Whether you are looking for a more obscure comedy you haven't seen or just need a funny movie and a reason to laugh, this article will point you in the right direction. Comedies are more than just jokes and quirky dialogue. It is a genre that can be used in lots of different ways, sometimes used to provoke conversations about taboo subjects, or in the case of parodies, to explore the ways in which seemingly 'normal' things can be very far from usual. A good comedy movie can do both those things and send you home with some laughs, and an offbeat comedy does so in an unusual way.
For this list, you shouldn't have to leave your couch. This article will explore some of the best, offbeat funny movies that you can find without leaving the comforts of your own home. Netflix is again raising the prices of their streaming service, but as far as content goes, Netflix sure does have an epic amount. So, if you're tired of the typical funny movies you've seen before, and are looking for what to watch that's a bit stranger and out of the box, Netflix has you covered. Here are some of the most offbeat funny movies that you can watch on your favorite streaming service, Netflix.
6 Moxie
Directed by Amy Poehler and starring Hadley Robinson, Moxie tells the tale of a 16-year-old who starts publishing an anonymous zine calling out sexism at school. The film was released in 2021 and feels very of the times; Moxie is able to be both empowering and hilarious, and let's face it, anything that Amy Poehler gets her hands on is bound to be hilarious. This film is recommended to those who are looking for a bit of a hero’s story that focuses on the tribulations of teenage life through a comedic and lighthearted lens.
5 The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
This 2018 film directed by Ethan and Joel Coen tells six episodic stories of life and violence in the Old West. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is both hilarious and heartfelt. Some stories are light and raunchy, while others are incredibly dark. The fact that this film consists of several stories makes it incredibly engaging, since if you don’t like one of the stories, you are bound to take interest in at least one of the others. There is some hilarious acting by David Krumholtz, E.E. Bell, Stephan Root, James Franco, and especially Tim Blake Nelson, who has seemingly mastered the Western style, taking what he learned here and using it in Old Henry. This movie is recommended to any Coen fans, as well as anybody who enjoys the variety of anthology storytelling.
4 Search Party
If you enjoyed the HBO series Silicon Valley, then this just may be the movie for you. Not to be confused with the phenomenal TV show of the same name, Search Party features performances from both Thomas Middleditch and T.J. Miller, who worked so well together in Silicon Valley. The ensemble doesn't stop there, and includes an incredible cast of characters including Shannon Woodward, Alison Brie, J.B. Smoove, Lance Reddick, Krysten Ritter, Rosa Salazar, and Jason Mantzoukas. This film is an action-packed buddy comedy with a stellar cast, mixing elements of The Hangover with the aforementioned Silicon Valley; if that sounds like your type of film, Search Party comes highly recommended.
3 Wheels of Fortune
This comedy directed by Shaun Paul Piccinino tells the tale of a certified burnout's quest to claim his inheritance. After discovering that his father died, he is told he is entitled to the inheritance only if he is able to win a series of motor-vehicle races. Starring Matt Jones (best known for his character Badger in Breaking Bad), Wheels of Fortune has laughs around every corner and is sure to scratch your comedy movie itch.
2 Mars Attacks!
This kooky sci-fi comedy is directed by Tim Burton and features the stacked cast of Jack Nicholson, Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker, Danny Devito, Glenn Close, Micheal J. Fox, Natalie Portman, and Jack Black. It was released in 1996, but don't let its age be a deterrent; this film still holds up and is a refreshing change of pace when compared to some of the more recent aforementioned funny movies. Mars Attacks! is a weird one that was perhaps too crude and weird for the time, leading it to being largely misunderstood. Now, when the popularity of antiheroes no longer makes the ridiculous and immoral characters of Mars Attacks! stand out like a sore thumb, Burton's film has received a cult following.
1 The Disaster Artist
The Disaster Artist is a 2017 film which is both directed by and stars James Franco. It tells the story of the mysterious Tommy Wiseau and his creation of the wonderfully atrocious 2003 film, The Room. Aside from the fantastic acting from the cast (including Zac Efron, Bryan Cranston, Alison Brie, and Lizzy Caplan), one of the most incredible things about this film is the shot for shot remakes of scenes from The Room. The cast does a great job of capturing the ethos of the original film while simultaneously bringing new light to an incredibly interesting and mysterious story. This movie is recommended to all movie buffs or anyone interested in the production process of feature-length films, or at least one of the most famous disasters of all time.