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Movies like The Hydromantic

The best movies like The Hydromantic are My Mom Jayne (2025), Naqoyqatsi (2002) and Ex Libris: The New York Public Library (2017). If The Hydromantic hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. My 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 this
  2. 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

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  3. Ex 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 this
  4. The Mole: Undercover in North Korea (2020)

    A real-life undercover thriller about two ordinary men who embark on an outrageously dangerous ten-year mission to penetrate the world's most secretive and brutal dictatorship: North Korea.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  5. Come 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 this
  6. 180° 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 this
  7. As 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 this
  8. Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (2006)

    Featuring never-before-seen footage, this documentary delivers a startling new look at the Peoples Temple, headed by preacher Jim Jones who, in 1978, led more than 900 members to Guyana, where he orchestrated a mass suicide via tainted punch.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  9. Aquaman: Heroines of Atlantis (2019)

    Amber Heard and Nicole Kidman discuss their characters Mera and Atlanna.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  10. Halloween: 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 this
  11. Avatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/20 (2022)

    An inside look at one of the most anticipated movie sequels ever with James Cameron and cast.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  12. The Curious Birth of Benjamin Button (2009)

    A documentary about the making of David Fincher's 2008 film THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON. Virtually every element in the evolution of the Fincher's film is documented here, from the project's attachment to numerous other directors during the 1990s, to its shoot in 2006 and 2007 in New Orleans, to its complex, CGI-intensive postproduction process.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  13. Interstellar: Nolan's Odyssey (2014)

    A look behind the lens of Christopher Nolan's space epic.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  14. 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
  15. The 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 this
  16. 42 Up (1999)

    Director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born adults after a 7 year wait. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  17. Anna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me (2023)

    From the heights of her modeling fame to her tragic death, this documentary reveals Anna Nicole Smith through the eyes of the people closest to her.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  18. Koyaanisqatsi (1983)

    Takes us to locations all around the US and shows us the heavy toll that modern technology is having on humans and the earth. The visual tone poem contains neither dialogue nor a vocalized narration: its tone is set by the juxtaposition of images and the exceptional music by Philip Glass.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  19. In the Realms of the Unreal (2004)

    In the Realms of the Unreal is a documentary about the reclusive Chicago-based artist Henry Darger. Henry Darger was so reclusive that when he died his neighbors were surprised to find a 15,145-page manuscript along with hundreds of paintings depicting The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is Known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glodeco-Angelinnian War Storm, Cased by the Child Slave Rebellion.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  20. Sherman's March (1986)

    Documentarian Ross McElwee originally set out to make a travelogue of sorts tracing General William T. Sherman's infamous scorched-earth march through the Confederacy in the latter stages of the Civil War. Instead, haunted by a recent breakup with a girlfriend, McElwee ends up documenting his progress -- or lack thereof -- in starting a new relationship. His journey then becomes one of self-reflection and self-discovery rather than a historical/sociological exploration.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  21. The Last of the Sea Women (2024)

    On the shores of Jeju Island, a fierce group of South Korean divers fight to save their vanishing culture from looming threats.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  22. Jeju Prayer (2013)

    Focusing on Mrs. Kang Sang-hee’s life, she lost her husband in the Jeju Uprising (March 3rd, 1948). The film views the dark-side of Jeju Island, a huge grave, which is completely opposite of the other side of the island, the famous tourist attraction. It says that the tragedy has been going on about the recent Gang-jeong village situation.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  23. Map without Island (2021)

    The film shows demonstrations against building the second airport in Jeju Island the performances of environmentalists very closely and in detail, by which it develops a desperate love story.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  24. Diving Women of Jeju-do (2007)

    Jeju-do is the largest of Korean islands and lies between Korea and Japan. There, for hundreds of years, women dive without breathing apparatus, to the ocean floor and collect shellfish, octopus, and urchins that they sell. The divers are in their sixties and seventies and their daughters do not want to inherit their work, lifestyle, and health problems that go with diving. As a filmmaker I was privileged to meet many of these women and dive with them. Their stories of hardship and pride confirmed my desire to record this unique and ancient tradition.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  25. Jeju Note (2018)

    This is a record of people who face up to the big change.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  26. The Birth of Korea 2: Freedom Fighter (2025)

    How did South Korea, after liberation in 1945 defend liberal democracy against leftist and communist forces? The door to that secret is now revealed.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  27. Burial Of This Order (2023)

    In an abandoned resort on the South Korean island of Jeju, a group of people perform a symbolic funeral ritual to end a world built on hierarchies, division and destruction.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  28. Daughter of the Sea (2023)

    Battling deep depression, Jaeyoun returns to her roots on the island of Marano, South Korea, to visit her family of female free fivers known as haenyeo. To her surprise, she finds a connection to nature and her ancestors that literally saves her life.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  29. The Last Mermaids (2009)

    Mother to daughter. Generation after generation. For over 2000 years, the women of Jeju Island dove deep into the ocean - the refuge that has given them life, shielded them from war and allowed them to educate their daughters. Now they want the tradition to stop. These are The Last Mermaids.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  30. Red-Hunt (1997)

    70 years ago, a massacre called ‘Red Hunt’ occurred in Jeju island. Over 6 years, countless lives were murdered in the Daranshi cave, Jungbang waterfall, and Ompang field. There was no line between life and death. There were only ideological and political strategies that surrounded Jeju. After 49 years, survivors can finally testify the memories that could not be forgotten.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

Like The Hydromantic and something else?

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

Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like The Hydromantic?

The closest matches to The Hydromantic are My Mom Jayne (2025), Naqoyqatsi (2002) and Ex Libris: The New York Public Library (2017). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after The Hydromantic?

Start with My Mom Jayne (2025), the closest match to The Hydromantic.

What is the highest-rated movie like The Hydromantic?

Koyaanisqatsi (1983), rated 7.9/10 by 813 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like The Hydromantic?

Come See Me in the Good Light (2025) is the most recent release on this list.

Are there Korean movies like The Hydromantic?

Yes: Jeju Prayer (2013), Map without Island (2021) and Diving Women of Jeju-do (2007).

How are movies similar to The Hydromantic chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Hydromantic, 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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