Movies are often used as a way to unwind. For many of us, myself included, it is how we escape the stress of the day. Work, responsibilities and just adulting in general often gobble up a whole heap of our brainpower. When things start to get too heavy, we want to be able to bring light-heartedness to our readers. So, I have compiled the 10 best movies to stream for when you just want to unwind that will have you laughing and take up as little bandwidth in your brain as possible!
10 Movies To Stream When You Just Want To Unwind
(Quotes courtesy of IMDB)
1. “Clue”
Starring Tim Curry (Wadsworth) and an ensemble cast, this is the best board-to-silver-screen adaptation of all time (in my humble opinion). A comedic masterpiece that is only bolstered by a riotously hilarious cast, “Clue” is a 90-minute mystery that is equal parts captivating and ridiculous. It will have you laughing and trying your best to figure out who is responsible for the death of the mysterious Mr. Body.
You’ll fall in love with Christopher Lloyd (Professor Plum), Martin Mull (Colonel Mustard), Madeline Kahn (Mrs. White), Leslie Ann Warren (Miss Scarlet) and the whole cast as they lay their respective comedic geniuses out for the audience to gobble up!
Best quote: “Yes. Yes, I did it. I killed Yvette. I hated her, so much… it – it – flam – flames. Flames, on the side of my face, breathing – heaving breaths. Heaving breaths…” – Mrs. White
Streaming Platforms: Amazon Prime Video (Subscription)
2. “The Other Guys”
Mark Wahlberg (Detective Terry Holtz) and Will Ferrell (Detective Allen Gamble) really took this insane concept and made it their own. When the two top detectives in the NYPD…um …miss the bushes, they decide to make their mark. And from that point on, this movie is a non-stop quote machine. Ferrell (more from him coming), especially, is a master of creating unforgettable moments and sayings that will have frat houses roaring with laughter for the rest of time! Wahlberg is at his perplexed best as the emotionally stunted, horny and glorious peacock Jeter Shooter. Eva Mendez (Sheila Gamble) and Michael Keaton (Cpt. Gene Mauch) give high-energy performances and really help boost this to a must-watch for all of your bad days.
Best Quote: “You learned to dance like that sarcastically?” – Detective Allan Gamble
Streaming Platforms: Amazon Prime Video (From $3.99)
3. “Easy A”
Emma Stone and the cast at the Los Angeles Premiere of “Easy A” held at the Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, Calif. on Sept. 13, 2010. (Shutterstock/ Tinseltown)
Emma Stone turned in an absolute star-turn here as the hilarious, snarky and kind-hearted Olive. When Olive finds herself at the heart of a sex rumor, she decides to lean into it and make it benefit her. However, as tends to happen in movies, she finds that being the negative attention-getter isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Aided by an amazing cast featuring Thomas Hayden-Church (Mr. Griffith) and Amanda Bynes (Marianne), along with Lisa Kudrow (Mrs. Griffith), Stanley Tucci (Dill) and Patricia Clarkson (Rosemary), “Easy A” gives the viewer an escape from the drag of real life.
Best Quote: “Is everything all right? It sounds like you’re having sex in here, which I know can’t be true due to the fact that you have a homosexual boyfriend.” – Dill
Streaming Platforms: Hulu (Subscription)
4. “Spy”
Melissa McCarthy (Susan Cooper) is at her R-rated best in this absolutely hilarious spoof of a James Bond movie. Working alongside an incredible cast, McCarthy takes the soft, meek Susan Cooper and turns into a superspy! With all of the F-bombs and ridiculous physical humor you’d expect from McCarthy, this movie brings more laughs than is expected. As amazing as McCarthy is, the movie is stolen by the shockingly hilarious Jason Statham (Rick Ford), who shows off incredible comedic chops as the hyper-confident Rick Ford. If you want a spy thriller without the Tom Cruise-i-ness of a “Mission Impossible,” give “Spy” a try!
Best Quote: “I watched the woman I love get tossed from a plane and hit by another plane mid-air. I drove a car off a freeway on top of a train while it was on fire. Not the car, *I* was on fire.” – Rick Ford
Streaming Platforms: Hulu (Premium Subscription), Amazon Prime Video (Premium Subscription)
5. “Shanghai Noon”
Owen Wilson (Roy O’Bannon) and Jackie Chan (Chon Wang) team up for this hilarious period comedy. A western of ridiculous humor and unbelievable action, “Shanghai Noon” is a movie that can be put on and just enjoyed without worrying too much about convoluted plots, heavy tension or heartbreak. Wilson brings his trademark charm and wow factor (pun intended). Chan is a scene stealer in all action situations and brings the heart to the movie. A Chinese imperial guard and an outlaw team up to save a princess. If this concept sounds ridiculous, it is, and that’s why you should watch it!
Best Quote: “Oh, you mean the sick prisoner routine? Does that still work in China? ‘Cause here it’s sorta been done to death.” – Roy O’Bannon
Streaming Platforms: Apple TV (From $3.99), YouTube (From $3.99)
6. “Zombieland”
“Zombieland” made $102 million worldwide after being released in October, 2009, making it the highest-grossing film in the U.S. until World War Z” was released in 2013. (Flickr/FAN THE FIRE Magazine)
Oh, look, another repeat actor. Emma Stone (Wichita) stars in this apocalypse comedy alongside Jesse Eisenberg (Columbus), Woody Harrelson (Tallahassee) and Abigail Breslin (Little Rock) in the movie that taught us all how to survive the zombie hoards with tips like “Double Tap,” “Cardio” and “Limber Up.” This is a hilarious film that packs in the laughs with as much fervor as they do the kills. As each character enters their submission for the “Zombie Kill of the Week,” it really is Harrelson who steals this movie. His hilarious Tallahassee really brings the LOLs, and the awes to this Twinkie hunt. Had a bad day at work and want to watch a bunch of undead get f’d up? This is the movie for you. All the gore of “28 Days Later,” with the hilarity of a raunchy buddy-comedy. Also, Bill Murray.
Best Quote: “I hate coconut. Not the taste, the consistency.” – Tallahassee
Streaming Platforms: FuboTV (Subscription), Peacock (Subscription), Hulu (Premium Subscription)
7. “Rush Hour 2”
No. 2?! That’s right! I went with a damn sequel because as amazing as “Rush Hour” is, the follow-up is somehow even better! Chris Tucker (James Carter) and Jackie Chan (Chief Inspector Lee) are pure comedic gold in perhaps the best action-comedy series of all time. Tucker is the unhinged, high-pitched comedy genius that he always is. Chan gets in on the jokes this time, abandoning the stoic straight-man routine for more fun and laughs. Combined with the elite action, fun story and great acting around them, Tucker and Chan create one of the most watchable movies of all time!
Best Quote: “I can’t believe I flew 10,000 miles for this shit!” – James Carter
Streaming Platforms: Sling TV (Premium Subscription), Amazon Prime Video (From $3.79)
8. “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story”
Ben Stiller (White Goodman) and Vince Vaughn (Peter LaFleur) lead this ensemble comedy with a premise that could only have been thought up while either on shrooms or in full-on “Cheech and Chong” mode. Introducing us to GloboGym, ESPN8: The Ocho and Fran Stalinovskovichdavidovitchsky, “Dodgeball” is a gem among gems. With so many quotable lines, an unforgettable comedic turn by Rip Torn (Patches O’Houlihan) and the best sports commentary team of all time, this movie will be a wonderful one for you to just vibe and relax to. You’ll laugh, you won’t cry and you will remember that Lance Armstrong exists.
Best Quote: “Here at Globo Gym, we’re better than you, and we know it.” – White Goodman
Streaming Platforms: Hulu (Premium Subscription), Amazon Prime Video (Premium Subscription), Max (Subscription)
9. “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me”
“Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me”, released in 1997, is the second installment of the “Austin Powers” franchise. (Flickr/Brett Jordan)
Let’s be real: No villain in movie history is funnier than Dr. Evil. What an absolute genius move by Mike Myers (Austin Powers, Dr. Evil, Fat Bastard) to give the villain the funniest lines. Another spy-genre spoof, we have more laughs, almost no real plot outside of “Take Over the World,” and just Myers playing three wild characters! Add in Seth Green (Scott Evil) and Heather Graham (Felicity Shagwell) giving two amazingly fun performances, and you have what I consider one of the most underrated comedies of all time.
Best Quote: “Well, it’s true! It’s true! You’re semi-evil. You’re quasi-evil. You’re the margarine of evil. You’re the Diet Coke of evil. Just one calorie, not evil enough.” – Dr. Evil
Streaming Platforms: Apple TV (From $3.79), Apple TV (From $3.99), YouTube (From $3.99)
10. “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy”
Having to pick a best quote for this movie is impossible. This is, verifiably (not really, but I say it is), the most quotable movie to ever be filmed. Will Ferrell (Ron Burgundy), Christina Applegate (Veronica Corningstone), Paul Rudd (Brian Fantana), Steve Carell (Brick Tamland) and David Koechner (Champ Kind) lead this ridiculously fun, wildly funny and truly masterful comedy movie. Perhaps the greatest comedy of all time, “Anchorman,” is the gold standard for the quotable movie. With a high percentage of the dialogue being improvised by the talented cast, this movie feels like you are a part of the story. The characters feel real. They are likable. They are bizarre, I just cannot gush enough about this movie.
Best Quote(s): “I’m in a glass case of emotion.” – Ron Burgundy
Streaming Platforms: Netflix (Subscription), Amazon Prime Video (Premium Subscription), Paramount+ (Subscription)
Thanks for reading my “10 Movies To Watch When You Just Want To Unwind.” For more entertainment and sports takes, find me on Twitter, @Steve_Lawson93.