The definition of satire is typically considered to be built around the use of humor, irony, and exaggeration in the ridicule and criticism of viewpoints and issues. In film, this presents itself in films that are intentionally over-the-top, exploiting filmmaking tropes to an intentionally high level and over-writing scripts to make sure an audience is aware that the filmmaker is making fun of the subject matter.
We’ve taken a look at ten of the most well-known, well-loved and best satirical films ever made, and ranked them according to their IMDb score.
Pink Flamingos (6.1)
John Waters’ 1972 comedy Pink Flamingos is about as extreme as satire can get. He brought Divine, a countercultural drag queen, in to play the lead role of ‘the filthiest person alive’.
Her criminal status is under threat by the Marbles, who attempt to outdo her and steal her title. This leads the film towards a satire of the use of just about every taboo in the world, from nudity to rape, to cannibalism, to coprophagia. It’s a tough watch, but it’s done very well.
The Cabin In The Woods (7.0)
The reason The Cabin In The Woods has often divided audiences and critics alike because it handles satire so well. It presents itself as the most oblivious, tone-deaf horror film in the world, full of the biggest stereotypes and tropes it can possibly manage, before turning everything on its head and revealing the lack of logic in horror cinema through a masterful twist.
While a powerful piece of satire, it doubles up as a truly scary film at times.
Team America: World Police (7.2)
You wouldn’t think that the team behind South Park would be able to come up with a film that marries the stupidity of their landmark TV show and the cleverness of parody and satire, but Team America: World Police does exactly that.
It pokes fun at just about everything political and controversial in the real world while managing their own hilarious take on puppet-led films and the tropes of Hollywood action.
American Psycho (7.6)
American Psycho is an impressive look into the world of cinematic satire as it doubles as a fantastic psychological thriller, even when you don’t notice the satire.
Everything from the drawn-out shots of food to Bateman’s obsessive (and frequently flawed) knowledge of popular music is done perfectly, and the final twist leaves you wondering if there was any point to what you just saw.
Being John Malkovich (7.7)
One of the strangest films ever made is the 1999 comedy Being John Malkovich. The film is, quite literally, set inside the head of the real-life film star John Malkovich and is full of unique humor and plot twists.
It satirizes the idea of celebrity worship while adding in a layer of identity crisis into the mix.
This Is Spinal Tap (7.9)
One of the finest comedies of all time is the mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. Rob Reiner managed to bring British humor to the forefront of American cinema, providing the comedy band Spinal Tap with their own fake documentary that pokes fun at everything from the stereotypes of being in a rock band, to the documentary genre.
Mockumentary is commonplace nowadays, but at the time, this film was a bit of a revolutionary take on the approach.
Brazil (7.9)
Fresh from his work in the pinnacle of the satire world, Monty Python, Terry Gilliam ran head-first into a directorial career full of mind-bending, surrealist, and fantastic films. Brazil is often considered to be his masterpiece.
In it, he creates a dystopia in which totalitarian government rules with an iron fist and pointless technology, surrealist architecture, and moments of true madness are at the forefront. Many have argued that his satire of the state steals from Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, but in many ways, Gilliam does it even better.
Mulholland Drive (8.0)
David Lynch certainly isn’t known for doing anything in the way you might expect. Whether it’s his masterful TV show, Twin Peaks, or his experimental body horror Eraserhead, he has a unique perspective.
Mulholland Drive is his satire of Hollywood and the film industry, combining melodrama and over-the-top plot points with surrealism and ambiguity to create a film that Lynch refuses to explain.
Inglorious Basterds (8.3)
Quentin Tarantino is the king of satire, bringing his trademark approach to every film he makes. The difference between him and many of the other directors on this list is that quite a lot of the time, he does it with love.
Inglorious Basterds is, at the forefront, a satire of the Nazis and those hunting them down (overdramatic violence and acting on both sides shows this) but it also satires many of Tarantino’s filmmaking heroes. He makes sure to include nods to war films of the past which he loves, but acknowledges are full of issues.
Fight Club (8.8)
When David Fincher’s masterpiece, Fight Club, was first released, audiences missed the satire and didn’t really care for it. In recent years it has righty been remembered as one of the best films ever made, both for its fantastic acting, plot twists and, of course, subtle satire.
It offers a dim view of toxic masculinity while taking down consumer capitalism from the inside out. It’s a perfect film.