Black Humour
"Black comedy...also known as 'black humour' or 'dark comedy', is a sub-genre of comedy and satire where topics and events that are usually treated seriously – death, mass murder, sickness, madness, terror, drug abuse, rape, war etc - are treated in a humorous or satirical manner." - Wikipedia
Good Stuff! Alice's dark comedy delights await below.
Life is Sweet (1990)
7.5/10
Director: Mike Leigh
Starring: Alison Steadman, Jim Broadbent, Claire Skinner
Another slice of working-class life focusing on an endearing couple and their iconoclastic twin daughters - one of whom is waist-deep in self-loathing... Read more
The Ruling Class (1972)
7.6/10
Director: Peter Medak
Starring: Peter O'Toole, Alastair Sim, Arthur Lowe
Outrageously funny satire features an Oscar-nominated performance by Peter O'Toole as a British earl who thinks he's Jesus Christ. Wicked barbs are th... Read more
Shine (1996)
7.7/10
Director: Scott Hicks
Starring: Armin Mueller-Stahl, Noah Taylor, Geoffrey Rush, Lynn Redgrave, John Gielgud
Geoffrey Rush's upset win for the Best Actor Oscar was the jewel in the crown for this wonderful, moving little film portraying the torrid true story... Read more
Head of the Family (1996)
5.3/10
Director: Robert Talbot
Starring: Blake Bailey
Upset the head... and you're dead! The "head" of the Stackpoole family is literally that - a giant head on a tiny body, who physically controls the re... Read more
Bring It On (2000)
6/10
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Gabrielle Union, Jesse Bradford
Pert pom-pom waving comedy/drama stars Kirsten Dunst as the newly named captain of San Diego high school's cheerleader squad who tries to whip her fiv... Read more
Shrink (2009)
6.7/10
Director: Jonas Pate
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Saffron Burrows, Mark Webber, Jack Huston, Keke Palmer, Dallas Rob...
Literary success, a steady workload, and a marijuana habit do little to quell the demons raging inside celebrity psychiatrist Dr. Henry Carter (Kevin... Read more
Bombon (2004)
7.1/10
Director: Carlos Sorin
Starring: Juan Villegas, Walter Donado, Gregorio the Dog
52-year-old Patagonian Juan 'Coco' Villegas has been a petrol attendant for 20 years when he suddenly finds himself unemployed. He does odd jobs and... Read more
Belief (2005)
4.8/10
Director: Phil Davison
Starring: Sara Georgie, Marguerite Juanico-Nielson, Anita Cumming, Amadeus Rainbow
From the director/writer of 'Kung Fu Vampire Killers' comes this black comedy horror that finds three friends on holiday in Central Otago who pick up... Read more
Little Children (2006)
7.5/10
Director: Todd Field
Starring: Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Connelly, Noah Emmerich, Gregg Edelman, J...
Based on Tom Perrota's novel, and adapted for the screen by himself and director Todd Field, this darkly wry drama of suburban malaise, judgement and... Read more
Ex Drummer (2007)
7/10
Director: Koen Mortier
Starring: Dries Van Hegen, Norman Baert, Gunter Lamoot, Sam Louwyck
Blood-spattered, darkly comic, punk rock shocker from Belgium. When well-known writer Dries is approached by a punk band to be their drummer, there is... Read more