4. The Mask (1994)
Though modern superhero movies typically feature at least some moments of levity, they generally would never be considered comedies. Back in the ’90s, though, one man pulled off that delicate blend of genres by delivering genuine laughs in a superhero movie. Any guesses who?
In the role he was seemingly born to play, Jim Carrey becomes the Mask, a mischievous hero with godlike powers. He’s a larger-than-life personality, and the cartoonish nature of the character made Carrey the only man for the job. In fact, Carrey is so rubber-faced that he reportedly achieved some of the Mask’s expressions without the use of any visual effects.
The Mask is rightfully considered a classic, and is by far one of the best comedies of the ’90s. The astounding comic energy of Carrey combined with the talents of Cameron Diaz make for a truly brilliant superhero comedy. Also, because we haven’t had a chance to work it naturally into this entry, we’ll just drop it at the end: The Mask is ssssmokin’.