Collider has ranked the 15 most absurd comedy movies of all time, and the list leans hard into the wild side of the genre. From anime fever dreams to a greasy serial killer, these are films that refuse to play by anyone’s rules.
The ranking focuses on how far a comedy pushes absurdity, not necessarily how good it is. That distinction is worth noting, because some of these films are classics and others are cult oddities.
Mind Game and the Whale Inside It
Mind Game (2004) opens the list at #15. It’s one of the strangest anime films ever made, and it might also be one of the best. The film blends genres wildly, mixing romance, crime, and fantasy into a story where much of the action literally takes place inside a giant whale.
The plot starts when the protagonist clashes with the Yakuza. Crime joins romance, fantasy, and a giant whale in one movie. Collider calls it a “fun nightmare,” more of a fever dream than a coherent narrative.
The Greasy Strangler’s Nightmares
The Greasy Strangler (2016) sits at #14. It’s not a classic, and it caters to a niche crowd, but in terms of sheer absurdist might, few movies can rival it. The film mixes black comedy with horror dread, following a pathological liar and his son who manage a disco-themed walking tour.
They fall into a romantic rivalry when they both fancy the same woman. They also face a target: an oily, inhuman serial killer that strangles its victims at night. Director Jim Hosking leans heavily into every repulsive and bizarre detail the screenplay offers, with extreme repetition, graphic nudity, and cringe-worthy embarrassment.
Black Dynamite’s One-Man War
Black Dynamite (2009) lands at #13. It’s a parody of Blaxploitation movies, and familiarity with that genre helps, though it’s not required. The film pushes conventions of those 1970s pictures to their extremes, following an unstoppable force of nature waging a one-man war against crime.
From one point of view, Black Dynamite makes no sense. From another, it makes all the sense in the world. The movie packs far more jokes than misses, and it gives Airplane and the original Naked Gun a run for their money in terms of jokes per minute.
Tux and Fanny’s Simple Charm
Tux and Fanny (2019) sits at #12. It’s oddly heartwarming at times, uniquely funny throughout, and kind of off and unsettling when it wants to be. The film is made up of tiny scenes that feel self-contained, but they add up to something weirdly coherent by the standards of Tux and Fanny itself.
The two titular characters are a pair of friends stuck in a strange world. Weird things happen to them constantly, and they ponder life and the randomness of their universe, or maybe the universe itself. The animation is simple but charming, and the movie is remarkably unique overall.
Rubin & Ed’s Drifting Buddy Story
Rubin & Ed (1991) appears among the lower half of the list. It’s a hidden gem of dramedy, a drifting, emotionally evocative buddy movie that uses absurdity to examine social isolation, self-help culture, and how people cope with personal failure. Crispin Glover stars as Rubin, an unsociable loner mourning his dead cat.
The film is described as a “hidden gem of dramedy punch,” examining social isolation, self-help culture, and coping with personal failure through absurdity. It’s a smaller, character-driven entry compared to the more chaotic entries above it.
The Rest of the Ranking
The list runs through 15 films, each stranger than the last. The ranking is subjective, but most of the movies are described as ranging from good to great in quality. That makes the list a solid recommendation for anyone who enjoys wild and weird comedy.
The seventh entry is the best of them, and the list moves from the strange to the genuinely unhinged.
Why These Films Rank So High
The ranking rewards commitment to absurdity, not just clever writing. Here’s what each film brings to the list:
- Mind Game blends romance, crime, and fantasy, with much of the action inside a giant whale
- The Greasy Strangler mixes black comedy with horror dread, featuring a serial killer that strangles its victims at night
- Black Dynamite packs more jokes than misses, giving Airplane and the original Naked Gun a run for their money
- Tux and Fanny is weirdly coherent by its own standards, despite its unsettling tone
- Rubin & Ed examines social isolation and personal failure through absurdity
These films don’t just push the boundaries of comedy. They extend them.
The List’s Schedule
| Position | Film |
|---|---|
| #15 | Mind Game |
| #14 | The Greasy Strangler |
| #13 | Black Dynamite |
| #12 | Tux and Fanny |
| #11 | Rubin & Ed |
The ranking is a reminder that comedy doesn’t need to be clean or conventional to be effective. It just needs to surprise you.
Source material: “The 15 Most Absurd Comedy Movies of All Time, Ranked,” Collider.
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