Humour is extremely subjective. Fortunately, there are all kinds of films coming out next year that want to tickle different ribs. Whether they’re about racist arseholes, teenagers, weed smokers, zombies, cowboys, mothers or an electric crime-solving rodent, there’s going to be a number of films this year that are guaranteed to make you laugh.
10. Zombieland 2
After making absolute bank with Venom, director Ruben Fleischer returns to the fan-favourite zom-com along with Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigal Breslin and the original writers. Fingers crossed for another Bill Murray cameo.
In cinemas October 10.
9. The Kid who Would be King
We’ve been aching for another Joe Cornish-directed feature since his incredible debut with Attack the Block. Now we have it with this original family-friendly take on the Excalibur tale, comedically complete with a radically uncool Merlin and a lead who just can’t quite believe all this fantastical stuff is happening around him.
In cinemas January 17.
More info on The Kid who Would be King
8. The Sisters Brothers
Joaquin Phoenix and John C Reilly are brothers—surname Sisters—in this dark comedy set in the West. One believes they can do the right thing by not killing people anymore. The other laughs it off. You can see where the ‘dark’ and the ‘comedy’ comes from.
Not yet dated in NZ – releases February 28 in AU.
More info on The Sisters Brothers
7. Where’d You Go, Bernadette
Kristen Wiig, Judy Greer and Cate Blanchett star in director Richard Linklater’s adaptation of Maria Semple’s comedic novel about a teenager who goes on the search for her missing, anxiety-ridden mother.
Not yet dated in NZ – releases March 22 in USA.
More info on Where’d You Go, Bernadette
6. The Beach Bum
Speaking of Linklater, have you ever been curious to see a spinoff film about Matthew McConaughey’s character in Dazed and Confused 25 years later? Well, Spring Breakers director Harmony Korine has pretty much done that with The Beach Bum. McConaughey plays a man named Moondog, and if that isn’t funny enough, check out this photo of Zac Efron in the film.
Not yet dated in NZ – releases March 22 in USA.
5. Thunder Road
This image of a sad divorced cop holding his daughter at his mother’s funeral doesn’t exactly scream “laugh your ass off,” but filmmaker Jim Cummings managed to get the critics giggling and feeling for this man’s personal meltdown. If ‘tragedy = comedy’ is your thing, keep this award winner on your radar.
In cinemas April 18.
4. Detective Pikachu
You might be laughing right now that a Ryan Reynold-voice Detective Pikachu movie is still a very real thing. It’s somewhat more insane that the debut trailer earned genuine laughs (mainly from that Mr Mime interrogation scene) and lit up social channels with earnest excitement for this bizarre idea. And yes, we were one of them.
In cinemas May 9.
More info on Detective Pikachu
3. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Maybe seeing a middle-aged loser Peter Parker, an over-intense Nicolas Cage, or a thing called Spider-Ham doesn’t sound all that funny to you. But Spidey fans, or even those who kinda sick of him at this point, are going to get a chuckle-filled kick out of this shake-up.
In cinemas January 3.
More info on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
2. Eighth Grade
“It’s funny ’cause it’s true” applies to a lot of comedy, including this coming-of-age tale that looks into the unfiltered life of a young teen in an instagram-filtered world, led by Golden Globe nominee Elsie Fisher. If you don’t know about the uncomfortably-real comedy stylings of writer-director Bo Burnham, here’s an introduction.
In cinemas January 10.
1. Jojo Rabbit
Currently lava-hot thanks to the mighty success of Thor: Ragnarok, Taika Waititi’s follow-up film was almost guaranteed a spot on this list. The fact that he’s also getting into the Nazi stuff by playing an imaginary Adolf Hitler boosted this film straight to the top of our most anticipated rib-ticklers of 2019.
Not yet dated in NZ.
