I also feel like this is why people are just bigger complainers and haters. On Twitter all you see is complaining and hating now, nothing really pleases anybody, hopefully things change.
@@cullenavent6585 Nothing will change because the system sucks the life out of people. The pandemic and jobs made people more pessimistic and it won't get better until this stuff changes.
@@BeastiezCyZ honestly I agree, funny dumb movies could keep coming out and people will still hate them Honestly I could imagine some of the best movies releasing for the first time now, and being hated. Imagine if Superbad released now??? A dumb chill movie ab teenagers drinking and trying to get to a party??? It would get lit up by reviewers Imagine if Midnight in Paris came out now… a chill movie about time travel and a somewhat confusing storyline??? Straight to streaming services with 1 star reviews But at least Spiderman: NWH temporarily brought almost everyone together
@@BeastiezCyZ Yep, pandemic just broke the illusion and gave people more time to think through what's really going on, since they had a little more time, when their lives stopped being 8-16 work, then making a dinner, going to sleep and repeating. Young people started to realise that imaging future is hard, because you won't be able to afford a house, or even a flat, 8-16 jobs where you sit idle for 4 hours are taking up your best years and oh yeah, the oceans start to boil. So i totally agree.
you're so right about the annoyance of streaming/online media as the sole sources for comedy because experiencing basically any movie that's actually funny with a group of people is so much fun! a few years ago I saw Good Boys in theaters and it was one of my favorite movie experiences just because the whole theater was laughing so much
I honestly never thought about this, but there have been a lot of times recently where I want to watch a fun comedy or a cheesy action film and it gets bogged down by tedious or generic plot. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love a well-made story, and the types of drama-comedies you described are among my favourite films, but if I just want a good hit of brainless fun I usually turn to older films.
I noticed this recently when I was looking for a movie to see in theaters and seen over 90% of the movies were action or sci-fi or scary, no comedies and no romance. Sucks to suck I suppose.
I've randomly watched "below average" comedies from the 90s & early 00s and I just miss the premise of "two or more idiots got a problem and everything that they do on the way there, it's fucking hilarious." There's no need to be dramatic, cinematic, filled with CGI etc. Just straight up funny shit and FUN! I agree with all that you said, Karsten!
got any recommendations that people might not have seen? i love that genre of comedy, i call them "idiot movies" where the characters are just idiots for 90 minutes and the the movie ends
@@selina2052 Ready To Rumble is so stupid and for wrestling marks but I think it’s a good time for anyone who loves fictional sports and fictional games! Others: Orange County, Small Soldiers (only funny in theory and probably good while intoxicated/high), Team America World Police, Little Nicky (I think people think Sandler missed with this one but idk fuck them lol) and a ton more!
@@RyanSmith-qr7jg Game night deserves the hype and is often overlooked, but The Nice Guys is the best hands down. And even that wasn't enough to make it a commercial success.
"Good humor is a tonic for the mind and body. It is the best antidote for anxiety and depression. It attracts and keeps friends. It lightens human burdens. It is the direct route to serenity and contentment" - Ronald McDonald
This (for me personally) is why I struggle to find comfort and this tonic effect in many comedians nowadays- especially the famous "stand up' ones that my friends keep railing about. I just know what they'll complain about... I tried to watch one of them and he was so angry (and the audience) about very insignificant stuff... Found it a circlejerk of anger sadly.
@@floppydysk Don't get me wrong, I love stand up comedy and have a few favourite comedians that I almost want to worship - they're much less known than the major comedians tho who I'm talking about, I was aiming at the "making offensive and anger inducing jokes to own [insert group of people]" trope that I'm tired of...
This video came at the right time. Now that I'm a little older and less pretentious, sometimes I just want to watch a silly comedy and have fun. I feel it a lot more especially these days and have been looking up comedies to watch. Barb and Star will be on my next to watch. Thanks!
I agree. I love most of Adam’s comedies (Step Brothers, Other Guys and Talladega Nights have always been some of my all-time favorites) and I was disappointed to see the comedy aspects die out halfway through the film.
Juno was the launching point of the comedy-drama genre. I think it’s a fine genre, but I dominates far too much nowadays. I liked Don’t Look Up quite a lot but I was disappointed at the comedy portion of the film disappearing midway through.
This movie is so stupid and ridiculous but that’s what makes it great, it’s corny as Hell but the movie not taking itself seriously is what makes the jokes work so well
I saw Jackass forever, and I was the only one their. Although some comedies can be in certain, but with a huge audience, it can impact the feeling of “movie-going experience”.
sorry Karsten but i think you missed the mark with this one. the only comedies worth talking about are films like Jack and Jill or Hangover part 3. you definitely made some points though!
This is such a thoughtful video and reminded me of a scene in Who Framed Roger Rabbit where Eddie Valiant asks Roger what's so important about him acting silly and making those around him laugh all the time. Roger responds: "A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have." That's why it's such a shame for movie comedies to be dying. It's just one more thing that's been taken away that makes our world and lives less fun.
I remember when Barb and Star came out a year ago, it was friday and i saw the new VOD rentals and i was amazed how funny was it, to be honest I'm a massive Kristen Wiig fan so I didn't hesitate spending 20 bucks on a movie i was gonna see in theaters anyway. Go watch it if you didn't.
As someone who works at an Alamo Drafthouse jn NYC, seeing audiences pack up the theater for Jackass almost everyday since opening day and collectively LAUGHING THEIR ASSES OFF, “OHHHHHHH”ing, and even cheering is so damn heartwarming. Those crowds are very kind too!
I agree. I’m thrilled with the success of Jackass Forever. It’s just a fun movie that doesn’t take itself seriously and it’s just full of great rapid-fire jokes per second. I missed those movies.
Totally agree. I also feel like a lot of people just don't laugh anymore as much. I felt so uncomfortable in some of the marvel movies when my audience wasn't reacting to good (not great) jokes.
Central Intelligence is what I can remember, the last “Smash Hit” comedy of the past few years. I still love it and it was a fun, wacky film that didn’t take itself too seriously. It’s sad how little comedies of that style are released nowadays. Come on Hollywood. Not all comedies have to turn into full on dramas or social commentaries in the middle of the movie nowadays. Just make a fun, dumb movie. That’s why I loved Jackass Forever.
totally agree with how comedy is more accessible and usually of higher quality through social media. i love comedy-dramas, but the pure comedy film doesn't have a bright future for me.
There’s a lot you can go with this. I think outlets like Instagram and Twitter sort of shaped comedy into bite sized entertainment, instead of something that’s at least an hour long. Which is what some of the best movie comedies were. Airplane, Spaceballs, Scott Pilgrim, Mean Girls, Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, Shrek 2, Lego Batman, etc. all did this. They never really felt like they were wasting time and threw the jokes at such a rapid pace that even if one joke didn’t land or went on for a bit too long, it doesn’t matter cause there’s like 5 or 6 more afterwards jokes that stick with you. But I think it’s because of films like Tag that show how much you can REALLY fuck up a comedy by being drawn out and just not funny. Comedy is one of if not the toughest genre to get right, so when you have one good comedy, you’ll have like 6 or 7 more that just suck. I think that constant string of mediocrity really damaged the potential for comedy in film, we’ve seen so many comedies that have really blah marketing and when they come out, they rightfully bomb, but when you have a legitimately good comedy, it’s completely up in the air if it’ll make money.
Have you ever seen Sullivan’s Travels (1941)? Whenever I think about how important comedies are, I’m reminded by that film. While there’s value in all genres of cinema, we are surrounded by stressful situations everyday and sometimes we just need to laugh to let go to forget for a moment. Studios today could definitely use that reminder! “There’s a lot to be said for making people laugh. Did you know that that’s all some people have?”
“Why does any of this matter? Because it’s fucking fun.” Yes!!! Thank you!!! We’re seeing this same trend with popular music. The most recent Coldplay album is packed with great songs and great collaborators and is produced by the GIANT Max Martin, but there were multiple sites that gave it unfavorable reviews because it was deemed shallow. Pitchfork, for example, called it “sugar-coated.” But at the end of the day, they’re fun, well-written and well-produced songs. When did that become a bad thing?
That's a really good analogy bro. When we have so much choice, you have to be more than just what used to hit, even if they are fun, well-written and well-produced.
Interesting take about the new jackass movie. I found myself that it was the first movie in a long team possibly since Covid that I could go to with my friends and just enjoy, have a laugh and be thoroughly entertained the entire time
This was one of your better ones. it is just sad that they don't make movies like brides maids no more. they need to come back stronger than a 90s trend. also, such an insightful and clear explanation on the shift. this was a lecture-quality video and i couldn't agree more to your conclusion. social media and things are ruining most good things we have left. Filmmaking must not be ruined.
Comedies had a really good run in like the late 00s w the Judd Apatow movies Tropic Thunder etc. But now for some reason they don’t hit and while I have criticisms for certain films honestly I can’t put my finger on it. Even the whole dramadey thing going on sucks mostly now. I really think our collective sense of humor has changed. We’re more always sunny than Seinfeld. We either laugh at or get offended by fucked up things. I’ve always wanted to do a typical Greta Gerwig or some other indie comedy dramadey premise like that one where a woman is taking her drug addict brother to rehab but instead of it having like heartfelt moments it’s just ridiculously mean and dark lmao.
Hey Karsten could you make a video talking about some of your favorite french films because I’m french and well I’ve seen an embarrassing amount of french films and would like to watch a lot more
Hey Karsten! i have a question so we recently got hbo max and i can now watch studio ghibli stuff. where should i start? i know theres the popular ones like spirited away, but i think you would have a good take on this so you seem like the right person to ask
Princess Mononoke is my favorite. Or if you are up for something so sad that you will never watch it again, Grave of the Fireflies is worth the watch. I have only seen it once but it is one of his best. If you want something relaxing My Neighbor Totoro is good. Or a fun love-type story, Howl's Moving Castle.
When I got HBO Max I had a marathon with my friends where we watched four Studio Ghibli films in one day, and while they were all great, it was too much. I would start with My Neighbor Totoro. It’s my personal favorite but it’s also the most accessible. You can tell many modern animation studios were influenced by it. After that, I recommend watching Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away on your own time. They are surprisingly dense films that require you to be more attentive than Totoro, but they are both phenomenal.
i love comedy movies more than anything and when i talk about some of my favourite movies, people’s criticisms are always “its stupid” or “it doesnt make sense” and that makes me so upset. just cause something is funny doesnt mean it shouldnt be taken seriously.
Comedies have always been my favorite genre. There’s so many amazing comedies out there (Blazing Saddles. Step Brothers, Airplane, Tucker And Dale Vs Evil, Central Intelligence, The Hangover, The Other Guys, Austin Powers, Wayne’s World, 21 Jump Street, Tropic Thunder, This Is The End, Dr Strangelove, Borat, Mean Girls, Superbad, The Producers, Dumb And Dumber, Caddyshack, The Jerk, Tommy Boy, Trading Places, The Naked Gun, Ghostbusters, Stripes etc) that are just fun movies that don’t take themselves too seriously and have amazing jokes at a rapid-fire per second pace.
Alamo Drafthouse did a movie party screening of this. I was on the Barb and Star train the day it came out. Saw the trailer went meh that looks interesting back during Jumanji and Rise of Skywalker. Forgot about it. It gets put on VOD in February last year but gets like an 80% critic score so i was intrigued. wathched it one night then introduced it to like 5 friends and they all adored it as much as me, we watched it all together probably 3 times. I've seen it personally 6 times. Then when Alamo Drafthouse announced that screening we bought 3 tickets and it was a great experience. everyone was into the film, we were told to shake these miracas everytime trish was mentioned or shown. Whole Crowd were clearly massive fans quoting along. Yeah Barb and Star is needed every year. can they make a Barb and Star film every 2 years in different insane environments and wacky stories.
I live in Boston and I desperately want an Alamo Drafthouse to open here. They make the movies so much fun but in a genuine way, not a fake corporate way. Now that Arclight is gone, they seem like the last bastion of a chain by film lovers for film lovers.
Was literally thinking about this last night and how if it came out around now, either before or after Barbie, people would have been a lot more ready for it.
I don't know what the ratings are, but I watch clips of SNL more than SNL itself. In recent years I've gotten so much more exposure to SNL than I have since I was in high school when I actively watched. I think they have had a great cast the past few seasons.
This is so true! Modern comedies just aren't as good anymore. Modern audiences care so much about the plot and a level of drama that I don't necessarily want in my comedies. Sometimes I just want to relax and put on a movie that has no other purpose than to make me laugh. Barb and Star was my favorite movie of 2021 because it finally did that. Movies like Mean Girls, Bridesmaids, and Superbad still have a lesson or some character development and drama, but they are still comedies first and foremost. Nowadays comedies are just on the backburner of movies.
This movie is not good at all but it's definitely MUCH BETTER than 99% of all other bullshit that has come out for the past decade. What the fuck happend to comedy movies. In the 2000s we had like 50 superior great comedies. nowadays, you're lucky if you find ONE per year.
Barb & Starr is like when movies from the early 80s still felt like movies you'd see in the mid-late 70s. Not because the filmmakers were out of touch, so much as people moved on.
I think Britain still does fantastically with it's tv comedy shows: Taskmaster Ghosts Starstruck Derry Girls The Goes Wrong Show The Other One Motherland The Cleaner (okay yeah it is an adaptation of a German show) And America recently had two of the best comedies I've seen in a few years: The Suicide Squad and the show Peacemaker.
i feel like a lot of these “studio comedies” that would’ve done pretty badly with a theatrical release are also actually just shifting to streaming services. like yeah maybe critics didn’t like it but vacation friends repeatedly broke records on hulu and has been greenlit for a sequel.
Going into the realm of TV, another modern show with a familiar Zucker-esque feel is Angie Tribeca. That same kind of absurd non-improv style based around taking things literally and creative wordplay.
i think more so, that the culture has lost hope in these studio comedies due to remakes (anchorman 2 for example) and just bad comedies in general, and how these movies could be considered to have “peaked” around the time of films like bridesmaids. you stop going to see these movies when you see a couple duds and you start to see these indie drama comedies (as the 2010s start throwing out those films you mentioned in that genre) and then we, the audience, like them. These indie movies are new and fresh exploring stories that aren’t just about the same white straight (rich!!) men or women in their 30s and 40s telling stories that are now all lumped into that high key studio comedy set up we got used to loving in either childhood or adulthood and then got bored of and let down by. Jojo rabbit for example is trying more, doing more, in story, in cinematography, in everything it’s just different and feels more. Now we go and see these films, these indie comedy dramas, because we have faith that they’re gonna make us laugh where “studio comedies” kind of let us down. i think game night and tag emphasises that, tag is horrific and the exact thing i think of when i hear “studio comedy” and in contrast game night is the perfect inbetween of studio comedy and a movie trying to do more, be more. Game night is quite “experimental” (if you’ll allow me) in its cinematography for a studio comedy movie such as itself and so i would disagree that it is the SAME as tag, because Tag (to me, a 19 yr old gen z) seems closer to bridesmaids and then game night seems closer to jojo rabbit, booksmart and lady bird then it’s closeness to bridesmaids or anchorman even though game night is extremely absurd. game night is “experimental” in the way that the new movies like barb and star don’t seem to be. game night works because it’s old ideas repacked with a new bow, it’s self aware in a modern way and makes fun of itself. in cinema you evolve and i think although i don’t doubt that people love barb and star, i don’t doubt that when silent comedies started getting replaced with talkies (or whatever they’re called) that the people who grew up on the old stuff still like the old stuff but the new stuff.. oh, well, the new stuff is just that: new. hope that gets my own thoughts across well but great video it’s nice to see these kind of videos from u again! loving the content
Listing best recent comedies while talking about a surreal goofy comedy and not mentioning Greener Grass feels like a missed opportunity. Bard and Star is the Luigi to Greener Grass's Wario
I gotta say, I watched Superbad very recently and really did not like it very much. I was abashed by how sexist it was, and really didn't laugh much, and I couldn't take the serious message seriously, so old comedies might be aging, SADLY
I’m getting pretty tired of people making me feel bad for not finding Kirsten wiig funny when she’s the protagonist. I never did. It didn’t start with ghostbusters. I hated bridesmaids. She’s only good when she off the leash and can be as evil as possible like in knocked up.
fair. she’s such an over the top type of comedian- she was absolutely perfect for snl or wacky supporting roles, but always a little too much to be a protag.
I mean, another thing to consider is that everyone has a different sense of humor. I have a very stupid sense of humor, and really wanted to like Barb and Star, but unfortunately none of the jokes landed for me. But I can totally see why some people love it! I don't think I'm alone, seeing as the audience review were pretty hit or miss. That's the difficult thing about comedy, it's easy to make people sad or make people scared. It's way harder to make people laugh. And most of the time, not everyone is going to be laughing.
i loved barb and star and i'm constantly recommending it to people. the movie didn't take itself too serious to make the jokes and i dig that. when things get bleak it's now one of the movies/shows i turn to. :)
Tag is great, but I agree with everything else in this video. I've seen some reddit posts on this subject, but never really checked them out. I'm glad I watched this though and that you focused on Barb & Star. Knew it'd be great, and weird, and everything, and put it on as soon as I could when it went VOD
I was just thinking about this writing my review for Nobody, it seems like it's trying to be a comedy but never stops taking itself seriously to actually be funny. Also makes you think about what the perception of Greener Grass would be if it came out 10 years earlier.
I’ve always felt like people nowadays think they’re smarter. They think over the top silly comedy comes off as corny. Comedy for comedy sake is my favorite. Been wanting to check out barb and star the poster just looked crazy. Comedy moves at a different pace now with the internet.
I think Hollywood is having a hard time trying to make comedies because they require a certain acceptance of traditional narrative and the hero’s journey to work. And you can’t do that while simultaneously deconstructing and shitting on the idea of traditional narrative. 🤷🏼♂️
I’ve noticed some comedies nowadays are about making satirical jokes about modern day society. That’s what’s funny, getting to have a chuckle out of today’s society.
hows your day going
Great how about yeah karst
Great how’s you
just procrastinating editing a video, the usual
Pretty good thank you
good
It's less about the death of studio comedies and more about the death of the middle budget films in general. Comedies these days are either big budget action adventure flicks or much smaller indie dramedies.
There’s an interview with Stellan Skarsgard from the past year or two where he breaks this down wonderfully. The industry is only looking to bet big or small with little, if any, risk. Either a $400 million monstrosity that has a 95% chance of brining in $2-3 billion or a small, $1 million drama/horror that brings in $50 million. Anything else is a failure or a risk not worth taking.
This is the same reason RomComs aren't as much of a thing
@@83croissant or erotic thrillers. It used to be a totally normal thing for adults to go to the cinema and watch a movie with some steamy scenes, it was just something adults did. Now everything is damn near owned by Disney or is a tiny indie, and it’s almost impossible to find genuinely sexy mainstream movies.
@@dairebeare7839 oh in the 70’s there used to be full on theatrically released pornography ranging in quality from foreign art house films to cheap trash , it didn’t even just play in the “porno” theaters either , if they were popular they might make an R cut and an X cut for different markets . Emmanuelle , etc.
But yeah adult movies are not the same, and then they don’t even make just movies for adults either. It would be hard to find a financer for something like Secretary now .
@@dairebeare7839 there’s a whole lot of vaguely undefinable by genre types of mid-budget films that just rarely happen anymore outside of independent films or fluke passion projects by known directors who aren’t trying to make an Oscar movie . Like a courtroom drama or a murder mystery or a coming-of-age movie or a like an ensemble dramedy thing where a group of old friends get together one weekend and just have it all out - like those movies you used to go to and think, “was this a play or something? I don’t know if I like it or not, but I am still thinking about it so maybe it’s good ? I hope that one gal gets a best supporting nomination, she’s a strong character actor and has been due for one for years“
Movies for adults , mature adults. I mean anyone can see them but children would be bored by them. Or people financing films just assume children would be bored by them. But really we underestimate children. I met a 10 year old that said his favorite film right now was 12 Angry Men , which he recently watched for school .
I think there is also a point to be made about overall mood as a society. In last couple of years general public attitude turned rather pessimistic and I think because of that people feel bad if they allow themselves to watch a simple comedy without any deeper meaning. Also I think those types of comedies resonate less with people now, because people feel more overwhelmed and less joyfull and while those comedies sure would make them feel better, they are less relatable. I think it is similar to something I heard somewhere, that we create sci-fi depending on our present, as in sci fi of 40s to 60s was this clean techno-utopia with flying cars and from 80's till now trend became this conflict ridden neo-noir techno dystopia. I'd say in similar fashion we represent comedies, in those times more realistic, bitter-sweet comedies better represent our lives, instead of the over the top absurdist slapstick without things to worry underneath.
Honestly I agree, especially with the start of, (I know everybody hates this word) the pandemic.
Everyone was inside, and some are still inside now. (and although things are pretty normal now, I know some friends who still only go to school, nowhere on the weekends, strictly due to how scared their parents are of covid)
I feel like this just led to people being angrier, sadder, etc. I also feel like we had so much time to listen, see, and experience things, which is why some movies feel repetitive… we’ve seen 100 movies like them in our quarantine free time. Same with songs
I also feel like this is why people are just bigger complainers and haters. On Twitter all you see is complaining and hating now, nothing really pleases anybody, hopefully things change.
@@cullenavent6585 Nothing will change because the system sucks the life out of people. The pandemic and jobs made people more pessimistic and it won't get better until this stuff changes.
@@BeastiezCyZ honestly I agree, funny dumb movies could keep coming out and people will still hate them
Honestly I could imagine some of the best movies releasing for the first time now, and being hated. Imagine if Superbad released now??? A dumb chill movie ab teenagers drinking and trying to get to a party??? It would get lit up by reviewers
Imagine if Midnight in Paris came out now… a chill movie about time travel and a somewhat confusing storyline??? Straight to streaming services with 1 star reviews
But at least Spiderman: NWH temporarily brought almost everyone together
@@BeastiezCyZ Yep, pandemic just broke the illusion and gave people more time to think through what's really going on, since they had a little more time, when their lives stopped being 8-16 work, then making a dinner, going to sleep and repeating. Young people started to realise that imaging future is hard, because you won't be able to afford a house, or even a flat, 8-16 jobs where you sit idle for 4 hours are taking up your best years and oh yeah, the oceans start to boil. So i totally agree.
Totally agree. Also I wonder why the 40’s had such idea of the future compared to the 80’s? Considering they had 2 world wars 😂😂😂
you're so right about the annoyance of streaming/online media as the sole sources for comedy because experiencing basically any movie that's actually funny with a group of people is so much fun! a few years ago I saw Good Boys in theaters and it was one of my favorite movie experiences just because the whole theater was laughing so much
I honestly never thought about this, but there have been a lot of times recently where I want to watch a fun comedy or a cheesy action film and it gets bogged down by tedious or generic plot. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love a well-made story, and the types of drama-comedies you described are among my favourite films, but if I just want a good hit of brainless fun I usually turn to older films.
I noticed this recently when I was looking for a movie to see in theaters and seen over 90% of the movies were action or sci-fi or scary, no comedies and no romance. Sucks to suck I suppose.
this video is so good, and i'm going to rewatch it every month so I don't lose it's message. See you next month
oh my, it's the UA-camr whose videos I've been binging the past month praising the other UA-camr whose videos I've been binging the past month!
I've randomly watched "below average" comedies from the 90s & early 00s and I just miss the premise of "two or more idiots got a problem and everything that they do on the way there, it's fucking hilarious." There's no need to be dramatic, cinematic, filled with CGI etc. Just straight up funny shit and FUN! I agree with all that you said, Karsten!
got any recommendations that people might not have seen? i love that genre of comedy, i call them "idiot movies" where the characters are just idiots for 90 minutes and the the movie ends
Have you seen what's up doctor? Went into it without expectations and ended up laughing the whole time
@@selina2052 Ready To Rumble is so stupid and for wrestling marks but I think it’s a good time for anyone who loves fictional sports and fictional games! Others: Orange County, Small Soldiers (only funny in theory and probably good while intoxicated/high), Team America World Police, Little Nicky (I think people think Sandler missed with this one but idk fuck them lol) and a ton more!
@@beatrizgaspar6697 I’ll add it to the list!
@@selina2052 not sure if you've watched 3 Idiots since it's pretty popular, but the title says it all
Game Night, for me, is THE modern comedy. It’s so underrated and I recommend it any chance I get
Game Night is nothing in compared to The Nice Guys. The Nice Guys is the best modern studio comedy movie.
@@RyanSmith-qr7jg Game night deserves the hype and is often overlooked, but The Nice Guys is the best hands down. And even that wasn't enough to make it a commercial success.
Game Night still had a large handful of jokes that didn't land, and also had stupidly fast pacing
Game Night is an awesome movie. Very underrated.
Yes
"Good humor is a tonic for the mind and body. It is the best antidote for anxiety and depression. It attracts and keeps friends. It lightens human burdens. It is the direct route to serenity and contentment" - Ronald McDonald
“Family Guy Funny Moments Compilation #27” - The Burger King
This (for me personally) is why I struggle to find comfort and this tonic effect in many comedians nowadays- especially the famous "stand up' ones that my friends keep railing about. I just know what they'll complain about... I tried to watch one of them and he was so angry (and the audience) about very insignificant stuff... Found it a circlejerk of anger sadly.
Simplistic and privileged view on anxiety and depression. Humor is not enough for real anxiety and real depression.
@@jdbdiwi2333 way to distill an entire artform to one act 👍
@@floppydysk Don't get me wrong, I love stand up comedy and have a few favourite comedians that I almost want to worship - they're much less known than the major comedians tho who I'm talking about, I was aiming at the "making offensive and anger inducing jokes to own [insert group of people]" trope that I'm tired of...
Loved Barb & Star and wish there were more character driven comedies coming out these days that don’t take themselves so seriously.
As someone who's true favorite movie is Wet Hot American Summer this whole video really helped soothe my individuality complex
This video came at the right time. Now that I'm a little older and less pretentious, sometimes I just want to watch a silly comedy and have fun. I feel it a lot more especially these days and have been looking up comedies to watch. Barb and Star will be on my next to watch. Thanks!
Glad you brought up Adam McKay. I did like a lot of Don’t Look Up, but it mostly made me wish it was a straight up comedy like his previous work.
I agree. I love most of Adam’s comedies (Step Brothers, Other Guys and Talladega Nights have always been some of my all-time favorites) and I was disappointed to see the comedy aspects die out halfway through the film.
i wonder how much of the drama-flavored comedy genre came out from how well juno did
Juno was the launching point of the comedy-drama genre. I think it’s a fine genre, but I dominates far too much nowadays. I liked Don’t Look Up quite a lot but I was disappointed at the comedy portion of the film disappearing midway through.
This movie is so stupid and ridiculous but that’s what makes it great, it’s corny as Hell but the movie not taking itself seriously is what makes the jokes work so well
I loved Shiva Baby but I had no idea it was a comedy lmao like I would've never thought it was a comedy.
I saw Jackass forever, and I was the only one their. Although some comedies can be in certain, but with a huge audience, it can impact the feeling of “movie-going experience”.
I’m guessing you went at a lighter night. My theater was absolutely packed when I went. It added so much to the experience.
@@romanramirez7847 Nope, it was daytime.
@@MichaelMichael-us6wq I recommend going at night. That’s where the crowds are the most packed.
sorry Karsten but i think you missed the mark with this one. the only comedies worth talking about are films like Jack and Jill or Hangover part 3. you definitely made some points though!
Hey those movies are nothing compared to gems like Meet the Spartans and Scary Movie 28 🙃
This is such a thoughtful video and reminded me of a scene in Who Framed Roger Rabbit where Eddie Valiant asks Roger what's so important about him acting silly and making those around him laugh all the time. Roger responds: "A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have." That's why it's such a shame for movie comedies to be dying. It's just one more thing that's been taken away that makes our world and lives less fun.
Had to come back here after watching Barb and Star today. That was… a trip.
I remember when Barb and Star came out a year ago, it was friday and i saw the new VOD rentals and i was amazed how funny was it, to be honest I'm a massive Kristen Wiig fan so I didn't hesitate spending 20 bucks on a movie i was gonna see in theaters anyway. Go watch it if you didn't.
As someone who works at an Alamo Drafthouse jn NYC, seeing audiences pack up the theater for Jackass almost everyday since opening day and collectively LAUGHING THEIR ASSES OFF, “OHHHHHHH”ing, and even cheering is so damn heartwarming. Those crowds are very kind too!
I agree. I’m thrilled with the success of Jackass Forever. It’s just a fun movie that doesn’t take itself seriously and it’s just full of great rapid-fire jokes per second. I missed those movies.
Totally agree. I also feel like a lot of people just don't laugh anymore as much. I felt so uncomfortable in some of the marvel movies when my audience wasn't reacting to good (not great) jokes.
I think people are more cynical and only laugh at social media shorts on current topics or real life fails.
I don't predict an end anytime soon of 2000s comedy filmmakers switching over to Oscar bait dramas
*looks at Adam McKay, Todd Phillips, and Jay Roach*
As someone who’s seen both Old School and Joker, it’s crazy to see how much Todd Philips has changed as a director
+ craig mazin lmao
Don’t look up /=/ Oscar bait drama
Did we see a different movie. I swear that was a comedy
We need more comedies, there is a reason why I loved Free guy last year
Tbh with you, I didn't laugh once in Free Guy
Central Intelligence is what I can remember, the last “Smash Hit” comedy of the past few years. I still love it and it was a fun, wacky film that didn’t take itself too seriously. It’s sad how little comedies of that style are released nowadays. Come on Hollywood. Not all comedies have to turn into full on dramas or social commentaries in the middle of the movie nowadays. Just make a fun, dumb movie. That’s why I loved Jackass Forever.
totally agree with how comedy is more accessible and usually of higher quality through social media. i love comedy-dramas, but the pure comedy film doesn't have a bright future for me.
Wasn’t ready for all the Panda Express slander but otherwise solid video
There’s a lot you can go with this.
I think outlets like Instagram and Twitter sort of shaped comedy into bite sized entertainment, instead of something that’s at least an hour long. Which is what some of the best movie comedies were. Airplane, Spaceballs, Scott Pilgrim, Mean Girls, Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, Shrek 2, Lego Batman, etc. all did this. They never really felt like they were wasting time and threw the jokes at such a rapid pace that even if one joke didn’t land or went on for a bit too long, it doesn’t matter cause there’s like 5 or 6 more afterwards jokes that stick with you.
But I think it’s because of films like Tag that show how much you can REALLY fuck up a comedy by being drawn out and just not funny. Comedy is one of if not the toughest genre to get right, so when you have one good comedy, you’ll have like 6 or 7 more that just suck. I think that constant string of mediocrity really damaged the potential for comedy in film, we’ve seen so many comedies that have really blah marketing and when they come out, they rightfully bomb, but when you have a legitimately good comedy, it’s completely up in the air if it’ll make money.
Have you ever seen Sullivan’s Travels (1941)? Whenever I think about how important comedies are, I’m reminded by that film. While there’s value in all genres of cinema, we are surrounded by stressful situations everyday and sometimes we just need to laugh to let go to forget for a moment. Studios today could definitely use that reminder! “There’s a lot to be said for making people laugh. Did you know that that’s all some people have?”
“Why does any of this matter? Because it’s fucking fun.” Yes!!! Thank you!!!
We’re seeing this same trend with popular music. The most recent Coldplay album is packed with great songs and great collaborators and is produced by the GIANT Max Martin, but there were multiple sites that gave it unfavorable reviews because it was deemed shallow. Pitchfork, for example, called it “sugar-coated.” But at the end of the day, they’re fun, well-written and well-produced songs. When did that become a bad thing?
That's a really good analogy bro. When we have so much choice, you have to be more than just what used to hit, even if they are fun, well-written and well-produced.
damn, the whole time I was convinced that Cate Blanchett was playing the villain.
Interesting take about the new jackass movie. I found myself that it was the first movie in a long team possibly since Covid that I could go to with my friends and just enjoy, have a laugh and be thoroughly entertained the entire time
This was one of your better ones. it is just sad that they don't make movies like brides maids no more. they need to come back stronger than a 90s trend. also, such an insightful and clear explanation on the shift. this was a lecture-quality video and i couldn't agree more to your conclusion. social media and things are ruining most good things we have left. Filmmaking must not be ruined.
There's been a couple of good ones recently personally I really enjoyed Blockers I thought the cast and premise was super fun
Comedies had a really good run in like the late 00s w the Judd Apatow movies Tropic Thunder etc. But now for some reason they don’t hit and while I have criticisms for certain films honestly I can’t put my finger on it. Even the whole dramadey thing going on sucks mostly now. I really think our collective sense of humor has changed. We’re more always sunny than Seinfeld. We either laugh at or get offended by fucked up things. I’ve always wanted to do a typical Greta Gerwig or some other indie comedy dramadey premise like that one where a woman is taking her drug addict brother to rehab but instead of it having like heartfelt moments it’s just ridiculously mean and dark lmao.
Hey Karsten could you make a video talking about some of your favorite french films because I’m french and well I’ve seen an embarrassing amount of french films and would like to watch a lot more
Hey Karsten! i have a question
so we recently got hbo max and i can now watch studio ghibli stuff. where should i start? i know theres the popular ones like spirited away, but i think you would have a good take on this so you seem like the right person to ask
the tale of the princess kaguya probably their best
but thats just my opinion
Princess Mononoke is my favorite. Or if you are up for something so sad that you will never watch it again, Grave of the Fireflies is worth the watch. I have only seen it once but it is one of his best. If you want something relaxing My Neighbor Totoro is good. Or a fun love-type story, Howl's Moving Castle.
When I got HBO Max I had a marathon with my friends where we watched four Studio Ghibli films in one day, and while they were all great, it was too much.
I would start with My Neighbor Totoro. It’s my personal favorite but it’s also the most accessible. You can tell many modern animation studios were influenced by it.
After that, I recommend watching Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away on your own time. They are surprisingly dense films that require you to be more attentive than Totoro, but they are both phenomenal.
@@volcanosauce00 thank you so much!
i love comedy movies more than anything and when i talk about some of my favourite movies, people’s criticisms are always “its stupid” or “it doesnt make sense” and that makes me so upset. just cause something is funny doesnt mean it shouldnt be taken seriously.
Comedies have always been my favorite genre. There’s so many amazing comedies out there (Blazing Saddles. Step Brothers, Airplane, Tucker And Dale Vs Evil, Central Intelligence, The Hangover, The Other Guys, Austin Powers, Wayne’s World, 21 Jump Street, Tropic Thunder, This Is The End, Dr Strangelove, Borat, Mean Girls, Superbad, The Producers, Dumb And Dumber, Caddyshack, The Jerk, Tommy Boy, Trading Places, The Naked Gun, Ghostbusters, Stripes etc) that are just fun movies that don’t take themselves too seriously and have amazing jokes at a rapid-fire per second pace.
@@romanramirez7847 thanku for this reply, its rec list and im gonna watch everything on here that i havent seen before
Game night and tag are hilarious, very underrated.
Alamo Drafthouse did a movie party screening of this. I was on the Barb and Star train the day it came out. Saw the trailer went meh that looks interesting back during Jumanji and Rise of Skywalker. Forgot about it. It gets put on VOD in February last year but gets like an 80% critic score so i was intrigued. wathched it one night then introduced it to like 5 friends and they all adored it as much as me, we watched it all together probably 3 times. I've seen it personally 6 times. Then when Alamo Drafthouse announced that screening we bought 3 tickets and it was a great experience. everyone was into the film, we were told to shake these miracas everytime trish was mentioned or shown. Whole Crowd were clearly massive fans quoting along. Yeah Barb and Star is needed every year. can they make a Barb and Star film every 2 years in different insane environments and wacky stories.
I live in Boston and I desperately want an Alamo Drafthouse to open here. They make the movies so much fun but in a genuine way, not a fake corporate way. Now that Arclight is gone, they seem like the last bastion of a chain by film lovers for film lovers.
Was literally thinking about this last night and how if it came out around now, either before or after Barbie, people would have been a lot more ready for it.
one of the most overlooked movies of 2021
@🌞 have a nice day do not care
@🌞 have a nice day Also don’t care
I like this slightly new way of editing
I don't know what the ratings are, but I watch clips of SNL more than SNL itself. In recent years I've gotten so much more exposure to SNL than I have since I was in high school when I actively watched.
I think they have had a great cast the past few seasons.
This is so true! Modern comedies just aren't as good anymore. Modern audiences care so much about the plot and a level of drama that I don't necessarily want in my comedies. Sometimes I just want to relax and put on a movie that has no other purpose than to make me laugh. Barb and Star was my favorite movie of 2021 because it finally did that. Movies like Mean Girls, Bridesmaids, and Superbad still have a lesson or some character development and drama, but they are still comedies first and foremost. Nowadays comedies are just on the backburner of movies.
This movie is not good at all but it's definitely MUCH BETTER than 99% of all other bullshit that has come out for the past decade. What the fuck happend to comedy movies. In the 2000s we had like 50 superior great comedies. nowadays, you're lucky if you find ONE per year.
Barb & Starr is like when movies from the early 80s still felt like movies you'd see in the mid-late 70s. Not because the filmmakers were out of touch, so much as people moved on.
Rank Ghibli Karsten
I think Britain still does fantastically with it's tv comedy shows:
Taskmaster
Ghosts
Starstruck
Derry Girls
The Goes Wrong Show
The Other One
Motherland
The Cleaner (okay yeah it is an adaptation of a German show)
And America recently had two of the best comedies I've seen in a few years: The Suicide Squad and the show Peacemaker.
I prefer British comedies. I'm sick of the same corporate-feel of all these American comedies. At least Kevin Hart has another IMDb credit
“Prime reason, no pun intended.” 😆
i feel like a lot of these “studio comedies” that would’ve done pretty badly with a theatrical release are also actually just shifting to streaming services. like yeah maybe critics didn’t like it but vacation friends repeatedly broke records on hulu and has been greenlit for a sequel.
it was one of your better ones. glad im subbed Poggers
I considered Borat 2 a full comedy IMO. I laughed so hard at its outlandish humor.
Going into the realm of TV, another modern show with a familiar Zucker-esque feel is Angie Tribeca. That same kind of absurd non-improv style based around taking things literally and creative wordplay.
i think more so, that the culture has lost hope in these studio comedies due to remakes (anchorman 2 for example) and just bad comedies in general, and how these movies could be considered to have “peaked” around the time of films like bridesmaids. you stop going to see these movies when you see a couple duds and you start to see these indie drama comedies (as the 2010s start throwing out those films you mentioned in that genre) and then we, the audience, like them. These indie movies are new and fresh exploring stories that aren’t just about the same white straight (rich!!) men or women in their 30s and 40s telling stories that are now all lumped into that high key studio comedy set up we got used to loving in either childhood or adulthood and then got bored of and let down by. Jojo rabbit for example is trying more, doing more, in story, in cinematography, in everything it’s just different and feels more. Now we go and see these films, these indie comedy dramas, because we have faith that they’re gonna make us laugh where “studio comedies” kind of let us down. i think game night and tag emphasises that, tag is horrific and the exact thing i think of when i hear “studio comedy” and in contrast game night is the perfect inbetween of studio comedy and a movie trying to do more, be more. Game night is quite “experimental” (if you’ll allow me) in its cinematography for a studio comedy movie such as itself and so i would disagree that it is the SAME as tag, because Tag (to me, a 19 yr old gen z) seems closer to bridesmaids and then game night seems closer to jojo rabbit, booksmart and lady bird then it’s closeness to bridesmaids or anchorman even though game night is extremely absurd. game night is “experimental” in the way that the new movies like barb and star don’t seem to be. game night works because it’s old ideas repacked with a new bow, it’s self aware in a modern way and makes fun of itself. in cinema you evolve and i think although i don’t doubt that people love barb and star, i don’t doubt that when silent comedies started getting replaced with talkies (or whatever they’re called) that the people who grew up on the old stuff still like the old stuff but the new stuff.. oh, well, the new stuff is just that: new.
hope that gets my own thoughts across well but great video it’s nice to see these kind of videos from u again! loving the content
"In The Loop" is my favorite comedy cause it's just relentless quotables.
Peter Capaldi is great
@@billychambers6400 iconic
i loved happy time murders. i thought the skeet scene was stupid and passable but i really like the puppet aspect
it is one of the better ones; you did an amazing job
Listing best recent comedies while talking about a surreal goofy comedy and not mentioning Greener Grass feels like a missed opportunity.
Bard and Star is the Luigi to Greener Grass's Wario
Imma be honest. I thought barb and star was Thelma and Louise:/
This film is hilarious
Love you including Popstar never stop never stopping, that movie is so underrated
Director David Wain linked to this video via Twitter.
Karsten. This was probably the greatest video essay I’ve every watched. Great job dude!
imagine if they never made superbad just because its 3 teens getting into ridiculous situations
I’m gonna say it. I’ve seen Tag two times and I really like it. It’s fun and reminds me of my childhood.
You ever think about doing a vid about the black and white format? Similar to the 4:3 one
I gotta say, I watched Superbad very recently and really did not like it very much. I was abashed by how sexist it was, and really didn't laugh much, and I couldn't take the serious message seriously, so old comedies might be aging, SADLY
Superbad is a fantastic comedy u probably aren’t the target audience
During the pandemic, people needed to laugh more than ever
Great points and a sadly overlooked classic
Ah, Lady Bird and Booksmart- two early entries in the Beanie Feldstien Cinematic Universe…
please please PLEASE make an I think you should leave video I know you watch it Karsten
YES we would all watch the hell out of that
Starting to miss the scary movie style of comedies
I’m getting pretty tired of people making me feel bad for not finding Kirsten wiig funny when she’s the protagonist. I never did. It didn’t start with ghostbusters. I hated bridesmaids. She’s only good when she off the leash and can be as evil as possible like in knocked up.
fair. she’s such an over the top type of comedian- she was absolutely perfect for snl or wacky supporting roles, but always a little too much to be a protag.
i think i’m gonna watch Barb and Star with my mom now
watched the movie because of this video, it's fucking amazing
This is one of Karsten's best vids! Great observations!
I mean, another thing to consider is that everyone has a different sense of humor. I have a very stupid sense of humor, and really wanted to like Barb and Star, but unfortunately none of the jokes landed for me. But I can totally see why some people love it!
I don't think I'm alone, seeing as the audience review were pretty hit or miss.
That's the difficult thing about comedy, it's easy to make people sad or make people scared. It's way harder to make people laugh. And most of the time, not everyone is going to be laughing.
i think the reason is internet. there is so much funny stuff on the internet.
i'm taking this video as my sign to rewatch pop star never stop never stopping, i've been wanting to anyway lmao
The Cornetto trilogy are good modern comedies. Funny and smart, but have heart to them.
Man, you nailed this crazy. So good.
thanks man!
I recommend Game Night if you all loved this film
karsten 🤝 square-space
i loved barb and star and i'm constantly recommending it to people. the movie didn't take itself too serious to make the jokes and i dig that. when things get bleak it's now one of the movies/shows i turn to. :)
I think lumping in Booksmart with that group is a mistake. That movie is excellent but no more serious than Superbad.
Tag is great, but I agree with everything else in this video.
I've seen some reddit posts on this subject, but never really checked them out. I'm glad I watched this though and that you focused on Barb & Star. Knew it'd be great, and weird, and everything, and put it on as soon as I could when it went VOD
I was just thinking about this writing my review for Nobody, it seems like it's trying to be a comedy but never stops taking itself seriously to actually be funny. Also makes you think about what the perception of Greener Grass would be if it came out 10 years earlier.
I haven’t seen a studio comedy that I liked in a very long time, and that makes me sad
Superbad and Bridesmaids are two of those rare movies that were funny when I was in middle/high school but are just as funny, if not funnier today
I’ve always felt like people nowadays think they’re smarter. They think over the top silly comedy comes off as corny. Comedy for comedy sake is my favorite. Been wanting to check out barb and star the poster just looked crazy. Comedy moves at a different pace now with the internet.
I miss Harold & Kumar :(
I think Hollywood is having a hard time trying to make comedies because they require a certain acceptance of traditional narrative and the hero’s journey to work. And you can’t do that while simultaneously deconstructing and shitting on the idea of traditional narrative. 🤷🏼♂️
im watching the new snl season every week in the hopes of seeing a please dont destroy skit
I love me a good straight-up comedy as much as the next guy... Barb and Star just wasn't that funny.
Dont look up was more to send a message than be funny, it was marketed as a “Dark Comedy” and ngl my girlfriend and i laughed the whole way through
We need morn comedy movies
I’ve noticed some comedies nowadays are about making satirical jokes about modern day society. That’s what’s funny, getting to have a chuckle out of today’s society.
I'm still waiting for the day when a modern comedy surpasses Zoolander levels of fun.