Movies like The Big Stick / An Old Reel (1973)
The best movies like The Big Stick / An Old Reel (1973) are A Day's Pleasure (1919), Daybreak Express (1957) and 2036: Nexus Dawn (2017). If The Big Stick / An Old Reel hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedBlade Runner (1982)7.9/10 from 15,633 votes
- NewestMike & Nick & Nick & Alice (2026)Released 2026
A Day's Pleasure (1919)
A father takes his family for an outing, which turns out to be a ridiculous trial.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDaybreak Express (1957)
Set to a classic Duke Ellington recording "Daybreak Express", this is a five-minute short of the soon-to-be-demolished Third Avenue elevated subway station in New York City.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like this2036: Nexus Dawn (2017)
Niander Wallace introduces a new line of "perfected" replicants called the Nexus 9, seeking to get the prohibition on replicants repealed.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBlade Runner (1982)
In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisThey'll Love Me When I'm Dead (2018)
As his life comes to its end, famous Hollywood director Orson Welles puts it all on the line at the chance for renewed success with the film The Other Side of the Wind.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLast Breath (2025)
Seasoned deep-sea divers battle the raging elements to rescue their crewmate trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean's surface.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Cameraman (1928)
A photographer takes up newsreel shooting to impress a secretary.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisElectronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB (1967)
In an underground city in a dystopian future, the protagonist, whose name is "THX 1138 4EB", is shown running through passageways and enclosed spaces. It is soon discovered that THX is escaping his community. The government uses computers and cameras to track down THX and attempt to stop him; however, they fail. He escapes by breaking through a door and runs off into the sunset. The government sends their condolences to YYO 7117, THX's mate, claiming that THX has destroyed himself. Electronic Labyrinth: THX-1138 4EB is a 1967 science fiction short film written and directed by George Lucas while he attended the University of Southern California's film school.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPrep & Landing (2009)
Wayne gets a new rookie partner, Lanny, after his previous partner got the promotion he wanted. Lanny has to remind Wayne of the Spirit of Christmas and the importance of being an elf in Santa's Prep and Landing elite unit.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisTropic Thunder: Rain of Madness (2008)
A behind-the-scenes mockumentary of Tropic Thunder.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThey Won't Believe Me (1947)
On trial for murdering his girlfriend, philandering stockbroker Larry Ballentine takes the stand to claim his innocence and describe the actual, but improbable sounding, sequence of events that led to her death.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThunder Road (2018)
A police officer faces a personal meltdown following a divorce and the death of his mother.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGone Nutty (2004)
Scrat tries to finish his rather large collection of acorns when things start going nutty.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisInterstellar: Nolan's Odyssey (2014)
A look behind the lens of Christopher Nolan's space epic.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisTwo Distant Strangers (2020)
A man trying to get home to his dog becomes stuck in a time loop that forces him to relive a deadly run-in with a cop.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLarry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm (1999)
Mock documentary about Seinfeld writer Larry David featuring contributions from his friends and colleagues. Larry makes a return to stand-up comedy and prepares to film a television special for HBO. This is the original special that gave birth to the long-running award-winning HBO series.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisProject Almanac (2015)
A group of teens discover secret plans of a time machine, and construct one. However, things start to get out of control.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisModern Romance (1981)
A film editor breaks up with his girlfriend, unsure if he is in love.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMarvel One-Shot: All Hail the King (2014)
A documentary filmmaker interviews the now-famous Trevor Slattery from behind bars.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMike & Nick & Nick & Alice (2026)
Two gangsters and the woman they love try to survive the most dangerous night of their lives. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s one wild ingredient added to the mix: a time machine.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like The Big Stick / An Old Reel?
The closest matches to The Big Stick / An Old Reel are A Day's Pleasure (1919), Daybreak Express (1957) and 2036: Nexus Dawn (2017). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after The Big Stick / An Old Reel?
Start with A Day's Pleasure (1919), the closest match to The Big Stick / An Old Reel.
What is the highest-rated movie like The Big Stick / An Old Reel?
Blade Runner (1982), rated 7.9/10 by 15,633 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like The Big Stick / An Old Reel?
Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like The Big Stick / An Old Reel?
Yes: A Day's Pleasure (1919), Daybreak Express (1957) and 2036: Nexus Dawn (2017).
How are movies similar to The Big Stick / An Old Reel chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Big Stick / An Old Reel, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.