Hidden Comedy Gems Of 2023 You'll Regret Missing

2023 has been a great year in film already, with plenty of box office records being broken and top-name franchises dominating theaters. The "Barbenheimer" campaign has been especially noteworthy, pitting Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" against Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" — with the latter crossing the $1 billion mark, and the unexpected pairing reigniting the passion for moviegoing. Returning franchises like "Creed," "Scream," and "John Wick" have proved popular, and "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" finally beat the video game adaptation curse to become the highest-grossing movie of the year so far. 

One of the unfortunate side effects of bigger franchises getting a lot of attention from outlets and audiences is that there are inevitably some great films that fall through the cracks. Comedies — out of all the genres — have perhaps been most overlooked in 2023. Although there aren't as many straight-up comedies these days — with many going down the "dramedy" route — 2023 has had more than a few great comedies that have been eclipsed by bigger releases. Read on to discover the great hidden gem comedies that have hit theaters and streaming in 2023 that you won't want to miss.

If you're after a horror satire with "Scary Movie" vibes, then look no further than "The Blackening." The film sees a group of college friends head to a remote cabin for a reunion. However, the festivities are upended by the arrival of a serial killer who looks to test their "Blackness" with a twisted game. "The Blackening" was loved by critics and those who went to see it for its pitch-perfect comedic satire. The film features plenty of jabs toward Black representation in horror and pop culture — or lack thereof — and brings together an ensemble cast that'll have you in stitches with their excellent chemistry. 

The cast and social commentary were some of the highlights in Deadline's review, with Valerie Complex even calling the film one of the best comedies of the year. Complex wrote, "The combined and balanced elements of comedy, horror, and insightful social commentary will have folks talking about the film long after it's over." Even though "The Blackening" was well-received, it was completely eclipsed by releases such as "The Flash" and "Elemental." Still, "The Blackening" is a horror-comedy worth seeking out, and it may well be one that gains the audience it deserves as more people discover it.

While "Dracula" adaptations have been done to death by this point, director Chris McKay unleashed a refreshingly bloody and hilarious take with "Renfield". The film follows the titular henchman — played by Nicholas Hoult — as he attempts to break away from doing the bidding of his cruel master, Count Dracula (Nicolas Cage). Through the central themes of toxic relationships and self-empowerment, the film presents a great mix of gory horror-action and hilarious comedic performances. Cage delivers one of the funniest and most entertaining Dracula performances of all time and the wild, unruly nature of the film will have viewers clutching their sides as the tension rises between Renfield and Dracula. 

Even though "Renfield" has a lot going for it, and should have been a total crowd-pleaser, it bombed at the box office. Many felt it didn't differentiate itself enough from other "Dracula" adaptations in its marketing. Plus it was caught in the shadows of "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," meaning that "Renfield" faced an uphill struggle to draw an audience. However, it did receive some praise from fans and reviewers including Collider's Maggie Boccella who called it "a perfect watch for any vampire fan looking to sink their teeth into something new."

"Joy Ride" — the directorial debut of Adele Lim — was set to be one of the best comedies of the summer, but audiences ended up sleeping on it. The film follows four young women as their trip into Asia continually takes wrong turns, forcing them to go on a raunchy adventure leading to self-discoveries and unexpected growth. If you're a fan of road trip movies or sex comedies, then "Joy Ride" will be right up your street, as the group encounters plenty of strange characters and sexually charged antics. 

Before it hit theaters, there was a lot of buzz around "Joy Ride." Critics loved it with Empire's Iana Murray saying, "Lim's film faithfully fits the template of "Bridesmaids" and the like, but it establishes its own identity by filtering insightful commentary through refreshingly crude humor." Unfortunately, "Joy Ride" got sandwiched between blockbusters "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" and "Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning – Part One," but it is a raunchy delight that no one should sleep on. 

A24's movies will always be hotly anticipated by cinephiles, and 2023 saw big releases including "Beau is Afraid" and "Talk to Me." However, one of their best films from 2023 got totally overlooked. "Showing Up" is the latest film from director Kelly Reichardt and it sees her reteam with Michelle Williams for a tale about artists and their yearning for personal accomplishment. Viewers will consistently laugh at the simple but chaotic nature of the competitive artist world and the eccentric personalities seen throughout — especially fellow artists Lizzy (Williams) and Jo (Hong Chau).  

Despite "Showing Up" being another critical darling in Reichardt's filmography and another great performance from Williams, it was released alongside a box office titan: "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." "Showing Up" was simply another casualty of that movie's legendary box office run, and the abstract indie flick couldn't compete with the colorful crowd-pleaser. However, with strong performances and a unique premise, this comedy is still one that is worth "Showing Up" for.

Most audiences probably weren't even aware that a biopic on the rise and fall of the BlackBerry hit theaters this year or that it was very, very good. "BlackBerry" tells the story of the technology company — credited by many as the creators of the first smartphone — that rose to unimaginable feats of success before crumbling at the hands of Silicon Valley. Led by two phenomenally funny performances from Jay Baruchel and Glenn Howerton, the film delivers a great mix of humor through its wild personality clashes and the stranger-than-fiction nature of its true story. Given that the film has also received immense praise, it's easy to see why it is one of the best films of the year. 

Unfortunately, the marketing for "BlackBerry" was minimal and it didn't get in front of enough eyes to make a huge impact. Like so many other hidden gems, it was also caught between two huge releases, in this case, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" and "Fast X." However, "BlackBerry" boasts all the talent, intriguing ties to a pivotal era in technology, and comedic chops to be a captivating watch for audiences. 

Although it had a prime summer release on a weekend without much competition, most audiences ended up skipping the Jennifer Lawrence-led comedy "No Hard Feelings." In the film, Lawrence plays Maddie, a woman down on her luck who tries to turn things around by accepting an offer from wealthy parents to sleep with their socially awkward son, Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman). With an incredibly talented performer like Lawrence in the lead, "No Hard Feelings" holds nothing back in delivering hilarious adult-centric humor and gut-busting sex comedy antics. Lawrence and Feldman bounce off each other perfectly throughout, and the film has a deeper side to it that viewers will really vibe with. 

In Collider's review, writer Nate Richard highlighted the comedic nature of the film while also touching on the strong coming-of-age themes that shine through, saying, "Director Gene Stupnitsky gives "No Hard Feelings" the vibe of a modern-day John Hughes movie with the right mix of laughs, honesty, and sweetness." Sadly, audiences didn't really take a chance on "No Hard Feelings" and while it had a decent opening, it soon got shut out. Still, "No Hard Feelings" is a raunchy comedy that's got a lot more laughs and heart than audiences would expect — making it the perfect hidden gem for audiences to find.