Photo Credit (Pixabay)

It’s evident that the new decade has already been peculiar as we approach the halfway mark of 2020. Comedy as a genre feels more significant than ever, and many people have been using movies as a welcome form of escape. Comedies offer solace during uncertain times, but some go beyond this by embracing dark humor, breaking clichés, and incorporating unexpected and genre-bending aspects to have an impact that lasts.

It’s important to note that this is not a list of mediocre comedies and dramedies. Recent dystopian hits like “The Lobster” and “Sorry to Bother You,” humorous cult favorites like “But I’m a Cheerleader” and “Drop Dead Gorgeous,” and even a best picture nominee (The Coen brothers’ “A Single Man”) are all included. In addition to more relaxed Netflix original films like “Private Life” and “I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore,” there are horror-comedies like “Mom and Dad,” which stars a particularly bizarre Nicolas Cage.

Despite their apparent differences, these are not an exception to the rule that a good chuckle is worth its weight in gold these days. And since we’re all rapidly getting used to the bizarre in these kinds of situations, these comedy might not seem all that odd after all.

The Lobster (2015)

The idea behind “The Lobster” is rather straightforward: Every single person in society must check into a hotel in the hopes of meeting a compatible mate, or else they will be transformed into the animal of their choice at the end of their stay. Easy, isn’t it? Yorgos Lanthimos, the director of “The Favourite,” is renowned for his dark and ridiculous comedic style, and this movie may be the clearest illustration of how his approach appeals to everyone who is prepared to fall down his rabbit hole.

(2009) A Serious Man
One of Joel and Ethan Coen’s many outstanding films is the complex and somewhat underappreciated “A Serious Man.” It centers on Michael Stuhlbarg, a Jewish college professor and family man whose seemingly ordinary life has now put him in danger. It was nominated for an Oscar for best film. This one lingers long after the credits have rolled, full of wry allegory (and Stuhlbarg’s best performance to date).

I’m Sorry to Bother You (2018)
“Sorry to Bother You” is a fast-paced film that is great in and of itself, but it is much more stunning as a directorial debut. Lakeith Stanfield plays a young telemarketer who is under pressure to speak in a “white voice” on the phone in order to succeed at his work in Boots Riley’s Oakland-set examination of society’s catastrophic breakdown. His surroundings devolve into a sort of dystopian hellscape as he climbs the corporate ladder. It’s possible that this highly imaginative and surprising event will change your perspective on horses forever.

Parents (2017)

“Mom and Dad” may probably the most bizarre choice on this list due to its fast 80-minute runtime. Selma Blair and Nicolas Cage play a mild-mannered couple who, like the other overburdened parents in the community, suddenly become violent against their children. This horror-comedy, which combines the genres flawlessly and contains a particularly insane performance by Cage, is completely absurd but yet incredibly entertaining. And that ought to be a strong enough selling point on its own.

Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)
Often considered a cult classic, it features an unexpectedly talented cast (one of Amy Adams’s earliest roles? Anyone?)”Drop Dead Gorgeous” from 1999 is unique. It’s a satirical mockumentary about a teenage beauty pageant in a tiny town where the competitors compete fiercely for the title—and not just in a symbolic sense. The cast, complete with a Minnesota accent, is led by a teenage Kirsten Dunst through this creative nightmare that features elaborate costumes, staged dance routines, and undercooked seafood. Yum.

Blindspotting (2018)

In Carlos López Estrada’s directorial debut, Daveed Diggs plays a parolee in Oakland who watches an unfair police shooting while waiting at a red light. It’s a really important movie right now. “Blindspotting” is all fun and games until the anguish of racial inequity in America comes to the surface, thanks to a script written by co-stars Diggs and Rafael Casal that is full of heart, hard truths, and sharp humor.