Mystery Men

Mystery Men has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 924 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Ben Stiller leads a cast with real comic timing. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

There is a reason Mystery Men keeps coming up in conversation. The jokes in Mystery Men land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. When Champion City's hero Captain Amazing is kidnapped by the recently paroled supervillain Casanova Frankenstein, a trio of average, everyday superheroes -- Mr. Furious, the Shoveler and the Blue Raja -- assemble a new super team to save him. Ben Stiller and Hank Azaria lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1999. Mystery Men earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Mystery Men respects your intelligence. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Ben Stiller anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.