6 fun, ridiculously entertaining movies to stream in silly season

When exactly is this so-called “silly season”? Well, in the age of fake news, you could argue that the two-month frivolous and slow news season has stretched into an all-year affair. In South Africa, it’s come to refer to the summer season build-up to Christmas and New Year’s Eve when things get jolly and… er, rather festive.

Before someone in your friendship or drum circle says “I can’t believe it’s already November”, take the opportunity – nay, seize the moment – to declare that “silly season is open”. Go on, shout it out –  naked on a hilltop at full moon or from where you’re sitting – your choice.

Using Silly-sense (the equivalent of Spidey-sense), this selection of ridonkulous movies has been specially assembled so that you can kick your feet up, chug a bowl of popcorn and laugh your way into the holidays. What better way to do that in style than by watching any or all of these fun, entertaining and incredibly silly movies now streaming on Showmax.

Black Friday

Bruce Campbell is a legendary cult star who will forever be remembered for his role as Ash Williams in the Evil Dead trilogy. He’s come a long way – from slaying undead skeletons on castle ramparts with his trusty boomstick and impersonating Elvis to making in-store announcements from behind a bushy mustache at We Love Toys in Black Friday, where he plays opposite Michael Jai White. This horror comedy plays like the Buy More from Chuck crossed over into the surreal supermarket of The Mist if a scourge of unruly shoppers mutated into violent monsters.

Known for mad rushes and sale rage, Black Friday’s story hits the spot just in time for the annual price-drop blow out, except this time it’s pure gore horror and gross-out comedy in the style of Tremors. Using practical horror effects, this fun b-movie’s a blast from the past and just in time for the silly season as a band of underpaid and unmotivated staff try to survive zombie puke splatter to make it to the holidays.

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Jim Carrey is basically the ambassador of Silly if it were an island, the mayor of Crazy Town and a pet “dick” in the titular comedy Ace Ventura. This comedy classic features Carrey at his nutty best with a coiffed ducktail hairstyle to make Tintin (and his dog Snowy) envious. Being eccentric is an understatement as the Hawaiian shirt-wearing private eye takes his sleuth skills to the next level when the Dolphins football team’s aquatic mascot, Snowflake, goes missing.

Responsible for catchphrases such as “Alrighty, then!” and irresponsible for driving with his head out of the window, Ventura uses his Dr Dolittle magic and animal instinct to track down the missing dolphin and with a little help from former quarterback, Dan Marino. The plot is pure crazy string, making this fun and frivolous comedy all about the silly. Having the equivalent of a black belt when it comes to funny, Jim Carrey’s iconic rubber-faced performance is an absolute knockout.

Jackass Forever

If you’re into crazy stunts, laughing at guys getting hit where it hurts or Blink-182, you will love Jackass. It wouldn’t be surprising if the name was literally derived from someone getting kicked in the family jewels by a mule. Led by Johnny Knoxville and supported by series regulars Steve-O, Wee Man and Chris Pontius, the Jackass crew are essentially rodeo clowns with boundary issues. From candid camera type comedy to death-defying madness, there’s a reason their creative stunts are always preceded by “do not try this at home” disclaimers.

Jackass Forever finds the daredevil team reuniting to get blasted out of a cannon, welcome scorpion stings, take a variety of blows to the groin and find new ways to push the limits of schadenfreude. Zippy, silly and in search of the thin line between funny and a little thing called death, each explosive stunt raises the stakes with cameos from regular Eric André, Machine Gun Kelly and that guy from Mythbusters. The insane stunts make absolutely no sense, the full frontal nudity is its own freak show but like a car crash in slow motion, these entertainers hustle to jam-pack their movie “for old time’s sake”.

Baywatch

The breakout 90s lifeguard series Baywatch was all about hard bods, bouncy slow-motion beach runs and “being ready”, according to the catchy theme tune. Starring David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson, who have cameos in the reboot, the beach may look the same but things have got much sillier. This action comedy film version blends some of the nuttiness that went into the Cops parody Reno 911!, thanks to Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant’s involvement.

Going full tilt into sculpted Adonis mode, the modern Baywatch commandeers the six packs of the charming Zac Efron and Dwayne Johnson taking on the mentor role of Mitch Buchannon. The show’s satirical title was Babewatch and keeping up appearances are the drop dead gorgeous Kelly Rohrbach and blue-eyed Alexandra Daddario. Testament to its pure silliness are rescues where a lifeguard launches himself from a motorbike off a pier and a dork having to pry his engorged giblets from an unyielding deckchair.

The Dictator

Sacha Baron Cohen is the man responsible for many outrageous characters including Ali G, Borat, Brüno and Admiral General Aladeen. Brave, even fearless, he’s made a name for himself with political satire and dark comedy that pokes fun at anyone and everyone he can find… in the United States. From trying to sell a game-changing ice-cream glove to Donald Trump to being escorted off the Oscars red carpet for a sketchy publicity stunt, he doesn’t shy away from the jugular.

Based on a number of real-life dictators, Cohen plays the childish, sexist and anti-American leader of the Republic of Wadiya. The Dictator follows Aladeen as his plans to travel to New York City to address the United Nations ahead of a military intervention fall flat when he’s kidnapped and swapped out with a doppelganger. Stirring up hot-button issues with an appetite for shock value, this obscene political slapstick comedy serves up a double dose of silly, recalling The Great Dictator and Team America.

Kaalgat Karel

The internet makes us do some bat-crazy things to get attention, from duck face to self-inflicted summer wedgies. For one happy-go-lucky internet sensation with a heart of gold, it’s streaking at public events with his good pal, cameraman and getaway driver, Flip. After Karel gorges his groin and literally finds himself on the fence… he’s forced to choose between his buttocks-intensive day job and his happily ever after when he meets paramedic turned soulmate, Rita.

Kaalgat Karel stars Francois Jacobs, Christia Visser and Schalk Bezuidenhout and tells a silly yet serendipitous love story. This colourful, light-hearted and spunky romcom asks the big questions like “will I ever find true love” and “does this banana hammock make me look fat?”. Straddling over-the-top Leon Schuster candid comedy and heartfelt Adam Sandler schtick, this candy-centred South African romantic comedy is all about finding the cheeky, exuberant and silly fun. As Karel would say “Hier gat ons!”.