Movies like South to Sian (2016)
The best movies like South to Sian (2016) are Atlantis Rising (2017), The Endless Summer (1966) and The Crystal Calls - Making The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019). If South to Sian hooked you with its adventure and documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedThe Last Waltz (1978)7.7/10 from 330 votes
- NewestOasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)Released 2026
Atlantis Rising (2017)
James Cameron and Simcha Jacobovici go on an adventure to find the lost city of Atlantis by using Greek philosopher Plato as a virtual treasure map.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary & adventure
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Endless Summer (1966)
Documentary filmmaker Bruce Brown, himself a competition-level surfer, follows surfers Michael Hynson and Robert August on an around-the-world surfing adventure. With Brown's wry, sardonic narration and a twangy, guitar-driven instrumental soundtrack by The Sandals playing over the silent footage, Mike and Rob leave their California home to visit Hawaii, Australia, South Africa and other secluded surfing spots in a search for the surfer's holy grail that Brown dubs "The Perfect Wave.”
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe 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 thisLooking 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 thisThe September Issue (2009)
A documentary chronicling Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour's preparations for the 2007 fall-fashion issue.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFor the Love of Spock (2016)
The life of Mr. Spock, as well as that of Leonard Nimoy, the actor who played him for almost fifty years, written and directed by his son: Adam.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisOur Planet: Behind the Scenes (2019)
Years spent recording footage of creatures from every corner of the globe is bound to produce a bit of drama. Here's a behind-the-scenes look.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Last Waltz (1978)
Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from The Band's incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, and other rock legends.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisUnder the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett (2021)
A special celebrating the origins and legacy of Star Wars' legendary bounty hunter, Boba Fett.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLemmy (2010)
Over four decades, Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister has registered an immeasurable impact on music history. Nearly 65, he remains the living embodiment of the rock and roll lifestyle, and this feature-length documentary tells his story, one of a hard-living rock icon who continues to enjoy the life of a man half his age.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDeliver Us from Evil (2006)
Documentary filmmaker Amy Berg investigates the life of 30-year pedophile Father Oliver O'Grady and exposes the corruption inside the Catholic Church that allowed him to abuse countless children. Victims' stories and a disturbing interview with O'Grady offer a view into the troubled mind of the spiritual leader who moved from parish to parish gaining trust ... all the while betraying so many.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Deepest Breath (2023)
Bonded by their love of freediving, a record-setting champion and a heroic safety diver try to make history with a remarkable feat, ready to risk it all.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBeyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear (2022)
Explore the evolution of Buzz Lightyear from toy to human in the making of Pixar’s Lightyear. Dive into the origin and cultural impact of everyone’s favorite Space Ranger, the art of designing a new “human Buzz,” and the challenges faced by the Lightyear crew along the way.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisUnder the Sea 3D (2009)
Imagine a world of incredible color and beauty. Of crabs wearing jellyfish for hats. Of fish disguised as frogs, stones and shag carpets. Of a kaleidoscope of life dancing and weaving, floating and darting in an underwater wonderland. Now, go explore it! Howard Hall and his filmmaking team, who brought you Deep Sea and Into the Deep, take you into tropical waters alive with adventure: the Great Barrier Reef and other South Pacific realms. Narrated by Jim Carrey and featuring astonishing camerawork, this amazing film brings you face to fin with Nature's marvels, from the terrible grandeur (and terrible teeth) of a Great White to the comic antics of a lovestruck cuttlefish. Excitement and fun run deep Under the Sea!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like this180° 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 thisVideo Games: The Movie (2014)
From executive producer Zach Braff and director Jeremy Snead, "Video Games: The Movie" is an epic feature length documentary chronicling the meteoric rise of video games from nerd niche to multi-billion dollar industry. Narrated by Sean Astin and featuring in-depth interviews with the godfathers who started it all, the icons of game design, and the geek gurus who are leading us into the future, "Video Games: The Movie" is a celebration of gaming from Atari to Xbox and an eye-opening look at what lies ahead.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)
Experience the meteoric rise of Oasis through rare footage and untold stories as the band reunites for Oasis Live '25, chronicling their journey from Manchester streets to global rock stardom.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Secret (2006)
Interviews with leading authors, philosophers and scientists, with an in-depth discussion of the Law of Attraction. The audience is shown how they can learn and use 'The Secret' in their everyday lives.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe 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 thisHôtel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie (1988)
Marcel Ophuls' riveting film details the heinous legacy of the Gestapo head dubbed "The Butcher of Lyon." Responsible for over 4,000 deaths in occupied France during World War II, Barbie would escape—with U.S. help—to South America in 1951, where he lived until a global manhunt led to his 1983 arrest and subsequent trial.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisFirst Love (2011)
First Love is about love, friendship and following your dreams. This feature length surf film documents the lives of three passionate young girls from Phillip Island and follows them to Hawaii the first step on their journey to making a career out of surfing. 17 yr old Jess Laing has grown up surfing with, and competing against her two friends Nikki van Dijk and India Payne. They're all sponsored, surf the breaks and live within 10 minutes of each other. The girls are all different in their own ways, but one things for sure, they all love the same thing. But when Jess is injured everything changes. Her trip to Hawaii is replaced with surgery, recovery and rehab. Its only her love of surfing that pulls her through.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary & adventure
Sons of the Surf (1926)
Surfing at Waikiki Beach, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. Most surfers are human, one is a dog. The educational documentary is part of the Bruce Scenic Novelties series.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Riding Giants (2004)
Riding Giants is story about big wave surfers who have become heroes and legends in their sport. Directed by the skateboard guru Stacy Peralta.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPeel: The Peru Project (2006)
Presenting the newest film from the family that made surf-film history, (Bruce Brown, Endless Summer, Dana Brown, Step into Liquid) Wes Brown and T.J. Barrack take us on-location to the beautiful waters of Peru where surfing is a way of life and surfers are worshiped as National Heroes. Including an enchanted visit to Machu Picchu, this surf odyssey fuses unique cultural aspects and electrifying surf footage.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The September Sessions (2002)
Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, and others take a trip to the coast of Sumatra, where they find themselves surfing beautiful waves, and lose the urgency they have come to live with being professionals. September Sessions documents this trip with interviews and 16mm footage of life on a once in a lifetime surftrip.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Thicker Than Water (2000)
Chris Malloy, Emmett Malloy, and Jack Johnson got together to document the life and times of a pro surfer. Shot all on 16mm Film "Thicker Than Water" follows Rob Machado, Kelly Slater, Brad Gerlach, Shane Dorian, and others on a 18 month journey through the North Atlantic, South Pacific, and the Bay of Bengal.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Surf Ninjas (1993)
Two Asian-American "surfer-dude" brothers discover they are the long lost princes from a China Sea Island. Part of their inheritance includes magically-induced martial arts prowess and seeing the future. Using their new powers, they act to overthrow the island's current dictator, a despotic madman with a metal face!
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both adventure
SnoozefestMovies like thisStep Into Liquid (2003)
No special effects. No stuntmen. No stereotypes. No other feeling comes close. Surfers and secret spots from around the world are profiled in this documentary.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPerfect moment - L'aventure continue (2004)
On land, sea and air: sport and extreme sensations. On the program, among others: Garret McNamara's fight with "Jaws", a formidable surfing spot, snowboarding with Xavier De Le Rue, three times world champion, windsurfing with Josh Angulo in Cape Verde, freefly with the parachutists of Team Babylon.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Like South to Sian and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like South to Sian?
The closest matches to South to Sian are Atlantis Rising (2017), The Endless Summer (1966) and The Crystal Calls - Making The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after South to Sian?
Start with Atlantis Rising (2017), the closest match to South to Sian.
What is the highest-rated movie like South to Sian?
The Last Waltz (1978), rated 7.7/10 by 330 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like South to Sian?
Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like South to Sian?
Yes: Atlantis Rising (2017), The Endless Summer (1966) and The Crystal Calls - Making The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019).
How are movies similar to South to Sian chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside South to Sian, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.