“Scary Movie” returns to theaters this week for the sixth installment in the horror-comedy franchise, and it’s already confirmed it’ll cast its mocking gaze on many of the genre’s most popular modern entries from “Sinners” to “Weapons.” “Scary Movie” is unashamedly stupid, reveling in low-brow humor, but spoofing the horror genre doesn’t have to be brainless.
Case in point, 2022’s “The Blackening” is a horror-comedy that pokes fun at the predictable nature of many horror movies, while also spinning up its own frighteningly enjoyable story. It’s a much smarter way of lampooning horror cliches, without the need for endless references to genre rivals, a crutch that every “Scary Movie” leans on in its effort to parody popular flicks.
