Movies like to blend various genres, mostly because it allows them to be more interesting, to play with the audience's expectations and sometimes turn them against them. Even though movies belonging into a single genre can still work, and they often do, the real fun happens when you'll create a graceful mixture of two or more genres. Sci-fi comedies are one example of these.
They take humorous aspects and bring them into a sci-fi environment (or the other way around). There are many sci-fi comedies available, but the following 10 are some of the best and you should give them a shot.
Spies In Disguise
This list deserves at least one animated film, and since Spies In Disguise only came out in December, there's a fair chance you haven't seen the film yet - in which case you should definitely try it out. The sci-fi elements are subtle, but nonetheless present in this film about a super-spy and a young inventor who accidentally turns said super-spy into a pigeon.
Yep, you heard it correctly. The film features a lot of great jokes, gags, and Walter's imaginative inventions, which are cute and efficient at the same time. Plus, Will Smith and Tom Holland in the leading roles did an amazing job.
Guardians Of The Galaxy
Honestly, is it any surprise to find out that films with a team comprised of a giant tree and a talking raccoon are hilarious? Guardians of the Galaxy belong to the Marvel Cinematic Universe but they're a bit different from the rest of the MCU films.
That's largely due to primarily space setting, and, of course, the fact that this team, while certainly powerful, is far from serious. Both films are funny and it's difficult to decide which one is better, whether the first one from 2014 or the second one which came out in 2017. So, in the end, the best choice is to watch both and take your pick.
Thor: Ragnarok
Let's stay with a superhero, more specifically Marvel film a bit longer. While there's no denying that the Guardians of the Galaxy films are very funny, the position of the funniest film of the whole MCU goes to none other than Thor: Ragnarok.
This film is a crazy ride from the first minute to the last, and director Taika Waititi made sure every viewer's stomach would hurt by the time he or she left the movie theatre. Even though the first two Thor films also had their fair share of funny moments (like when Thor went to a pet shop to buy a horse, to name just one), the third film is a million miles ahead when it comes to humor.
Grabbers
It's time to leave big superhero blockbusters behind for a moment and focus on smaller, but still great films, such as this 2012 British and Irish sci-fi comedy. Its main hero Ciarán (Richard Coyle) works in a small fisherman city as a policeman and he spends most of his time drinking himself into oblivion.
But then he, his new (very sober) colleague Lisa and the local citizens have to face a murderous attack of sea monsters which you can fight the best by... getting incredibly drunk. Yes, this film is just as bizarre as it sounds, but watch it with a group of similarly minded friends and it won't disappoint.
Zombieland
Strange sea creatures are not the only enemies you can fight in sci-fi comedies. Zombies are a popular choice, for a multitude of reasons, but they usually appear in horrors, not sci-fi comedies. Zombieland is an exception to this rule, and what an exception it is! In case you don't know the film, it's about a group of survivors of a zombie apocalypse who join their forces and travel the United States.
Each of the characters is completely different, which assures a lot of fun, even more, when you throw zombies into the mix. Both films are worth watching, the first one came out in 2009 and the second one ten years later.
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
This film is inspired by the first book of a now-legendary series by Douglas Adams. It follows the adventures of Arthur, a man who suddenly finds himself in space when aliens destroy the Earth (because they want to build an intergalactic highway and the Earth is in their way) and from there on, he has to learn to live a life he'd never thought he would lead.
Martin Freeman shines in the leading role, and he's surrounded by a group of colorful characters, who throw out one joke after another. By far, the best hero is the manic-depressive robot Marvin (voiced by Alan Rickman) who's so depressed he's super funny.
Galaxy Quest
Alan Rickman may be best-known for playing Severus Snape in the Harry Potter film franchise, but he's portrayed many intriguing characters in his decades-long career. In this film, he portrays an actor whose most famous part was in a sci-fi franchise, a fact Rickman's hero absolutely despises, unlike some of his fellow actors who enjoy the attention of the franchise's fans.
Among these fans are actual aliens who believe that everything they saw on the show was true and kidnap the actors to help them fight and defeat their enemy. Galaxy Quest is sometimes called the best Star Trek film which actually isn't Star Trek and it offers plenty of hilarious moments.
Les Visiteurs
American and British filmmakers aren't the only ones who make funny sci-fi films. One of those which you may not know but deserves the attention is a French film called Les Visiteurs (The Visitors) from 1993. The film focuses on the adventure of a medieval knight (played by Jean Reno) and his servant (Christian Clavier) who travel through time into the future and meet their own descendants.
The confrontation between medieval people accustomed to a completely different world and the modern reality of the late 20th century is just as hilarious as you can probably imagine. The film also has two more sequels, but the first part is the best one.
Memoirs Of An Invisible Man
This 1992 sci-fi comedy sends out a positive message: that even if you turn invisible, you can still find a person who will love you and have a family together, which is something that can inspire all of us. John Carpenter has directed many great science-fiction films but he usually stays on the more serious side of things.
The humor in this film is fairly subtle, but it's still present and makes you laugh more than once, even if the film's main hero, Nick Halloway (played by Chevy Chase) also faces multiple dangers throughout the story, usually in the form of a dangerous government agent portrayed by great Sam Neill.
Critters
Critters from 1986 are the ultimate B-List 80s sci-fi comedy... in the best possible meaning. It's campy and cheesy, yes, filled with bad hairstyles and some dubious special effects, but despite all of that... or because of it, it's still awesome. Critters are small furry balls from outer space who arrive at Earth and begin eating people.
Space hunters follow the Critters to Earth to apprehend them or get rid of them entirely, and that's when the real fun begins. The film manages to combine three genres - horror, sci-fi, and comedy - into a coherent whole and it's ideal when you just want to relax and have fun without having to think too hard.