Movies like AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Thrills (2001)
The best movies like AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Thrills (2001) are A Decade Under the Influence (2003), As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000) and Sidney (2022). If AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Thrills hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedSpielberg (2017)7.5/10 from 317 votes
- NewestBiancaneve e i sette nani: la realizzazione dell’impossibile (2026)Released 2026
A Decade Under the Influence (2003)
A documentary examining the decade of the 1970s as a turning point in American cinema. Some of today's best filmmakers interview the influential directors of that time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisAs I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000)
A compilation of over 30 years of private home movie footage shot by Lithuanian-American avant-garde director Jonas Mekas, assembled by Mekas "purely by chance", without concern for chronological order.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSidney (2022)
This revealing documentary honors the legendary Sidney Poitier—iconic actor, filmmaker, and civil rights activist. Featuring interviews with Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Halle Berry, and more.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHalloween: 25 Years of Terror (2006)
Follow the evolution of the 'Halloween' movies over the past twenty-five years. It examines why the films are so popular and revisits many of the original locations used in the films - seeing the effects on the local community. For the first time, cast, crew, critics and fans join together in the ultimate 'Halloween' retrospective.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMaking Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound (2019)
The history of cinematic sound, told by legendary sound designers and visionary filmmakers.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAnd the Oscar Goes To... (2014)
The story of the gold-plated statuette that became the film industry's most coveted prize, AND THE OSCAR GOES TO... traces the history of the Academy itself, which began in 1927 when Louis B. Mayer, then head of MGM, led other prominent members of the industry in forming this professional honorary organization. Two years later the Academy began bestowing awards, which were nicknamed "Oscar," and quickly came to represent the pinnacle of cinematic achievement.
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 thisThe Skywalker Legacy (2020)
The story lives forever in this feature-length documentary that charts the making of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisSpielberg (2017)
A documentary on the life and career of one of the most influential film directors of all time, Steven Spielberg.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDirected by John Ford (1971)
A documentary about the life and films of director John Ford.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisIn Search of the Last Action Heroes (2019)
The most comprehensive retrospective of the '80s action film genre ever made.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCorman's World (2011)
A chronicle of the long career of American filmmaker Roger Corman, the most tenacious and ingenious low-budget producer and director in the US film industry, a pioneer of independent filmmaking and discoverer of new talent.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMore Brains! A Return to the Living Dead (2011)
Retrospective documentary about the making of the horror cult classic "The Return of the Living Dead."
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCharlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin (2003)
Brilliant, long in-the-works story of the life and art of the world's greatest comedian and the cinema's first genius, Charlie Chaplin. Produced, written and directed by renowned film critic Richard Schickel.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSeduced and Abandoned (2013)
SEDUCED AND ABANDONED combines acting legend Alec Baldwin with director James Toback as they lead us on a troublesome and often hilarious journey of raising financing for their next feature film. Moving from director to financier to star actor, the two players provide us with a unique look behind the curtain at the world's biggest and most glamourous film festival, shining a light on the bitter-sweet relationship filmmakers have with Cannes and the film business. Featuring insights from directors Martin Scorsese, 'Bernando Bertolucci' and Roman Polanski; actors Ryan Gosling and Jessica Chastain and a host of film distribution luminaries.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAttack of the Hollywood Clichés! (2021)
One-man armies, meet-cutes, casual strolls away from huge explosions — stars and industry insiders toast and roast these cinematic chestnuts and more.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCome See Me in the Good Light (2025)
In an intimate and joyful story of love in the face of loss, celebrated poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley find strength—and unexpected hilarity—in what might be their final year together.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Director and the Jedi (2018)
An intimate documentary delving into Rian Johnson's process as he comes in as a director new to the Star Wars universe.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLos Angeles Plays Itself (2004)
From its distinctive neighborhoods to its architectural homes, Los Angeles has been the backdrop to countless movies. In this dazzling work, Andersen takes viewers on a whirlwind tour through the metropolis' real and cinematic history, investigating the myriad stories and legends that have come to define it, and meticulously, judiciously revealing the real city that lives beneath.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSkin: A History of Nudity in the Movies (2020)
The definitive documentary on the history of nudity in feature films from the early silent days to the present, studying the changes in morality that led to the use of nudity in films while emphasizing the political, sociological and artistic changes that shaped that history. Skin will also study the gender inequality in presenting nude images in motion pictures and will follow the revolution that has created nude gender equality in feature films today.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBlack Zombie (2026)
From the flickering screens of Hollywood horror, to the haunted cane fields of colonial Haiti, Black Zombie unearths the buried origins of the zombie, reclaiming it as a symbol of survival and spiritual resistance.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Lime Grove Story (1991)
A documentary about the BBC's Lime Grove studios
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Cinéma L’Amour (2005)
A brief documentary of Cinéma L’Amour, one of North America's last major adult theaters.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Warren Oates: Across the Border (1993)
A retrospective of the work of the late actor Warren Oates, with clips from his films and interviews with cast and crew members who worked with him.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Twentieth Century Fox: The Blockbuster Years (2003)
Behind-the-scenes footage, rare screen tests and insightful interviews highlight this engrossing two-hour look at one of Hollywood's greatest dream factories. Such film luminaries as Tom Hanks, William Friedkin, George Lucas, Oliver Stone and Robert Altman discuss their work at the studio. Clips include scenes from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Patton, Young Frankenstein, Star Wars, Alien, Big, Home Alone, Die Hard and dozens more.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes & Villains (2003)
The American Film Institute celebrates 100 years of film by recognizing the top 50 film heroes and top 50 film villains of all time.
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
Nitrate Base (1997)
A celebration of 100 years of cinema presenting the technical and artistic evolution of the motion picture. We move from mute to sound, from black-and-white to color, through various genres and styles, with regard to historical context, fashion, the star system and the unhappy ending to watching films in movie theaters.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Learning, Studying… Always Perfecting: The Making of One Battle After Another (2026)
A behind-the-scenes documentary filmed during the production of Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, featuring candid moments from the cast and crew.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Hitchcock/Truffaut (2015)
Filmmakers discuss the legacy of Alfred Hitchcock and the book “Hitchcock/Truffaut” (“Le cinéma selon Hitchcock”), written by François Truffaut and published in 1966.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Thrills?
The closest matches to AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Thrills are A Decade Under the Influence (2003), As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000) and Sidney (2022). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Thrills?
Start with A Decade Under the Influence (2003), the closest match to AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Thrills.
What is the highest-rated movie like AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Thrills?
Spielberg (2017), rated 7.5/10 by 317 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Thrills?
Biancaneve e i sette nani: la realizzazione dell’impossibile (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Thrills?
Yes: A Decade Under the Influence (2003), As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000) and Sidney (2022).
How are movies similar to AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Thrills chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Thrills, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.