For about the last month, I have been absolutely obsessed with the Austin Powers trilogy. I have trouble watching anything else! While I don’t think they are the best pieces of art ever made, they are pretty funny, and incredibly iconic! Yet, when I was thinking about these movies, I realized that Mike Myers doesn’t get nearly as much credit as he deserves for the things he’s made.
I think people often forget to remember just how many iconic roles Mike Myers has been in. He was an incredibly big star in the 90s and in the 2000s was the star of most of our childhoods! His movies are somehow warm and bright at the same time. He mostly plays happy little characters that love fun and a good time. It is hard not to appreciate the things he’s made so far.
Mike Myers started his career mostly on Saturday Night Live, which he joined in 1989. From then on, he basically owned the 90s. Breaking out with extremely popular characters like Wayne Campbell of Wayne’s World, Mike acted as these insanely weird characters. He hooked the audience with his unique expressions and accents. Most of his characters, and certainly his best, are not very intelligent, but have boisterous personalities and catchphrases. I would describe him from day one as being goofy. That’s his charm!
From then on, he began making a pretty amazing lineup of movies. First was Austin Powers, a spoof of James Bond that, despite some jokes that really didn’t age well, is hilarious. It’s extremely colorful (based on the swinging 60s), self-aware, and quite silly. Next he made Shrek, a staple of my childhood. Having been born in the late 90s, the Shrek movies were some of my absolute favorites growing up. Starring an uptight ogre and his sidekick donkey, Shrek is a hero’s journey with quirky fairy tale characters and, most notably, a killer soundtrack (probably not decided by Myers, but it counts for something). He also starred in The Cat in the Hat, a live-action movie of the Dr. Seuss book of the same title. This is probably the most controversial pick of my favorite Mike Myers movies, but it’s truly hilarious. He does countless accents and bits, and there is quite a bit of adult humor. Mostly, it’s just extremely quotable, and the more I watch, the more I love it!
Mike Myers humor is not unique in its technique, but certainly creates a special effect coming from him! He uses both visual and verbal humor: making faces, doing accents, using a giant Bob’s Big Boy statue as a spaceship for a villain. Watching his movies, you can tell he prefers jokes that are so outwardly dumb that they become hilarious. Just typing this paragraph I have thought of three or four jokes that have made me laugh out loud! He is great at silly accents and faces, but most importantly, he isn’t afraid to make himself look ridiculous for the sake of a joke. I find him extremely endearing.
I just had a conversation with a coworker where that coworker mentioned they haven’t seen Mike Myers in anything lately. I don’t think that’s true. He has done a few minor roles in big movies, such as Inglourious Basterds, Bohemian Rhapsody, and (most recently) Amsterdam. He also recently starred in and created a Netflix series called The Pentaverate (which I have heard is quite good, although the reviews may say otherwise). Although I do wish he was much more present in today’s pop culture, he definitely is not hiding out! I saw on IMDb that there are rumors of a fourth Austin Powers movie, so hopefully he is back in the spotlight once more!
Although there are many actors that may be just as funny as Mike Myers, no one can quite make a movie feel the way he does. I love that he is willing to get laughed at for the sake of a joke, and that his movies can be so colorful, light-hearted, and fun. Especially because of the role he played in my childhood, he is certainly one of my favorite creators out there, and I hope after thinking back to his work, you feel the same!
Keywords: Loud, goofy, dad jokes, silly, colorful
My favorites: The Cat in the Hat (2003), Austin Powers (1997-2002), Shrek (2001-2010), Wayne’s World (1992-1993)
Related actors: Chris Farley, Dana Carvey, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Will Ferrell
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