I was listening to some people discuss "Austin Powers" earlier today and it got me thinking. I loved those movies. I even kind of liked the third movie a little bit. I was instantly in on the movies, the characters and goofiness of the whole thing. I was also a big time "SNL" fan back in the day, so to see Mike Myers doing a skit based movie was all I needed. I get that Austin Powers was never on "SNL" also, but it would have worked had it been done on the show.

Hearing the people discuss it on the podcast really got me thinking. They asked each other if they had shown the movies to their kids yet. They hadn't and that got me thinking if I would show it to my kids. I think I would. The jokes would fly over their heads, and they may not be as into it as I would hope, but I think they might have fun with it. My son would probably be a bit more on board with it. He likes goofier stuff, just like me.

But that is not the point of my blog today. I think, since it has been nearly 30 years since the first movie was released, that the "Austin Powers" trilogy might be a tad underrated. This was the first time I heard other people around my age talking about the movie in probably a decade. I snuck into the first movie because I was so hyped to see it. I went to the second one on opening day and took my dad and brother to see the third when it came out. I was fully in on this franchise. I loved everything they did and were doing at the time. I thought that those movies were going to stand the test of time. And they have for me. But I don't think that is the case for everyone else. I also do not think this movie gets the recognition it rightfully deserves. There have always been parody movies. "Airplane", "Kentucky Fried Movie" and "Spaceballs" were out before "Austin Powers" came out. And I adore those movies. I am a fan. But "Austin Powers" really hammered home my love for these parody movies. It was joke after joke after joke and they were all hitting. I still refer to "Austin Powers" when I have to back out of a tight space in my car. People are still saying his lines to this day. I think these movies are just as memorable as "Borat" as far as quoting lines. I can turn on a random podcast and hear people say one of Austin's lines and it will make me laugh. But no one ever seems to mention the movie, or the fact that a bunch of parody movies came after people saw the success of "Austin Powers". "Austin Powers" also introduced me to a bunch of stars. I never knew who Elizabeth Hurley was before the first one. Heather Graham was in my consciousness, but this is far and away my favorite performance from here in the second movie. Beyonce was big, but not as big as she is now when she starred in the third movie. And then we have the guest stars. People like Rob Lowe, Mimi Rogers, Michael York, Robert Wagner, Will Ferrell, Seth Green, Vern Troyer, Mindy Sterling, Jennifer Coolidge, Michael Caine and Scott Aukermann just to name a few. That is quite the list if you ask me.

These movies work on every level. They are so good, so fun, so funny and perfect parody movies. They really opened my eyes to how good a true parody movie could be. I wish more people would recognize that these are some of the best comedies to ever be released. Go rewatch the movies and see for yourself. They are more than worth your time. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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