The restaurants, the cinemas and meeting friends are also not possible – there is not much to laugh about at the moment. Filmic soul balm is needed. Our six suggestions for a feel-good evening.
If life doesn’t mean you well, you quickly turn to comfort food, food that is good for your soul. And right now is another time when many could use some balm. But after almost a year of Corona, the second lockdown and the recent public holidays, Comfort Food would be in demand, which does not (even more) go on the hips. And what is more fun with closed cinemas and restaurants than a really good comedy?
Because film connoisseurs know of the dilemma: There are tons of impressive dramas, but true happiness lies in a convincing, heartwarming comedy – because they are much more difficult to find. That’s why we have six tips at this point for films that make you forget bad weather, corona tragedy and lockdown for a few hours at the weekend.
«Shaun of the Dead»
Shaun wants to win back his ex – who dumped him, among other things, because he prefers to devote himself to drinking beer and video games and ignoring everything else around him. That’s why he doesn’t even notice that he has chosen the day of the zombie apocalypse for his project. But that is an advantage for Shaun, because it allows him to prove his heroism. A wonderful British horror comedy.
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«Life of Brian»
The classic from the masters of British humor, Monthy Pyton. We accompany Brian in his fight in the Jewish resistance against the Roman occupiers. The film lives from breaking taboos to make fun of Jesus and his disciples. It’s about Brian of Nazareth, who was born on the same day as Jesus.
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Above all, however, the film is peppered with great humor – for example, when it comes to good friend “Biggus Diccus” for four minutes. And in the end Brian hangs on the cross like Jesus, and yet he doesn’t let himself get down and sings: “Always look on the bright side of life …” – a motto that you can stick to during these weeks.
«Adam’s Apples»
Those who find “Life of Brian” too leisurely will be happy with this grotesque from Denmark. Because films from dogma land can also be funny – but of course they are bitterly angry. “Adam’s Apples” tells the story of pastor and probation officer Ivan (Mads Mikkelsen), who believes in the good in people so steadfastly that he simply overlooks evidence to the contrary, even when it is right in front of his eyes. The story lives from the very dark joke and punch lines that shouldn’t be laughed at. And it still does. The perfect film for your own four walls.
Okay, not a classic comedy, but definitely a first-class feel-good movie! «Les Intouchables» tells the story of Driss who, after his release from prison, applied to work as a nurse for the paralyzed Philippe. He doesn’t want the job at all, he just needs the signature for the employment office that he has applied. But Philippe thwarted his plans and hired him – the beginning of a wonderful friendship between Driss, who came from difficult circumstances, and rich Philippe.
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With two amazing actors and a true story that’s just plain good. With around 1.5 million admissions, “Les Intouchables” is the second most successful film at the Swiss box office. Only “Titanic” attracted more people to the cinema.
«To Be or Not to Be»
A comedy classic that shows enormous courage. The film is set in 1939 and was released in 1942. It tells the story of a Warsaw drama company that actually wants to bring an anti-fascist play to the stage. But that was canceled out of fear of the Nazis ruling in Germany, and shortly afterwards the Second World War broke out. The actors then slip into their Nazi costumes in order to outsmart the occupiers of the Hitler power.
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But that’s only the framework for a game of intrigue with brilliantly funny dialogues – that’s why it’s worth watching the film in the original English if you are reasonably able to speak the language. The screenplay for the film was written in 1941, at the height of the National Socialists’ power. Director Ernst Lubitsch, himself an exiled German with Jewish parents, dared to ridicule the Nazis, crack jokes about concentration camps (which were supposedly unknown at the time) and fantasize about the murder of Hitler.
“The Autumn Timeless”
A contribution from Switzerland should not be missing either: Bettina Oberli’s “Herbstzeitlosen” is about 80-year-old Martha who lost her zest for life after the death of her husband. Until she decides to close her village shop in an Emmental village and instead open a lingerie boutique with the help of her three friends. But to do this, the four of them have to assert themselves against double standards and resistance – the latter mainly from Martha’s son Walter, who would rather use the shop for meetings with his Bible study group.
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“Die Herbstzeitlosen” tells the story of the four friends with a lot of humor and charm. The film is supported by the acting of the four leading actresses, among them the now deceased Stephanie Glaser and Monica Gubser. The audience at the premiere on the Piazza Grande in Locarno honored her performance with standing applause for several minutes – a rarity even with the spoiled audience at the Swiss Film Festival.
German humor – or better: its non-existence – is far-reaching popular punchline (As a Swiss you shouldn’t lean too far out of the window). But there are, the worth seeing German comedies. One of them is “The Moving Man”, which brought the main actor Till Schweiger the final breakthrough.
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The story is about Axel, who is caught by his girlfriend with another woman and who is therefore thrown out of the shared apartment. Then he met Walter and Norbert, two gay men who are impressed by the beautiful but very straight Axel. What follows is a lively comedy of mix-ups – and in the end, of course, all those who have to come together come together. The movie is still good entertainment after a quarter of a century – although some of the jokes at gay men’s expense haven’t aged quite as well.