15 Funniest TV Lawyers

15. Alan Shore and Denny Crane, Boston Legal

James Spader and William Shatner played these two quirky lawyers and womanizing best friends on Boston Legal. Alan was the brilliant but funny left-winger with a fear of clowns and a love of the ladies. Denny was the narcissistic Conservative who loved guns and saying his own name. Their head-butting was often great, especially when guns came into play:


14. Harvey Birdman, Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law

This titular character was often the straight man in a circus of hilarious supporting characters but Harvey could be seriously funny in a very dry, random way. Gary Cole voiced this superhero-turned-attorney who defended an array of Hannah Barbera cartoon characters. In this clip, he represents Shaggy and Scooby Doo:

13. Bob Loblaw, Arrested Development

The very existence of Bob Loblaw is a perfect example of the humor of Arrested Development. Bob first appears in season 3 as the Bluth family lawyer. The first great thing about Loblaw is the fact that he's played by Scott Baio - who replaced Henry Winkler, a fact that is hilariously alluded to. And of course there's the tongue-twisting name that frequently results in a great line like, "You don't need double talk. You need Bob Loblaw." It only gets more complicated when he starts that law blog...


12. Rodney Ruxin, The League

I only placed Ruxin this low on the list because his profession rarely plays into the humor of the character but make no mistake, this guy is hilarious. He is a giant asshole and we love him for it. His crushing insults and frequent exclamations of "Forever uncleeeean!" are classic.



11. Keyrock, Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, SNL

It is easy for 20-year old Saturday Night Live sketches to disappear in the recesses of my brain, but this one never left me. Created by Jack Handey and performed by Phil Hartman, Keyrock was a neanderthal that was preserved in ice, then unfrozen and went to law school. Despite being wealthy and well-educated, he repeatedly claims to be primitive and confused in order to sway juries (see clip):

10. Jackie Chiles, Seinfeld

Phil Morris portrayed this Johnnie Cochran parody with grandiose vocabulary and rhyming adjectives. Jackie represented Kramer in many-a silly situation, including a coffee spilling case (see clip) and a cigarette smoke disfigurement suit.

9. Hyper-Chicken, Futurama

He did not appear often, but the hyper-chicken (or simply, "chicken lawyer" as many call him) made a hilarious impression whenever he did. Oh, the irony of his Colonel Sanders outfit and Southern drawl.

8. John Cage, Ally McBeal

Peter MacNicol won an Emmy for his portrayal of John Cage, half of the Cage & Fish law firm on Ally McBeal. Also known affectionately as "The Biscuit", John was full of eccentricities (Porky Pig stutter, nose whistle) and quirky habits (humming in court, screaming like a girl). 

7. Dan Fielding, Night Court

John Larroquette played Dan Fielding, the sex-crazy narcissistic prosecutor. He would try anything to get a woman to sleep with him, especially public defender, Christine Sullivan. Dan was always a great source for snide one-liners and insults. Fielding was also great at reaction shots (see clip):

6. Ted Buckland, Scrubs

Sam Lloyd plays Sacred Heart's resident sad sack and attorney, Ted. Respected by no one and constantly demeaned by Dr. Kelso, Ted is depressive and suicidal. That may not sound hilarious but it so is. Here he is competing with a dog for approval:

5. Lionel Hutz, The Simpsons

This shyster lawyer, voiced by Phil Hartman, frequently shows up on The Simpsons whenever there is money to be made. His law firm, located in a shopping mall, is called "I Can't Believe It's a Law Firm!" and his business card turns into a sponge when you put it in water.

4. Phil Ken Sebben, Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law

Whether or not Phil is actually a lawyer is suspect, but he does run a law firm so let's say yeah. The one-eyed boss with a fondness for innuendo is voiced to perfection by Stephen Colbert. His brazen behavior and classic "HA-HA-HA!"s never fail to inspire a good laugh.

3. Saul Goodman, Breaking Bad

This may be the only non-comedy show on this list, but much of the humor on Breaking Bad comes from this guy. That should come as no surprise considering he is portrayed by Bob Odenkirk (Mr. Show). Saul Goodman, who actually made up a fake name to sound Jewish, is your classic self-interested shyster lawyer. As Jesse would say, Saul is not just a criminal lawyer, but a criminal...lawyer. And there is no pickle he can't get you out of, so if you're a scumbag too, better call Saul!

2. Jack Kelly, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Here is another guy whose legal credentials may be hard to find, but if Uncle Jack says he's a lawyer, then okay! The interest in law obviously runs in the family, what with Charlie's knowledge of "bird law." Jack, however, is more interested in hand size and the whereabouts of little boys he can "wrestle" with.

1. Barry Zuckerkorn, Arrested Development

Of all the brilliant recurring roles on Arrested Development, Barry may be the greatest. Henry Winkler is absolutely hilarious as the inept attorney who frequents transsexual prostitutes and knows exactly what balls look like up close.

Honorable Mention:

Mitchell Pritchett, Modern Family

He may not be the funniest character on Modern Family (or even top 3) but Mitchell definitely has his moments. Jesse Tyler Ferguson's uptight gay lawyer shines when he's running from pigeons or trying to convince everyone how tough he is like this:

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Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

Film: Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010)
Dir: Eli Craig
Rating: ****1/2 out of 5 stars



Horror-comedies were big in the 1980s, but sort of dwindled in the 1990s. In 2004, Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead revitalized the sub-genre, and ever since, there have been dozens and dozens of them released. Some are fantastic, but many don’t quite get it. A great horror-comedy requires the right balance of dark humor and a sincere love of the genre. A horror fan can easily distinguish between a hollow spoof and a true horror-comedy. Fortunately, Eli Craig’s Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is of the latter variety, with solid performances, hilarious situational humor, and definite respect for horror.

Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) are two ordinary redneck friends who just bought their own vacation home in the backwoods. Tucker is the leader of the duo, while Dale is a hopeless romantic with low self-esteem. While fixing up their cabin in the woods, they repeatedly encounter a group of college kids on break. Dale’s unsuccessful attempt at talking to a pretty girl sets off a chain of misunderstandings wherein the students become convinced that the two rednecks are psycho killers. As the college kids decide to go after their would-be killers, Dale and Tucker fear for their own lives.

The concept alone of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is fantastic. It recalls mistaken-identity screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s, only it is also infused with everything horror fans love about the genre. It is a hilarious parody of massacre-style flicks (i.e. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) where the killers are typically rednecks who look just like Tucker and Dale. But these good ol’ boys just want to fish, drink beer, and enjoy their vacation in peace. Meanwhile, the college kids really believe they are being picked off by hillbillies because they are too scared, too dumb, and watch too many horror movies to just shut up and listen.

Tudyk and Labine are both fantastic in their titular roles. They have great buddy chemistry and comedic timing. Some of the actors playing the college kids are also good, particularly Jesse Moss who thinks he is Rambo but looks like Tom Cruise in a popped collar. Even though misunderstanding and miscommunication are comedy staples that have been beaten to death, these qualities are actually really funny here. This is situational comedy at its finest. As a horror flick, Tucker & Dale is not bad either. It racks up quite a body count and delivers some fun gore scenes. Horror fans will also love all the inside references to the genre and its conventions.

At first glance, Eli Craig’s filmography doesn’t inspire confidence with titles like Space Cowboys and The Rage: Carrie 2, but fortunately he only acted in those. As a director, on the other hand, the man has a real future. This movie proves he has the skills to helm either a horror or a comedy with ease - or perhaps another horror-comedy if we’re lucky. There have been tons of horror-comedies released over the last few years, and while some are great, most lack this perfect pacing and wit. Severance was pretty good and parodied the same massacre-horror sub-genre, but Tucker & Dale is better all-around.

Many films have claimed to be "the next Shaun of the Dead" or some variation there of. In the case of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, it is actually true. Like that movie, this one has lovable characters, lots of blood, and laugh-out-loud humor. This is definitely one of the best horror-comedies of the last decade. The only thing that could have been improved is the film’s title – the “vs. Evil” part misrepresents what the movie is about. The plot is far more clever than the title implies. Of course this is a petty complaint – the film is fantastic. Hopefully it will rightfully achieve the same cult status that Shaun did and keep the horror-comedy genre kicking for a few more years.

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RED

Film: RED (2010)
Dir: Robert Schwentke
Rating: ***1/2 out of 5 stars



RED is based on Warren Ellis’s graphic novel of the same name. The title stands for Retired Extremely Dangerous, which is a codename for the lead characters – all older, former operatives. The concept of this film did not exactly lure me in. It sounded like another in a series of old-guys-doing-young-people-things movies, like Wild Hogs or Space Cowboys. Yawn. As it turns out, I was very wrong. The movie is badass and occasionally hilarious. It does not hurt that it is full of great actors, too. In short, this is the epitome of a fun popcorn flick.

Bruce Willis plays Frank Moses, a retired CIA agent trying to lead a normal, quiet life. The most exciting part of his life these days is flirting on the phone with lonely pensions clerk Sarah (Mary-Louise Parker). Then his idyllic life is interrupted by a team of black-ops who want him dead. Frank hits the road with an unwilling Sarah and seeks out the help of some old friends. Among the recruits are Marvin (John Malkovich), a paranoid schizophrenic; Joe (Morgan Freeman), an 80-year-old former black-ops agent; and Victoria (Helen Mirren), a deadly British operative. Together they uncover a contract on their heads and a series of government cover-ups.

I have not read the graphic novel, so I cannot compare the two, but this film adaptation is pure fun. The action is genuinely exciting, albeit over-the-top. The main actors basically play funnier variations of their typical roles – Freeman as the wise old man; Willis as a badass; Malkovich as a nutcase; and Mirren as a tough old broad. I don’t mind because they play the roles so well. These so-called old farts kick some major ass, especially Mirren, who knows how to rock an Uzi. Also, the movie is really funny, largely thanks to Malkovich’s scene-stealing performance. In addition to the great leads, the film is loaded with fun supporting performances from Brian Cox, Karl Urban, Richard Dreyfuss, James Remar, Julian McMahon, and Ernest Borgnine.

RED is one of many graphic novel adaptations to come out this year. While the others generally disappointed me (Kick-Ass; The Losers), this one completely exceeded my expectations. Do not make any assumptions about the film based on its title, cast, concept, or even trailer. Just go see it. It won’t be winning any Oscars come February, but if you want to have some brainless fun, this is your movie.

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Four Lions

Film: Four Lions (2010)
Dir: Chris Morris
Rating: **** out of 5 stars



Cinema’s greatest satires have often been made while the issue at hand was still fresh and audiences were sensitive to it. Just as Dr. Strangelove satirized the Cold War as it was going on, Four Lions parodies Islamic extremists, as well as the Western world’s prejudice against Muslims. The timing could not be better, especially with the recent controversy over a mosque being built near Ground Zero. This is not a film for easily offended people – it may be politically accurate but it is not politically correct. The film does not pull its punches against either side, and it manages to make you laugh at things that would normally make you shudder. There is also a surprising amount of emotion peeking through the dark satire.

Omar (Riz Ahmed) is a British-born man of the Muslim faith who runs a small jihadist cell in London. He believes that Muslims around the world are being oppressed, and to help the problem he must become a soldier or even a martyr. After a failed attempt at joining a terrorist training camp, Omar plots to send a message by staging a bombing in London. This proves to be no easy task as Omar’s jihadist mates are morons, each having a different idea about how to fight their non-Muslim oppressors. Among them is Barry (Nigel Lindsay), an angry white Islamic convert; Waj (Kayvan Novak), a dim-witted follower; Fessal (Adeel Akhtar), a skittish bomb-maker; and Hassan (Arsher Ali), a young wannabe terrorist/rapper.

The dark humor in Four Lions is consistent and effective. Some of it might make you feel guilty for laughing, but you will laugh nevertheless. Each character is hilarious in his own way, plus the inherent satire is ever-present. Whether you are giggling at the idiotic antics of these men, or smirking at the socio-political irony throughout, you will not be bored. Upon first viewing, I missed quite a few jokes because the characters’ British accents are thick and they talk so fast, but I still laughed loud and often. I cannot wait to watch it again – perhaps with the English subtitles on next time.

Although you may be laughing at these failed wannabe terrorists, the film does not insult the Muslim faith, nor does it justify American and British treatment of Muslims. Each character is likable and sympathetic. You can tell they truly believe what they are doing is right. Still, the movie exposes the flaws in extremists’ logic via satire. It also explores the way non-violent Muslims are often discriminated against because of their extremist counterparts. The film is surprisingly touching and undeniably clever. The script was written by the same guys who penned In the Loop, the hilarious political farce from last year. The two films have a lot in common in terms of humor, mood, and how completely spot-on the satire is.

The screenwriters are not the only ones to thank for the funny, likable anti-heroes – all the actors involved are great. They are never two-dimensional stereotypes or cheap gags. You cannot help but care about these characters, even though your first instinct is to hate them, especially if you are an American. Ahmed and Novak give especially sympathetic performances, as their characters are the least influenced by narcissism or selfishness. Omar genuinely believes in what he is doing, and Waj just wants to be like his friend.

Four Lions is a stellar feature film debut for director Chris Morris. Terrorism is not an easy topic to tackle, but Morris and the screenwriters handle it with tact and fairness, while never sacrificing honesty or humor. The film is powerful, hilarious, moving, and an absolute must-see.

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20 Greatest Horror Movie Taglines

Please check out my lists of the 20 greatest horror movie taglines on The Horror Channel:



Part 1 (20-11)

Part 2 (10-1)

Please comment and discuss :)

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The Other Guys

Film: The Other Guys (2010)
Dir: Adam McKay
Rating: *** out of 5 stars



Despite the fact that Adam McKay has not made a solid comedy feature since Anchorman, his movies keep me coming back. Why? Perhaps it's the actors with which he surrounds himself, or perhaps I keep hoping he will strike gold again. Perhaps I am just a brainless theater drone like many other Americans. Either way, his latest effort sucked me in again, but this one is better than I expected. It is still marred by the occasional awkward or painfully unfunny moment, but it does have some good laughs and fun, tongue-in-cheek action.

Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg play police detectives who are the laughing stock of their precinct. Terry (Wahlberg) yearns to repair his reputation by getting out in the field, while his partner Allen (Ferrell) prefers to hide behind his desk and crunch numbers. As the titular "other guys", they are constantly out-shadowed by a pair of hot-shots hero cops (played perfectly by Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson). That is until they stumble upon a suspicious case involving a high-profile robbery, a shady capitalist (Steve Coogan), and the NYPD itself.

The Other Guys steps up the maturity level from McKay's previous films. There is less randomness and more of a story here. McKay is going for a Lethal Weapon-esque buddy cop film. Not only is it infused with big-budget action but also socioeconomic commentary. McKay takes on corporate bailouts and other bad business practices, while simultaneously sticking up for police officers. This becomes overwhelmingly obvious during the end credit sequence. Until that point, the commentary is pretty subtle and does not detract from the humor.

So how funny is it? Not as funny as you've probably been hearing, but it does have some solid laughs. Ferrell's usual randomness rears its ugly head, and Wahlberg is not as hilariously angry as he could/should be (blame the PG-13 rating, perhaps?). Still, some greatness comes through, including a running gag about Allen's college years. Not surprisingly, the supporting characters steal the movie, among them being Michael Keaton, Bobby Cannavale, Rob Riggle, and Ray Stevenson. But perhaps the most memorable are the relatively unknown Natalie Zea and Brett Gelman, who play a married couple, and give us one of the film's funniest scenes.

So how is the action? Well, it's silly, but that is the idea. The opening sequence is delightfully over-the-top. The action sequences are also supported by a fun soundtrack, which includes such eclectic choices as Wyclef Jean, The White Stripes, Rage Against the Machine, Donovan, TLC, Goldfrapp, and Phil Collins. Yep.

To fanboys/girls like myself, McKay's foray into action/comedy is of special importance since the powers-that-be have handed him the reins to the film adaptation of Garth Ennis' The Boys. I believe The Other Guys is a step in the right direction, and should settle a few fanboy doubts. McKay is still not the ideal choice for that film, but now there is at least some hope he can pull it off.

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Dinner for Schmucks

Film: Dinner for Schmucks (2010)
Dir: Jay Roach
Rating: *1/2 out of 5 stars



Here is yet another movie supporting the not-so-old adage that remakes never prosper. Jay Roach's latest comedy is an American update of the French film, Le dîner de cons (aka The Dinner Game). While I have not yet seen that film, I hear it is incredibly funny. Sadly, but not surprisingly, Schmucks does not live up. Good actors and a few titter-worthy moments cannot save the film from its own painful awkwardness.

Tim (Paul Rudd) is a corporate drone trying desperately to impress his superiors and move up the ladder. Once he finds his way into their graces, they invite him to a monthly dinner where each invitee must bring an idiot to make fun of. He finds the perfect guest in Barry (Steve Carell), a loser and complete moron who turns dead mice into artwork. However, Tim's girlfriend opposes the dinner, thus putting a strain on their relationship. Meanwhile, Tim fears she may be running around with a sex-crazed artist (Jemaine Clement).

Paul Rudd unwittingly reprises his Role Models character as a guy with a rocky relationship who gets stuck hanging out with a loser, whom he initially hates but eventually considers a friend. Believe me, this is not a spoiler, it's very predictable. Furthermore, we are supposed to sympathize with this character, even though he deserves everything he gets. He makes stupid decisions and is downright mean. Granted, this is the point, but the plot is so formulaic that nobody cares when Tim realizes who the true "schmuck" is.

Carell is barely likable here because he is so misused. He is watered down by lame jokes, and comes across as overwhelmingly obnoxious, so much that he doesn't seem realistic. For most of the movie you just feel sorry for him, especially after Therman (Zack Galifianakis) is introduced. Zack, much like Steve, is misused and consequently not as funny as he usually is. I generally love both of these men but here they come across as excessively silly and childish thanks to a weak script. Lucy Punch is another funny actor wasted on bad writing. At least I liked David Walliams in this, though he plays it straight, mostly. Clement has his good moments, too, although not as hilarious as some people are claiming (Conchords bias, perhaps?).

The titular dinner scene is the best part of the film. A large part of that is probably because this scene involves Chris O'Dowd, who is my favorite performance, despite being in the film for less than 10 minutes. And that's not just IT Crowd bias, I assure you. His cameo as a "schmuck" is pretty great. Him and Barry's incredibly well-made "mouseterpieces" are about the only things worth remembering from this film.

The jokes are lame, childish, and sometimes painfully unfunny. There are too many uncomfortable moments wrongfully disguised as comedy. Jay Roach did the same thing to a lesser degree in Meet the Parents. Schmucks is certainly not unwatchable, it has its amusing moments, but do not waste your time and money seeing this in a theater. You may even want to skip it on DVD if you can find something better. With such a fantastic cast, I would understand if you ignore my advice. Just don't say I didn't warn you.

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In The Loop

Film: In the Loop (2009)
Dir: Armando Iannucci
Rating: ****1/2 out of 5 stars



You'd be hard-pressed to find a funnier film than In the Loop this year. This spot-on political comedy is full of hilarious characters, biting commentary, and endless quotables. It is a full-length spin-off of the acclaimed BBC television show "The Thick of It."

Loop follows the inner workings of British and American politicians as they scramble to promote and/or avert an impending war in the Middle East. It accurately - and hilariously - portrays the lengths to which these people will go to push their respective agendas. We see how both sides are not above manipulatation, lies, and spinning the facts.

The entire cast is wonderful, British and American alike. Tom Hollander plays Simon Foster, a British cabinet minister who becomes an unwitting political pawn when he uses a poor choice of words in regards to the war. Hollander is adorably funny, as a politician with good intentions but virtually no public speaking skills. He is hounded by the prime minister's cruel aide Malcolm Tucker - played to absolute perfection by Peter Capaldi. Reprising his role from the show, he absolutely steals the film with his vulgarity. Not a man you'd want to meet in real life. Ever. But god is he funny!

Among the better knowns: James Gandolfini as a pacifistic U.S. general; David Rasche as a war-hungry politician; and Steve Coogan as a pissed off British constituent. I also enjoyed Chris Addison, Anna Chlumsky, and Zach Woods as cut-throat government interns. I could go on and on, as I really love everyone in this movie.

In the Loop definitely has a dark side, as particularly evident in its anti-climactic ending. But the satire always hits the mark, and I promise you will hurt from laughter - if only because of Malcolm Tucker (who will go down as one of the greatest comedy characters ever, guaranteed).

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Fanboys

Film: Fanboys (2008)
Dir: Kyle Newman
Rating: *** out of 5 stars

Fanboys is like a time capsule for Star Wars geeks. It captures that feeling of naive joy that fans felt in the months preceding the release of The Phantom Menace. It recalls a time when George Lucas was still redeemable; when Darth Vader wasn't a whiney bitch; and when Jar Jar Binks did not exist. Then Episode I came along, and it was as if millions of voices cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. At least we can look back on the hype with fond memories - like a calm before the storm. This film, though not without its flaws, captures that nostalgia fairly well.

Set in the pre-Menace days, Fanboys follows a group of teenagers who scheme to raid George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch in hopes of stealing a print of the unreleased prequel, since their dying friend Linus won't live long enough to see it otherwise. Along the way, their misadventures involve the police, prostitutes, a lot of angry Trekkies, and Harry Knowles. It's basically a roadtrip movie of the geekiest kind.

The biggest draw for non-Wars fans is the cast, comprised of Kristen Bell, Dan Fogler, Sam Huntington, Jay Baruchel, and Chris Marquette. There are also a few Apatow-camp cameos. But let's be honest - this film is by, for, and about Star Wars fans. It is loaded with trilogy cameos and endless in-references. There may be a few moments of general humor, but the laughs are largely esoteric. So if you've never had a pretend lightsabre fight in your bedroom, this is not the movie for you.

As an all-purpose geek and fan of Lucas' original trilogy, I enjoyed Fanboys for the most part. Not all the jokes work, and some of the Wars references are amateur, but overall it's okay. My biggest complaint is the subplot involving Marquette's character Linus dying of cancer. It adds superfluous drama to an otherwise light-hearted comedy. And as a plot point, it is unnecessary. These guys don't need a reason to storm Skywalker Ranch other than the fact that it's a crazy break from their boring lives.

Now, I can appreciate the need to make them get off their butts and do it after years of promising they would. That is why the film has a subplot of two estranged friends - Eric and Linus - who decide to make amends. That motive was enough, the latter didn't also have to be dying. It's completely unecessary and distracting. It also cheapens the repaired-friendship bit because it seems like Eric only planned the adventure out of guilt, rather than a desire to get his friend back.

Anyway, for fans of Star Wars or general geekdom, Fanboys provides decent laughs and a pleasant sense of nostalgia for 1998. It is specifically aimed at us nerds, who secretly love being in a select group of people who get jokes about Tatooine and trash compactors. If you feel that geek pride, you are bound to enjoy this movie at least a little. On the other hand, if you don't even know what a Wookiee is, you should look elsewhere.

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