Ranking The Lonely Island's 5 Best Movies!

The Lonely Island, the beloved comedy trio which consists of Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer, has changed the face of comedy for a whole generation. Their musical and sketch digital shorts revolutionized what could be done on "SNL". Early hits, such as "Lazy Sunday" and "Laser Cats", catapulted them into early internet virality, which paved the path for them to make their feature film debut Hot Rod in 2007. 

We have picked 5 of The Lonely Island's best films and ranked them below!

5. MacGruber (2010, dir. Jorma Taccone)

This film is not for everyone. Its comedy styling is very out there and is off-putting for most. Despite all of that and placing it last, we still very much enjoy this film. Will Forte has always pushed scenes and bits to their very limits, MacGruber being no exception. 

MacGruber as a concept is hilarious. It is, of course, a parody of the hit '80s TV series "MacGyver", but the original "SNL" sketch was just about MacGruber being easily distracted by personal issues and worsening behavior while failing to disarm a bomb. The absurdity of the MacGruber character is perfectly translated into feature films. There are so many quotable scenes, such as when Kristen Wiig’s character struggles to order coffee disguised as MacGruber, and Val Kilmer’s hilarious performance that should’ve been featured more. Give this film a shot, especially if you can watch it with friends. (Stream on HBO Max)

4. The Naked Gun (2025, dir. Akiva Schaffer)

The Naked Gun is a legacy sequel to the 80s/90s Naked Gun trilogy, following Liam Neeson as Detective Frank Drebin Jr. as he has to save the world from a tech billionaire trying to destroy the world for financial gain. The story is good enough for this type of film, but what we are all here for when watching a Naked Gun film is the density of jokes and gags. That is meant in both how many jokes there are in the film, but also how some of the jokes can go over someone’s head whether due to the nicheness of the joke or because they missed it since they were laughing at another joke. There is a joke being told in every frame of the film, both in the foreground and oftentimes in the background. Every line is a set up to an eventual punchline. It’s all one big joke that has something for everyone. It’s perfectly in line with previous Naked Gun films, as well as a perfect modern comedy. (Stream on Prime Video)

3. Palm Springs (2020, dir. Max Barbakow)

Palm Springs has one of the absolute best setups for a romantic comedy. Two strangers, Nyles (Andy Samberg) and Sarah (Cristin Milioti), are stuck in a timeloop and are drawn together because of their shared suffering. But is it real or are they just together due to being the only people in the loop? Samberg and Milioti’s chemistry is electric. The balance of science fiction elements, romcom tropes, and engaging inner drama that Sarah and Nyles are individualling dealing with is fantastic. Palm Springs is one of the best modern romantic comedies that never gets old no matter how many times you watch it. (Stream on Hulu)

2. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016, dir. Akiva Schaffer & Jorma Taccone)

Popstar is a brilliant satire on the music industry as it was in the 2000s and 2010s, the turbulent lives of pop stars, as well as being a mockumentary about themselves and their sudden rise of fame. It’s as much as a Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story spiritual sequel as it is a look at how sudden virality can change and ruin relationships. Then, there’s Andy Samberg singing about gay rights that takes a maybe homophobic turn, Bill Hader getting off by flatlining like in the movie Flatliners, fighting bees with a flame thrower, and Justin Timberlake as a chef who can actually sing really well. This is one of the most perfect comedies ever made, and it’s only topped by one other... (Stream on Peacock)

1. Hot Rod (2007, dir. Akiva Schaffer)

Best comedy ever, and the one that started it all. There is so much absurdity that it forces the audience to laugh because of how ridiculous and awkward every aspect of the film is. There will be bits where we are watching Jorma Taccone, Bill Hader, and Danny McBride dancing in front of a convenience store, or McBride quickly high-fiving Bill and Jorma to show them how it’s done, or Richardson (Chester Tam), who wants to join Rod’s crew, dancing in the background which becomes the foreground. It produces an involuntary, guttural force coming out of you as it’s the only reaction that makes sense when witnessing Andy Samberg punch-dancing in the forest, Ian McShane beating the crap out of Samberg, and anything McBride does. Every rewatch reveals a new all-time favorite bit; there is so much in this movie that is so catered to a very specific audience. This feels like The Lonely Island at the top of their game, not discounting everything that came after. (Stream on Pluto TV)