Bridesmaids (2011)

‘You smell like pine needles, and have a face like sunshine!’
Director: Paul Feig
Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne
Defining moment: Kristen Wiig’s impersonation of a penis is disconcertingly spot-on.
The most recent film on this list makes a pretty strong showing, but it's hardly surprising: ‘Bridesmaids’ isn’t just the comedy smash of 2011, it’s one of the funniest movies in recent memory. The idea of taking the tired-old ‘Hangover’ lad-com template and simply switching genders doesn’t sound like an automatic win, but the appeal here isn’t in the bad-taste trappings, it’s in the silly-but-smart script, the lively direction from ‘Freaks and Geeks’ legend Paul Feig and the note-perfect casting. It’s hard to remember a performance more effortlessly star-making than Kristen Wiig delivers, showcasing a woman equally at home with satire and slapstick. You go girl. Tom Huddleston