Unfrosted managed to rank in Netflix’s Top 10 upon its release, but the parody-style historical comedy is not the first movie of its kind. Unfrosted is framed as a historical comedy about how Kellogg’s invented the Pop Tart, but the events on screen are largely dramatized and altered for the sake of the story. Jerry Seinfeld, a popular comedian who is best known for starring in the series Seinfeld during the late 80s and 90s directed the project, and co-wrote it with a team of collaborators.
However, despite Seinfeld’s talent as a writer and comedian, Unfrosted has received many divided reviews from critics and audiences alike. While Unfrosted has clearly had a frosty reception to it’s attempt to imbue history with a sense of comedy and wonder, there are several other movies that set out to do similar things to much greater effect. From movies that depict alternative histories, completely fictitious stories which profess to be true, and parodies of corporations in general, there are plenty of great movies with similar intentions to Unfrosted, but made to a higher standard.
Wonka came out in 2023, starring Timothée Chalamet as a younger version of the iconic Willy Wonka created by Roald Dahl. The film expands on the original stories and previous movies by looking back at the early life of the famous chocalatier. However, while the story positions itself as being biographical, and expanding on a well known, beloved property, the entire thing is a work of fiction.
This is clearly seen by outrageous or impossible events playing out on screen, and the presence of magical beings like the Oompa Loompas, but the movie is enhanced by these elements. The film is a musical, and the visuals throughout are delightful and pleasant. It details a war between several rival chocolate makers in the heart of London, England, similar to the war between Kellogg’s and Post in Unfrosted, but it manages to combine the elements together in a far more satisfying way.
The Campaign is a 2012 political satire movie starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis as rival political candidates. The film was released ahead of 2012 presidential election in the United States, and as a result, it was a timely and relevant film with a fun spin on contemporary events. While both Ferrell and Galifianakis’ characters are meant to appear as reasonable men, they are let down by their constant competition and inappropriate behaviors.
However, despite mixed reviews, the movie is a fun and engaging story with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments throughout. While it pokes fun at real world events, it goes much further and wackier than most of the real world comparisons that it is parodying. The story is purely built as a comedy, without attempting to make statements or accusations, but a focus on the fun that can be had in sitting back and enjoying a wacky film.
In 1997, Nickelodeon produced the feature length movie, Good Burger, starring two of the channel’s best loved young stars, Kenan Thompson, who would go on to be a cast member of the SNL comedy group, and Kel Mitchell. In the Nickelodeon show, All That, Kenan and Kel would frequently perform a comedy skit about being two employees at a fast food chain known as Good Burger, and the movie is an extension of this skit.
The movie follows a wacky plot about the two main characters where one creates a special sauce that makes the restaurant a huge hit. From there, Good Burger is competing against a rival burger chain, called Mondo Burger, and the two engage in espionage and petty crime in an attempt to one-up each other. The rivalry between food brands and the zany antics that fill up the movie’s runtime make it very similar to Unfrosted, although Good Burger was aimed at a younger and more receptive audience.
Waiting… is a 2005 movie starring Ryan Reynolds and Justin Long as two disillussioned restaurant staff. After spending years working at the restaurant, Dean (Long) finds himself falling behind some of his high school friends who appear to be pursuing their goals while he has remained in a comfortable but unambitious position. The movie explores the impact of a single day on Dean’s life, and how he chooses to make a change.
At it’s core, Waiting… is a comedy film about disgruntled wait staff. The movie does a great job of showing the camaraderie of the people employed at the restaurant, and the interpersonal relationships while amping up its humor through extreme actions and situations. It is an effective story, with a great cast, and it leaves the audience on a high after the central figure chooses to make changes and pursue his own goals.
Dumb Money is a film which is rooted in true events and largely attempts to stay faithful to the core story. Paul Dano plays Keith Gill, an ordinary, middle of the road working guy, who has an interest in following the stock market and communicating with others who have a similar interest on a Reddit forum called r/WallStreetBets. Gill notices that there is a trend with hedge funds shorting the stock of GameStop, which he hopes to be able to exploit along with his audience on YouTube.
The movie is a great and inspiring story about the underdog standing up to the rich and wealthy in order to provide for those in need. While Dumb Money is a comedy drama, it is similar to Unfrosted largely due to the rivalry at the heart of the story. The film is fun and engaging throughout and feels like a modern Robin Hood story.
The Menu is a dark comedy film from 2022 starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult as guests in a famous restaurant run by an eccentric chef (Ralph Fiennes). Initially, the film establishes that the main characters are embarking on an incredible and unique food experience, but as the movie progresses, something much more sinister is exposed. The scenes are jarring and bizarre, but to a point where they are outrageous and funny.
With food at the center of a story that takes on a much larger life of its own, there are commonalities with Unfrosted. The tones of both films are largely separate, but they both follow people’s experiences with foods elevated to an almost religious and life-altering experience. However, horror-forward The Menu received widespread positive reviews and several accolades for the direction, performances and
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story follows a narrative which it actively and aggressively presents as a true story. However, it is entirely fictional. The 2004 film follows Vince Vaughan as a struggling gym owner who is set to lose his gym unless he can promptly raise thousands of dollars. Meanwhile, the mega-wealthy gym owner across the street, played by Ben Stiller, intends to buy his property and convert it into a car park for his luxury gym.
Fortunately, in a zany stroke of luck, Vaughan’s character learns about a dodgeball tournament that will give him exactly enough money to prevent his gym closing. The movie is wacky and full of a colorful cast of characters with multiple celebrity cameos throughout. The film received generally favorable reviews thanks to the underdog story, inspiring elements, and great comedy implemented throughout without being quite as overbearing as Unfrosted.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is another satirical comedy depicting the intense and competitive world of broadcast news. At the heart of the story is Will Ferrell, who plays the titular Ron Burgundy, the most famous and celebrated news anchor on TV. This position is touted as being similar to the life of a rock star who has adoring fans willing to do anything to get close to him.
The comedy film has taken on cult status with a dedicated fanbase and a sequel due to the popularity and success of the original. In addition, the movie features a broad and talented cast of actors who are comedy legends themselves, including Steve Carell, Ben Stiller, Paul Rudd, and more. The film also stars Christiana Applegate, an up-and-coming anchor who is shaking up Ron’s world as she begins to take over the spotlight.
The Men Who Stare At Goats is a satirical war comedy movie which draws some inspiration from real experiments carried out by the US government, but the film takes the concepts to their ridiculous and exaggerated conclusions. The film was released in 2009 and features an all-star cast who all come together to take a bizarre comedy film and make it into something worthwhile.
The film did receive mixed reviews, but ultimately, it managed to be witty and entertaining. Where it had the potential to be void of any purpose or meaning, the story is still somewhat important and worthwhile. While in the case of Unfrosted, the story goes in a different direction with something that remains completely bizarre and lacking any real depth.