Comedies are a great way to get away from the worries and stresses of life, even if it’s only for a couple of hours. During a year like 2021, this comic relief has been needed more than ever. Fortunately, throughout the year, there were many hilarious movies released that are sure to make you laugh. 

‘Bad Trip’

In “Bad Trip,” best friends Chris and Bud take a road trip across the country in a car they stole from Bud’s convict sister. When Bud’s sister finds out, she decides to escape from prison, track down Chris and Bud and make them pay. Although the movie’s stars are played by actors, much of the movie is made up of hidden camera pranks and shows the stars interacting with real people who don’t know they’re in a movie. This brings honest, unscripted and very funny reactions to the movie. In addition to being funny, it is a feel-good movie that shows the kindness of all the people that the main characters come across, which is why it’s one of the best comedies of the year. Available on Netflix.

‘Free Guy’

Guy is a non-player character in a violent video game called Free City. One day, he discovers that he’s not a real person and that the greedy creator of Free City, Antoine, is planning on deleting the game, which would wipe out Guy and his entire world. Ryan Reynolds does a great job as the hilarious and always-optimistic Guy, and the rest of the cast deliver funny and convincing characters as well. It’s packed with references and easter eggs and is worth repeated viewings. Available to rent on Amazon Prime.

‘The Mitchells vs. the Machines’

What happens when a dysfunctional family is the only hope left to save the world from the robot apocalypse? This question is answered when, midway through the Mitchell family road trip, evil robots from technology company, Pal, start capturing all the humans on earth. Eventually every human is captured… except for the Mitchells. This movie stands out because of its hilarious characters and its unique and vibrant animation style that will keep your eyes glued to the screen. Available on Netflix.

‘The Suicide Squad’

When a possibly world-ending threat is discovered on the small island of Corto Maltese, it’s up to a squad of government-controlled supervillains to take care of it. If they don’t follow orders or succeed with the mission, then they have to deal with the fatal consequences. This not-really-a-sequel to 2016’s “Suicide Squad” (The missing word “The” is the difference between the titles) is one of DC’s best movies to date. Although it is a dark concept, the movie is full of humor and definitely does not take itself too seriously, which is what makes it so compelling. Available to rent on Amazon Prime.

‘Coming 2 America’

King Akeem once again leaves his wealthy country of Zamunda to travel to America in this long awaited sequel to “Coming to America,” which was released in 1988. This time, however, he’s in America in search of his son, rather than a bride. He needs to find his son so that Zamunda has an heir to the throne. This movie is a great callback to the original, with stars Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall reprising many of the same characters they played in the first movie. Coming 2 America strikes the perfect balance between continuing the first movie and introducing new elements that make the second one unique and just as funny. Available on Amazon Prime.

‘Red Notice’

When FBI criminal profiler John Hartley is framed for stealing a priceless artifact, he has to team up with the talkative art thief Nolan Booth to expose the real culprit and clear his name. This movie is packed with actors you’ll recognize, like Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot, who each could easily carry a movie themselves. “Red Notice” also has many special effects and an unpredictable and exciting plot that make the two-hour runtime fly by and get you excited for the potential sequel. Available on Netflix.