Comedies nowadays can feel too situational or formulaic, but there are still ludicrous and strange comedies that take an unorthodox approach to humor. If you love absurd films like Airplane!, Monty Python, or Austin Powers, check out these 25 flamboyant and preposterous movies from the 21st century.
1 – Swiss Army Man (2016)
This dark comedy is about a man stranded on a deserted island who is so lonely and hopeless that he plans to take his own life until he spots a dead body. He “befriends” the body and drags it along for his adventures. It’s like Castaway if the volleyball was a corpse.
2 – Warm Bodies (2013)
Warm Bodies is a funny take on the concept of zombie apocalypses from the perspective of a young guy who’s been zombified. He miraculously falls in love with a still-living girl and protects her from the other zombies, eventually becoming human again.
3 – A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)
This spoof of a classic Western movie is ridiculous but still endearing. It offers odd jokes, big stars, and wildly campy costumes. If you’re looking for absurd movies, this weird Western comedy fits the bill brilliantly, with weird situations, crude humor, and a ridiculous setting.
4 – Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)
While Weird the Al Yankovic Story is a biopic, it’s also a hilarious comedy with plenty of satire and awkwardness. Weird Al himself is an unusual character, so it tracks that this movie is wonky and off-beat, with dry humor and excellent performances from big stars.
5 – Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later (2017)
I never got super into the Wet Hot American Summer TV show, but the movie had me rolling on the floor the whole time. If the list of famous comedians isn’t enough to draw you in, then watch it for the insane take on American summer camps, which, frankly, isn’t too far off from reality. The characters, plot, and jokes are all whacky and raunchy.
6 – Hot Rod (2007)
Hot Rod is a painfully underrated film that perfectly fits into this absurd comedy genre. Andy Samberg is, as always, a comic genius that seems to make simple jokes wildly hilarious. He plays an immature and competitive manchild who wants to save his stepfather from a terminal illness just so they can fight.
7 – The Lego Movie (2014)
While many absurd comedies on this list are rated R, The Lego Movie is rated PG, so it’s family-friendly! With actors like Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, and Will Ferrel, this movie is inherently hysterical and farcical, appealing to kids and adults.
8 – Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Taika Watiti delivered one of the most ludicrous and amusing movies in 2019 with Jojo Rabbit, a film about a young German boy who has Hitler as an imaginary friend. The conversations between the two are insane, and there are some pretty wild scenes that qualify this film for the absurd comedy genre.
9 – Free Guy (2021)
Free Guy is absurd in the sense that it becomes cerebrally weird as one of the main characters falls in love with an NPC. The movie is more nuanced than that, but many scenes toward the beginning are goofy and off-beat, creating an odd type of humor that is accessible but unique.
10 – Triangle of Sadness (2022)
Triangle of Sadness is a wickedly funny comedy with many dark and disgusting moments that will have you cringing while cackling. With bold themes concerning classism, social media, beauty, and power, it manages to be insightful while still being preposterous and icky.
11 – The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
I’m a softie for anything Wes Anderson movie, and The Life Aquatic is one of my go-tos when I need a chuckle. As always, Bill Murray is iconically witty, playing a selfish and dry oceanographer surrounded by zany characters. Serious, dramatic situations are approached with expressionless jokes and sardonic humor, and the movie only gets more absurd as the plot plays out.
12 – Don’t Look Up (2021)
Some people forget that Don’t Look Up is mostly comedic and satirical, as the ending is brutal and devoid of hope for humanity. If you love absurdist political humor, it doesn’t get better than this, and the film is supremely entertaining with amazing performances from the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, and Meryl Streep.
13 – The Hot Chick (2002)
A ludicrous body-switch story, The Hot Chick is about a vapid, popular teenage girl who ends up in the body of a sleazy man with a checkered past. Rob Schneider is brilliant in it, and the movie sways from raunchy, risible jokes to heartfelt moments.
14 – Death at a Funeral (2010)
People adored Death at a Funeral when it came out, but it seems like many have forgotten about this rib-tickling comedy. It is a situational comedy but wanders into absurdist territory thanks to the animated performances and exceptionally improbable plot points.
15 – Booksmart (2019)
Booksmart was Olvia Wilde’s directing debut and showed her chops as a director. It’s a witty and eccentric comedy about two boring and uptight high school girls who decide to have some fun before they go to college. With funky scenes where they transform into Barbie dolls and characters who seem to manifest everywhere the leading ladies go, it’s a campy and endearing comedy.
16 – Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)
In my opinion, Andy Samberg is the king of cockamamie comedy and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is a brilliant example. It’s a satirical movie about boy bands of superstars like Justin Bieber, with Samberg playing an egotistical and diluted pop star who falls apart in front of a documentary crew he hired to follow his successful career.
17 – Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010)
Michael Cera is the pathetic and weak leading man in this movie who falls in love with a complex and mysterious girl. Well, it turns out this girl has some evil exes with superpowers who want to fight the lead character for her love. It’s a wonderful example of a comic book turned into a movie, with vibrant editing and effects that make it one-of-a-kind.
18 – 21 Jumpstreet (2012)
With trippy drugs, criminal teachers, and grown men infiltrating a high school, 21 Jumpstreet is as ridiculous as it gets! Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are the perfect comedy duo, playing down-on-their-luck cops who need to break up a high school drug ring but get caught up in the cliques and classic high school antics.
19 – Cocaine Bear (2023)
A massive black bear in Georgia gets its paws on a brick of cocaine and decides to take a sniff. As you can imagine, a 500-pound bear high on cocaine is dangerous, and this whacky comedy follows the cops, criminals, kids, and tourists who attempt to handle this outrageous situation. Cocaine Bear has one of the most bizarre plots littered with side-splitting jokes.
20 – Movie 43 (2013)
Movie 43 is hard to explain, so you should just watch it! It was made by 12 different directors, featuring a myriad of spoofs and stories that will blow your mind and keep you laughing. The stories are raunchy but fascinating and keep you on your toes the whole time.
21 – The Little Hours (2017)
The Little Hours is one of my all-time favorite comedies, with sensational actresses like Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Kate Micucci, Molly Shannon, and more. James Franco and John C. Reilly also contribute to this absurd and unbelievably funny movie about naught nuns at a convent.
22 – The Wrong Missy (2020)
In The Wrong Missy, a man accidentally invites a weird woman he had an unsuccessful date with on a business trip to paradise. Lauren Lapkus plays this absolutely unhinged and loud woman who seems to have no shame. The comedy is outlandish, but the story and ending are sweet.
24 – Palm Springs (2020)
Another superb Andy Samberg comedy, Palm Springs is a weird movie about wedding guests who get stuck in a time loop with seemingly no hope of returning to reality. The movie is hysterical, heartfelt, and existential, hitting all the right notes for an absurd but quality comedy.
25 – They Came Together (2014)
Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler star in this rom-com spoof that pokes fun at standard rom-coms from the 2000s. There are humorous outfit montages, off-beat meet-cutes, and plenty of sarcasm. If you want an absurd movie that won’t make your stomach turn with violence or vulgarity, this movie is perfect!
Source: Reddit
