Movies like Pencils vs Pixels (2023)
The best movies like Pencils vs Pixels (2023) are Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear (2022), Who Are You, Charlie Brown? (2021) and Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio: Handcarved Cinema (2022). If Pencils vs Pixels hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedThe Pixar Story (2007)7.6/10 from 251 votes
- NewestBiancaneve e i sette nani: la realizzazione dell’impossibile (2026)Released 2026
Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear (2022)
Explore the evolution of Buzz Lightyear from toy to human in the making of Pixar’s Lightyear. Dive into the origin and cultural impact of everyone’s favorite Space Ranger, the art of designing a new “human Buzz,” and the challenges faced by the Lightyear crew along the way.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisWho Are You, Charlie Brown? (2021)
Lupita Nyong'o narrates a documentary about Peanuts and its creator, Charles M. Schulz. Famous fans—including Drew Barrymore, Kevin Smith, and Al Roker—share its influence on them, and a new animated story finds Charlie Brown on a quest.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGuillermo del Toro's Pinocchio: Handcarved Cinema (2022)
With mesmerizing footage and time lapses of animators at work, this behind-the-scenes special captures the artistry of a unique tale years in the making.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEx Libris: The New York Public Library (2017)
A documentary about how a dominant cultural and demographic institution both sustains their traditional activities and adapts to the digital revolution.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Pixar Story (2007)
A look at the first years of Pixar Animation Studios - from the success of "Toy Story" and Pixar's promotion of talented people, to the building of its East Bay campus, the company's relationship with Disney, and its remarkable initial string of eight hits. The contributions of John Lasseter, Ed Catmull and Steve Jobs are profiled. The decline of two-dimensional animation is chronicled as three-dimensional animation rises. Hard work and creativity seem to share the screen in equal proportions.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Crystal Calls - Making The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019)
Go behind the scenes with stars, puppeteers and creators as they bring Jim Henson's magical world of Thra back to life in a sweeping fantasy series.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEmbrace the Panda: Making Turning Red (2022)
A feature length documentary about the all-women team at the helm of Pixar's original feature, Turning Red. With unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to Director Domee Shi and her core leadership crew, this story shines a light on the powerful professional and personal journeys that brought this incredibly comical, utterly relatable, and deeply heartfelt story to the screen.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBeing James Bond (2021)
Daniel Craig candidly reflects on his 15 year adventure as James Bond. Including never-before-seen archival footage from Casino Royale to the upcoming 25th film No Time To Die, Craig shares his personal memories in conversation with 007 producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMy Mom Jayne (2025)
Through deeply personal interviews with her siblings and an examination of the photographs, letters, and belongings left behind, Mariska assembles a new portrait of her mother Jayne Mansfield, an extraordinary and complex woman.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisElstree 1976 (2015)
A documentary about ten very different lives connected by having appeared onscreen wearing masks or helmets in Star Wars.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Summers of It - Chapter Two: It Ends (2019)
This documentary focuses on the actors and their journey over two summers to create the remake to the original IT, by Stephen King. The documentary originally released as bonus material, bundled with IT: Chapter Two.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPiece by Piece (2024)
A unique cinematic experience that invites audiences on a vibrant journey through the life of cultural icon Pharrell Williams. Told through the lens of LEGO® animation, turn up the volume on your imagination and witness the evolution of one of music's most innovative minds.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe U.S. vs. John Lennon (2006)
A documentary on the life of John Lennon, with a focus on the time in his life when he transformed from a musician into an antiwar activist.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBack in Time (2015)
Cast, crew and fans explore the "Back to the Future" time-travel trilogy's resonance throughout our culture, thirty years after Marty McFly went back in time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMaria by Callas (2017)
Told through performances, TV interviews, home movies, family photographs, private letters and unpublished memoirs, the film reveals the essence of an extraordinary woman who rose from humble beginnings in New York City to become a glamorous international superstar and one of the greatest artists of all time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAbove Majestic (2018)
A look at the origins, history and conspiracies behind the "Majestic 12", a clandestine group of military and corporate figureheads charged with reverse-engineering extraterrestrial technology.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like this180° South (2010)
The film follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like this56 Up (2012)
When a cross-section of seven-year-olds were interviewed for 7 Up in 1964 it was immediately evident that their social backgrounds influenced their attitudes towards life. While the upper class children were confident and self-assured, those from middle and working class backgrounds were resigned to a challenging life of hard work. This premise was put to the test every seven years when the same group were interviewed about the progression of their lives. 49 years in the making, the changes that occurred to the original 14 make for fascinating television and are in many ways the stories of all our lives. From success and disappointment, marriage and childbirth, to poverty and illness, nearly every facet of life has been captured on film. Now, at the age of 56, the group are once more brought together and, with the benefit of hindsight, assess whether their lives have been ruled by circumstance or self-determination.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDavid Byrne's American Utopia (2020)
A filmed version of David Byrne's Broadway show, a unifying musical celebration that inspires audiences to connect to each other and to the global community.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies 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
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRedefining the Line: The Making of One Hundred and One Dalmatians (2008)
Making of documentary for Disney's animated feature 101 Dalmatians
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Dream on Silly Dreamer (2005)
Disney animator Dan Lund documents the studio's decision to shut down its hand-drawn animation department and focus instead on computer-generated animation.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Hyohyo: Dear Mr. Yasuo Otsuka (2015)
Documentary about Yasuo Otsuka, famous Japanese animator and mentor of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. Featuring interviews with Japanese animation legends such as Masaaki Osumi, Youichi Kotabe, Sadao Tsukioka and Isao Takahata.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Biancaneve e i sette nani: la realizzazione dell’impossibile (2026)
In 1934, Walt Disney set out to do what no one had dared before: transform animation, until then confined to short, rhythmic gags, into a feature-length film. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs forced his studio to reinvent techniques, working methods, and even the art of visual storytelling itself. Amid delays, runaway budgets, and hundreds of artists at work, what seemed like madness turned into an unprecedented challenge. This is the story of making the impossible a reality.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
My Depression (The Up and Down and Up of It) (2014)
Based on Elizabeth Swados’ picture book of the same name, this animated short film charts one woman's struggle with depression.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Getekende Mensen (1984)
Animation film about the problems of heroin users. Harrie Geelen uses interviews with dealers, prostitutes, unhappy parents and outsiders to put together a sound play in 20 minutes. He drew pictures to accompany the words. In 1985 it was awarded a Golden Calf.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Hand-Drawn: Documentary (TBA)
An indie documentary exploring the art form of hand-drawn animation through a contemporary lens in the digital era. Featuring insights and anecdotes by hand-drawn animation artists from around the world.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Back to Neverland (1989)
Legendary TV news anchor Walter Cronkite takes ecstatic Disneyland tourist Robin through the process of Disney's hand drawn animation and makes Robin's wish of visiting the animated world of Peter Pan (1953) come true.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Who Should I Be In The World? (2020)
An experimental dreamscape, "Who Should I Be in the World?" follows Tifeny Moreria, a first-generation Afro-diasporic immigrant navigating the deep psychological complexities of cultural assimilation. Moving through a Western society that demands the suppression of her native identity, she constantly grapples with alien languages, shifting cultural expectations, and the lingering generational trauma of Portuguese colonization. Director Jamal Ademola entirely rejects standard linear storytelling, instead masterfully blending live-action footage, historical archival clips, and vivid animation. This striking mixed-media approach beautifully mirrors the fragmented, multi-layered nature of memory and heritage. The film is a poetic, deeply intimate exploration of identity, survival, and the profound cost of belonging in a displaced world.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
i will grow old, and what will i remember? (2024)
A meditation on childhood, loss, and the desire to recreate one’s innocence; the recalling of memories.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Pencils vs Pixels?
The closest matches to Pencils vs Pixels are Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear (2022), Who Are You, Charlie Brown? (2021) and Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio: Handcarved Cinema (2022). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Pencils vs Pixels?
Start with Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear (2022), the closest match to Pencils vs Pixels.
What is the highest-rated movie like Pencils vs Pixels?
The Pixar Story (2007), rated 7.6/10 by 251 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Pencils vs Pixels?
Biancaneve e i sette nani: la realizzazione dell’impossibile (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Pencils vs Pixels?
Yes: Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear (2022), Who Are You, Charlie Brown? (2021) and Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio: Handcarved Cinema (2022).
How are movies similar to Pencils vs Pixels chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Pencils vs Pixels, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.