10 Movies & Shows Like The Menu (2022)

Description: Buñuel's masterpiece shares 'The Menu's' theme of wealthy guests trapped in an increasingly bizarre situation. Both films use surrealism to critique class structures, featuring elites who become prisoners of their own privilege.

Fact: The sheep in the film were actually stolen from a nearby farmer during shooting. Buñuel used the same dinner set for 3 weeks to achieve the characters' increasing dishevelment. The film was banned in Spain under Franco's regime for its perceived anti-authoritarian message.

Description: Buñuel's surreal classic anticipates 'The Menu's' satirical take on wealthy dining rituals. Both films feature interrupted meals and dreamlike sequences that expose the absurdity of upper-class social conventions.

Fact: The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Buñuel intentionally made the dream sequences indistinguishable from reality. The famous walking-down-the-road scene was inspired by Buñuel's own recurring dream.

Description: This French dystopian comedy shares 'The Menu's' blend of culinary horror and dark humor. Both films create surreal worlds where food becomes a vehicle for violence and social commentary, with distinctive visual styles.

Fact: The directors (Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro) used only natural lighting for the entire film. The famous bedspring sequence took 3 weeks to choreograph. The film's post-apocalyptic setting was inspired by the directors' childhood memories of postwar France.

Description: Yorgos Lanthimos' absurdist dystopia shares 'The Menu's' darkly comic examination of societal rules and expectations. Both films create bizarre, rule-bound worlds where characters face extreme consequences for failing to conform, presented with deadpan humor.

Fact: Colin Farrell gained 40 pounds for his role to appear more 'average'. The film's unique dialogue style was achieved by having actors deliver lines without inflection. Lanthimos originally planned to shoot in Ireland but changed to Switzerland for tax reasons.

Description: Östlund's art world satire parallels 'The Menu's' examination of pretension and hypocrisy among cultural elites. Both films use cringe humor and shocking moments to expose the emptiness behind sophisticated facades.

Fact: The viral 'ape man' dinner scene was inspired by a real performance art piece. Claes Bang did all his own stunts, including being dragged across the floor. The film's development took 5 years, with Östlund conducting extensive research in the art world.

Description: Jordan Peele's social thriller shares 'The Menu's' sharp critique of privilege and exploitation. Both films use horror elements to expose uncomfortable truths about society, featuring ordinary protagonists navigating increasingly surreal and dangerous situations among the elite.

Fact: The film's sunken place concept was inspired by a 'Key & Peele' sketch about being trapped during an out-of-body experience. Daniel Kaluuya's emotional breakdown scene was filmed in one take. The movie's budget was just $

Description: Another Lanthimos film that shares 'The Menu's' clinical, unsettling tone and exploration of moral dilemmas. Both feature protagonists forced into impossible choices by mysterious forces, presented with stark visuals and disturbing calmness.

Fact: Barry Keoghan prepared by watching videos of psychopaths and serial killers. The film's title references the Greek myth of Iphigenia. Nicole Kidman said it was the most difficult role of her career due to the emotional detachment required.

Description: Like 'The Menu', 'Parasite' is a darkly comedic satire that critiques class disparity and the wealthy elite. Both films use tension and unexpected violence to underscore their social commentary, blending horror and humor in a way that keeps audiences on edge.

Fact: 'Parasite' made history as the first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Director Bong Joon-ho drew inspiration from his own experiences tutoring children from wealthy families. The film's iconic semi-basement apartments (known as 'banjiha') became a cultural talking point in South Korea.

Description: Ruben Östlund's Palme d'Or winner mirrors 'The Menu's' scathing satire of wealth and privilege. Both films feature elaborate set pieces where the wealthy are subjected to humiliating ordeals, using discomfort and dark humor to critique class structures.

Fact: The infamous vomiting scene took 6 days to film with real vomit (made from puréed food). Woody Harrelson improvised most of his captain's dinner speech. The film's title refers to the wrinkles between eyebrows that botox can't fix.

Description: This horror-comedy shares 'The Menu's' theme of the wealthy elite engaging in deadly games. Both films feature a protagonist trapped in a bizarre, life-threatening situation orchestrated by the rich, with a mix of dark humor and visceral violence.

Fact: The film's climax features one of the most spectacular explosive deaths in recent horror history. Samara Weaving performed many of her own stunts, including running barefoot through the woods. The directors researched real-life wealthy families and their eccentric traditions for inspiration.