Movies like Imagine: John Lennon (1988)
The best movies like Imagine: John Lennon (1988) are The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel (2026), The Velvet Underground (2021) and Matangi / Maya / M.I.A. (2018). If Imagine: John Lennon hooked you with its documentary and music, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedSelena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022)8.4/10 from 623 votes
- NewestThe Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel (2026)Released 2026
The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel (2026)
Explore the formative years of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the profound influence of original bandmate Hillel Slovak.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Velvet Underground (2021)
Experience the iconic rock band's legacy in the first major documentary to tell their story. Directed with the era’s avant-garde spirit by Todd Haynes, this kaleidoscopic oral history combines exclusive interviews with dazzling archival footage.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMatangi / Maya / M.I.A. (2018)
Drawn from a never before seen cache of personal footage spanning decades, this is an intimate portrait of the Sri Lankan artist and musician who continues to shatter conventions.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisElton John: Never Too Late (2024)
Sir Elton John looks back on his life and the astonishing early days of his 50-year career in this emotionally charged, full-circle journey. As he prepares for his final concert in North America at Dodger Stadium, Elton takes us back in time and recounts his struggles with adversity, abuse, and addiction, and how he overcame them to become the icon he is today.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBeastie Boys Story (2020)
Here's a little story they're about to tell... Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz share the story of their band and 40 years of friendship in a live documentary experience directed by friend, collaborator, and their former grandfather, Spike Jonze.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSelena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022)
After years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness. This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year journey into a new light.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisLewis Capaldi: How I'm Feeling Now (2023)
An intimate, all-access documentary that will chronicle Lewis Capaldi's journey from a scrappy teen with a viral performance to a Grammy-nominated pop star.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBeatles '64 (2024)
Featuring never-before-seen footage of the band and the legions of young fans who helped fuel their ascendance, follow McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Starr as they land in New York City in February 1964 and solidify their status as the biggest band in the world.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Beach Boys (2024)
A celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music, and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisShawn Mendes: In Wonder (2020)
A portrait of singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes' life, chronicling the past few years of his rise and journey.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisHated: GG Allin and The Murder Junkies (1993)
An overview of the life of the most shocking, vile, and notorious of punk rock legends.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisReturn of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley (2024)
He had one chance to show the world he was still the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Discover the story behind Elvis Presley's triumphant '68 comeback special.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMiley Cyrus - Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions) (2023)
Miley Cyrus takes the stage in this must-see, Disney+ music event featuring debut performances of her highly anticipated eighth studio album, "Endless Summer Vacation." The global superstar’s cinematic, one-of-a-kind performances are threaded together with exclusive interviews where she provides insight to her new album and the person she is today.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisHalftime (2022)
Global superstar Jennifer Lopez reflects on her multifaceted career and the pressure of life in the spotlight in this intimate documentary.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLet's Get Lost (1988)
Documentary about jazz great Chet Baker that intercuts footage from the 1950s, when he was part of West Coast Cool, and from his last years. We see the young Baker, he of the beautiful face, in California and in Italy, where he appeared in at least one movie and at least one jail cell (for drug possession). And, we see the aged Baker, detached, indifferent, his face a ruin. Includes interviews with his children and ex-wife, women companions, and musicians.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music & documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese (2019)
Part documentary, part concert film, part fever dream, this film captures the troubled spirit of America in 1975 and the joyous music that Dylan performed during the fall of that year.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Sparks Brothers (2021)
Take a musical odyssey through five weird and wonderful decades with brothers Ron & Russell Mael, celebrating the inspiring legacy of Sparks: your favorite band’s favorite band.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisTravis Scott: Look Mom I Can Fly (2019)
While crafting his Grammy-nominated album "Astroworld," Travis Scott juggles controversy, fatherhood and career highs in this intimate documentary.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Filth and the Fury (2000)
Julien Temple's second documentary profiling punk rock pioneers the Sex Pistols is an enlightening, entertaining trip back to a time when the punk movement was just discovering itself. Featuring archival footage, never-before-seen performances, rehearsals, and recording sessions as well as interviews with group members who lived to tell the tale--including the one and only John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten).
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBeing Eddie (2025)
From teen comedian to Hollywood legend, Eddie Murphy revisits his extraordinary showbiz ride with raw honesty and humor.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMonkees Screen Tests (1966)
Rare black and white footage of Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones auditioning for the 60s hit NBC television program The Monkees.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
The Music of Life (2009)
Eldar Ryazanov reads his poetry. An introspective movie on his multifaceted work.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing (2006)
Shut Up and Sing is a documentary about the country band from Texas called the Dixie Chicks and how one tiny comment against President Bush dropped their number one hit off the charts and caused fans to hate them, destroy their CD’s, and protest at their concerts. A film about freedom of speech gone out of control and the three girls lives that were forever changed by a small anti-Bush comment
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBillie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry (2021)
This documentary offers a deeply intimate look at extraordinary teenager Billie Eilish. Award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler follows her journey on the road, onstage, and at home with her family as the writing and recording of her debut album changes her life.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisThe Devil and Daniel Johnston (2006)
This 2005 documentary film chronicles the life of Daniel Johnston, a manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist, from childhood up to the present, with an emphasis on his mental illness and how it manifested itself in demonic self-obsession.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAny Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story (2024)
Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story reveals the extraordinary rise, sudden disappearance, and resurgence of trailblazing Black trans soul singer Jackie Shane.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
HAIM: Behind the Album (2017)
An in-depth tour of the band’s sophomore album with a thrilling live performance, interviews and backstage footage.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music & documentary
Eterna (2022)
Eterna is a 2022 Spanish documentary film directed by Juanma Sayalonga and David Sainz about the life of feminist rapper-poet Gata Cattana.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & music
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025)
Bruce Springsteen, a young musician on the cusp of global superstardom, struggles to reconcile the pressures of success with the ghosts of his past.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisKhali, La Nouvelle VOIX du Rap Français ! ( documentaire ) (2025)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Imagine: John Lennon?
The closest matches to Imagine: John Lennon are The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel (2026), The Velvet Underground (2021) and Matangi / Maya / M.I.A. (2018). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Imagine: John Lennon?
Start with The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel (2026), the closest match to Imagine: John Lennon.
What is the highest-rated movie like Imagine: John Lennon?
Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022), rated 8.4/10 by 623 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Imagine: John Lennon?
The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Imagine: John Lennon?
Yes: The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel (2026), The Velvet Underground (2021) and Matangi / Maya / M.I.A. (2018).
How are movies similar to Imagine: John Lennon chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Imagine: John Lennon, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.