FilmsPolice AcademyLike this

Films like Police Academy.

Police Academy (1984) reads as Neutral, kinetic, measured comedy / crime, grounded in texture. Ambivalent, mid-stakes, measured. Every film below is ranked by distance across the same twelve hand-scored axes — with what it keeps, and where it walks away. Not a genre dump.

Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987) poster
1. Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol1987

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) poster
2. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels1988

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Police Academy 3: Back in Training (1986) poster
3. Police Academy 3: Back in Training1986

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) poster
4. The Pink Panther Strikes Again1976

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Pink Flamingos (1976) poster
5. Pink Flamingos1976

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) poster
6. See No Evil, Hear No Evil1989

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Life (1999) poster
7. Life1999

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Heathers (1989) poster
8. Heathers1989

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Brain (1969) poster
9. The Brain1969

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Porky's (1981) poster
10. Porky's1981

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

My Cousin Vinny (1992) poster
11. My Cousin Vinny1992

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Prizzi's Honor (1985) poster
12. Prizzi's Honor1985

Keeps the heightened unreality and the grounded, familiar shape; trades toward a cold, bleak undertow.

These are Police Academy’s neighbours — where are yours?

Rate five posters and the same twelve axes read you — then tonight’s pick comes from your own centre of taste.

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