As soon as I realized you could be funny as a job, that was the job I wanted.
A man you probably know best for being one of the most popular stoners in pop culture, Seth Rogen has been behind and in front of the camera for many different features over the years. Not surprisingly, a lot of those movies are chock-full of humor that is perfect for stoners and goofy comedy fans alike. Looking past the cultural scope of Seth Rogen as a stoner icon and who he is today, he started out with stand-up comedy as a teenager in his hometown of Vancouver B.C. This helped him with his confidence as a comedy writer, as he teamed up with his long-time friend and co-writer Evan Goldberg for the majority of his writing projects. Stemming from his booming success in movies as well as pop culture, Rogen has gone on to support and host charity events for Alzheimer’s (along with donating and taking part in 21 others) and started his own commercialized marijuana and paraphernalia business in Canada, also co-created with Goldberg.
Besides being an overall good and goofy guy, Seth Rogan has been behind and in front of some of the most hilarious and absolutely ridiculous comedies of the past few decades that are definitely worth mentioning. Without getting too serious, the extent of his acting career has actually been pretty diverse, especially over the past few years. Seeing Seth discover himself in new lights has been entertaining for sure, but his biggest fans know that his best lane is the comedy lane where he shines so brightly. So, getting to the goofy and the sometimes surprisingly deep, we will rank his ten best films of all time.
10. Knocked Up (2007)
129m
Genre
Comedy, Romance, Drama
Stars
Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd
Directed by
Judd Apatow
In classic Judd Apatow fashion, Knocked Up mixes comedy with attempts to take itself a bit too seriously but sure gives a fun ride along the way. Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) is a Canadian illegal immigrant man-child living with his best friends who are all trying to start an innovative porn site. Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) is a type A Hollywood reporter who is on the rise in her career but still likes to have fun. When the two of them meet at a club and have an alcohol-fueled one-night stand, they rediscover each other a few weeks later only to realize that she is pregnant, and they set about preparing to raise a baby. As mentioned before, the serious scenes cause a sort of tonal inconsistency that often tries to be funny but ultimately falls flat. However, some of the scenes have some real humanity to them that definitely merits a viewing of this movie.
Read more: Best Romantic Comedies
9. Neighbors (2014)
97m
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne, Dave Franco
Directed by
Nicholas Stoller
When it comes to over-the-top comedies, Neighbors may or may not come to mind depending on how strongly you enjoyed or hated it. When a married couple with a baby get some new neighbors (a wild and rowdy fraternity), they do everything they can to either stave off or destroy their new, destructive neighbors. Also starring Rose Byrne as his wife and Zac Efron as the fraternity leader, the comedy performances are quite strong, only weighed down by the scenes with gross-out and lowbrow comedy goals.
Read more: Best Amazon Movies
9. The Interview (2014)
113m
Genre
Action, Comedy
Stars
James Franco, Seth Rogen, Lizzy Caplan
Directed by
Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Riddled with controversy and global tension at the time of its release, The Interview is one of those movies that should have been released at least a few years later when the political climate settled down a bit. Two American pop culture journalists (Seth Rogen and James Franco) travel to North Korea, where they have been openly invited to interview Kim Jong Un but have been recruited by the CIA to assassinate him. Though it is highlighted by some pretty funny scenes (considering the context of the global situation at the time), this film was one that Rogen once said in an interview he wished, “…maybe people scrutinized that a little more,” before its untimely release.
Read more: Best Comedy Movies
7. Paul (2011)
104m
Genre
Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction
Stars
Seth Rogen, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
Directed by
Greg Mottola
One that you won’t find on most “Best Seth Rogen Movies” lists, Paul is an all-out nerdfest of endless sci-fi movie references and cameos. Two British super nerds go on a road trip tour of the most famous American UFO hotspots to experience a possible “close encounter,” which is exactly what they get, and closer than they had ever imagined. Rogen plays Paul, the stranded alien who has been subject to tests and various questionings that supposedly shaped popular culture based on his image and technology. Despite the fact that this is simply a voiceover for Rogen and how much criticism the announcement received, the foul-mouthed, party boy alien went perfectly with his voice and worked fantastically as a well-written and produced sci-fi comedy from Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.
6. Take This Waltz (2011)
116m
Genre
Drama, Comedy
Stars
Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby
Directed by
Sarah Polley
In an almost completely out of character performance, Take This Waltz is a film about romance and the human condition that starts out how you might expect, then takes a turn toward harsh reality. Margot (Michelle Williams) is happily married to a goofball named Lou (Seth Rogen) but starts to envision a new life when she falls in love with their passionate and artistic neighbor. Corny as it sounds, this movie goes into some very real territory about relationships and their stagnant periods, detailing what it means to feel an urge to escape, but ultimately warns against it. Rogen’s character is, at first, just the silly guy you might expect him to play, but he turns on a new side of his acting ability toward the end of the movie that is definitely worth the wait.
5. The Night Before (2015)
101m
Genre
Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy
Stars
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie
Directed by
Jonathan Levine
A worthy addition to the list of raunchy, ridiculous Christmas comedies, The Night Before has some themes that help it to stand out in the crowd. Three lifelong friends have a long-running Christmas tradition of debauchery and bingeing; unfortunately, they have to grow up when Isaac (Seth Rogen) has a baby on the way. Since it’s their last year of the tradition, they go in search of the most epic Christmas party in NYC. Full of the usual jokes you might expect out of such a film, this movie is unique in the way it celebrates friendship and family in the Christmas spirit by saturating it with drugs, alcohol, and non-stop stimulation.
4. Pineapple Express (2008)
111m
Genre
Action, Comedy, Crime
Stars
Seth Rogen, James Franco, Gary Cole
Directed by
David Gordon Green
In his second big writing and starring hit after Superbad, Pineapple Express established a new era of stoner comedy mixed with outright violence and absolute hilarity. A process server named Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) witnesses his next “client” brutally murder somebody in his home. When it turns out that “client” (Gary Cole) is actually the top dog of the local underground marijuana industry, Dale and his regular dealer (James Franco) have to get lost or get angry. Full of quotable one-liners and unforgettable comedy moments, this legendary stoner flick might be the closest thing to Up in Smoke for the younger generations.
3. This Is the End (2013)
107m
Genre
Action, Comedy
Stars
James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen
Directed by
Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Taking the raunchy, over-the-top comedy to the next level in a great way, This Is the End turns an apocalyptic movie into a satirical work of comedy brilliance that blends some impressive visual effects as well. Some Hollywood stars are all trapped inside James Franco’s house when the biblical apocalypse strikes, forcing them to survive against the monsters outside and the monsters within themselves. Though this portrayal of themselves is quite an exaggeration for some, this movie does well to address real problems the characters are/were personally facing with fame, long-term friendships, and trying to be somebody they simply aren’t. The absolute highlight of this movie is in the first 25 or so minutes when we get to see hilarious cameos from Michael Cera, Kevin Hart, Aziz Ansari, Jason Segel, and many more.
2. Superbad (2007)
113m
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Directed by
Greg Mottola
A crude and endlessly classic comedy, Superbad is probably the most popular work of comedy produced by writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg in their prime. Two sexually obsessed high school students Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) and their strange friend Fogel (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) are not the coolest in school, but when they get a chance to supply a party with alcohol, every inconvenience imaginable will stand in their way. Written at a very young age (and refined at a later date) about their own personal high school experience, this is a fine story describing how and where Rogen and Goldberg undoubtedly developed their sense of humor as the not-so-cool kids. What’s even funnier is that Rogen plays one of two not-so-great cops that end up trying to bust the party. This is one of the best comedies on Netflix if you happen to have a subscription.
Read more: Best Netflix Movies
1. Long Shot (2019)
125m
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Stars
Charlize Theron, Seth Rogen, O'Shea Jackson Jr.
Directed by
Jonathan Levine
Maintaining a similar comedic tone but largely improved and thematically mixed, Long Shot takes two of the most unlikely actors and creates surprisingly pungent chemistry. Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen) is a journalist who ends up at a party where his former babysitter — now Secretary of State — Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron) happens to be. Driven to run for president, she hires him as her speechwriter, and unexpectedly, sparks fly. The usual comedy we see from the films these guys brought us — Neighbors and Knocked Up — is considerably refined and tonally sound, with an added bonus of seeing Charlize Theron let loose a bit alongside familiar-faced funnyman Seth Rogen. This movie is a pleasant surprise to view and is absolutely recommended for anyone who enjoys well-written romcoms with a political twist.
Editors' Recommendations
- The Late Norm Macdonald Left Behind a Surprise Stand-Up Show
- See Why Amazon Prime’s Outer Range is So Mysterious
- The 18 Best Amazon Prime Series To Binge This Week
- The Batman and Its Expanded Universe Landing on HBO Max Soon
- The 20 Best Netflix Movies To Stream Right Now
