10 Great Examples of Film Satire & Social Commentary

Is storytelling pointless?

In times of social & political uncertainty, it can sometimes feel that way.

At best, it can seem like an indulgent or mindless distraction from more important matters. But it doesn't have to be.

Nor does it have to be written with heavy messaging–akin to hitting an audience over the head with a blunt object. There's no need to be overly earnest or didactic.

Writers can help make sense of the world we’re living in and encourage critical thought in a subtler, more entertaining way. You can do this using satire and black humour.

Here's a list of movies that are strong on social commentary but also high on entertainment value.

10 Great Examples of Film Satire You Should Watch

1. Parasite (2019) by Bong Joon Ho

A poor family slowly infiltrates the lives of a wealthy family by posing as various professional ‘help’ for the household. The film uses dark humor and sudden violence to expose how fragile and cruel class divisions can be.

2. Get Out (2017), Jordan Peele

A Black man visits his white girlfriend’s family and uncovers a horrifying conspiracy beneath their polite liberal manners. The film satirizes racism that hides behind friendliness, comfort, and denial.

3. Triangle of Sadness (2022), Ruben Östlund

A luxury cruise for the rich collapses into chaos when class roles are literally overturned after a disaster. The film mocks wealth, beauty, and power by showing how quickly social hierarchies fall apart.

4. No Other Choice (2025), Park Chan-wook

A laid-off office worker becomes increasingly desperate as he fights to survive in a ruthless job market. The film satirizes modern capitalism by pushing ordinary professional anxiety to brutal extremes.

5. The Truman Show (1998), Peter Weir

A man slowly realizes his entire life is a television show and everyone around him is an actor. The film critiques media voyeurism and society’s comfort with turning real lives into entertainment.

6. Fight Club (1999), David Fincher

A disillusioned office worker rebels against consumer culture by forming an underground fight club. The film satirizes toxic masculinity, capitalism, and the empty promises of self-improvement.

7. WALL-E (2008), Andrew Stanton

In a future where humans have abandoned Earth, a small trash-collecting robot exposes the cost of overconsumption and convenience. The film mocks a society that traded responsibility and connection for comfort. One to watch with the kids!

8. Dr Strangelove (1964), Stanley Kubrick

A nuclear crisis spirals out of control due to human error, ego, and blind obedience. The film uses the absurd to satirize Cold War politics and the terrifying logic of mutually assured destruction.

9. Jojo Rabbit (2019), Taika Waititi

A young boy in Nazi Germany imagines Hitler as his goofy best friend while slowly confronting the lies he has been taught. The film uses humor to ridicule fascism and expose how easily ideology can manipulate the truth.

10. Don’t Look Up (2021), Adam McKay

Two scientists try to warn the world about an extinction-level comet, only to be ignored and turned into media spectacle. The film satirizes political denial, celebrity culture, and society’s addiction to distraction in the face of real danger.

Can you think of any more? Which is your favourite?

Story Inkubator was founded by writer, scriptwriter and teacher, Kristina Jilly, an Australian living in Central Europe who's written for HBO Europe and RTL Television. A teacher at the University of Applied Sciences in Upper Austria, Kristina also writes online content about the art of storytelling and topics that inspire creativity. 

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