The ’90s and 2000s were the heyday of parody films, but the upcoming arrival of Disenchanted suggests that the 2020s might be making waves in the world of parody and satire as well, and with everything that’s going on this decade, there’s certainly a lot of material for fodder. Films like The Bubble and Don’t Look Up have begun the work, but the great works of the decade have likely not been made yet.
Those hoping for a parody revival may have to settle for older films that mastered the genre. In the 2000s, there were many parody films that were extremely well-regarded — classics like the Scary Movie franchise don’t even crack the top 10, based on Rotten Tomatoes ratings. While that might be surprising, it means there are great 2000s parodies that aren’t widely known. These unknown parodies (alongside their more famous contemporaries) are at the top of the charts according to the critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and they deserve popular attention to match their critical ratings.
Elvira’s Haunted Hills 69%
Stream On Tubi
Stranded in Romania, Elvira and her maidservant wind up spending the night at Castle Hellsubus, where strange things begin happening. Prominent among the castle’s mysteries is Elvira’s similarity to the Lord’s late wife. The film spends a lot of time parodying Roger Corman and Hammer Films horror flicks.
This is a rare case where the audience score is significantly lower than the critics’, with a 25-point difference. Audience reviews find that the jokes don’t land well, and the haunted house setting takes away from what made Elvira so great in earlier films, but the critics argue that the film is the epitome of camp, but never at the expense of its homages to classic horror.
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story 74%
Rent On Amazon
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story parodies the biopic genre, with a particular focus on those that showcase rock stars. Rather than mocking the music industry, though, the film mocks the documentaries, which works surprisingly well.
Critics applaud the film for its ability to capture every manipulative editing strategy from traditional biopics. In addition, the film has a genuinely good soundtrack, which helps make for an interesting film beyond its meta-commentary. As one reviewer says, “This is how the parody should be done.”
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies 77% & OSS 117: Lost in Rio 75%
Stream On Fubo
OSS 117 was France’s answer to James Bond, but the film adaptations were more focused on parodying the spy genre than faithfully adapting the books. The films follow Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, who attempts to manage international intrigue while collecting love interests along the way.
The first film won several awards when it was first released, which paved the way for its similarly successful sequel. While the films feature jokes that have not aged well, they are generally spoken by the main character, who is a caricature of the stereotypical European spy hero. In fact, many critics point to the intelligent deconstruction of colonialism as one of the series’ best parts.
Team America: World Police 77%
Stream On Showtime
This film uses puppets to critique action films and American militarism, in an early version of the kind of commentary present in Netflix’s Guardians Of Justice. A counterterrorism group enlists an actor to infiltrate terrorist groups, but their penchant for the destruction of public property and cultural landmarks draws criticism from Hollywood liberals and paves the way for Kim Jong-Il’s schemes.
The movie is extremely vicious with its sex and violence, but it does so in service of its larger arguments about American politics. Critics happily share that the film is likely to offend many, but its combination of serious critique with absurdity strikes the right balance for a quality parody.
Undercover Brother 78%
Stream On Hulu
Parodying both spy films and the blaxploitation films from the ’70s, Undercover Brother looks at how a group of agents tries to fight against “The Man,” a literal personification of the forces impeding black success in America. The newly-recruited Undercover Brother attempts to infiltrate The Man’s company, but has to face off against powerful forces to keep The Man from mind-controlling the world.
While the critics admit that this movie has some missteps, its approach to racial dynamics is consistently enjoyable. While not ideal for children, it generally walks the right line between scathing criticism and silliness, and can be compared to the Austin Powers franchise, with added social critique.
A Mighty Wind 87%
Stream On Fubo
A Mighty Wind is another musical mockumentary, following three folk bands that reunite for a memorial concert for their collective manager. The film follows all three groups as they discuss their dwindling careers, prepare for the concert, and then explain how it changed them moving forward.
It doesn’t quite hit the critique angle of the parody genre, but that can be forgiven because so many other elements were successful. The relationships between characters are just odd enough to be easily mocked, while also being sincere enough for some genuinely sentimental beats.
Shrek 88% & Shrek 2 89%
Rent On Apple TV
The Shrek franchise was considered to be a punishment for animators when it was first created, but it became a beloved film series once it was released. The first film follows ogre Shrek as he rescues Princess Fiona from a tower for a cruel ruler, so he would leave Shrek in peace. However, they inevitably fall in love, and the second film shows the consequences of them breaking the mold.
The series does a fantastic job pointing out tropes just to completely subvert them, and Shrek 2 is one of the rare sequels to surpass the original. Taken on its own, the film is a fun ride with clear messages to children about the power of love and how important it is to see beyond appearances. As a parody, however, it managed to call out Disney in a way that forced the media giant to be more nuanced moving forward.
Kung Fu Hustle 90%
Stream On Hulu
Kung Fu Hustle follows small-time criminals, Sing and Bone, as they try to find success in the Axe Gang. Sing had lost his money as a child to learn martial arts, but it only left him humiliated and poor. However, Sing soon discovers that he has become a kung fu master and, alongside many others with mystical kung fu skills, turns on the gang instead.
Reviewers appreciate how well the film blended real martial arts with cartoons and physical comedy. Blending different media can be incredibly difficult to do right, but Kung Fu Hustle was able to find the right side of the line, making each interaction both a love letter to its source material and a well-placed jab at the genre’s failings.
Hot Fuzz 91%
Stream On Starz
When Angel, a serious police officer used to the chaos of London, gets transferred to a small town, he resents everything and everyone around him. But then signs appear that a major criminal is at work in town, brutally killing any lead Angel can begin to question. He and his new partner have to use their “buddy cop” knowledge to find the killer and save the day.
Hot Fuzz does a great job crafting a self-aware mockery of the action genre that still manages to keep up the suspense. The plot and characters are engaging in their own right, and their knowledge of cinematic tropes and conventions only makes them better at what they do.
Enchanted 93%
Stream On Disney+
Giselle is on her way to her happily ever after when an evil witch transports her into the real world. There, she learns that things don’t always work out for the better. But between love-interest Robert’s realism and Giselle’s idealism, they just might have the means to stop the witch and help everyone find true love.
Enchanted tries to be a rom-com, a fairytale, and a satire all at once, and it actually manages to succeed on each front. The actors are incredibly dedicated to playing their characters just as silly as they would truly be, and that keeps it from feeling pointless. This is absolutely a feel-good movie, but it manages to do so in a way that keeps fans talking about it 15 years later.
