Worst2First: My Top Ten Saturday Night Live Films

Worst2First: 

My Top Ten Saturday Night Live Films

On October 11, 1975, the live-television sketch comedy "Saturday Night" debuted.  The name changed to "Saturday Night Live" and has become one of the most celebrated series of all time, winning fifty Primetime Emmy Awards.  The show has made stars out of several of their cast members, and also introduced us to iconic characters, some of whom got the big screen treatment.

Here are my personal top ten "Saturday Night Live" films, worst2first...

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**

#10

Stuart Saves His Family

Before he was a Senator from Minnesota, Al Franken was a comedian and a member of "Saturday Night Live."  His signature character was named Stuart Smalley, a self-help guru who hosts a television show.  In the film, he sets out to save his highly dysfunctional family, and to be honest I've only seen this movie once in college and I found some parts to be funny, but ultimately it wasn't that good, despite Franken's performance and being directed by comedy genius Harold Ramis.  Sometimes, a sketch comedy character should only be on screen for a few minutes, not over an hour.

#9

Blues Brothers 2000

The original "Blues Brothers" was comedic gold with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, taken from their musical sketch comedy.  With Belushi's untimely death, the film brought in John Goodman to take his place, and while Goodman is excellent in his own right, comparisons to Belushi was obvious, and no one could fill his shoes.  While the film was funny enough, it was lacking the heart of the original, but the music was great, featuring famed musicians like Erykah Badu, Blues Traveler, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Travis Tritt, Eric Clapton, Isaac Hayes, B.B. King and more. 

#8

Wayne's World 2

In a typical case of franchise fatigue, the second film featuring Mike Myers' Wayne and Dana Carvey's Garth failed to hit the high note the original did, and was met with negative reviews and simply shoddy writing.  While the characters were as popular as ever, their jokes were hit-and-miss (mostly miss), and not even a strong cast including Tia Carrere, Christopher Walken, Kim Basinger and Ed O'Neill could bring it out of the depths of normalcy. 

#7

The Ladies Man

Based off his "SNL" character of radio host and sex therapist Leon Phelps, Tim Meadows brings him to cinemas with "The Ladies Man," and while there were some glimmers of genius, it didn't have the chops to make it into a full-length movie.  Still, Meadows' natural charm and an impressive cast including Billy Dee Williams, Tiffany Thiessen, Will Ferrell, Julianne Moore and Eugene Levy helped with the humor, but there's a reason there was never a sequel.

#6

MacGruber

 Bringing his "SNL" sketch character MacGruber - an obvious parody of MacGuyver - to the big screen, Will Forte delivers some humorous sight gags and puns, while also being rather raunchy and wild.  The film has a rather cohesive story, where MacGruber comes out of retirement of being an Army Ranger, Green Beret and Navy SEAL to stop his arch-nemesis, Dieter (Val Kilmer), from releasing a nuclear warhead.  The comedy is fast and furious, and offers an exceptional cast including Kilmer, Kristen Wiig, and Ryan Phillippe.

#5

A Night at the Roxbury

Based off their "SNL" characters The Roxbury Guys, Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan bring their brother characters Doug and Steve Butabi to the big screen.  They're adult men who act like children, and try unsuccessfully to score with chicks - over and over and over again.  But when they're invited to the swanky Roxbury night club, they meet the women of their dreams.  Ferrell and Kattan let loose in the film and are very open to making fun of themselves, which is what makes it such an entertaining film, even if it's not the best written.

#4

Coneheads

Comedy greats Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin bring their sketch comedy to the big screen in "Coneheads," centering around alien couple Beldar and Prymaat, who come to Earth to take it over - but end up settling down in suburbia.  They have a child, and when their home planet calls for Earth's destruction, they have to choose which side to take.  Aykroyd and Curtin are at their best here, offering hilarious sight gags and puns, all delivered with their classic monotone manner that makes it all the more funny.  Plus the cast is a venerable who's who of comedy, including  David Spade, Chris Farley, Sinbad, Michael Richards, Phil Hartman, Adam Sandler, Jason Alexander, Drew Carey, Jan Hooks, Ellen DeGeneres and Tim Meadows.

#3

Superstar

 Molly Shannon stars as Mary Katherine Gallagher, a girl who wants two things: to be kissed, and to be a superstar.  Based off her hilarious sketch comedy, Shannon electrifies the screen as mild-mannered Mary, a girl who hides her fingers in her armpits and sniffs them when she's nervous, and serves as the every-woman who only wants to be kissed by the most popular boy at school, deliciously played by Will Ferrell.  It's a classic underdog tale told with sophistication, grace, and - alright, neither of those things - but a whole lot of laughs.

#2

Blues Brothers

Blending comedy, action, and great music, the first "Saturday Night Live" film is still one of the best.  Featuring comedic legends John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, "Blues Brothers" centers around two brothers who try to raise $5,000 to save an orphanage by bringing their old band together, while incurring enemies and hilarious hijinks along the way.  Featuring a stellar comedic cast including Carrie Fisher and John Candy, along with famed musicians Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Ray Charles and Chaka Kahn, the film has earned a cult classic following and is one of the best "Saturday Night Live" films to be made.

#1

Wayne's World

Party time!  Hailed as the most commercial and critical success story from the "Saturday Night Live" films, "Wayne's World" features Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as Wayne and Garth, two musicians who host a public access show in Wayne's parents' basement.  When they earn the attention of a famed producer, they learn the pitfalls and glories of success in their own special, unique, way.  Filled with laughs from start to finish, and earning several iconic catch-phrases, "Wayne's World" is a laugh-riot with two well-rounded main characters you enjoy seeing on screen, due to Myers and Carvey's natural chemistry.