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Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

April Fools’ Day, parodies, offensive jokes

Three+men+sit+on+horses+next+to+each+other+in+a+scene+from+Casa+de+mi+Padre.+There+are+several+films+released+that+can+be+watched+for+April+Fools+Day+this+year.+%28Pantelion+Films+via+Fair+Use%29+
Three men sit on horses next to each other in a scene from “Casa de mi Padre.” There are several films released that can be watched for April Fools’ Day this year. (Pantelion Films via Fair Use)

From harmless jokes to straight up criminal offenses, April Fools’ Day pranks come in all shapes and sizes, so there’s no better time to hide from your scheming friends and watch a good raunchy comedy.

Here’s a variety of parody movies to watch instead of finding yourself the butt of a bad joke.

“Airplane!”

The king of all parody movies, “Airplane!” is a 1980 comedy directed by filmmaking trio Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker.

The spoof movie takes jabs at the disaster film genre, particularly the 1957 movie “Zero Hour!” and some elements in “Airport 1975.”

Ted Striker (Robert Hays) is a former fighter pilot who was traumatized during wartime and developed a fear of flying. After food poisoning incapacitates the flight crew and passengers, Striker is forced to help land the plane with the help of stewardess ex-girlfriend, Elaine (Julie Hagerty).

“Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan”

Directed by Larry Charles, “Borat” is a mockumentary featuring Sacha Baron Cohen’s character, Borat, from “Da Ali G Show.”

Popular Kazakh journalist Borat (Baron Cohen) travels to the United States to make a documentary about what makes a nation great. As he zig-zags his way around the country, Borat falls in love with actress Pamela Anderson and wants to make her his wife.

Most of the people featured interacting with Baron Cohen as Borat were actually real people, not paid actors, and their angry reactions towards Borat’s misogynistic, racist, anti-semitic or offensive jokes were genuine.

“Casa de mi Padre”

A list like this wouldn’t be complete without at least one Will Ferrell movie, so here’s “Casa de mi Padre,” which is almost entirely spoken in Spanish.

A parody of telenovelas, this movie, directed by Matt Piedmont, stars Ferrell fully committing to his role by speaking Spanish the entire movie with a cast of Latino actors who can actually speak the language.

Armando (Ferrell) has worked on his father’s ranch his entire life. Raul (Diego Luna), Armando’s younger brother, returns to the family ranch with his fiancee, Sonia (Génesis Rodriguez), to fix the farm’s financial problems.

Falling in love with Sonia, Armando soon finds out his brother’s business dealings were less than legitimate as Mexico’s most feared drug lord, Onza (Gael García Bernal), declares war on the family.

“Team America: World Police”

“Team America: World Police” has everything a perfect movie needs: comedy, action, original music and puppets.

Written by “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, this movie is not for the faint of heart; it is incredibly offensive.

Parker, also the film’s director, and Stone are known for not holding back on their comedy, so they parody anything from actors to American patriotism and militarism while still giving social commentary.

Team America, a highly specialized, international police force, must save the world from North Korean leader Kim Jong-il (Parker) and his allies of Islamic terrorists and liberal Hollywood actors.

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