Two-time Academy Award nominee Scarlett Johansson stars opposite Channing Tatum in the romantic comedy Fly Me to the Moon. Set in the 1960s amid the space race, the film centers on the unexpected romance that blossoms between a marketing executive preparing a fake moon landing in case the real one fails and a NASA executive preparing for the Apollo 11 mission.
2024 has already produced several great movies, and while Fly Me to the Moon doesn’t break any ground, it remains a sweet and surprisingly clever period piece with a compelling story and a fantastic performance from Johansson. Those who love the film’s unique blend of satire, comedy, and romance will surely want to check out these other movies that share similar themes, comedic approaches, and even a fair share of romance.
Down with Love (2003)
Two-time Oscar winner Renée Zellweger stars opposite Ewan McGregor in Peyton Reed’s 2003 period rom-com Down with Love. It tells the story of Catcher Block (McGregor), an infamous womanizing writer, who seemingly meets his match in Barbara Novak (Zellweger), a staunch, no-nonsense feminist who threatens his approach to carefree, casual sex.
A campy pastiche that pays homage to Rock Hudson and Doris Day’s “no-sex comedies” of the 1960s like Pillow Talk and Lover Come Back, Down with Love wears its inspirations on its sleeve. It’s funny, silly, delightful, absurd, and sexy, benefitting from Zellweger and McGregor’s committed, exaggerated performances. Down with Love really has everything: stunning fashion, scene-stealing supporting performances from Sarah Paulson and David Hyde Pierce, campy humor, and even a closing credits musical number in service of a classic battle-of-the-sexes story that will leave audiences grinning from ear to ear.
Down with Love is available to rent or purchase on Amazon and other digital vendors.
How to Steal a Million (1966)
Speaking of ’60s-set rom-coms, let’s talk about How to Steal a Million. Audrey Hepburn stars opposite Peter O’Toole in this crime comedy about the relationship between the daughter of an art forger and a cat burglar. When experts threaten to ruin the lavish lifestyle of art forger Charles Bonnet (Hugo Griffith), his daughter, Nicole (Hepburn), hires the services of renowned thief Simon Dermott (O’Toole) to steal the fake sculpture her father just sold.
Like Fly Me to the Moon, How to Steal a Million is 20 minutes too long. However, Hepburn’s irresistible charm is a perfect match for O’Toole’s devilish appeal, turning an otherwise straightforward comedy into a work of true comedic genius. This crime caper defies expectations and logic, but it excels as a showcase for its well-matched stars, acting as a time capsule that perfectly captures the swinging ’60s in all their zany, stylish glory.
How to Steal a Million is available to rent or purchase on Amazon and other digital vendors.
Wag the Dog (1997)
The biting satirical political comedy Wag the Dog is among Barry Levinson’s most underappreciated efforts. Two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro plays Conrad Brean, a political spin doctor hired by presidential adviser Winifred Ames (Anne Heche) to do damage control after a sex scandal threatens the current president’s re-election campaign. Deciding the best way to change the narrative is to provide a distraction, Brean hires Hollywood producer Stanley Motss (Dustin Hoffman), who fabricates a fictional war in Albania to capture the media’s attention.
Wag the Dog is a pitch-black political satire that depicts the media’s ability to distract the masses and shape the narrative. It is absurdly funny yet uncomfortably accurate, especially in today’s political context. Witty, biting, and ruthless, Wag the Dog is a clever and wickedly humorous yet sobering film that reminds us just how easy it is to fabricate a piece of news — and how easy it is for a lie to become a reality.
Wag the Dog is available to rent or purchase on Amazon and other digital vendors.