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Movies like What Is a Cat? (1972)

The best movies like What Is a Cat? (1972) are Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience (2016), Inside the Mind of a Cat (2022) and Embrace the Panda: Making Turning Red (2022). If What Is a Cat? hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience (2016)

    A celebration of the universe, displaying the whole of time, from its start to its final collapse. This film examines all that occurred to prepare the world that stands before us now: science and spirit, birth and death, the grand cosmos and the minute life systems of our planet.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  2. Inside the Mind of a Cat (2022)

    Cat experts dive into the mind of the feline to reveal the true capabilities of the pouncing pet in this captivating and cuddly documentary.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  3. Embrace 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

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  4. Being 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

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  5. Naqoyqatsi (2002)

    A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  6. I Am Heath Ledger (2017)

    The life and career of an actor, artist, and icon. His own journey through his own camera.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  7. Who 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

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  8. The Irishman: In Conversation (2019)

    Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino in conversation about The Irishman.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  9. Heart of a Dog (2015)

    Musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson reflects on the deaths of her husband Lou Reed, her mother and her beloved dog.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  10. Very Nice, Very Nice (1961)

    Arthur Lipsett's first film is an avant-garde blend of photography and sound. It looks behind the business-as-usual face we put on life and shows anxieties we want to forget. It is made of dozens of pictures that seem familiar, with fragments of speech heard in passing and, between times, a voice saying, "Very nice, very nice." The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  11. The 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

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  12. Kedi (2017)

    A profile of Istanbul and its unique people, seen through the eyes of the most mysterious and beloved animal humans have ever known, the Cat.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  13. One Soldier's Story: The Journey of American Sniper (2015)

    Join director Clint Eastwood and his creative team, along with Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller, as they overcome enormous creative and logistic obstacles to make a film that brings the truth of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle's story to the screen.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

  14. Grey Gardens (1976)

    Edie Bouvier Beale and her mother, Edith, two aging, eccentric relatives of Jackie Kennedy Onassis, are the sole inhabitants of a Long Island estate. The women reveal themselves to be misfits with outsized, engaging personalities. Much of the conversation is centered on their pasts, as mother and daughter now rarely leave home.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  15. Powaqqatsi (1988)

    An exploration of technologically developing nations and the effect the transition to Western-style modernization has had on them.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  16. Deliver Us from Evil (2006)

    Documentary filmmaker Amy Berg investigates the life of 30-year pedophile Father Oliver O'Grady and exposes the corruption inside the Catholic Church that allowed him to abuse countless children. Victims' stories and a disturbing interview with O'Grady offer a view into the troubled mind of the spiritual leader who moved from parish to parish gaining trust ... all the while betraying so many.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  17. A Fan's Guide to Ms. Marvel (2022)

    A documentary short that gives you an exclusive look behind the groundbreaking original series, "Ms. Marvel", from its comic book origins to its development and production as Marvel Studios’ next hit series on Disney+. It features interviews with its award winning filmmaking team and the show’s captivating star, newcomer Iman Vellani.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  18. Beyoncé: Life Is But a Dream (2013)

    Life Is But a Dream is a HBO documentary about the life of US singer Beyoncé Knowles during the years 2011 and 2012 and on the recording of her fifth album. The film was directed by Beyoncé herself. The film shows Beyoncé from intimate moments of her pregnancy to behind the scenes and rehearsals of the main concerts of that time.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  19. An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

    A documentary on Al Gore's campaign to make the issue of global warming a recognized problem worldwide.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

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  20. A Love Song for Latasha (2019)

    A dreamlike conversation with the past and the present, reimagining Latasha Harlins' story by excavating intimate memories shared by those who loved her.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  21. En Rang Par Deux (2020)

    The idea for this film comes from the encounter with two African boys who live in Rome, and is based on their music. Tunisian Afif and Senegalese Aliou tell their different stories, talk about friendship, immigration, freedom and, above all, about the fundamental value of making music together.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  22. Dear Chantal (2021)

    Pereda returns with a small, mysterious and moving tribute to Chantal Akerman, conceived as a series of joyful impossible letters addressed to the great disappeared from the cinema, to answer her fictional question about renting her bright apartment in Coyoacán.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  23. Terror in Times Square: A Guide To Nightmare's Grindhouse Kingdom (2015)

    2015 featurette documentary behind the experience of Nightmare and grindhouse cinema.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  24. Tehran Is the Capital of Iran (1966)

    Tehran Is the Capital of Iran (1966-79) documents life in a deprived district in the south of Tehran. The images of destitution in Tehran's poor areas is accompanied by a variety of spoken accounts: the official viewpoint on the district's living conditions, what the inhabitants have to say, and occasional extracts read out of school manuals. The key element in Shirdel's film is the counterpoint effect he creates with image and sound. His impressively powerful portrayal of social unease helps reinforce the impact of his astonishing documentary images and social themes.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  25. The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat (1896)

    A group of people are standing along the platform of a railway station in La Ciotat, waiting for a train. One is seen coming, at some distance, and eventually stops at the platform. Doors of the railway-cars open and attendants help passengers off and on. Popular legend has it that, when this film was shown, the first-night audience fled the café in terror, fearing being run over by the "approaching" train. This legend has since been identified as promotional embellishment, though there is evidence to suggest that people were astounded at the capabilities of the Lumières' cinématographe.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  26. Cassini's Grand Finale (2017)

    To help visualize the dramatic final chapter in Cassini's remarkable story, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory produced this short film that features beautiful computer-generated animation, thoughtful narration and a rousing score. Producers at JPL worked with filmmaker Erik Wernquist, known for his 2014 short film "Wanderers," to create a stirring finale video befitting one of NASA's most successful missions of exploration.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  27. Hollywood - The Second Step (1936)

    This short follows the early career of actress Jane Barnes. She starts by doing extra work. After several months she is offered a studio contract (the "first step"). However, her work consists mostly of fashion shoots and bit parts that end up on the cutting room floor. She is even used as a stand-in for Maureen O'Sullivan on the set of a Tarzan movie when camera angles and lighting must be set up.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  28. The Big Swim (1964)

    This short documentary shows Canada's top swimmers in training for the 1964 Olympic Games. Under the critical eye of coach Ed Healy, they practice long hours in the gym and in the pool to build strength and stamina.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  29. Land Without Bread (1933)

    An exploration —manipulated and staged— of life in Las Hurdes, in the province of Cáceres, in Extremadura, Spain, as it was in 1932. Insalubrity, misery and lack of opportunities provoke the emigration of young people and the solitude of those who remain in the desolation of one of the poorest and least developed Spanish regions at that time.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  30. Satan’s Top Forty (2001)

    Documentary on Heavy Metal music featuring Adam Sandler, Ozzy Osbourne, Gene Simmons and Ronnie Dio. Produced for the "Little Nicky" Special Edition DVD.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

Like What Is a Cat? and something else?

Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like What Is a Cat??

The closest matches to What Is a Cat? are Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience (2016), Inside the Mind of a Cat (2022) and Embrace the Panda: Making Turning Red (2022). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after What Is a Cat??

Start with Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience (2016), the closest match to What Is a Cat?.

What is the highest-rated movie like What Is a Cat??

Kedi (2017), rated 7.5/10 by 383 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like What Is a Cat??

Inside the Mind of a Cat (2022) is the most recent release on this list.

Are there English movies like What Is a Cat??

Yes: Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience (2016), Inside the Mind of a Cat (2022) and Embrace the Panda: Making Turning Red (2022).

How are movies similar to What Is a Cat? chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside What Is a Cat?, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.

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