The streamer’s funniest offerings include road trip movies, biopics, sci-fi chaos, and much more.

The 25 best comedy movies on Netflix

The streamer's funniest offerings include road trip movies, biopics, sci-fi chaos, and much more.

By Ilana Gordon

Ilana Gordon is an entertainment, culture, and comedy writer originally from Connecticut. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

EW's editorial guidelines

and Will Harris

on November 13, 2025 10:00 a.m. ET

Cho Yeo-jeong as Yeon-kyo in 'Parasite'; Tracy Camilla Johns as Nola Darling in 'She's Gotta Have It'; Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris in 'Saturday Night'. Credit:

Courtesy of Neon CJ Entertainment; Moviestore/Shutterstock; Hopper Stone/Sony

One interpretation of "good comedic timing" is that every time is a good time to watch a comedy. And on Netflix, that's exactly what you're set up to do. We could have filled this list solely with the platform's original comedies, but where's the fun in that? As such, we’ve pulled together a collection of new and classic comedies, featuring a mix of the streaming giant’s own films, plus many more from outside studios.

Here are the 25 best comedy movies on Netflix right now.

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1998)

Mike Myers as Austin Powers in 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me'.

K. Wright/New Line

Mike Myers’ comedy dominated the ‘90s, but his central contribution to culture came courtesy of the Austin Powers* *franchise. Powers, a British spy living in the swinging ‘60s, volunteers to be cryogenically frozen after his nemesis, the aptly named Dr. Evil (also Myers, played with an accent that is suspiciously reminiscent of fellow Canadian and *Saturday Night Live* boss, Lorne Michaels), escapes in a rocket. When Dr. Evil returns to Earth in 1997, Powers is unfrozen and tasked with hunting him down — but after 30 years in a freezer, can he evolve his energy from groovy to grunge?

Featuring Heather Graham as CIA agent Felicity Shagwell and Seth Green as Dr. Evil’s estranged son, the film is a lighthearted, foul-mouthed, satirical take on vintage spy films. *—Ilana Gordon*

Where to watch *Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me*: Netflix through Nov. 30

**EW grade:** B

**Director: **Jay Roach

**Cast: **Mike Myers, Heather Graham, Michael York, Robert Wagner, Seth Green, Elizabeth Hurley

Bad Trip (2021)

Eric André as Chris Carey and Lil Rel Howery as Bud Malone in 'Bad Trip'.

Eric André has made a career out of making people extremely uncomfortable in the name of comedy, and he’s at his best in *Bad Trip*. A hidden camera comedy prank movie in the style of *Jackass* or *Bad Grandpa*, *Bad Trip *is about Bud and Chris (André and Lil Rel Howery), friends who take a road trip from Florida to New York City in search of a woman Chris likes (Michaela Conlin), while struggling to evade Bud’s criminal sister (Tiffany Haddish), whose car they stole.

The movie is a trip to watch, and according to André, even more of one to film. (See: his interview with EW where he talks about how one particular prank in the movie almost got Howrey killed.) A nice addition to the prank-tertainment genre, *Bad Trip *is fun, funny, and, at times, even heartwarming. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Bad Trip*: Netflix

**Director: **Kitao Sakurai

**Cast: **Eric André, Lil Rel Howery, Tiffany Haddish, Michaela Conlin

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

Tim Blake Nelson as Buster Scruggs in 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs'.

The Coen brothers got tired of limiting themselves to one narrative in their projects, so for their Netflix film, *The Ballad of Buster Scruggs*, they decided to mix it up and tell multiple stories. Set up as a six-part Western anthology, the film focuses thematically on the American frontier, and tells the stories of a cheerful cowboy, an unlucky would-be bank robber, a traveling promoter whose business is going downhill, a grizzled prospector, a woman headed West in search of a husband, and a group of passengers in a stagecoach.

While the Coens mess around with genre in each chapter and the cast differs from story to story, the six narratives are given a sense of consistency courtesy of the unique Coen voice, which the pair previously deployed on projects like *True Grit* and *No Country for Old Men*. And while there are certainly frontrunner stories in terms of quality and effectiveness, the entire film is worth a watch. —*I.G.*

Where to watch *The Ballad of Buster Scruggs*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Directors:** Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

**Cast:** Tyne Daly, James Franco, Brendan Gleeson, Bill Heck, Grainger Hines, Zoe Kazan, Harry Melling, Liam Neeson, Tim Blake Nelson, Jonjo O'Neill, Chelcie Ross, Saul Rubinek, Tom Waits**

Bridesmaids (2011)

Maya Rudolph as Lillian and Kristen Wiig as Annie in 'Bridesmaids'. Suzanne Hanover

Among its many credentials, *Bridesmaids* boasts the impressive distinction of being the only Oscar-nominated movie that also features a woman experiencing extreme diarrhea in the middle of a crowded street. Co-written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo (earning a Best Original Screenplay nod) and starring an impressive ensemble cast led by Wiig and Maya Rudolph, *Bridesmaids* was the breakout comedy of 2011.

Whip-smart, heartfelt, and deliciously raunchy, the film follows Annie (Wiig) as she helps plan her best friend Lillian’s (Rudolph) pre-wedding activities. From dress shopping to bachelorette parties to bridal showers gone terribly wrong, Annie struggles to deal with her bestie’s new life changes while also competing for attention against Lillian’s new friend, Helen (Rose Byrne). Relatable to anyone who has ever attended a wedding or experienced hellacious food poisoning, consider committing to watching *Bridesmaids*. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Bridesmaids*: Netflix

**EW grade:** A

**Director: **Paul Feig

**Cast: **Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Chris O'Dowd

Clueless (1995)

Stacey Dash as Dionne Davenport and Alicia Silverstone as Cher Horowitz in 'Clueless'.

Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

Nineties teen fashion, music, and vernacular are on full display in Amy Heckerling’s *Clueless*. A time capsule preservation of the decade’s pop-cultural attitudes — at least as far as the Beverly Hills set is concerned — *Clueless *asks what would happen if Jane Austen’s *Emma* took place in a Los Angeles high school during the height of mall culture.

The film’s critical reception was mid, but three decades later, *Clueless *has aged as gracefully as Paul Rudd’s face, which is to say shockingly well. Alicia Silverstone gives a career-best performance as Cher Horowitz, a spoiled teenager whose worldview and popularity are disrupted by the arrival of a new girl in school (Brittany Murphy, also operating at the top of her game). Whether you’re lusting after Cher’s wardrobe and digital closet or enjoying Heckerling’s virtuosic presentation of ‘90s teen slang, watching *Clueless *always feels like a return to simpler times.* —I.G.*

Where to watch *Clueless*: Netflix through Nov. 30

**Director: **Amy Heckerling

**Cast: **Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy

Coming to America (1988)

Eddie Murphy as Prince Akeem and Arsenio Hall as Semmi in 'Coming to America'. Everett Collection

Eddie Murphy is the People’s Prince in *Coming to America*, an ‘80s romantic comedy about the struggles of finding love as a royal. Murphy plays Prince Akeem Joffer, heir to the throne of a wealthy African nation, who refuses to settle for an arranged marriage and instead journeys to America to woo a wife. Accompanied by his best friend, Sammi (Arsenio Hall), Akeem settles in Manhattan, finds a job at a fast food franchise, and attempts to court the owner's daughter, Lisa (Shari Headley).

Murphy was box office gold in the ‘80s, and *Coming to America* represents some of his best work. A fish out of water comedy that will have you seeing New York City through fresh eyes, *Coming to America* is, as EW’s critic writes, “a treasure, an endlessly rewatchable modern classic that blends rom-com sweetness with standalone sketch-comedy brilliance.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Coming to America*: Netflix through Nov. 30

**Director: **John Landis

**Cast: **Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, John Amos, Madge Sinclair, Shari Headley

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Craig Robinson as Ben, Mike Epps as Jimmy Lynch, Tituss Burgess as Theodore Toney, Eddie Murphy as Rudy Ray Moore, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Lady Reed in 'Dolemite Is My Name'.

Francois Duhamel/Netflix/Everett Collection

In this biopic written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (*Ed Wood*, *Man on the Moon*), Eddie Murphy plays Rudy Ray Moore, who works at a record store but knows he has something more to offer. Through sheer force of will — and a sharp ear for the raunchy, rough-edged poetry found on the streets and fringes — he transforms himself into a cult sensation, from his so-called “party records,” to live performances, to some of the most ridiculous and memorable Blaxploitation films of the ’70s.

Murphy’s sheer charisma and star power make this movie land, but Wesley Snipes’ surprising comic chops are the secret sauce. *—Will Harris*

Where to watch *Dolemite Is My Name*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B+

**Director: **Craig Brewer

**Cast: **Eddie Murphy, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Wesley Snipes, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess

Don’t Look Up (2021)

Jonah Hill as Jason Orlean, Leonardo DiCaprio as Dr. Randall Mindy, Meryl Streep as President Janie Orlean, and Jennifer Lawrence as Kate Dibiasky in 'Don't Look Up'.

For all the disaster movies Hollywood has brought us over the years, it took Adam McKay to posit an all-too-realistic scenario in which a pair of scientists (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) become aware of impending doom, bring their intel to the government, and see their warning spun for political gain.

It’s a dark comedy, to be sure, but one that takes full advantage of its star power: as EW’s critic writes, “[McKay’s] casting cup overruns almost casually with A-list guests, from a distinctly silly Ariana Grande cameo to a charming and markedly more substantial turn by Timothée Chalamet as a delinquent skateboarder with a thing for Kate's choppy bangs.” *—W.H.*

Where to watch *Don’t Look Up*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Director: **Adam McKay

**Cast: **Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Timothée Chalamet

Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)

Will Ferrell as Lars Erickssong and Rachel McAdams as Sigrit Ericksdottir in 'Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga'.

The Eurovision Song Contest has been beloved globally for decades…except in the U.S., where it’s virtually unknown. As such, many Americans missed the boat on this absurd yet sincere comedy. Lars (Will Ferrell) and Sigrit (Rachel McAdams) are longtime not-quite-sweethearts from Iceland who, as Fire Saga, are on a quest to win the competition.

In addition to being funny, *Eurovision* is also filled with quippy and catchy performances and songs, so expect some of the tunes to get stuck in your head. *—W.H.*

Where to watch *Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga*: Netflix

**Director: **David Dobkin

**Cast: **Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Dan Stevens, Melissanthi Nahut, Mikael Persbrandt, Olafur Darri Olafsson

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

Kate Hudson as Birdie Jay, Jessica Henwick as Peg, Daniel Craig as Det. Benoit Blanc, and Leslie Odom Jr. as Lionel Toussaint in 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery'. John Wilson/Netflix

Rian Johnson is a man who laughs in the face of genre: from fantasy blockbusters like *Star Wars *to whodunnit comedies, this writer-director gets around. And after a three-year hiatus, he and everyone’s favorite pastel-clad detective, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), are back with a second addition to their *Knives Out *franchise. Released both in theaters and on Netflix, *Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery* tells the story of a friend group caught up in the allures of money, fame, power, and murder — but in all truthfulness, the film is just as effective as travel propaganda for the Greek island on which the story is set.

*Glass Onion *pales slightly when directly compared to the first film in the franchise, but as EW's critic writes, the sequel is not here for that. “It’s here strictly to dazzle you with money and murder and famous-people pandemonium, then sharpen its knives for the next installment.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B+

**Director:** Rian Johnson

**Cast: **Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr.**

Groundhog Day (1993)

Bill Murray as Phil Connors in 'Groundhog Day'. Everett Collection

Decades before Hollywood started pumping out romantic comedies like *Leap Year* (2010), *Valentine's Day* (2010), and *New Year's Eve* (2011), there was *Groundhog Day*, the ultimate niche holiday comedy. The film follows a TV weatherman named Phil Connors (Bill Murray) who is assigned to cover the annual February festivities in Punxsutawney, Pa., only to find himself reliving the same day over and over again.

A movie that paved the way for other time loop stories like *Looper* (2012), *Edge of Tomorrow* (2014), and *Palm Springs *(2020), *Groundhog Day* casts Murray as a Scrooge-esque misanthrope, places him in an unwinnable situation, and watches as he proceeds to have an existential meltdown — before seizing on his unique situation and attempting to woo his producer, Rita (Andie MacDowell). As EW's critic writes, "*Groundhog Day* — with its really high concept — unfolds with a goofy elegance that feels like a tonic." *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Groundhog Day*: Netflix

**EW grade:** A

**Director: **Harold Ramis

**Cast: **Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott

Idiocracy (2006)

Terry Crews as President Camacho (center) and Luke Wilson as Joe Bauers (right) in 'Idiocracy'. Van Redin

Terrifying prophecy, thy name is *Idiocracy*. Mike Judge’s film satirizes the “dumbing down” of America, a level of brain rot that some might argue has only been amplified in the two decades since the movie’s release. Luke Wilson plays Joe, the most average man in the United States military, who is chosen to undergo a human hibernation experiment. Unfortunately, Joe and his female equivalent, Rita (Maya Rudolph), are left unattended in their chambers for 500 years.

When the two emerge, Joe and Rita discover that humanity has fallen fast in the last half a century, and they are the smartest people to currently exist. By a lot. With their average early-2000s brains, Joe and Rita attempt to save humankind from a self-imposed extinction — or risk being killed by the least educated people in history. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Idiocracy*: Netflix

**Director: **Mike Judge

**Cast: **Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph, Dax Shepard, Terry Crews

Joy Ride (2023)

Stephanie Hsu as Kat in 'Joy Ride'. Lionsgate

If you’re looking for a film that’s fun — but not for the whole family — consider *Joy Ride*. A raunchy road trip movie that takes the four leads on a journey throughout China, this chaotic comedy about family, friendship, and finding one’s identity offers laugh out loud moments and one particularly explicit performance of Cardi B’s “WAP”.

Audrey Sullivan (Ashley Park) and Lolo Chen (Sherry Cola) are childhood best friends and polar opposites. Audrey is the uptight lawyer who agrees to go to China to try to land a business deal, Lolo is the Type B artist who agrees to accompany her. While in China, the friends meet up with Lolo’s cousin Deadeye (Sabrina Wu) and Audrey’s college roommate Kat (Stephanie Hsu). What happens next is too filthy to write here, but, as EW’s critic says, “even among all the sex jokes and vulgar one-liners, *Joy Ride* boasts a real beating heart.” *—I.G. *

Where to watch *Joy Ride*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Adele Lim

**Cast: **Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, Sabrina Wu, Ronny Chieng

Knocked Up (2007)

Katherine Heigl as Alison Scott in 'Knocked Up'. Suzanne Hanover

Based solely on the sheer number of films he wrote, directed, and/or produced during this period, it's reasonable to assume that Judd Apatow was responsible for at least 10 percent of the laughs enjoyed during the mid- to late-aughts. Released two years after the success of Apatow's *The 40-Year-Old Virgin*, *Knocked Up* stars a who's who of comedy legends past, present, and future.

The film follows Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl), an up-and-coming E! News reporter, and Ben Stone (Seth Rogen), a Canadian deadbeat she meets at a Los Angeles nightclub. When a drunken hookup between the two results in an unexpected pregnancy, everyone from Ben's slacker friends to Alison's sister's family gets involved as the parents-to-be decide to keep the baby and attempt to stay together. Never one to over-edit, Apatow's film runs long, but the jokes are worth it. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Knocked Up*: Netflix

**EW grade: **A

**Director: **Judd Apatow

**Cast: **Katherine Heigl, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel, Martin Starr, Charlyne Yi, Leslie Mann, Paul Rudd, Maude Apatow, Iris Apatow

Long Shot (2019)

Seth Rogen as Fred Flarsky and Charlize Theron as Charlotte Field in 'Long Shot'.

Philippe Bosse/Lionsgate/Courtesy Everett Collection

It’s a tale as old as time: an ambitious secretary of state (Charlize Theron) reconnects with the boy she used to babysit (Seth Rogen), who has grown up to be a political journalist. She’s running for president, and he’s looking for a new job after getting fired for his incendiary, left-leaning writing. He gets hired to punch up her speeches, and as the two travel the world on a diplomatic tour, their connection turns romantic.

A cross between *Beauty and the Beast* and *Veep* — with a little *There’s Something About Mary* thrown in for good measure — *Long Shot* is a romantic comedy with a political edge and serious chemistry between its two leads. With a script co-written by Dan Sterling (*The Interview*) and Liz Hannah (*The Post*), *Long Shot* is a perfect blend of political satire, romantic tropes, and rapid-fire raunch. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Long Shot*: Netflix through Nov. 30

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Jonathan Levine

**Cast: **Seth Rogen, Charlize Theron, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Andy Serkis, June Diane Raphael, Bob Odenkirk, Alexander Skarsgård

The Lovebirds (2020)

Issa Rae as Leilani and Kumail Nanjiani as Jibran in 'The Lovebirds'. Skip Bolen/Netflix

After four years of dating, Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) and Leilani (Issa Rae) are prepared to call it quits — until the couple finds themselves involved in a murder that requires them to put their break up aside and go on the run. Too concerned about racial profiling to involve the police, Jibran and Leilani must hunt down the identity of the man who was murdered so they can find out who killed him and clear their own names.

Directed by Michael Showalter (*Wet Hot American Summer*), *The Lovebirds* is a romantic evening gone wrong in the style of films like 2010's *Date Night* and 2018's *Game Night*. Boasting a high ratio of jokes per minute and a pair of lead actors who know how to wield their witticisms like machetes, Nanjiani and Rae's on screen bickering and loving needling will have you rooting for their relationship, even as it's falling apart. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Lovebirds*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Director: **Michael Showalter

**Cast: **Kumail Nanjiani, Issa Rae, Anna Camp, Paul Sparks

The Other Guys (2010)

Will Ferrell as Det. Allen Gamble and Mark Wahlberg as Det. Terry Hoitz in 'The Other Guys'. Macall Polay

Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg team up for a buddy cop action comedy that will be relatable to anyone who doesn’t thrive under pressure. Ferrell and Wahlberg play Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz, two NYPD detectives who have been relegated to desk duty. Gamble (Ferrell) loves his orderly existence while Hoitz (Wahlberg) rages against his new assignment, which he acquired after mistakenly shooting Derek Jeter. But when the most Alpha cops on the force die in the line of duty, it’s up to *The Other Guys* to investigate the biggest crime the city has seen in years.

Ferrell and Wahlberg are perfectly cast as an odd couple duo and director Adam McKay is a pro at satirizing a genre that has turned law enforcement officers into superheroes. EW’s critic writes that the film “is aimed at all of us out there who long for excitement yet cling to safety because we’re more desk jockey than supercop ourselves.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Other Guys*: Netflix

**EW grade: **A–

**Director: **Adam McKay

**Cast: **Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson

Parasite (2019)

Song Kang-ho as Ki Taek and Jang Hye-jin as Chung Sook in 'Parasite'.

The central question of Bong Joon Ho’s black comedy and thriller is who is the parasite? The film follows two families — the wealthy Parks and the broke Kims — as each member of the Kim family duplicitously obtains a job working for the Parks. A film that has a lot to say about class consciousness and late-stage capitalism, *Parasite** *was the first foreign language film to take home the Best Picture Oscar.

The movie also secured trophies for Best Original Screenplay, Best International Feature Film, and Best Director, but the real win is the film’s ending. As EW’s critic writes “If the movie is a Rorschach of who you identify as parasite and host, it’s a test you’re just as likely to fail.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Parasite*: Netflix

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Bong Joon Ho

**Cast:** Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, Jang Hye-jin

Parenthood (1989)

Steve Martin as Gil Buckman and Mary Steenburgen as Karen Buckman in 'Parenthood'.

Universal/Courtesy Everett

Before *Parenthood* was ever an NBC show, it was a film comedy starring Steve Martin. Pitched as director Ron Howard’s “portrait of the American family,” *Parenthood* tells the story of the four grown Buckman siblings (played by Martin, Dianne Wiest, Mary Steenburgen, and Tom Hulce), and the difficulties they face in parenting their children.

*Parenthood* received critical and box office acclaim when it premiered, but the first attempt to adapt it into a TV show failed. Luckily, the allegiance to the initial project was so strong, producers managed to get the story back on the air in 2010 — and this time, the show lasted six seasons. To see the movie that started it all — and earned Dianne Wiest an Oscar nomination — check out *Parenthood*. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Parenthood*: Netflix

**Director: **Ron Howard

**Cast: **Steve Martin, Tom Hulce, Rick Moranis, Martha Plimpton, Keanu Reeves, Jason Robards, Mary Steenburgen, Dianne Wiest

Pineapple Express (2008)

Seth Rogen as Dale Denton and James Franco as Saul Silver in 'Pineapple Express'.

Darren Michaels/Columbia

Long before Seth Rogen was making pot paraphernalia, he was making stoner films — and *Pineapple Express* is one for the ages. A crime comedy, the movie follows Dale (Rogen) and his drug dealer Saul (James Franco) as they flee town after Dale accidentally witnesses a corrupt cop and a drug lord execute a rival gang leader.

Rogen and his frequent collaborator Evan Goldberg wrote the script — likely with the help of a few *Pineapple Express*-infused brainstorming sessions — and the movie excels in its more physical moments. Watching the film even feels like being high, thanks to the stylistic choices made by director David Gordon Green. EW's critic writes, "he brings the movie his own loping, run-on style, which turns out to be a perfect expression of the stoner rhythm." *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Pineapple Express*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B

**Director: **David Gordon Green

**Cast: **Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny McBride, Gary Cole, Craig Robinson, Rosie Perez, Ken Jeong, Amber Heard, Ed Begley Jr., Bill Hader

Saturday Night (2024)

Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Matt Wood as John Belushi, and Dylan O'Brien as Dan Aykroyd in 'Saturday Night'.

Hopper Stone/Sony

*Saturday Night Live* turned 50 this season, and to commemorate one of the most iconic television institutions of our time, director Jason Reitman made *Saturday Night**. *The film is part comedy/drama, part (slightly fictionalized) TV history, and takes place on Oct. 11, 1975 — the night a group of twentysomething comedians and young producers held NBC’s airwaves captive as they debuted the network’s first counterculture, late-night comedy show.

NBC intended to use *Saturday Night Live *as leverage in a dispute with Johnny Carson about rerunning old episodes of his show. What emerged instead was a dynasty. But that night in October, all Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) can focus on is somehow getting 90 minutes of alternative sketch comedy past censors and network suits, and broadcast live. Perfectly cast, it’s a beautiful tribute to the show and everyone involved. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Saturday Night*: Netflix

**EW grade: **A–

**Director: **Jason Reitman

**Cast: **Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, Dylan O'Brien, Emily Fairn, Matt Wood, Lamorne Morris, Kim Matula, Finn Wolfhard, Nicholas Braun, Cooper Hoffman, Andrew Barth Feldman, Kaia Gerber, Tommy Dewey, Willem Dafoe, Matthew Rhys, J. K. Simmons

She’s Gotta Have It (1986)

Spike Lee editing 'She's Gotta Have It'.

Island Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Spike Lee’s first feature film as a writer and director, *She’s Gotta Have It* presents intertwining romances as lead character Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) decides which of the three men she’s dating (Lee, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell) she wants to have a monogamous relationship with. Luxuriating in Lee’s creative sensibility and shot in crisp black and white, Nola’s journey towards picking a partner is funny, thought-provoking, and unique in every respect.

In a review of Netflix’s 2017 *She’s Gotta Have It *adaptation (also directed by Lee), EW’s critic describes the original movie, writing, “*She’s Gotta Have It *was Spike Lee’s first feature film, and few movies feel so joyfully first.” A dramedy that questions sexual, relationship, and gender norms of the time, *She’s Gotta Have It *is notable for its subject matter, aesthetic, and for launching Lee’s storied Hollywood career. *—I.G.***

Where to watch *She’s Gotta Have It*: Netflix**

**Director: **Spike Lee **

**Cast: **Tracy Camilla Johns, Spike Lee, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell

Shiva Baby (2021)

Rachel Sennott as Danielle in 'Shiva Baby'. Maria Rusche

Released during the pandemic, *Shiva Baby* is both an indie rom-com and a delightful reminder of the emotional dangers that come with spending time in a room full of acquaintances — especially when that room includes at least two people you've slept with. Danielle (Rachel Sennott) plays a college student and call girl who, along with her parents (Polly Draper and Fred Melamed), attends a Jewish mourning ritual held at the home of a family member.

While there, Danielle finds herself caught between her past (in the form of her more successful best friend and former lover, Maya) and her present (her sugar daddy Max, who thinks she's in law school, and who brought along the wife and baby he never told her about). Based on director Emma Seligman's short by the same name, *Shiva Baby* is a comedy that requires the emotional fortitude of a horror film, as viewers are forced to withstand an onslaught of cringe moments. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Shiva Baby*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B

**Director: **Emma Seligman

**Cast:** Rachel Sennott, Polly Draper, Fred Melamed, Molly Gordon, Dianna Agron

Tangerine (2015)

Mya Taylor as Alexandra and Kitana Kiki Rodriguez as Sin-Dee in 'Tangerine'. Augusta Quirk/Magnolia Pictures

The 2015 film *Tangerine* was shot using 3 iPhones, but you’d never know it. Set on Christmas Eve, the film follows two transgender sex workers as they take care of business in Los Angeles during an action-packed holiday evening. Written and directed by Sean Baker (*Anora*), the film’s nontraditional cinematic style captures the city — and the story’s subjects — in ways that are both unique and comfortingly familiar.

The comedy is not intended to be fun for the whole family (unless the whole family is into viewing some intimate moments together) but it is also not intended as a morality play or cautionary tale. What distinguishes *Tangerine *from other films that take on the world’s oldest profession is that *Tangerine* doesn't condescend to sex workers or flatten the characters into something more consumable. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Tangerine*: Netflix through Nov. 29

**Director: **Sean Baker

**Cast:** Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanian, James Ransone

They Cloned Tyrone (2022)

John Boyega as Fontaine, Teyonah Parris as Yo-Yo, and Jamie Foxx as Slick Charles in 'They Cloned Tyrone'.

Parrish Lewis/Netflix

A single genre isn't enough to contain *They Cloned Tyrone**. *A sci-fi comedy that combines '70s Blaxploitation with mystery and social satire, the film has similar vibes to movies like *Get Out* (2017) or *Sorry to Bother You* (2018) while employing a far more absurd premise. Fontaine (John Boyega) is a drug dealer living in an impoverished area called the Glen. While trying to collect funds owed to him by a local pimp named Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx), Fontaine is shot and killed — but that doesn't stop him from showing up on Slick's doorstep the next day to collect his money.

Joined by sex worker Yo-Yo (Teyonah Parris), the trio attempts to get to the bottom of what appears to be a massive government conspiracy aimed at exploiting their disenfranchised community as medical subjects. A satirical romp that has as much to say about class and racial injustices as it does about mystery movie tropes, *They Cloned Tyrone *is smart, silly, and uniformly well-acted. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *They Cloned Tyrone*: Netflix

**Director: **Juel Taylor

**Cast: **John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Movies”