Summer is best spent outside, but that doesn’t mean you won’t need indoor entertainment. Whether you’re partying in the evening or just trying to avoid the heat for an afternoon, you’re going to be spending time indoors. However, there’s no reason not to keep the spirit of the season alive. Indulging in some of the best summer comedies streaming this now should keep your energy up. Here are some comedies available in Canada now.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (MGM)
Frank Oz’s remake of the Frank Sinatra/David Niven film Bedtime Story was hailed by Roger Ebert upon its release as “just plain fun.” Steve Martin and Michael Caine star as rival con men on the French Riviera who compete to swindle a wealthy heiress (Glenn Headley) out of $50,000.
Martin has never been funnier in the film where the con men try sabotaging each other with increasingly elaborate stunts and set pieces. Moreover, the French Riviera is brilliantly photographed. It’s difficult to watch the film without immediately wanting to visit the location it’s set in. The film also far more superior to the other versions: Sinatra’s film and the ill-fated 2019 remake, The Hustle.
Hot Fuzz (Netflix)
Outside of comedy, one of the best genres to compliment a hot summer day is action. Someone from the ‘90s can recall the exciting opening moments of Die Hard with a Vengeance (streaming on Disney+ and Amazon Prime), where the opening verse of The Loving Spoonful’s “Summer in the City” is interrupted by a fiery explosion. Who needs the anxiety today?
Edgar Wright’s Hot Fuzz is a cross between action and comedy and a brilliant send-up of big-budget action films of the ‘80s and ‘90s, specifically the buddy-cop genre. Interestingly, it also manages to work some great English horror into the parody.
Wright’s quick-cut style and the gorgeous English countryside should provide plenty of summer spirit.
The Way, Way Back (Disney+)
A list of summer comedies wouldn’t be complete without a coming-of-age film. Nat Faxon and Jim Rash wrote the script for this impressively charming film. There’s nothing particularly fascinating about The Way, Way Back. Its themes have been explored over a thousand times before. What makes it feel fresh are genuinely humorous and stunning performances from Liam James, Sam Rockwell, Amanda Peet, Steve Carrell, and Toni Collette.
Sincere but rarely saccharine, it’s the kind of summer escape everyone needs once in their life.
Monty Python’s The Life of Brian (Netflix)
Controversial upon release, The Life of Brian tells the not-so-epic story of Jesus Christ’s neighbour, Brian Cohen. It was funded by Python fan George Harrison and currently enjoys a 95 per cent rating from Rotten Tomatoes. There is nothing flagrantly offensive about The Life of Brian. In fact, its jokes aren’t created with the intent to mock anyone’s faith or harm their feelings — they’re simply funny. The movie lives up to the climactic tone of Eric Idle’s “Always Look at The Bright Side of Life”, imploring audiences to take on the song’s message.
In the summer months, there’s no better mantra.
Kenny Hedges | Contributing Writer
