Movies like JOY AND TORMENT (2025)
The best movies like JOY AND TORMENT (2025) are Unacknowledged (2017), Killer Legends (2014) and Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown (2008). If JOY AND TORMENT hooked you with its thriller and fantasy, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedAll the President's Men (1976)7.7/10 from 2,198 votes
- NewestLiving with Chucky (2022)Released 2022
Unacknowledged (2017)
Dr. Steven Greer presents brand new top-secret evidence supporting extraterrestrial contact, including witness testimony, classified documents, and UFO footage, while also exploring the consequences of ruthlessly enforcing such secrecy.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisKiller Legends (2014)
Delving into our collective nightmares, this horror-documentary investigates the origins of our most terrifying urban legends and the true stories that may have inspired them.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
SnoozefestMovies like thisLovecraft: Fear of the Unknown (2008)
A chronicle of the life, work and mind that created the Cthulhu mythos.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLeap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist (2019)
A lyrical and spiritual cinematic essay on The Exorcist, the last film of Alexandre O. Philippe explores the uncharted depths of William Friedkin’s mind’s eye, the nuances of his filmmaking process, and the mysteries of faith and fate that have shaped his life and filmography.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHorror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019)
Delving into a century of genre films that by turns utilized, caricatured, exploited, sidelined, and finally embraced them, this is the untold history of black Americans in Hollywood through their connection to the horror genre.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPennywise: The Story of ‘It’ (2021)
Thirty-plus years after its release, the popular two-part miniseries "It" and its infamous villain Pennywise live on in the minds of horror fans around the world. This documentary captures not only the buzz the "It" saga generated in 1990 but also the lasting impact it has had on an entire generation and the horror genre at large. Several years in the making, the film features exclusive interviews with many of the cult classic's key players, from cast members Richard Thomas, Seth Green, and Tim Curry, who portrayed the notorious monster clown Pennywise, to director Tommy Lee Wallace and special effects makeup artist Bart Mixon. The documentary also boasts a wealth of archival material and never-before-seen footage.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMarvel Studios: Assembling a Universe (2014)
A look at the story behind Marvel Studios and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from all of the Marvel films, the Marvel One-Shots and "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & fantasy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisTerror in the Aisles (1984)
A non-stop roller coaster ride through the scariest moments of the greatest terror films of all time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both horror & documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAtlantis Rising (2017)
James Cameron and Simcha Jacobovici go on an adventure to find the lost city of Atlantis by using Greek philosopher Plato as a virtual treasure map.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDoc of the Dead (2014)
The definitive zombie culture documentary, brought to the screen by the makers of THE PEOPLE vs. GEORGE LUCAS.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisIn Search of Darkness: Part II (2020)
The ultimate ‘80s Horror retrospective just got BIGGER. In Search of Darkness: Part II is a four-hour-plus sequel to the Rondo Hatton-nominated In Search of Darkness, adding 15 new interviewees and 40+ returning favorites for the biggest and most comprehensive ‘80s Horror documentary cast ever assembled.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMisha and the Wolves (2021)
A woman’s Holocaust memoir takes the world by storm, but a fallout with her publisher-turned-detective reveals her story as an audacious deception created to hide a darker truth.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisUnknown Dimension: The Story of Paranormal Activity (2021)
A deep dive into the making of the Paranormal Activity films with first time ever interviews with cast and crew, never-before-seen footage from the movies, and a preview of the seventh installment in the franchise.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Green Prince (2014)
This real-life thriller tells the story of one of Israel’s prized intelligence sources, recruited to spy on his own people for more than a decade. Focusing on the complex relationship with his handler, The Green Prince is a gripping account of terror, betrayal, and unthinkable choices, along with a friendship that defies all boundaries.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & thriller
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSherlock Holmes: Reinvented (2010)
Making of featurette for Sherlock Holmes (2009).
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & mystery
Worth the HypeMovies like thisNightmares in Red, White and Blue (2009)
An exploration of the appeal of horror films, with interviews of many legendary directors in the genre.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGoing to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (2006)
This historical and critical look at slasher films, which includes dozens of clips, begins with Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Prom Night. The films' directors, writers, producers, and special effects creators comment on the films' making and success. During the Reagan years, the films get gorier, budgets get smaller, and their appeal wanes. Then, Nightmare on Elm Street revives the genre. Jump to the late 90s, when Scream brings humor and TV stars into the mix.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Imposter (2012)
In 1994, a 13-year-old boy disappeared without a trace from his home in San Antonio, Texas. Three-and-a-half years later, he is found alive in a village in southern Spain with a horrifying story of kidnap and torture. His family is overjoyed to bring him home. But all is not quite as it seems.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & mystery
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLiving with Chucky (2022)
A filmmaker who grew up alongside Chucky the killer doll seeks out the other families surrounding the Child's Play films as they recount their experiences working on the ongoing franchise and what it means to be a part of the, "Chucky" family.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & horror
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBlack Holes: The Edge of All We Know (2020)
Black holes stand at the limit of what we can know. To explore that edge of knowledge, the Event Horizon Telescope links observatories across the world to simulate an earth-sized instrument. With this tool the team pursues the first-ever picture of a black hole, resulting in an image seen by billions of people in April 2019. Meanwhile, Hawking and his team attack the black hole paradox at the heart of theoretical physics—Do predictive laws still function, even in these massive distortions of space and time? Weaving them together is a third strand, philosophical and exploratory using expressive animation. “Edge” is about practicing science at the highest level, a film where observation, theory, and philosophy combine to grasp these most mysterious objects.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & mystery
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGremlins (1984)
After receiving an exotic small animal as a Christmas gift, a young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet, which unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous creatures on a small town.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both fantasy & horror
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAll the President's Men (1976)
During the 1972 elections, two reporters' investigation sheds light on the controversial Watergate scandal that compels President Nixon to resign from his post.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & thriller
Worth the HypeMovies like thisUnforgettable (1996)
Seattle medical examiner David Krane is obsessed with solving his wife's murder. A possible solution presents itself in an experimental "memory" serum designed by a neurobiology professor, which has the ability to transfer memories from one person to another, but with potentially fatal consequences.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both thriller & mystery
SnoozefestMovies like thisNo Good Deed (2002)
While doing a friend a favor and searching for a runaway teenager, a police detective stumbles upon a bizarre band of criminals about to pull off a bank robbery.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & thriller
SnoozefestMovies like thisColor of Night (1994)
A color-blind psychiatrist is stalked by an unknown killer after taking over his murdered friend's therapy group and becomes embroiled in an intense affair with a mysterious woman who may be connected to the crime.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both mystery & thriller
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Dark Side of the Moon (1990)
It is the year 2022. A mysterious systems failure causes the crew of a spaceship to be stranded on the dark side of the moon, while rapidly running out of fuel and oxygen. They are surprised to discover a NASA space shuttle floating in space, and board it in the hope of salvaging some supplies. One by one, the crew is possessed and killed, and it is up to Paxton Warner to find the links between the dark side of the moon, the Bermuda Triangle, and the Devil himself.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both horror & thriller
SnoozefestMovies like thisCrash (1996)
A car crash victim inexplicably finds himself aroused by car accidents and becomes involved with an underground subculture of like-minded souls.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHidden in the Woods (2014)
The story of two sisters who have been raised in isolation, subjected to the torment of their abusive, drug dealing father. When they finally decide to report him to the police, he kills the two officers and is put in jail. But things go from bad to worse when the girls must answer to their Uncle Costello, a psychotic drug kingpin, who shows up looking for his missing merchandise which is hidden in the woods.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both thriller
First Blood (1982)
When former Green Beret John Rambo is harassed by local law enforcement and arrested for vagrancy, he is forced to flee into the mountains and wage an escalating one-man war against his pursuers.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both thriller
Worth the HypeMovies like this23 (1998)
The movie's plot is based on the true story of a group of young computer hackers from Hannover, Germany. In the late 1980s the orphaned Karl Koch invests his heritage in a flat and a home computer. At first he dials up to bulletin boards to discuss conspiracy theories inspired by his favorite novel, R.A. Wilson's "Illuminatus", but soon he and his friend David start breaking into government and military computers. Pepe, one of Karl's rather criminal acquaintances senses that there is money in computer cracking - he travels to east Berlin and tries to contact the KGB.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both thriller
Popcorn FlickMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like JOY AND TORMENT?
The closest matches to JOY AND TORMENT are Unacknowledged (2017), Killer Legends (2014) and Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown (2008). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after JOY AND TORMENT?
Start with Unacknowledged (2017), the closest match to JOY AND TORMENT.
What is the highest-rated movie like JOY AND TORMENT?
All the President's Men (1976), rated 7.7/10 by 2,198 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like JOY AND TORMENT?
Living with Chucky (2022) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like JOY AND TORMENT?
Yes: Unacknowledged (2017), Killer Legends (2014) and Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown (2008).
How are movies similar to JOY AND TORMENT chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside JOY AND TORMENT, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.