Movies like Jazz Is My Native Language: A Portrait of Toshiko Akiyoshi (1983)
The best movies like Jazz Is My Native Language: A Portrait of Toshiko Akiyoshi (1983) are Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026), Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012) and God Bless Ozzy Osbourne (2011). If Jazz Is My Native Language: A Portrait of Toshiko Akiyoshi hooked you with its documentary and music, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedThe Last Waltz (1978)7.7/10 from 330 votes
- NewestOasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)Released 2026
Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)
Experience the meteoric rise of Oasis through rare footage and untold stories as the band reunites for Oasis Live '25, chronicling their journey from Manchester streets to global rock stardom.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisKaty Perry: Part of Me (2012)
Giving fans unprecedented access to the real life of the music sensation, Katy Perry: Part of Me exposes the hard work, dedication and phenomenal talent of a girl who remained true to herself and her vision in order to achieve her dreams. Featuring rare behind-the-scenes interviews, personal moments between Katy and her friends, and all-access footage of rehearsals, choreography, Katy’s signature style and more, Katy Perry: Part of Me reveals the singer’s unwavering belief that if you can be yourself, then you can be anything.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisGod Bless Ozzy Osbourne (2011)
Featuring never before seen footage uncovered from the archives and interviews with Paul McCartney, Tommy Lee and others, God Bless Ozzy Osbourne is the first documentary to take viewers inside the complex mind of rock's great icon.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisJustin Bieber's Believe (2013)
A backstage and on-stage look at Justin Bieber during his rise to super stardom.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBeware of Mr. Baker (2012)
Ginger Baker is known for playing in Cream and Blind Faith, but the world's greatest drummer didn’t hit his stride until 1972, when he arrived in Nigeria and discovered Fela Kuti's Afrobeat. After leaving Nigeria, Ginger returned to his pattern of drug-induced self-destruction, and countless groundbreaking musical works, eventually settling in South Africa, where the 73-year-old lives with his young bride and 39 polo ponies. This documentary includes interviews with Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Carlos Santana and more. Beware of Mr. Baker! With every smash of the drum is a man smashing his way through life.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBillie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) (2026)
Captured during Billie Eilish's sold-out world tour, a concert experience from one of the most celebrated and successful artists of her generation, presented in immersive 3D.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisEnd of the Century: The Story of the Ramones (2003)
A years-in-the-making documentary on the legendary punk band the Ramones. Through a mixture of archival footage, archival and new interviews with all members of the band's various lineups, and new interviews with a number of their contemporaries, the film traces the peaks and valleys the band experienced over the course of its 20-plus year career before disbanding in 1995.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Stone Roses: Made of Stone (2013)
A documentary about the English alternative rock band, The Stone Roses. Meadows interweaves archive film, intimate behind-the-scenes footage and never-before-seen material, delivering the definitive account of the band and their music. He was also granted unprecedented access to their rehearsals for the summer 2012 Manchester concerts. A momentous occasion in modern music, these were the first gigs performed by The Stone Roses in 16 years.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like this20 Feet from Stardom (2013)
Backup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight. Their voices bring harmony to the biggest bands in popular music, but we've had no idea who these singers are or what lives they lead, until now.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Only Girl in the Orchestra (2023)
Trailblazing double bassist Orin O'Brien never wanted the spotlight, but when Leonard Bernstein hired her in 1966 as the first female musician in the New York Philarmonic, it was inevitable that she would become the focus of much interest and fascination. Now 87 years old and recently retired, Orin looks back on her remarkable life and career, insisting that a fuss should not be made, much preferring to play a supporting role to the family, students, friends, and colleagues that surround her.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAdele One Night Only (2021)
A primetime special with performances from the superstar including Adele’s first new material in six years plus her chart-topping hits. The special will also feature an exclusive interview with Adele by Oprah Winfrey from her rose garden, in Adele’s first televised wide-ranging conversation.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCrossfire Hurricane (2012)
This film is released as part of the ongoing 50th anniversary celebration of the Rolling Stones. It tells the story of the Stones' unparalleled journey from blues obsessed teens in the early 60s to their undisputed status as rock royalty. All of the Stones have been newly interviewed and their words form the narrative arc that links together archive footage of performances, news coverage, and interviews, much of it previously unseen. Taking its title from a lyric in "Jumpin' Jack Flash," this film gives the viewer an intimate insight into exactly what it's like to be part of the Rolling Stones as they overcome denunciation, drugs, dissensions, and death to become the definitive survivors. Over a year in the making and produced with the full cooperation and involvement of the Stones, this film is and will remain the definitive story of the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMichael Jackson: The Life of an Icon (2011)
See Michael Jackson, one of the most recognizable and popular entertainers of all time, like never before in the feature-length tribute Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon. Known to millions of fans worldwide for his record-breaking albums, groundbreaking music videos, mesmerizing dance moves and humanitarian efforts, his true story has never really been told...until now. This unprecedented look into the King of Pop's fascinating life includes all-new interviews with his mother Katherine Jackson as well as siblings Tito and Rebbie Jackson, his nephew Jaafar Jackson and niece Tahkyah brings plenty Jackson and Friends ends and music legends such as Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick and his 3 children and many more.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisThriller 40 (2023)
Forty years after the release of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller,’ the best-selling album of all-time, director Nelson George takes fans back in time to the making of a pop masterpiece, featuring never-before-seen footage and candid interviews.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisHappier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles (2021)
Fresh off the heels of her brand-new album, "Happier Than Ever," this cinematic concert experience features an intimate performance of every song in the album's sequential order – for the first and only time – from the stage of the legendary Hollywood Bowl.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisIt Might Get Loud (2008)
A documentary on the electric guitar from the point of view of three significant rock musicians: the Edge, Jimmy Page and Jack White.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLive Aid (1985)
Live Aid was held on 13 July 1985, simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, and the John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, United States. It was one of the largest scale satellite link-ups and television broadcasts of all time: watched live by an estimated global audience of 1.9 billion, across 150 nations. "It's twelve noon in London, seven AM in Philadelphia, and around the world it's time for Live Aid...!"
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Last Waltz (1978)
Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from The Band's incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, and other rock legends.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisWestern Stars (2019)
The incomparable Bruce Springsteen performs his critically acclaimed latest album and muses on life, rock, and the American dream, in this intimate and personal concert film co-directed by Thom Zimny and Springsteen himself.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisJanis: Little Girl Blue (2015)
Janis Joplin is one of the most respected and iconic rock & roll singers of all time, a tragic and misunderstood figure who captivated millions of listeners and blazed new creative trails before her death in 1970 at age 27. Director Amy Berg explored Joplin's story in depth. A portrait of a complicated, driven and often beleaguered artist. Joplin's own words recount a series of letters she wrote to her family over the years. Janis was a vessel of energy when she sang. Her rapid rise and untimely death changed music forever.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisFire Music (2021)
Although the free jazz movement of the 1960s and '70s was much maligned in some jazz circles, its pioneers - brilliant talents like Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Sun Ra, Albert Ayler, and John Coltrane - are today acknowledged as central to the evolution of jazz as America's most innovative art form. FIRE MUSIC showcases the architects of a movement whose radical brand of improvisation pushed harmonic and rhythmic boundaries, and produced landmark albums like Coleman's Free Jazz: A Collective Inspiration and Coltrane's Ascension. A rich trove of archival footage conjures the 1960s jazz scene along with incisive reflections by critic Gary Giddins and a number of the movement's key players.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Piano Blues (2003)
Director — and piano player — Clint Eastwood explores his life-long passion for piano blues, using a treasure trove of rare historical footage in addition to interviews and performances by such living legends as Pinetop Perkins and Jay McShann, as well as Dave Brubeck and Marcia Ball.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music & documentary
Let's Get Lost (1988)
Documentary about jazz great Chet Baker that intercuts footage from the 1950s, when he was part of West Coast Cool, and from his last years. We see the young Baker, he of the beautiful face, in California and in Italy, where he appeared in at least one movie and at least one jail cell (for drug possession). And, we see the aged Baker, detached, indifferent, his face a ruin. Includes interviews with his children and ex-wife, women companions, and musicians.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMiles Davis & Keith Jarrett - The 1971 Berlin Concert (2010)
Miles Davis Septet featuring Keith Jarrett recorded live at Berliner Jazztage, Berlin, November 6, 1971 / Miles Davis – trumpet / Keith Jarrett – Fender Rhodes piano, Fender Contempo organ / Gary Bartz – soprano sax, alto sax / Michael Henderson – electric bass / Ndugu Leon Chancler – drums / James Mtume Forman – conga, percussion / Charles Don Alias – conga, percussion
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music & documentary
Cold Trumpet (1963)
Chet Baker silently wanders through an Antonioniesque landscape in a Felliniesque state of wonderment as his improvised trumpet solos alternate between earnestly offering the obvious and mocking the artiness of the whole affair.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Sparni (2023)
It’s the second semester of junior year for Pierce “Sparni” Sparnroft, a gifted jazz vibraphonist studying at Montclair State University in New Jersey. Sparni’s prospects on the vibes were rejuvenated by their new professor, the world-renowned Steve Nelson, and are to be showcased during a student-driven recital in May 2023. But all the while, Sparni must face a crisis within.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Miyama, Kyōto Prefecture (2023)
The follow-up film to “Barstow, California” takes us to the mountains of Miyama, a remote forest and tourist area north of Kyoto. Uwe Walter, a shakuhachi player from Germany, lives there with his wife Mitsuyo for 30 years. Together with the villagers he prepares the annual Gion Festival. On the eve of the festival, the village representatives tell him that his self-built studio is to be demolished. This brings back memories for him of earlier times and his first steps as a Nō actor. In the manner of a fresco, the film interweaves rural depictions of everyday life with the story of its German protagonist. In the village community with its togetherness of generations, Uwe shares life with his neighbours, with farmers, hunters, woodsmen, poultry farmers and anglers, tills his kitchen garden, and like other tradition-conscious villagers, he also grows his rice. The film shows them in a harsh mountain landscape between the rainy season and the first snow.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989)
The lives of two struggling musicians, who happen to be brothers, inevitably change when they team up with a beautiful, up-and-coming singer.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisKeiko Kishi, Eternally Rebellious (2023)
Born in 1932, Keiko Kishi has been one of the first Japanese actresses known worldwide. Her decision to move to France and to marry director Yves Ciampi in 1957 – after he filmed her in Typhoon Over Nagasaki starring Jean Marais and Danielle Darrieux – caused a huge scandal in Japan. Despite this transgression, Keiko Kishi continued acting in her home country with Kon Ichikawa, Yasujiro Ozu, Masaki Kobayashi… building unique bridges between Japanese and European cultures. Free and rebellious, she emancipated herself from the many obstacles she encountered in the film industry, and created her own production company in her early twenties. Let’s look back at the story of a pioneer, an inspiration for many generations.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Jazz session: Dizzy Gillepsie en concert au studio 104 - 1970 (2022)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Jazz Is My Native Language: A Portrait of Toshiko Akiyoshi?
The closest matches to Jazz Is My Native Language: A Portrait of Toshiko Akiyoshi are Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026), Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012) and God Bless Ozzy Osbourne (2011). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Jazz Is My Native Language: A Portrait of Toshiko Akiyoshi?
Start with Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026), the closest match to Jazz Is My Native Language: A Portrait of Toshiko Akiyoshi.
What is the highest-rated movie like Jazz Is My Native Language: A Portrait of Toshiko Akiyoshi?
The Last Waltz (1978), rated 7.7/10 by 330 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Jazz Is My Native Language: A Portrait of Toshiko Akiyoshi?
Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Jazz Is My Native Language: A Portrait of Toshiko Akiyoshi?
Yes: Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026), Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012) and God Bless Ozzy Osbourne (2011).
How are movies similar to Jazz Is My Native Language: A Portrait of Toshiko Akiyoshi chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Jazz Is My Native Language: A Portrait of Toshiko Akiyoshi, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.