8. Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery (1997)
Rotten Tomatoes: 73%
There’s a reason that the words “Groovy, baby” have been spoken in a British accent since the late ’90s, and its name is Austin Powers. The spy spoof heavily parodies the James Bond movies with Mike Myers as the eponymous man of mystery. Myers also happens to play various other characters in the franchise – most notably the villain, Dr. Evil.
Though there are three films in the Austin Powers franchise at the time of writing, it’s the first that stands out as one of the best spoof movies ever made. After introducing the ’60s superspy, it then transposes him into the ’90s, deriving much of its comedy through his inability to comfortably gel with modern sensibilities. Though it has a handful of memorable comedic moments, it’s in a conceptual sense that Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery truly shines.
Powers’ difficulty operating in the ’90s was an obvious joke at James Bond‘s expense, and it was perfect. Heavily implying that spy movies of that sort are outdated was both subtle and blatant in turns, and Austin Powers had no qualms about winking at its audience. It may be heavy-handed at times, but it remains a top-quality spoof movie even decades later.