Anchorman

heavymental

Thats a funny film right there!

passout

Not really. Child'ish & superficial I'd say. I don't like much of the new wave comedy comig from the states at the moment. I think British comedy is much better - Little Britain.

That said, I kind of like Jack Black (he was funny in King Kong).

heavymental

passout wrote:

Not really. Child'ish & superficial I'd say. I don't like much of the new wave comedy comig from the states at the moment. I think British comedy is much better - Little Britain.

Haha Thats quite funny to call Anchorman "child'ish [sic] and superficial" then mention Little Britain as an example of superior British comedy! Each to their own of course but I find Little Britain to be an example of the worst side of British comedy, along with Catherine Tate. Drumming out the same sketch and the same catchphrases every week? I don't see the appeal, especially when the material is so weak in the first place.

JustRidecp

Heavymental wrote:

passout wrote:

Not really. Child'ish & superficial I'd say. I don't like much of the new wave comedy comig from the states at the moment. I think British comedy is much better - Little Britain.

Haha Thats quite funny to call Anchorman "child'ish [sic] and superficial" then mention Little Britain as an example of superior British comedy! Each to their own of course but I find Little Britain to be an example of the worst side of British comedy, along with Catherine Tate. Drumming out the same sketch and the same catchphrases every week? I don't see the appeal, especially when the material is so weak in the first place.

Beat me too it! Cant stand Little Britian - think its the most childish and superficial naff on the telly.
Want a good comedy, watch Still Game!

passout

Perhaps but little Britain is funny and accessible to all! Anchorman, the Waterboy etc rely on a Californian zaney 'cool' which in turn relies on 'getting it' at the expense of those who don't. You buy into an 'in crowd' rather than focussing on the humour. Like Southpark it confirms you as part of the that dumb, 'X-treme', can't spell MTV generation of idiots. Not you guys of course! Can you see what I'm getting at?

giant_man

passout wrote:

Not really. Child'ish & superficial I'd say. I don't like much of the new wave comedy comig from the states at the moment. I think British comedy is much better - Little Britain.

That said, I kind of like Jack Black (he was funny in King Kong).

Little Britain yawn!!! They're still pouring out the same old gags and stints! Good grief are they not capable of writing new characters or what? :?

ajohn9

Anchorman is genius!!! Will ferrell is genius!

lardarse rider

"A woman? Don't their periods attract bears?" - Genius.

passout

Nooo! Just because it's weird and outlandish doesn't make it funny. Besides, have you ever met an American? The aren't that funny as a people - they don't do irony and aren't self-deprecating enough. The Bits, Irish, Aussies, Kiwis, and even some of the other European countries are funnier. Christ, even the Canadians are funnier. Popularist Hollywood comedy movies are especially bad. The only exceptions I can think of are the early Steve Martin movies (eg The Geek) and Woody Allen. For some reason, as stated, I kind of like Jack Black too. That's it.

McBain_v1

Don't like Will Ferrell or Adam Sandler or any of the other so-called "funny" Americans, even Ben Stiller gets on my boobies, although he was quite good in Starsky and Hutch.

heavymental

Passout - people will laugh if they find something funny. They're not laughing because they're trying to buy into some 'zany' californian lifestyle. They're laughing because it amuses them. You can't knock American comedy just because its American. Some of the best comedies in movie history have come out of America. Ok...they're low brow, stoopid, silly and childish but check out these films....

Dumb and Dumber
There's Something About Mary
The Big Lebowski
Ace Ventura - Pet Detective
Zoolander
Dodgeball
Anger Management

haha...all very funny. Plenty of slapstick, plenty of silliness but essentially, unashamedly good fun!

passout

If you genuinely find that stuff funny, and you clearly do, then I won't argue with you (each to their own), but I just don't. More than that I find it those movies annoying. The only one of those movies, that you mention, that I'd watch again would be the Big Lebowski - which had some good moments. I just find British stuff funnier. For me the good old US of A is a comedy free zone. Still, the world would be a boring place if we were all the same. My closing argument is Shaun of the Dead - sheer class, and homegrown British talent.

Ghost Donkey

Heavymental wrote:

passout wrote:

Not really. Child'ish & superficial I'd say. I don't like much of the new wave comedy comig from the states at the moment. I think British comedy is much better - Little Britain.

Haha Thats quite funny to call Anchorman "child'ish [sic] and superficial" then mention Little Britain as an example of superior British comedy! Each to their own of course but I find Little Britain to be an example of the worst side of British comedy, along with Catherine Tate. Drumming out the same sketch and the same catchphrases every week? I don't see the appeal, especially when the material is so weak in the first place.

I liked it at first but what you're saying is spot on. Lets just hope it doesn't run for thirteen years using the same jokes like 'Allo 'Allo did.

heavymental

That type of comedy isn't too bad if the characters are good. The Fast Show managed to make the jokes stay funny for longer so you didn't mind so much that you could see the gag coming a mile off and it helps when the characters have some depth and are likeable or simply funny. But Little Britain, and definately Catherine Tate, have produced a series full of shallow characters, many of whom are obnoxious, to deliver punchlines and catchphrases you know are coming but are so weak that when they arrive they just dissapoint. Its like watching a little wave making its way towards the beach from the horizon on a calm day, it eventually reaches the sand and flops lifelessly, barely making a splash.

To be honest I find it a complete travesty that they are so praised in the comedy world at the expense of infinately better stuff.

British comedy is the best though. Peep Show, Phoenix Nights, Max and Paddy, Mitchell and Webb, The Mighty Boosh, Darkplace. All brilliant stuff but never going to make primetime tv because its slightly leftfield.

passout

'Listen very carefully I shall say this only once...'

I'm not claiming 'all' British comedy TV is funny. Amercian sitcoms aren't that great you know - and we only get the best ones over here. Besides, you say 'Allo Allo', I say 'The Office'. The Office like many other original TV shows has been copied in the USA. Little Britain is even becoming popular over there.

You just need to look at the stand up circuit, the Edinburgh festivals and even shows like Mock the Week to see that we've got lots of comedic talent.

Back to films....the problem is that the USA has all the funding but the UK lacks it. It's harder to make a British comedy without it having to appeal to the US market. But Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz etc show that it can be done. And films like that appeal to everyone (including Americans).

But to get back to the original point, I don't really like Anchorman. I'm glad you guys do, but not for me. Shaun of the Dead, The Office and yes even LIttle Britain are funnier. I draw the line at 'Allo Allo though!

Q: Which would you honestly choose Anchorman or Shaun of the Dead?

heavymental

Yep, I'd agree with you there Passout. As I said in my last post I do prefer British Comedy. And yes, we have some great panel shows like Mock the Week, Have I got News For You etc.

Shaun of the Dead didn't quite do it for me though. I love the team that made it (Spaced was another brilliant series) but it didn't quite work for me. Maybe I'll give it another chance.

By the way, just for balance I would add that there have been hundreds of awful american comedies. American Pie, Road Trip, Meet the Fockers etc etc etc etc......