13 Dumb Movies to Turn Your Brain Off and Enjoy

Sometimes all a person wants to do at the end of a long and chaotic day is turn on some mindless entertainment that will help them unwind and relax. Movies with complex plots and characters can often be overwhelming and difficult to follow when someone isn’t in the mood to do so, and while thought-provoking pictures like Oppenheimer and Inception are critical darlings, there are plenty of silly and downright dumb flicks that require zero brain cell usage.

Whether you’re a fan of comedy cult classics like Zoolander, Hapy Gilmore, and Spaceballs or cheesy horror thrillers such as Anaconda and Snakes on a Plane, there is no shortage of delightfully ridiculous films just waiting to be binge-watched that are sure to help you chill out and decompress. Here are 13 dumb movies you can turn off your brain and enjoy.

13 Zoolander (2001)

Touting a sensational cast of some of Hollywood’s most hilarious performers including Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, and Will Ferrell, the 2001 comedy Zoolander is perfect for anyone wanting to enjoy some mindless entertainment, with the cult classic famously following the dim-witted model Derek Zoolander as he is brainwashed into assassinating the Prime Minister of Malaysia by a diabolical fashion mogul Jacobim Mugatu (Ferrell), and is forced to team up with his model rival Hansel (Wilson) to stop him.

Related: Why the 2000s Was the Best Decade for Comedy Movies

Stiller & Wilson Are Comedy Gold

Any time Stiller and Wilson team up for a movie, fans know they’re in for a good time and Zoolander is a zany and delightfully over-the-top farce that features unforgettable cameos by a slew of celebrities like David Bowie, Heidi Klum, Winona Ryder, and Lenny Kravitz.

The popular parody is the definition of a goode ole’ light-hearted comedy that never takes itself too seriously and is sure to deliver plenty of laughs, with audiences enjoying watching the chaotic hijinks Zoolander and Hansel get into on their quest to take down Mugatu.

12 Anaconda (1997)

Before she was known as Jenny from the block and starring in countless rom-coms, actress and singer extraordinaire Jennifer Lopez was battling for her life against giant snakes in the 1997 adventure horror extravaganza Anaconda.

Lopez appeared alongside an eclectic cast of big names like Ice Cube, Owen Wilson, and Jon Voight, with the movie centering on a documentary film crew as they head deep into the dangerous Amazon rainforest and encounter a monstrous green anaconda wreaking havoc.

J-Lo vs. An Anaconda

Anaconda was unsurprisingly not a critical darling upon its worldwide release and went on to earn a whopping eleven Razzie Award nominations, yet it nonetheless dominated the box office and raked in over $136 million and fared better with moviegoers.

For anyone wanting to watch unlikely duo J-Lo and Ice Cube duke it out against an insatiable snake for an hour-and-a-half, Anaconda is the perfect option and has some genuine spine-tingling moments and exciting action sequences that helped it become a so-bad-it’s-good flick and a bona fide ’90s cult classic.

Stream on Netflix

11 Cocaine Bear (2023)

As if the title itself doesn’t indicate how exciting and deliciously entertaining the horror comedy was going to be, just the premise alone of Elizabeth Banks’ 2023 flick Cocaine Bear let moviegoers know they were in for a rip-roaring ride.

Loosely based on the 1985 true story of an American black bear that accidentally ingested a few kilograms of a bag of 75 pounds of cocaine, the film takes place in a Georgia forest where the bear goes on a drug-fueled rampage and targets citizens of a local community.

Epic Blend of Humor & Horror

Featuring the talents of stars like Keri Russel, O’Shea Jackson Jr., and the late and great Ray Liotta, the outlandish comedy chronicled the battle a group of oddball people faced as they fought for their lives against the 500-pound predator, as it picks off unsuspecting victims one by one.

Cocaine Bear was both a critical and commercial triumph, earning positive praise for its silly premise, dark humor, and playful mix of comedy and horror, bringing in $90 million at the box office. Amusingly, the bear was also nominated for Best Villain at the MTV Movie & TV Awards though it sadly lost to Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch.

10 Spice World (1997)

Iconic pop girl group the Spice Girls capitalized on their worldwide fame and popularity when they starred in the 1997 musical comedy Spice World, which focuses on the legendary group as they prepare for a huge concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall and go head-to-head with a high-strung newspaper CEO determined to destroy the ladies’ reputation.

The fictional flick unsurprisingly has fantasy sequences and musical numbers, as the women find themselves swept up in surreal situations and misadventures.

The Spice Girls’ Worldwide Takeover

Spice World follows no real plot and had the singers portraying side-splitting caricatures of themselves, as they raced around the city of London and became embroiled in ridiculous and weird predicaments.

The comedy is the highest-grossing movie of all time by a musical group (earning $56 million) and has gone on to be regarded as a cult classic that fans of the musical sensation can’t get enough of, with The Daily Telegraph retrospectively lauding the group and film and writing, “It’s an irreverent, lighthearted romp that captured the brash, patriotic positivity of a London swept up in Cool Britannia.”

9 Mortal Kombat (1995)

Based on the popular video game series of the same name, the 1995 fantasy martial arts film Mortal Kombat brings the exhilarating franchise to life and follows a group of skilled fighters who participate in the interdimensional titular tournament ​​​​​​on their epic quest to protect the world from nefarious forces determined to take over humanity.

Legendary characters Lui Kang (Robin Shou), Sonya Blade (Bridgette Wilson), and Johnny Cage (Linden Ashby) must join forces to defeat the demonic warriors threatening the planet and their existence.

A Thrilling Adaptation of the Video Game

An underrated gem of the ’90s, Mortal Kombat brings all the gory goodness and thrills of the video game franchise to the big screen and is jam-packed full of action and excitement.

It was the highest-grossing video game adaptation until it was surpassed by Pokémon: The First Movie in 1998, earning $122.2 million and receiving praise for its sensational visual effects, fighting sequences, and overall production value. Audiences awarded the flick an A- CinemaScore and it helped pave the way for future films based on video games.

Stream on Max

8 Snakes on a Plane (2006)

What could possibly be better than cinema icon Samuel L. Jackson cursing up a storm and fighting his way through a hoard of venomous snakes let loose on a plane? In the 2006 action thriller Snakes on a Plane, Jackson stars as Agent Neville Flynn, an FBI agent tasked with protecting a crucial witness for a high-profile murder case who makes the horrific discovery that the passenger plane they are flying on is over-run with aggressive, deadly snakes.

Jackson Hilariously Does His Thing

The infamous thriller’s B movie-esque name caused a massive online frenzy ahead of its release and sparked an overwhelming amount of attention for the flick, spawning numerous parodies, fan-fiction, apparel, and trailers based on its bizarre premise.

Snakes on a Plane is the ultimate popcorn movie that is easy-to-watch and features in-your-face action and excitement from start to finish, and who wouldn’t like to see Jackson resort to some seriously creative measures to take out the pesky venomous creatures in an explicit-fueled rage?

7 Step Brothers (2008)

Comedy dream team Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly were an absolute riot when they headlined Adam McKay’s 2008 farce Step Brothers, in which the charismatic pair portrayed two grown men who still live with their single parents and are forced to get along and live together after their families become blended.

The massively immature Brennan (Ferrell) and Dale (Reilly) are in for quite the rude awakening when they must cohabitate with one another, and their narcissism threatens to ruin their parents’ new marriage.

Ferrell & Reilly Shine Together

From touching a drumset with testicles to making a music video to a song called “Boats ‘N Hoes”, showing up to a job interview in tuxedos and making makeshift bunk beds, Step Brothers is an uproariously rude and crude flick that is unapologetic and features Ferrell and Reilly in all their comedic glory.

The winning chemistry between the two stars is what makes the film so memorable and a certified fan-favorite, as they were fearless in bringing the goofy and outrageous script to life and fully committed to their characters.

6 Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Fans of the horror genre looking for some good ole’ blood and gore need not look further than 1999’s Deep Blue Sea, a suspenseful thriller that focuses on a team of brilliant scientists who while conducting research at a remote underwater facility on sharks inadvertently cause the underwater predators to go on a killing spree after genetically engineering them.

Dr. Susan McAlester and her fellow crew members must find a way to not only survive against the creatures but stop the altered sharks from escaping into the ocean.

A Must-See Shark Classic

Retrospectively regarded as “the greatest non-Jaws shark movie of all time” by Wired in 2016, Deep Blue Sea is “full of gore and chaos and smart-stupidness, but with a big-budget, big-cast sheen” and has gone on to be considered one of the best shark films of all time.

With a slew of memorable, bloody deaths and adrenaline-pumping thrills, the film launched an exciting horror series that spawned two less-than-stellar sequels but dazzled audiences with its taut premise and one of the best surprising death scenes in cinema.

5 Dumb and Dumber (1994)

The name of Peter Farrelly’s 1994 buddy comedy Dumb and Dumber gives audiences a pretty good idea about the overall raunchy and ridiculous tone of the flick, which stars Hollywood greats Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels as the dim-witted best friends Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne as they embark on a cross-country adventure from Rhode Island to Colorado on a quest to return a lost briefcase full of cash to its owner. They accidentally ruin a ransom drop-off for a kidnapping and are relentlessly pursued by dangerous criminals and the authorities.

Carrey & Daniels Dominate the Screen

The Farrelly brothers are known for directing slapstick and over-the-top comedies, and the crude flick is a textbook stupid farce that ultimately prevails because of the sensational and dedicated performances of lead stars Carrey and Daniels.

The dynamic duo’s delightful chemistry and winning on-screen camaraderie helped spawn a successful and enduring franchise while skyrocketing Carrey to international superstardom and proving to the masses that Daniels was far more than just a dramatic actor.

4 White Chicks (2004)

Brothers Marlon and Shawn Wayans partnered up to headline their brother Keenan’s 2004 comedy White Chicks, a now celebrated 2000s staple that features the duo as two FBI agents who undergo a major physical transformation and create elaborate disguises as white women in order to protect two heiresses from a dangerous kidnapping plot.

Marcus and Kevin Copeland hilariously alter themselves to become the Wilson sisters, with their ruse leading to a series of uproarious hijinks and hilarity.

Crews’ Knockout Performance

While there’s no denying that the Wayans brothers were a hoot as the spoiled socialite sisters, Brooklyn Nine-Nine alum Terry Crews completely stole the show as professional athlete Latrell Spencer, who takes an instant liking to Marcus’ alter ego Tiffany despite his palpable horror.

Crews was responsible for the resurgence in popularity of Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles” after he unforgettably serenaded the object of his affection “Tiffany”, and also provided one of the big screen’s most priceless cinematic moments.

3 Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Undeniably one of Will Ferrell’s most iconic and celebrated roles is none-other-than the cocky hotshot San Diego news anchor Ron Burgundy in the beloved 2004 satirical comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, which follows the famous media personality as he is challenged by the beautiful and ambitious reporter Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) for his anchor spot in the male-dominated ’70 TV landscape.

The acclaimed classic touts an all-star cast of comedic wonders including Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and David Koechner.

Related: How This Iconic Will Ferrell Movie Has Influenced Comedy Over the Last 20 Years

Ferrell Brings His Signature Charm

Widely considered to be one of the best comedy movies of all time, Anchorman initially garnered a lukewarm response from critics despite achieving an impressive turn-out at the box office, but is now hailed as a stand-out in the genre.

Fans and audiences all across the world couldn’t get enough of Ferrell’s portrayal of the arrogant and sexist lothario Burgundy, and the overwhelming popular response to the film and brash character led to the highly-anticipated 2013 sequel Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.

2 Spaceballs (1987)

From the genius mind of Hollywood legend Mel Brooks comes the cherished 1987 space opera parody Spaceballs, a side-splitting satire of popular sci-fi flicks like Star Wars, Planet of the Apes, and Alien that centers on the noble quest courageous mercenary Lone Starr goes on with his trustee alien sidekick Barf in an effort to rescue his beloved lady love Princess Vespa, who was kidnapped by the leader of the planet Spaceballs. Brooks appears in the hallowed hit alongside big names like Bill Pullman, John Candy, and Rick Moranis.

An Electrifying Sci-Fi Spoof

As with many parodies and bold farces, it took time for Spaceballs to build-up its reputation as an adored and trailblazing comedy triumph, but has done just that in the nearly forty years since its release.

Brooks’ signature zany humor was on full-display in the ’80s gem, with moviegoers loving the quirky characters and outlandish plot which has become synonymous with the beloved filmmaker. Fans of the iconic parody will also be thrilled to know that a long-awaited sequel is currently in the works, with Brooks return and Josh Gad starring.

1 Happy Gilmore (1996)

Few actors dominated the ’90s quite like Saturday Night Live alum Adam Sandler did, with the funny man starring in a slew of cult classic comedies during the decade like Billy Madison and The Waterboy.

Sandler’s 1996 sports comedy Happy Gilmore is one of his devoted fanbase’s favorites, and it tells the story of the eponymous hot-headed hockey player who discovers he’s much better on grass than on the ice, so he sets out to enter a golf tournament in order to save his belove grandma’s home from foreclosure.

Sandler’s ’90s Silver Screen Reign

Who could possibly forget when The Price is Right host Bob Barker duked it out with Sandler’s Happy Gilmore, with the younger man hilariously getting his butt whooped by the elder TV icon; the unexpected duo even won the MTV Movie Award for Best Fight.

Almost every Sandler flick is sure to bring laughter and hilarity, and they’re the perfect thing to turn on when someone wants to unwind and not think too hard. Happy Gilmore has only continued to grow in popularity and in May 2024, Netflix confirmed that a sequel was currently underway at the streaming juggernaut.