Movies like Brain in the Desert (1990)
The best movies like Brain in the Desert (1990) are Sick Girl (2006), Play It Again, Sam (1972) and How to Fall in Love (2012). If Brain in the Desert hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedObsession (2026)8.2/10 from 6,592 votes
- NewestObsession (2026)Released 2026
Sick Girl (2006)
A shy entomologist named Ida—whose girlfriend has left her, due to her interest in insects—develops a crush on a strange girl, Misty. After Ida receives a mysterious insect in the mail, the two women spend the night together, and Ida awakens to find that Misty has stumbled upon her insect collection and has a great interest in them herself.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPlay It Again, Sam (1972)
A neurotic film critic obsessed with the movie Casablanca attempts to get over his wife leaving him by dating again with the help of a married couple and his illusory idol, Humphrey Bogart.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHow to Fall in Love (2012)
An accountant, who never quite grew out of his awkward teenage years, finds himself with a dating coach - she happens to be his high school crush as well. Thanks to his coach, he gets a pretty woman he has his sights on for some time, but realizes they are incompatible. Meanwhile, his dating lessons with his teenage crush reawaken old feelings. Not realizing the feelings are mutual, he finds himself unable to act on them due to his fear of being rejected by the one he truly loves.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisUpstream Color (2013)
A man and woman are drawn together, entangled in the lifecycle of an ageless organism. Identity becomes an illusion as they struggle to assemble the loose fragments of wrecked lives.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLisa Frankenstein (2024)
In 1989, a misunderstood teenager has a high school crush — who just happens to be a handsome corpse! After a set of playfully horrific circumstances bring him back to life, the two embark on a murderous journey to find love, happiness…and a few missing body parts along the way.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisKiss Me Goodbye (1982)
Not until three years after the death of her husband Jolly, Kay dares to move back into their former home, persuaded by her new fiancée Rupert. But soon her worst expectations come true, when not only her old memories haunt her, but also Jolly's ghost, who doesn't approve of her new mate. Invisible to anyone but Kay, he tries to prevent the wedding.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisElectric Dreams (1984)
Miles Harding buys a state-of-the-art computer that starts expressing conscious thought and emotion after an interaction with spilled champagne. Things begin getting out of hand when both Miles and Edgar, the computer, fall in love with beautiful neighbor Madeline Robistat.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Love Witch (2016)
A modern-day witch uses spells and magic to get men to fall in love with her, with deadly consequences.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPoultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2006)
When the American Chicken Bunker, a military-themed fast-food restaurant, builds its latest chain restaurant on the site of an ancient Native American burial ground, the displaced spirits take revenge on unsuspecting diners and transform them into chicken zombies! Now, it’s up to a dimwitted counter boy, his collegiate lesbian ex-girlfriend, and a burqa-wearing fry cook to put an end to the foul-feathered menace once and for all.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisObsession (2026)
After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisMy Best Friend Is a Vampire (1987)
Shortly after high school student Jeremy Capello goes on a hot date, he finds he can't stand garlic or see his reflection in mirrors.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Rule of Jenny Pen (2025)
Confined to a secluded rest home and trapped within his stroke-ridden body, a former Judge must stop an elderly psychopath who employs a child's puppet to abuse the home's residents with deadly consequences.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGirl Haunts Boy (2024)
Cole, a teen grieving the loss of his dad, forms an unlikely bond with Bea, a ghost. As they navigate life and death, they must break an ancient curse.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFresh (2022)
Frustrated by scrolling dating apps only to end up on lame, tedious dates, Noa takes a chance by giving her number to the awkwardly charming Steve after a produce-section meet-cute at the grocery store.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEndless (2020)
When madly in love high school graduates Riley and Chris are separated by a tragic car accident, Riley blames herself for her boyfriend's death while Chris is stranded in limbo. Miraculously, the two find a way to connect. In a love story that transcends life and death, both Riley and Chris are forced to learn the hardest lesson of all: letting go.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisYour Monster (2024)
After her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming, monster living in her closet.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSomeone Like You... (2001)
Jane Goodale has everything going for her. She's a producer on a popular daytime talk show, and is in a hot romance with the show's dashing executive producer Ray. But when the relationship goes terribly awry, Jane begins an extensive study of the male animal, including her womanizing roommate Eddie. Jane puts her studies and romantic misadventure to use as a pseudonymous sex columnist -- and becomes a sensation.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Duke of Burgundy (2015)
Day in and day out, lovers Cynthia and Evelyn enact an elaborate sadomasochistic fantasy as mistress and maid. But as their ritual of domination and submission begins to turn stale, Cynthia yearns for something more conventional, while Evelyn tries to push their taboos even further.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMalcolm & Marie (2021)
As a filmmaker and his girlfriend return home from his movie premiere, smoldering tensions and painful revelations push them toward a romantic reckoning.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCatch and Release (2006)
For a grieving fiancée, learning to love again requires the help of her late love's three best friends.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Brain in the Desert?
The closest matches to Brain in the Desert are Sick Girl (2006), Play It Again, Sam (1972) and How to Fall in Love (2012). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Brain in the Desert?
Start with Sick Girl (2006), the closest match to Brain in the Desert.
What is the highest-rated movie like Brain in the Desert?
Obsession (2026), rated 8.2/10 by 6,592 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Brain in the Desert?
Obsession (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Brain in the Desert?
Yes: Sick Girl (2006), Play It Again, Sam (1972) and How to Fall in Love (2012).
How are movies similar to Brain in the Desert chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Brain in the Desert, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.