I suppose my perception of ‘intelligent movies’ is rather incompatible with the norm.
To me, ‘intelligent movies’ aren’t films with overtly complicated premises or outlandish plot twists or complex sci-fi tales.
From my perspective, the term represents the sub-section of movies that are actively engaging and are exquisitely put together; the genre is immaterial.
In fact, if anything, I would argue a well-made comedy is more ‘intelligent’ than many of the purportedly ‘mind-bending’ films listed here.
Further, I’m not particularly a fan of purposefully opaque films, Primer being a prominent example. It’s a film crafted for the express purpose of obfuscation. It’s engaging to a point, but then it loses me.
To put it bluntly, I’d rather watch a film that makes me think rather than a film that leaves me scratching my head. It’s a fine line – I consider Gone Baby Gone a more ‘intelligent’ film than Primer.
But I digress. I haven’t found a single comedy listed here; as ever, comedies are given the short shrift. Not on my watch.
The three films listed below are equal parts witty and engaging, and they’re certainly ‘intelligent.’
Honourable Mentions: The Nice Guys, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths, The Guard, Knives Out, Four Lions, Tropic Thunder, Burn After Reading, 21 Jump Street, Game Night
Hot Fuzz
A hilarious yet heartfelt pastiche of the ‘buddy-cop’ genre, Hot Fuzz is a deeply layered and richly rewarding comedy. The jokes come thick and fast, and the film has one of the greatest set-ups to pay-off ratio in comedic history.
It is meticulously put together, sharply edited and is bolstered by the uproarious chemistry shared by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.
In my opinion, Hot Fuzz is one of the best-made comedies of the past two decades and it remains the finest exhibition of Edgar Wright’s unique directorial stylings.
Lastly, it’s infinitely re-watchable.
In The Loop
Directed by Armando Iannucci, the creator of Veep and The Thick of It, the former being my favourite sitcom of the past decade, In The Loop is a bitingly funny political satire that stays faithful to Ianucci’s profanity-laden yet unbelievably witty style of comedy.
That scathing brand of writing and Iannucci’s signature wit sets In The Loop apart from other satirical fares. Not to mention that it has a cast to die for – Peter Capaldi and the late, great James Gandolfini in particular, are an absolute hoot.
If you enjoy black comedy, then In The Loop should be right up your alley.
What We Do in The Shadows
As of June 19, 2020, Taika Waititi is a directorial superstar. But the world first got a whiff of his genius in 2014, when he, along with Jemaine Clement, wrote and directed one of the finest mockumentaries ever made.
Honestly, it’s a bit ridiculous just how clever What We Do in The Shadows is; it’s the sort of film that makes you stand up and take notice of the people who made it.
The writing is as sharp as anything of late; the humour is organic and never feels forced; the performances are uniformly excellent; really, the film is a stone-cold masterpiece.
And, more pertinent to this question, it’s incredibly ‘intelligent.’
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