Movies like Shy Spirit (1991)
The best movies like Shy Spirit (1991) are Mr. Vampire (1985), Encounters of the Spooky Kind (1980) and High Spirits (1988). If Shy Spirit hooked you with its horror and comedy, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedGhostbusters (1984)7.5/10 from 10,152 votes
- NewestSpirit World (2025)Released 2025
Mr. Vampire (1985)
In Republican China, the planned reburial of a village elder goes awry and the corpse resurrects into a hopping vampire, leading a Taoist priest and his two disciples to attempt to stop him, but not without getting involved with lusty ghosts, a jealous police inspector, and the many talisman-bound vampires at their disposal.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEncounters of the Spooky Kind (1980)
"Big Guts" Cheung, a man well known in his local village for his lack of fear, is put to the test after being tricked into spending the night in a temple full of spirits, zombies, and vampires.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHigh Spirits (1988)
When a hotelier attempts to fill the chronic vacancies at his castle by launching an advertising campaign that falsely portrays the property as haunted, two actual ghosts show up and end up falling for two guests.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & comedy
SnoozefestMovies like thisOnce Bitten (1985)
Mark wants to lose his virginity, but his girlfriend wants to wait. Unfortunately for both of them, a 400-year-old vampire Countess needs to turn a virgin into a vampire before Halloween in order to preserve her own youthful appearance, and when she finds Mark, she turns his life upside-down.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & horror
SnoozefestMovies like thisDave Made a Maze (2017)
Dave, an artist who has yet to complete anything significant in his career, builds a fort in his living room out of pure frustration, only to wind up trapped by the fantastical pitfalls, booby traps, and critters of his own creation. Ignoring his warnings, Dave’s girlfriend Annie leads a band of oddball explorers on a rescue mission. Once inside, they find themselves trapped in an ever-changing supernatural world, threatened by booby traps and pursued by a bloodthirsty Minotaur.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDeath Becomes Her (1992)
Madeline is married to Ernest, who was once her arch-rival Helen's fiancé. After recovering from a mental breakdown, Helen vows to kill Madeline and steal back Ernest. Unfortunately for everyone, the introduction of a magic potion causes things to be a great deal more complicated than a mere murder plot.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOut of the Dark (1995)
After being haunted by evil spirits inside a residential building, a security guard seeks help from a mysterious exorcist, who turns out to be an escaped mental patient.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMr. Vampire III (1987)
The Vampire Master joins forces with another fellow priest with his two pet ghosts along for the ride to defeat an evil witch and her henchman, whose goals are to defeat the human race. The priests must also overcome the odds of the separation between humans and ghosts.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMr Vampire Saga 4 (1988)
A Taoist priest protests against the idea of a Buddhist priest being his neighbour. They often argue with each other until a vampire is at large and threatens the villagers' safety.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Twins Effect (2003)
An evil Duke attempts to kill and collect the blood of a royal family of European vampires in order to become all powerful. The only surviving member of the family travels to Hong Kong, only to complicate his struggle by falling in love with a mortal girl who just happens to have a vampire hunter for a brother.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLook Out, Officer! (1990)
After police officer Piao is murdered, his soul cannot be at rest for his murder has been written off as a suicide. Therefore the heavens send him back to Earth as a spirit to find his 'savior' who will help him clear his name. Hsing, a rookie officer, is the savior and in return for finding Piao's killer, Piao must get him a girlfriend and a promotion.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Scream Team (2002)
Eccentric Frank Carlyle ran a horror shop in small-town Steeple Falls, which takes pride in and profit from its Halloween traditions. Frank's widower grandson Richard grudgingly returns there from Boston with his own kids, bright Ian and bratty Claire, to settle the inheritance. Ian discovers great-grandpa's house is really haunted, and not just, as legend holds, by historic owner Zachariah Kull, who was burned on the stake.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOnyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls (2023)
Onyx joins a group of fellow occultists to attend a dark ritual at the mansion of their idol, Bartok. Suspecting Bartok’s nefarious intentions, Onyx is suddenly immersed in a world of monsters, mystery, and mayhem.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWe're Going to Eat You (1980)
Agent 999 is sent to a remote Chinese island to capture a notorious bandit named Rolex. Upon arrival, 999 begins to suspect that something is wrong, and soon learns that the island is inhabited by flesh-eating cannibals under control of a tribal chief. 999 ultimately teams up with Rolex to overthrow the evil chief and escape the island.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Mad Monk (1993)
The gods in heaven complain to the Jade Emperor about the malicious practical jokes played on them by Dragon Fighter Lohan.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & fantasy
SnoozefestMovies like thisFright Night (1985)
Charley Brewster, a high school student, accidentally discovers the true and creepy nature of Jerry Dandrige, his dashing and enigmatic new neighbor; but no one seems willing to believe him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & horror
Worth the HypeMovies like thisUnderworld: Blood Wars (2016)
Vampire death dealer Selene fends off brutal attacks from both the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her. With her only allies, David and his father Thomas, she must stop the eternal war between Lycans and Vampires, even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & horror
SnoozefestMovies like thisVampire Cleanup Department (2017)
Attacked by vampire, Spring, a born loser is saved by three street cleaners. When he wakes up, he finds himself in a government secret facilities hidden in a garbage collection station. Spring then discovers that he has a special immunity to vampire attack, making him a perfect candidate as agent of the secret organisation, the Vampire Cleanup Department.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCasper (1995)
Casper is a kind young ghost who peacefully haunts a mansion in Maine. When specialist James Harvey arrives to communicate with Casper and his fellow spirits, he brings along his teenage daughter, Kat. Casper quickly falls in love with Kat, but their budding relationship is complicated not only by his transparent state, but also by his troublemaking apparition uncles and their mischievous antics.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both fantasy & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisShaolin Soccer (2001)
A young Shaolin follower reunites with his discouraged brothers to form a soccer team using their martial art skills to their advantage.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisGhostbusters (1984)
After losing their university jobs, three parapsychologists start a ghost-catching business in New York City and uncover a supernatural threat that could destroy the world.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy & fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisGhost Dad (1990)
Elliot Hopper, a widower with three children, is working on a business deal to get his family out of financial straits when he is suddenly killed in a taxi accident. With the aid of a paranormal researcher, Elliott attempts to complete the deal from the beyond, ensuring his family will be taken care of.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy & fantasy
SnoozefestMovies like thisGhost (1990)
After a young man is murdered, his spirit stays behind to warn his lover of impending danger, with the help of a reluctant psychic.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDC Showcase Original Shorts Collection (2010)
An anthology of DC Showcase stories consisting of a new Superman/Shazam feature and extended versions of older shorts.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both fantasy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisVolver (2006)
Three generations of women deal with family secrets while surviving the east wind, fire, insanity, superstition, lies and even death.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSqueak and I'll Run to You (2022)
Oxford professor Rex Shepherd stays at an out of the way hotel in a secluded English coastal spot. During his stay he follows the directions contained in a mysterious book, venturing over to a Roman temple, which turns out to be a ruined Roman pet cemetery. Here he discovers an old chest hidden within a wall – and inside the chest he finds a leather, bone-shaped artefact, which he takes back to his hotel room. After deciphering the latin written on the artefact, he squeezes the object, making it squeak like some kind of ancient dog toy. Now Rex Shepherd will soon find out that something is going to come out to play…
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror
Spirit World (2025)
Legendary singer Claire Emery flies to Japan for a final sold-out concert. But when the show ends, so does Claire’s life on earth. However, an unexpected new life in the spirit world - where she will be guided by Yuzo, one of her biggest fans - awaits.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both fantasy
Unforgotten Love (2010)
Korn was hit at the head during a robbery, when he wake up, he lost his memory over what had happen before. Now he has to write down everything before he forgets them. However, Korn always feels that there is something happened to someone during the robbery and he has to find out before it's too late. Time passes and Korn is still unable to recall who is that "someone". One day, Korn was told about a haunted 13 floor near his house, and coincidentally he appears at that floor for some reason. Is it "someone" that draws Korn's attention to the 13th floor? What happened to that "someone" during the robbery?
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror
The Story of Yuan Tiangang (2024)
Three hundred years ago, the elegant and spirited young man Yuan Tiangang, born with a doomed fate, unintentionally caused the death of his loved ones from a young age. As a result, he decided to gamble with fate and mastered the skill of "Chenggu Bone Divination," using it to target those whose lives were not supposed to end prematurely. At that time, it happened to be the end of the Sui Dynasty, with widespread chaos in the world. How will Yuan Tiangang change his destiny and become a notorious but respected leader amidst the turmoil of the late Sui Dynasty?
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both fantasy
Bayou Ghost Story (2017)
A paranormal investigator travels to the South to research a series of deaths connected to a supernatural curse haunting an old Louisiana family.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror
Like Shy Spirit and something else?
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Shy Spirit?
The closest matches to Shy Spirit are Mr. Vampire (1985), Encounters of the Spooky Kind (1980) and High Spirits (1988). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Shy Spirit?
Start with Mr. Vampire (1985), the closest match to Shy Spirit.
What is the highest-rated movie like Shy Spirit?
Ghostbusters (1984), rated 7.5/10 by 10,152 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Shy Spirit?
Spirit World (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
How are movies similar to Shy Spirit chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Shy Spirit, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.