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Movies like Powaqqatsi (1988)

The best movies like Powaqqatsi (1988) are Naqoyqatsi (2002), Koyaanisqatsi (1983) and Ex Libris: The New York Public Library (2017). If Powaqqatsi hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. 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
  2. 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
  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 Class of ‘92 (2013)

    A detailing of the rise to prominence and global sporting superstardom of six supremely talented young Manchester United football players (David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Phil and Gary Neville). The film covers the period 1992-1999, culminating in Manchester United's European Cup triumph.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  5. 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
  6. The Year Earth Changed (2021)

    Never-before-seen footage shows how our living in lockdown opened the door for nature to bounce back and thrive. Across the seas, skies, and lands, Earth found its rhythm when we came to a stop.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  7. Deepsea Challenge 3D (2014)

    Described as being a film about determination, danger and the ocean’s greatest depths, James Cameron's "Deepsea Challenge 3D" tells the story of Cameron’s journey to fulfill his boyhood dream of becoming an explorer. The movie offers a unique insight into Cameron's world as he makes that dream reality – and makes history – by becoming the first person to travel solo to the deepest point on the planet.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  8. 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
  9. Mountain (2017)

    An epic cinematic and musical collaboration between SHERPA filmmaker Jennifer Peedom and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, that explores humankind's fascination with high places.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  10. 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

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  11. Western Stars (2019)

    The incomparable Bruce Springsteen performs his critically acclaimed latest album and muses on life, rock, and the American dream, in this intimate and personal concert film co-directed by Thom Zimny and Springsteen himself.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  12. Pandas (2018)

    In the mountains of Sichuan, China, a researcher forms a bond with Qian Qian, a panda who is about to experience nature for the first time.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Absolute CinemaMovies like this
  13. Dancing with the Birds (2019)

    Some of the world's most majestic birds display delightfully captivating mating rituals, from flashy dancing to flaunting their colorful feathers.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  14. Looking for Richard (1996)

    Al Pacino's deeply-felt rumination on Shakespeare's significance and relevance to the modern world through interviews and an in-depth analysis of "Richard III."

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  15. OLIVIA RODRIGO: driving home 2 u (a SOUR film) (2022)

    Grammy® winner singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo takes a familiar road trip from Salt Lake City, where she began writing her debut album “SOUR,” to Los Angeles. Along the way, Rodrigo recounts the memories of writing and creating her record-breaking debut album and shares her feelings as a young woman navigating a specific time in her life. Through new live arrangements of her songs, intimate interviews and never-before-seen footage from the making of the album, audiences will follow Olivia along on a cinematic journey exploring the story of “SOUR.”

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  16. Elstree 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 this
  17. 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible (2021)

    In 2019, Nepalese mountain climber Nirmal “Nims” Purja set out to do the unthinkable by climbing the world’s fourteen highest summits in less than seven months. (The previous record was eight years). He called the effort “Project Possible 14/7” and saw it as a way to inspire others to strive for greater heights in any pursuit. The film follows his team as they seek to defy naysayers and push the limits of human endurance.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  18. 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

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  19. 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

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  20. The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story (2019)

    A documentary chronicling Queen and Lambert's incredible journey since they first shared the stage together on "American Idol" in 2009.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  21. Planète animale 2 : Survivre (2017)

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  22. Toad to Nowhere (TBA)

    Two filmmakers journey to Arizona's Sonoran Desert to find bufo alvarus, a psychedelic toad. TOAD TO NOWHERE is a documentary about healing, hallucinogens, and looking within to explore the unknown.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  23. Frans Lanting: The Evolution of LIFE (2015)

    A dazzling journey through time via the remarkable images of National Geographic photographer Frans Lanting and his epic "LIFE" project, which presents a stunning interpretation of life on Earth, from the Big Bang through the present.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  24. The Life of a Greater Horseshoe Bat (2014)

    There is a fabulous colony of Greater Horseshoe Bats in the heart of the Camargue. This species of bat is one of the most amazing. A true little clown equipped with the very latest biological technologies, the Greater Horseshoe Bat is as rare as it is mysterious. "The life of a Greater Horseshoe Bat" invites you to share the life of a young female and her mother, for better or for worse...

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  25. Galapagos - Trauminsel im Pazifik (1962)

    Following in the footsteps of Charles Darwin, Heinz Sielmann traveled to the bizarre volcanic islands of Galapagos. The multi-award-winning film shows the unique wildlife on the Pacific Noah's Ark.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  26. Killer Shark Vs. Killer Whale (2021)

    Scientists dive deep on the mysterious and unusual predatory behavior of orcas attacking great white sharks, and the disappearance of the other sharks after these attacks.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  27. Most Wanted Sharks (2020)

    Whether it's the biggest great white, the most photographed tiger shark, or the shark known for jumping 100 feet up out of the water, we're diving into the stories of the greatest shark stars of all time.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  28. Billion Dollar Fish (2012)

    The River Danube is home to a fish that grows larger than the Great White Shark. Although it leads a secretive life, the Beluga Sturgeon – the King of the Danube – produces the most prized food in the whole world. For over 200 million years, the 8-metre long fish had no enemies, and yet today it is on the verge of extinction. Evolution did not prepare the fish for pollution, river regulation and overfishing. Beluga caviar is traded for up to 20,000 dollars per kilogramme. Ironically, the high price of this precious product could save the animals from a premature disappearance from planet earth.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  29. Abschied vom Garten (2020)

    The early retired Gert spends the last summer in his garden, a place that has become a real home for him. The garden will be demolished to create a shopping center on its grounds. The only thing Gert can do is remember memories of happy times he spent with his family in the garden.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

  30. Frontier Sumatra (2019)

    With 30 football fields of forest lost each minute in the world, we need to know now if we can save nature. This is the story of one conservation project, Restorasi Ekosistem Riau (RER). After decades of land-clearing and burning across Sumatra, the remote Kampar Peninsula is now the last great peatland rainforest on the island. But protecting this vast ecosystem pushes the RER team to the limits

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary

Like Powaqqatsi and something else?

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

Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like Powaqqatsi?

The closest matches to Powaqqatsi are Naqoyqatsi (2002), Koyaanisqatsi (1983) and Ex Libris: The New York Public Library (2017). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after Powaqqatsi?

Start with Naqoyqatsi (2002), the closest match to Powaqqatsi.

What is the highest-rated movie like Powaqqatsi?

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

What is the newest movie like Powaqqatsi?

OLIVIA RODRIGO: driving home 2 u (a SOUR film) (2022) is the most recent release on this list.

Are there English movies like Powaqqatsi?

Yes: Naqoyqatsi (2002), Koyaanisqatsi (1983) and Ex Libris: The New York Public Library (2017).

How are movies similar to Powaqqatsi chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Powaqqatsi, 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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