Comedy Movies 2003 List

With Will Ferrell • Jon Favreau • James Caan • Todd Komarnicki • Zooey Deschanel • Ed Asner • Mary Steenburgen • Shauna Robertson • Jon Berg • Bob Newhart • David Berenbaum

Many years ago, a playful toddler accidentally ended up in one of Santa's bags of presents, and got whisked away to the North Pole, where he would live out his entire childhood. One of Santa's elves adopted the child, named Buddy, and raised it among the tight-knit community of elves, who live up North with Santa, making toys year-round. Now a tall, fully grown man, Buddy and his distinctly non-elfishness, regularly causes havoc in Santa's workshop. He is unable to fully fit in with the other elves, and becomes forlorn. This inspires Buddy's adopted elf father to suggest to his human son that it's time for him to travel out into the world of men, and try to find his biological father and family back in New York City. However, it maybe just as hard for Buddy to fit into this new world, as he's only existed with other elves around him, and is not quite used to the ways of humans--especially urbanites.

With Martin Freeman • Liam Neeson • Keira Knightley • Emma Thompson • Rowan Atkinson • Colin Firth • Alan Rickman • Hugh Grant • Rodrigo Santoro • Tim Bevan • Eric Fellner • January Jones • Laura Linney • Richard Curtis • Duncan Kenworthy • Bill Nighy • Andrew Lincoln • Martine McCutcheon • Chris Marshall

Set in contemporary London in the weeks before Christmas, "Love Actually" tells one story which weaves together a spectacular number of love stories-sometimes romantic, sometimes sad, sometimes stupid-all funny in their own way. Everywhere you look, love is causing chaos. From the new bachelor Prime Minister who falls in love 30 seconds after entering Downing Street to a loser sandwich delivery guy who doesn't have a hope with the girls in the UK, so heads for Wisconsin; from a jilted writer who escapes to the south of France to nurse his broken heart to an aging rock star trying to make a comeback at any price; from a bride having problems with her husband's best man to a married woman having trouble with her husband; from a schoolboy with a crush on the prettiest girl in the school to his architect step-father with a crush on Claudia Schiffer. These London lives and loves collide, mingle and finally climax on Christmas Eve-again and again and again-with romantic, poignant and funny consequences for all.

With Andrew McCarthy • Cameron Bancroft • Eartha Kitt • Isabel Rose • Peter Appel • Robert Cary

This homage to the golden era of 1950s Technicolor musicals tells the story of a cabaret singer, Billie Golden (Isabel Rose), living with her mother in Queens who aspires to get out of the "airport circuit" (she sings at a dingy lounge at JFK Airport). Meanwhile, Billie is also trying to choose between two men who represent different paths her life could take next: a corporate attorney (Cameron Bancroft) she knew in high school, who could provide her with money and security; or her piano teacher (Andrew McCarthy) who doesn't have much money but understands her passion for music. In addition to the songs Billie performs on stage, there are also occasional musical numbers that represent Billie's daydream fantasies.

With Jon Favreau • Sean Bean • Rachael Leigh Cook • Kelsey Grammer • Daryl Hannah • Joey Lauren Adams • Adam Beach • Steve Anderson

John Person (Jon Favreau), a struggling actor on the verge of eviction from his Hollywood studio apartment, goes against his better judgement -- and that of his pretty neighbor Grace (Joey Lauren Adams) -- and accepts an offer from his strange neighbor Neely (Bud Cort) to courier a blue suitcase up to the desert truck stop of Baker, California. His instructions are simple: deliver the suitcase to a trucker called Cowboy (Sean Bean) and collect $27 thousand. Oh yeah, and he has to defend the suitcase with his life. Naturally, nothing goes according to plan once John arrives. The Cowboy is nowhere to be found, John meets with some kooky alien-obsessed locals and Special Agent Banks (Kelsey Grammer) questions John about the mysterious decapitation of Neely and about other missing persons. When the final showdown approaches, John is faced with a choice that could change his life forever. Has the whole town gone mad? Or are the loony locals, who he dismissed as crazy, the only sane ones in this strange parallel universe called The Big Empty?

With Alec Baldwin • William H. Macy • Maria Bello • Ron Livingston • Shawn Hatosy • Wayne Kramer • Paul Sorvino • Joey Fatone • Arthur J. Nascarella • Estella Warren • M.C.Gainey • Ellen Greene • Richard Israel • Tony Longo

Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is the unluckiest man in Las Vegas... he's so unlucky, it's contagious. Looking to knock out their highest rollers, one of the last mob-run casinos in town, the Shangri-La Hotel and Casino downtown, decides to use Bernie as a "cooler" to defuse their lucky streaks. The scheme goes fine until Bernie falls in love with a cocktail waitress, Natalie (Maria Bello), who becomes his "lady luck", much to the chagrin of the casino's crooked director (Alec Baldwin) who aims to break up the romance, and Bernie's newfound luck...

With Brendan Fraser • Matthew Lillard • Joe Dante • Joan Cusack • Glenn Ficarra • Chris deFaria • Heather Locklear • Jenna Elfman • Bill Goldberg • Timothy Dalton • Roger Corman • Joel Simon • Larry Doyle

Set in a live-action world in which Warner Bros.' beloved assortment of irreverent animated entertainers interact with human characters for maximum comic effect, the story unfolds on the Studio backlot and careens all over the map in time-honored Looney Tunes style. Our celluloid heroes embark on a hilarious adventure that takes them from Hollywood to Las Vegas, Paris and the jungles of Africa in search of Fraser's character's missing father and the mythical Blue Monkey Diamond.

With Dakota Fanning • Alec Baldwin • Mike Myers • Brian Grazer • Paris Hilton • Spencer Breslin • Lawrence Quinn • Sean Hayes • Bo Welch • Kelly Preston • Paige Hurd • Jeff Schaffer • Alec Berg

Mike Myers stars in the title role of Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat, the film adaptation of the beloved literary classic. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss was first published in 1957, and remains one of the top ten best-selling hardcover children's books of all time. The mischievous feline visitor in the striped stove-pipe hat makes his big screen debut with this live-action production, which will bring the off-kilter Dr. Seuss characters - as well as some new ones created especially for the film - to life on the big screen.

With Michel Robin • Michele Caucheteux • Jean-Claude Donda • Sylvain Chomet • Paul Cadieux • Didier Brunner

Adopted by his grandmother, Madame Souza, Champion is a lonely little boy. Noticing that this lad is never happier than on a bicycle, Madame Souza puts him through a rigorous training process. Years go by and Champion becomes worthy of his name. Now his ready to enter the world-famous cycling race, the Tour de France. However during this cycling contest two mysterious men in black kidnap Champion. Madame Souza and her faithful dog Bruno set out to rescue him. Their quest takes them across the ocean to a giant Megalopolis called Belleville where they encounter the renowned "Triplets of Belleville", three eccentric female music-hall stars from the 30's who decide to take Madame Souza and Bruno under their wing. Thanks to Bruno's brilliant sense of smell, the brave duo are soon on to Champion's trail. But will they succeed in beating the devilish plans of the evil French mafia?

With Markita Boies • Toni Checchinato • Marie-Josee Croze • Sophie Lorain • Remy Girard • Dominique Michel • Louise Portal • Yves Jacques • Pierre Curzi • Dorothee Berryman • Isabelle Blais • Denis Bouchard • Yves Desgagnes • Sylvie Drapeau • Roy Dupuis • Mitsou Gelinas • Micheline Lanctot

A revisiting, some 15 years later, of the principal characters of Denys Arcand's 1986 comedy drama film, "The Decline of the American Empire". Rémy, now divorced and in his early fifties, is hospitalized. His ex-wife, Louise, asks their son Sébastien to come home from London where he now lives. Sébastien hesitates; he and his father haven't had much to say to one another for years now. He relents, however, and flies to Montreal to help his mother and support his father. As soon as he arrives, Sébastien moves heaven and earth, brings his contacts into play and disrupts the system in every way possible to ease the ordeal that awaits Rémy. Around his father's bedside, Sébastien also reunites the merry band of folk who were all players in Rémy's complicated past: relatives, friends and former mistresses.

With Billy Bob Thornton • Lauren Graham • Tony Cox • John Requa • Bob Weinstein • Bernie Mac • Brett Kelly • Lauren Tom • Terry Zwigoff • Glenn Ficarra • John Cameron • Cloris Leachman • John Ritter • Sarah Aubrey

This is the story of two criminals who disguise themselves as Santa Claus (Billy Bob Thornton) and his elf, traveling across the country to major malls, using the good will people have towards Santa to rob the stores blind. The plan is going great until the two baddies meet an introverted 8-year-old boy who reminds them of the true meaning of Christmas.

With Eddie Murphy • Jennifer Tilly • Terence Stamp • Marsha Thomason • Rob Minkoff • Nathaniel Parker

When a man (Eddie Murphy) and his family encounter a ghost while visiting a haunted house during a job interview, he learns the value of family, and the lesson that he should make sure he never neglects them. Based upon the popular Disney theme park attraction.

With Christina Milian • Kal Penn • Steve Harvey • Nichole Robinson • Nick Cannon • Kenan Thompson • Vanessa Bell Calloway • Troy Beyer • Melissa Schuman • Al Thompson

In this modern update of the classic 1987 teen comedy "Can't Buy Me Love", our hero is high-school senior Alvin Johnson (Nick Cannon), a brilliant, likable outcast who has come to regret the years of intellectual endeavors that prevented him and his un-hip friends from socializing, getting girlfriends and hanging out with the super-cool "Elite" kids. When queen of the Elites, Paris Morgan (Christina Milian) wrecks her mother's car, Alvin steps in and mortgages his future to help her out. The catch: In exchange for $1500 in car parts and Alvin's automotive expertise, Paris agrees to "fake a front" with him to convince the school that they're dating. The question is: can Alvin rein in his newfound ego before he loses his true friends, his chance for a scholarship and a shot at a real relationship with Paris?

With Keanu Reeves • Jon Favreau • Diane Keaton • Jack Nicholson • Nancy Meyers • Nancy Myers

New York City music executive Harry Langer (Jack Nicholson) is a man of some age and experience who generally dates younger women. His world is turned upside-down, however, when he has a heart attack while visiting the East Hampton beach home of the divorced playwright mother, Erica (Diane Keaton), of his latest trophy girlfriend, Marin (Amanda Peet). With his girlfriend having gone back to the city, Harry is left in the care of Erica and his doctor (Keanu Reeves), but the two men soon find themselves competing with each other, as they both fall in love with the same woman... the mom.

With Matt Damon • Eva Mendes • Luke Wilson • Meryl Streep • Cher • Bobby Farrelly • Peter Farrelly • Greg Kinnear • Frankie Muniz • Seymour Cassel • Jackie Flynn • Kristofer Meyer • Jay Leno • Terence Bernie Hines • Skyler Stone • Charles Wessler • Wen Yann Shih

A comedy about the oppositional relationship that evolves between a set of Siamese twins--conjoined at the torso--named Bob and Walt. They have used their "disability" throughout life to great advantage; for example, they excelled in High School by using the fact that they are joined at the hip to their advantage in sports, where they were a great hockey goalie and wrestling champion. Unfortunately, their different life goals may begin to threaten their happy union, as they vowed they would never split up. So, after graduation Walt wants to go to Hollywood to pursue an acting career, and although Bob opposes the move, he begrudgingly goes along. When the twins get to Los Angeles, the duo soon finds themselves landing a job on a TV show starring Cher, which results in quick fame and fortune, but will the new changes in their lives ultimately drive the twins apart?

With Kevin McNally • Naomie Harris • Louise Mardenborough • Mark Locke • Enzo Cilenti • Perry Fitzpatrick • Madhav Sharma • Ulrika Jonsson • Bob Mason

Normally, the mantis shrimp only grows to about a foot long or so, but in this movie, a seven-foot-long one shows up in England (by way of the Philippines). Pub owner and failed boxer Bill (Kevin McNally) buys the creature, seeing it as his chance to become rich and famous, training the ferocious crustacean to box. Hitting the road with his amateur boxer best friend, Steve (Perry Fitzpatrick), a trainee hairdresser (Louise Mardenborough) and the giant sea creature, Bill heads to London to convince a TV network to feature the crustacean on an 'American Gladiators'-style event hosted by Ulrika Jonsson.

With Judy Greer • Mario Van Peebles • Andy Dick • Peter Coyote • Adam Goldberg • Rachel Dratch • Nora Dunn • Melvin Van Peebles • Jonathan Kesselman

This action comedy spoof, said to be in the same vein as "Undercover Brother", but for Orthodox Jews, Adam Goldberg ("Saving Private Ryan") stars as a superhero detective who's out to stop Santa's evil son Damien (Andy Dick) from eliminating Hanukkah forever. It's based on the short of the same name, written and directed by Jonathan Kesselman during his days as a student at USC's Film School.

With Ciaran Hinds • Penelope Wilton • Helen Mirren • Celia Imrie • Annette Crosbie • Geraldine James • Julie Walters • John Alderton • Linda Bassett • Philip Glenister • Nigel Cole

"Calendar Girls" is based on the true story of a group of women who bare all - or nearly all - for charity and become international celebrities as a result. The Women's Institute, in Great Britain, encourages the ancient skills of jam-making, flower pressing, knitting and baking. So when a group of extraordinary women are looking for a new way to raise money, they decide to take the annual WI calendar, normally featuring landscapes or flowers, and create something traditional - but with a twist. Behind the baked goods, the apple pressing and the flower arranging, the women are completely nude.

With Shawn Levy • Ashton Kutcher • Hilary Duff • Bonnie Hunt • Alan Ruck • Liliana Mumy • Chris Columbus • Morgan York • Piper Perabo • Michael Barnathan • Richard Jenkins • Tom Welling • Blake Woodruff • Jacob Smith • Vanessa Bell Calloway • Robert Simonds • Craig Titley • Steve Martin • Kevin Schmidt • Brent Kinsman • Shane Kinsman • Alyson Stoner • Paula Marshall • Steven Anthony Lawrence • Amy Hill • Ben Myron • Sam Harper • Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. • Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

When Tom Baker (Steve Martin) gets a job offer to coach football at Northwestern University in Chicago, he and his wife, Mary, move to the big city, which is a big change for them and their 12 children, who range from preschool-age twins Kyle and Nigel all the way up to 22-year-old Anne who has already left home. With the recent publication of her long-in-the-works book, Mary feels demands outside the home taking away as much time as Tom's new job does, so the two are forced to try to find new ways of parenting their massive tribe, but they find their parenting styles aren't always completely compatible...