Ben Stiller owned the 2000s comedy scene and now he’s killing it with his current focus on directing

"Zoolander" and "Tropic thunder" are definitely two of my favourite comedies

2004 was the arguably the greatest year for comedy movies of all time with Anchorman, Dodgeball, Team America, Harold and Kumar, Napoleon Dynamite, Mean Girls and Shaun of the Dead

I would much rather return to movies like this that are dedicated to being comedies, instead of every big blockbuster movie having to be an action/comedy/drama mishmash that doesn't excel at any of those things

Another big one that you didn't mention was Anchorman (2004). Endlessly quotable and still funny today. Will Ferrell was really on fire that decade.

"Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" will always be my favorite comedy film.

Thank You for Smoking (2005) is one of my favorite comedies from the early 2000's and is often overlooked

At the turn of the century Ben Stiller’s “There’s Something About Mary” is what kicked it off. I think it was doing huge numbers and showed what romantic comedies could do. Also Heartbreak Kid by Ben Stiller is mad funny.

I actually think the 2000’s comedy boom lasted up until around 2015. There were still great comedy movies coming out in the early 2010’s.

I can’t think of one single comedy movie that’s come out in the past 5 years that I remember let alone watched more than once.

I really wish DVD and Blu-ray would regain popularity. I try to buy physical copies of movies I really like not only to support franchises and directors I like, but also because bonus features are non-existent on streaming and because it can sometimes be a pain in the ass to find some stuff. A lot of franchises are split up across multiple platforms, specific versions of films are sometimes only physical media, and some movies just aren't available to stream at all.

It's such a crime that "the nice guys" didn't get the credit it deserved. Sure,it did from critics,but not many people saw it. That is easily the best comedy of the last decade.

Being born in 1998, I loved growing up in this era.

Another problem with American comedies is they often don't play well in foreign markets, especially in Asia. Great video as usual.

I’m so sad that there are fewer comedies now. Thankfully, Strays was good. I still watch Anchorman, Dodgeball, and Talladega Nights repeatedly! I adore comedies that are goofy and random, not too raunchy but somewhat raunchy. But mostly goofy and clever and random like Anchorman.

I just wanna say that it wasn’t just the 2000s that had the most horrific tragedies. Every single decade has had some very devastating catastrophes.

We didn't even get into all of the parody movies that ruled the 2000s!... the Scary Movies, Not Another Teen Movie, Dance Flick, Epic Movie, etc.

This video explains why I have such fond memories of movies like Bruce Almighty as well as old movies like Spaceballs. I saw Jim Carrey in the theaters, but Fox channel played Spaceballs on TV. It's like people could enjoy sense of humor before all the weird political correctness and wokeism started making everybody crazy.

i would say 2000s was the peak of comedies

Blades of Glory is one that immediately comes to mind and is probably one that I will always come back to. Man I loved watching all these movies that my older brother had pirated from Limeware. Man those were the days.

When I think of a decade when comedies dominated, I think of the '80s. Ghostbusters, Beverly Hills Cop, Back to the Future, and Home Alone (1990) hold the top ticket sales of all time among live action Hollywood comedies globally. Literally the entire planet saw these films, either in theaters or VHS rentals (no DVDs yet). Also, "hyphenated comedies" were big in the 80s - especially action-comedies, buddy-cop comedies, and rom-coms. Since then, the animated films have dominated the comedy genre - your Shreks, Incredibles, Toy Stories, etc swept the floor with your Superbads etc. Only your Hangovers and Meet the movies rank among 21st century top earners. In the 2010s and 20s, Barbie is the top grossing comedy (of all time, actually, not adjusted for inflation), followed by at least 15 animated films (like your Mario Brothers, Legos, Despicable Mes) before you hit your Deadpools, Men in Blacks, and Hangovers. TLDR Comedy had its hey day in the 1980s, and since then it's moved into animated films and away from live action. It's not about "woke", it's about economics, global reach, and pent up demand (i.e. Barbie).

I really don't think movie studios are afraid of getting "canceled" or whatever. They simply look at what's been successful recently and try to copy it. Sometimes they copy a formula so many times that audiences start to lose interest, which is what happened to studio comedies in the 2010s. It's all about money.

No hard feelings felt like a 2000s comedy

Tropic Thunder is one of my favourite movies ever

Was nice seeing you mention Zack and Miri. Love that movie.

Man I miss those times where comedy was the norm. Even here in Greece there were yearly 20 comedy shows and movies approximately(it’s a lot trust me) but that also declined after 2008 and became much MUCH more drama and thriller oriented. At least there are a few good comedies foreign or Greek still being made that still brings me hope. Comedies need to return to their former glory and confidence

I tend to like anything related to comedy, especially romantic comedies. Was actually rewatching some rom coms (27 Dresses, Sweet Home Alabama, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Just Friends, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, etc.) from the 2000s and I feel like the start of the pandemic marked the decline of that genre, too. Films that are being marketed as rom coms now feel dryer, the comedy is not as "edgy" or controversial which might be a good thing, but it's not as timeless..

Member me replaying for 100th time recording of Ace Ventura 2 on VHS tape...

RDJ got backlash for his portrayal in Tropic Thunder even back in 2008.

You totally forgot the movie that set it all off. Old school. In 2001. That was.the quite little comedy that started that whole will Ferrell early 2000s run.

Is this a good time to mention that Death to Smoochy is the greatest movie of that Era? Robin Williams went manic in it like his early career.

Superbad = 100% best comedy of the decade. It's right up there with Zucker Brothers level of amazing comedy. Speaking of... Top Secret! is the best comedy of all-time. It's ageless because it's so incredibly well done. It's even better than Duck Soup, The Producers, Blazing Saddles, or... well... Coen Bros stuff. I will say... I find it odd that you didn't emphasize the international box office. Movies are no longer made for America only. They're often not even made for America first. They're made for the global market. From 1990 to 2015, domestic vs international basically swapped places in terms of market share. i.e. in 1990, Domestic was 2/3 of the box office. In 2015 Domestic was 1/3 of the box office. Factor in the subjective nature of humor that you spent an appropriate amount of time on and... yeah... studios won't spend the money. Understandably so. The other factor I want to personally add is an addendum to your Judd Apatow bit. You correctly labeled Apatow as the leader of comedy movies in the 2000s. He eventually stepped aside. Who replaced him? ... Paul Feig. Paul Feig has his fans, but he's no Judd Apatow. Feig is a one-trick pony, and that trick is a turd. A turd that every character points out 7 times. That's fine for an SNL skit but not okay to sustain over the course of a half dozen movies across nearly an entire decade.

There was lots of good comedy's then that are not often talked about like.. Waiting, Miss March, The Rocker, Out Cold, Van Wilder, Old School, Beerfest, Not another teen movie, Euro trip, Road trip. just to name a few.. I'm surprised The Hangover wasnt mentioned in this video it was a big one...

I was just thinking about thisssssss yooo

Talladega Nights shaped me as a child. Every 5 years i get older and appreciate it on a different layer.

Im gonna list some other stars which weren’t listed but honorable mentions as they too were coming out with many comedies in the 00s: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Jason Biggs, Sean William Scott, Paul Rudd, Jason Segal, Steve Carell, Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, Jim Carrey, Broken Lizard Crew, Adam Sandler’s SNL friends/cast like Spade, Rock, Schneider. Adam Sandler was crushing it in the 00s. Like what the hell happened in the 2010s?! Like they’re star power died and we saw less and less of them

Fun fact that Best Buy image at 9:44 is Best Buy 1099. That dvd section is now just one rack up front

This generation is too sensitive for comedies. Dramas. Biopics. Everything really.

"No Hard Feelings" was a solid comedy, I felt, and "Joyride" was goddam great. There is hope

The only debate as to best decade should be between the 70s and 90s. I tend to go w/ either '94 or '99, but I fully acknowledge my bias. You *CAN* objectively quantify art, to a certain extent. Kinda like how 2007 was the best year for videogames. And yes, I 100% am commenting before the end of the video. Cuz that's how I like to boost engagement. You are welcome *takes bow and returns to watching video*

Snatch is my favourite 2000s comedy movie.

much of comedy is based on truth, and you cant have truth in a system that is built on lies and deception

Hot Rod is a perfect example of this. I highly recommend it if you haven't already seen it.

This video was so informative Doug Judy now has a career in comedy movies

There were a lot of amazing comedies in this generation but none of them is as good as the rush hour trilogy

Liked the video. 2 cents: just use clips from movies & don’t worry about literal imagery (stock footage)

"Lord of the Rings and the Twin Towers...2001, "Live in the age of terrorism, we spit in your other face." - Cavalera...1991"

A few more tv comedies - Extras, Peep Show, Flight of the Conchords, some of the Alan Partridge stuff, Futurama, even things like The Colbert Report

No mention of the infamous spoof movies made by Seltzer and Friedberg? :O

Modern comedy: MCU Character - "He's right behind me, isn't he?"

I think its overlooked that people just got bored of the style of the 2000s style of comedy. Shock and dumb comedy just got a bit played out and predictable. We knew the type of joke coming before it landed Early 2010s had a lot of duds like Get Him to the Greek, Hot Tub Tike Machine, Hangover 2 and 3, this is the End, Anchorman 2, the Dictator One of the few guys trying to do something comedically different in the 2010s found success - Taika Waititi

Anchorman, not at first though, itvgrww on me and then I loved it. Borat should be an honourable mention.

Superhero movies are why. It took over as a genre in the theaters and they stopped putting big budgets behind comedies and stopped releasing them to theaters. I can't wait for superhero movies to die off completely. Putting out a superhero movie once a year or so is fine but nothing but superhero movies and having a 20 year run plan is fucking ridiculous. To think your going to plan out 20 years worth of release is the most retarded thing ever. I hope that the companies that have done nothing but pump out superhero movies because they are safe and huge cash grabs all tank and never put out films again so they can't drive the market with bullshit anymore. The other thing that is playing a hand in holding off on people making comedies now is the woke bs. Superhero movies kill comedies and woke bs is keeping them from coming back. Thankfully both these trends are finally dying and the pendulum is swing back the other way. Once it crosses the midpoint, hopefully comedies will make a comeback.

I disagree that a Chris Nolan film would have been less successful without social media. Barby is the real winner of that social media experiment.

i was just thinking about this, this is the last era of great comedy movies it will never be this good again.

Step Bros, Anchorman and Talladega Nights are Will Ferrell’s best work 🙌🏽

Oh my god yes, have always thought 2000s comedies were great and when the 2010s came they were still around they were slowing down to now where we might get 1 or 2 a year if we’re lucky. The 00s are my favorite decade for comedy! Don’t get me wrong, 80s and 90s are great but I wouldn’t say they’re hilarious. 00s get me, grew up on them as a young 20 something. And not even funny 00 comedies who got sequels a decade or more later failed to make us laugh and love them more then the originals

Hot fuzz and Shaun of the dead are not only two of the funniest movies ever made but two of the best movies ever made period

how can you talk about 2000s comedies and not mention the GOAT Hot Rod

In Bruges (with a silent S) is the funniest goddamn movie ever made.

The S is silent in "In Bruges". Absolutely brilliant film tho!

I guess he can’t include the movie Kick Ass because it was made in 2010.

step bros is superb. surprised bad santa wasnt mentioned

i love Zoolander, i remember when it came out people hating on me for saying it was a good movie compared to some others from that year, and i will say though i get not wanting comedy to go too dark or offensive, some things can cross the line, if you're too afraid to cross it at all, you're never truly find your audience, i think so anyway (also surprised no mention of Community_

So many great comedies from the 80s 90s and 2000's but these days there are hardly any comedies being made that go to the theater. I go to the movies anywhere between two and five times a month and I can count on one hand how many comedies I've seen in the past few years

I'd say comedies aren't straight up dead, more like they are now in a chep-o movie category on the streaming services. Most of publicly beloved comdedians nowadays do their movies straight for streaming

Hangover is my favorite

Every video you somehow manage to bring up 'wokeness.' Some real hard hitting industry analysis, champ.

2000s is the best decade for comedies.

In Bruges is kino

Why is simon pegg not on the list ?

I think you've over-complicated this. Hollywood has always milked a particular genre based on 1 or 2 films successful films released close together (which is why we are currently flooded with super hero films).

I've seen my fair share of Marvel movies (way less than most people), and I don't remember losing my shit. Only thing that really comes to mind is Deadpool.

I think the reason that comedy began to die in the 2000s was because this was the decade which featured some of the absolute WORST comedies ever made (such as with all of the terrible spoof movies). Therefore, audiences were probably more hesitant to check out a new comedy in case it turned out to be utter garbage

Tons of great movies mentioned in the comments. I want to show Wedding Crashers some love. Hilarious

6:54 😂😂

I think 1990s and 2000s were the best decade for Hollywood romcoms. Similarly, the 2000s and 2010s are the best decade for Hollywood franchises and superhero films.

yeah … James Franco wasn’t part of writing Pineapple Express & wasn’t written by Judd either - the story though is credited by him Seth & his long time writing & now directing partner Evan Goldberg

I love the movies from that time period. Definitely nostalgic but I think they are very funny.

"You couldn't make _ today" Yeah the actors would look at the script and be like "this is just _"

I disagree with the loss of sales from the loss of physical media being what makes studios less willing to take risks. Movies nowadays go on demand, then to streaming, which can secure more sales. However it is not left for the consumers to decide, but rather company execs, and they largely base what they are willing to pay down the pipeline on the opening weekend performance of a movie. So there is a lot of pressure on studios to have success immediately, and hence the the unwillingness to invest in something they don't feel will be a surefire hit. But the one thing they cant account for is how tastes shift between the time a movie budget is approved to the time it releases. Other factors also affect a movie's performance such as the competition it goes up against. actors being caught in scandals, etc.

idiocracy will remain in my top 5 favorite movies of all time

''Name one genre that was more prelevant during the 2000s?" Um, fantasy. Almost all of the highest grossing and most popular movies of that decade were fantasy films: Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, Narnia, etc. Fantasy absolutely dominated the 2000s. Yes, superhero movies were gaining great popularity in the 2000s with Bryan Singer's X-Men films, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films, Nolan's Batman films and the first Iron-Man. But I would say that the superhero genre only really became the dominant genre in the 2010s.

Tod Phillips🙌🏼 (Old School, Hangover)

Man, word of advice, make your intro at least half that length. The caveat was unnecessary and the re-direction from that makes it sound like you're going around in circles, not to mention a detailed summary makes your later points feel redundant.

It's one thing for people to be so offended by these comedies, but its another that we're so afraid of these people that we are not making any more comedies. Let's make comedy great again and whoever doesn't like it doesn't have to watch it. I don't like horror movies, but you don't see me trying to put a stop to horror movies being made. I just don't watch. Rant over.

It always feels like people miss the point when they bring up RDJ in Tropic Thunder

Oh I finally figured it out. For awhile I was confused about which decade it would be right to say was the "rise of the internet". Because internet did exist in the 90s with Web 1.0 and people did spend time on it with news spreading, but for some reason it feels way more appropriate to say that the 2000s was when it really took over culture and people lives. This video made me finally figure it out. The 90s was the rise of the internet, but the 2000s was the rise of social media.

I was 8 when 9/11 happened too! 90s Bröther

Tropic Thunder is nb 2 in my favorite all time movies list. It's not a fixed list.

My fav 2000s comendy is freaky friday (i wished i lived in the 2000s 😥)

These are the people who should be in charge of movies.

What’s funny is that you talked about cancel culture and how things couldn’t happen today but the only poc that you showed in this video is Robert Downey Jr in black face

Weird how some of these productions have a certain kinda similarity that you’re not supposed to mention

Not to mention Gore versus Bush. someone else said it already but: RDJ did *not* play an African-American. He played an actor PLAYING an African American.

Same thing happened from the turn in 1970's to the 1980's

Giuseppe Andrews put out Trailer Town in '03, and that's probably the greatest comedy movie ever made.

Comedies from 80s-00s were the best years for comedies. Comedies today feel.overly sanitized, and society takes itself too seriously

Have u ever heard about.... Sardar udham.... Movie???

There are some very funny comedies that came out in this decade, and while they did make me laugh, I'm not a big fan of most of them. I must like romantic comedies more than just comedies because 50 first dates is my favourite comedy movie from that decade.