Arka Mukhopadhyay
With Adam McKay in the director’s chair, the science-fiction satire movie ‘Don’t Look Up’ is a bit of a diversion like its nukes, but beyond its comic veil, the story reads like a climate-conscious clarion call for action. When Ph.D. student Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) finds a comet rushing towards planet Earth, she spills it to Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio). The math looks alarming, but the world stays busy raving about the lives of celebrities.
The President pays heed to the scientific community to save her agenda, but the comet turns out to be quite profitable for the riches. With that impasse, the world stays on a collision course while people go about their ordinary lives. If you have liked the mind-bending affair, we have some more suggestions at hand. You can find most of these movies similar to ‘Don’t Look Up’ on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
6. Coherence (2014)
Comets cause all sorts of things, you know. While one can cause the apocalypse, another can cause glitches in reality. Directed by James Ward Byrkit, the low-key sci-fi thriller ‘Coherence’ revolves around a dinner party. Eight friends gather at a party, and there remain past equations to be resolved. Meanwhile, a passing comet sparks off a series of uncanny events. If you are a fan of science fiction and wishing stars in general, this is a perfect mind-bender for you. Looking for something based on science but seeking to dial down the cynicism? ‘Coherence’ is a movie you should add to your bucket list.
5. Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (2005)
From the house of British auteur filmmaker Michael Winterbottom comes the bizarre comedy ‘Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story.’ The story follows some actors (led by an enthusiastic Steve Coogan as a fictionalized version of himself) in the process of pulling off a screen adaptation of ‘The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman,’ the novel by Lawrence Sterne.
The book is a satire on biographies, and the movie ups the ante by showcasing the weirdness of the movie production industry. Moreover, Steve Coogan does a remarkably well impression of Al Pacino. If you seek to keep the ambiance of satire but move on from killer asteroids following ‘Don’t Look Up,’ this movie demands your attention.
4. This Is The End (2013)
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg helmed the apocalypse comedy movie ‘This Is The End.’ Based on the directors’ 2007 short film ‘Jay and Seth Versus the Apocalypse,’ the film revolves around a roving party. An exaggerated version of James Franco is throwing a housewarming party, and the guest list includes Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Kevin Hart, Craig Robinson, and Emma Watson. However, as they arrive at the party, unveiling catastrophic events indicate that the biblical apocalypse is not far. If you seek another A-lister saga about the apocalypse following ‘Don’t Look Up,’ this movie will be bang for your bucks.
3. The Death of Stalin (2018)
Scottish satirist-director Armando Iannucci hardly needs an introduction for those who love the niche genre of satire. While his 2009 satire ‘In the Loop’ is pretty dope, it hardly matches the bureaucratic conundrum of ‘The Death of Stalin.’ The movie presents a fictional retelling of a confusing chapter in world history.
When Dictator Stalin dies, his cabinet ministers embark upon a fistfight to fill the power vacuum. Steve Buscemi delivers a powerful performance in the role of Nikita Khrushchev. A veteran ensemble cast guides him in the journey. ‘Don’t Look Up’ takes us into the white house, and if you want another wild look at bureaucracy, this movie is a great choice.
2. Brazil (1985)
Helmed by surrealist maestro Terry Gilliam, the dystopian sci-fi movie ‘Brazil’ unveils a world of bizarre Kafkaesque satire. Thanks to his influential mother, Sam Lowry gets a low-level administrative job at a bleak and oppressive building. He shortly finds out a case of a wrongful conviction of an innocent person in place of Harry Tuttle. Lowry meets the woman of his dreams.
As he tries to untangle the mystery, misleading signifiers divert his quest. With a quirky presence from Robert De Niro and a classic soundtrack in its stride, the movie is an endless rave. If you want to see another groundbreaking satire of the usual tropes following ‘Don’t Look Up,’ this is your movie.
1. Dr. Strangelove (1964)
If we are talking about the apocalypse, it rarely gets better than Stanley Kubrick’s landmark black comedy movie ‘Dr. Strangelove.’ The bizarre take on the cold war period has established its place in the cultural canon. The world comes to a standstill when Brigadier General Jack Ripper deploys a B-52 bomber on the Russians without informing his superiors.
At the President’s cabinet, the who’s who of the national defense plans how to divert the trajectory of the war. The titular character’s compulsive Nazi salute has been a subject of fascination to many. If you feel cynical following ‘Don’t Look Up,’ this catastrophic venture has everything to wow you.
Read More: Where Was Don’t Look Up Filmed?
