Theme: Satire

Satire refers to when a recognisable social trend, event, pubic figure or group of people is humorously portrayed on screen. In satire, said target is usually portrayed in an exaggerated and comically distorted manner meant to lampoon its’ foibles. The portrayal will usually display some feature, often a slightly changed name or familiar dress or speaking style, to indicate what is being made fun of.

Genre cinema often creates future or alien societies as distorted versions of the present where the world has become an exaggerated version of what would happen with a particular trend gone awry. Also common is the story of an alien visitor on Earth comically failing to make sense of human society.

Equally satire can apply to institutions, corporations, public figures and individuals that can simply be a background aside – in the form of a recognisable comic figure, corporation etc – in an otherwise regular work.

Films that poke fun at other films, tv shows or whole genres get their own category on this site under Parody.