5 surrealist comedies you simply cannot miss, ranked

If you want to get your perception twisted and get your funny bones tickled in the most unexpected ways, then this list of movies is just right for you. Surrealist comedy is a type of genre that often defies logic. This genre embraces the absurd. As a result, it is able to give the viewers a refreshing escape from the mundane. In this kind of movie, dreams turn into reality, and the ordinary becomes the extraordinary.

Laughter comes from the delightful chaos that these movies give us. Unlike conventional comedies, where humor is derived from situations that are relatable, surrealist comedies are completely different. The illogical narratives make these movies so watchable. These movies employ visual comedy and a heavy dose of the bizarre to bring forth hilarious situations.

The beauty of surrealism comedies lies in their open-mindedness. No easy answers are offered, and none of the resolutions are neat. It makes you invite the ambiguity with open arms. These movies stay with you for a long time. So, let’s dive right into the wonderful world of the weird. These five movies are surrealist comedy gems.

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5 surrealist comedies you simply cannot miss, ranked

5) Airplane! (1980)

Airplane! truly operates on a different level of surreal comedy. There is visual humor along with puns that are delivered with a straight face, that make it even more humorous. The pilots of a plane get incapacitated because of food poisoning. As a result, former fighter pilot Ted is forced to take control of the flight and land it safely.

Even though Ted has a fear of flying, he is tasked to land the plane. The comedic moments in this movie are truly one of a kind. The movie is a masterclass of comedic timing and absurdity. The movie is on a relentless pursuit to make the viewers laugh throughout. This makes the movie rewatchable and one of the most influential comedies of recent times.

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4) Being John Malkovich (1999)

This is truly a mind-bending surrealist comedy movie. It is both bizarre and entertaining at the same time. What if you could literally step into the mind of someone else and see the world through their eyes? This movie gives the same experience. Craig is a puppeteer who gets a job at a new company. One day, he discovers a small door.

Curiosity got the best of him, and he opened the door and got inside. Inside the door, he was able to step directly into the mind of John Malkovich. He understood that the door was a portal and anyone who entered through it would be able to see what Malcovich sees and feel what he feels. The possibilities of such an extraordinary situation explore themes of identity, desire, and the nature of consciousness.

It often takes an unsettling aspect. Craig and his colleague try to exploit the portal for their own amusement. Initially, everything was going smoothly when all of a sudden strange love triangle happened. The humor of the movie comes from the sheer absurdity of the whole premise. The actions of the characters increasingly become more and more questionable and desperate.

The unsettling experience of having multiple people take control of someone’s consciousness has been delved into in this movie. The originality of the movie is truly remarkable. The surrealistic nature of the movie is done in a brilliant manner. It will leave you pondering. The unique vision and fearless exploration of such unconventional ideas are thought-provoking.

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3) The Lobster (2016)

A dystopian vision about the future, The Lobster provides a deeply unsettling vision where single people have only 45 days to find a romantic partner. If they are unable to find a romantic partner within the 45-day timeframe, then they are transformed into animals of their choice. What a unique premise, right? Well, The Lobster will keep surprising you throughout the whole 118 minutes of its running time.

David checks into a hotel with awkward courtship rituals that the residents have to participate in order to find a partner. The residents desperately try to form couples based on various superficial traits. The deadpan delivery of the rules and norms of this movie makes it truly a surreal comedy. The reasons for the pairings are illogical and add to the overall humor of the movie. The emotional stakes are high. The characters try their best to get what they want. It often lacks any genuine form of connection.

David navigates through the bizarre social dynamics of the Hotel. David then escapes the hotel and joins a group of loners. This group is rebellious. However, they have their own set of rules. A main rule of this group is that they forbid any kind of romantic relationship. The dry humor of this movie is deeply thought-provoking.

The movie forces us to confront our often irrational reasons behind our own romantic choices. The emotional sterility of the world in The Lobster is truly remarkable. There is a blend of dark humor and social commentary that the viewers have enjoyed. The Lobster challenges conventions and gives us an immersive experience while watching it.

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2) Everything Everywhere All at Once

In the movie, Evelyn is struggling to run a laundromat, dealing with her strained marriage, and even facing difficulty with her father. However, she is suddenly encountered with an adventure involving the multiverse. It is revealed that Evelyn is the only one who can save everyone. Evelyn is made aware of the infinite parallel universes. Each of these versions of Evelyn contains herself with different choices that she had made. She understands that to prevent the powerful force of destruction, she must tap into her skills.

The movie starts with a whirlwind of action, surreal comedy, and some family drama as well. The creativity of this movie is truly one of a kind. The depiction of an alternate reality in a new style with a set of bizarre rules has made this movie worth watching. At the core of the movie lies the story of a familial bond.

Evelyn’s journey through the multiverse forces her to confront relationships with her husband and Joy. The power of this movie is the ability to resonate with the viewers with its message about finding meaning in the chaos of life and accepting flaws.

Everything Everywhere All At Once is truly a cinematic experience. The display of imagination with laugh-out-loud moments will leave you questioning every fabric of reality around us. To miss this movie would be to miss out on a groundbreaking piece of cinema.

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1) Swiss Army Man(2016)

Hank is utterly lost on a deserted island and is convinced that his life is over. However, he suddenly comes across a corpse that washes ashore on the island. However, the corpse is not just any simple one. It is a multipurpose one with bizarre and useful abilities, which Hank slowly finds out. In the movie, Daniel Radcliffe plays the role of the dead body. Hank finds out that the corpse can expel drinkable water from its mouth.

Swiss Army Man takes the concept of dead weight to a whole new level of absurd humor. Though the movie starts off as a hilarious and outlandish premise, it soon evolves into one depicting loneliness and self-acceptance in a nuanced manner. Hank uses Manny (the corpse) to try to get back to civilization. The humor of this movie often relies on the ridiculousness of Manny’s abilities, along with Hank’s desperate reliance on him.

Hank confronts his past, his regrets, and his longing for connection. It is all seen through his relationship with the corpse. The striking visual landscape of this movie often shifts between claustrophobic isolation and dreamlike sequences. This often blurs the line between reality and imagination. The unconventional nature of this movie has been perfectly captured by the talented actors.

Despite playing a dead body, Daniel Radcliffe has conveyed a wide range of emotions, which has been appreciated by the viewers. The movie will make you go through several emotions. The originality of this movie and its fearless commitment to the bizarre plot are memorable. It is a challenge to conventional storytelling. Swiss Army Man reminds us that even absurd situations can be the carriers of human truths.

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