Movies like Kaavalan (1990)
The best movies like Kaavalan (1990) are A Cookie Cutter Christmas (2014), The Party (1968) and Flash Gordon (1980). If Kaavalan hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Kaavalan
Quick picks
- Highest ratedSafety Last! (1923)7.7/10 from 613 votes
- NewestVishwanath & Sons (2026)Released 2026
- In TamilVishwanath & Sons (2026)Also in Tamil
A Cookie Cutter Christmas (2014)
Two longtime rivals and elementary school teachers duke it out during the holidays in a Christmas cookie bake-off, but their real feud ignites over a shared interest in a handsome single dad. With both determined to win the prize and the romance, their competitiveness could jeopardize what matters most this Christmas season.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Party (1968)
Hrundi V. Bakshi, an accident-prone actor from India, is accidentally put on the guest list for an upcoming party at the home of a Hollywood film producer. Unfortunately, from the moment he arrives, one thing after another goes wrong with compounding effect.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisFlash Gordon (1980)
A football player and his mates travel to the planet Mongo and find themselves fighting the tyranny of Ming the Merciless to save Earth.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like this40 Acres (2025)
Hailey Freeman and her family are the last descendants of African American farmers who settled in rural Canada after the Civil War. In a famine-decimated near future, they now struggle to safeguard their farm, as they make one last stand against a vicious militia hell-bent on taking their 40 Acres.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMythica: A Quest for Heroes (2014)
Stuck in a life of indentured servitude, Marek dreams of becoming a wizard. When she meets the beautiful priestess Teela in need of help, she offers her assistance and provides a motley troupe. Together they go in search of Teela's sister, who was kidnapped by a wild ogre.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Chamber (1996)
Idealistic young attorney Adam Hall takes on the death row clemency case of his racist grandfather, Sam Cayhall, a former Ku Klux Klan member he has never met.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisFort Apache, the Bronx (1981)
From the sight of a police officer this movie depicts the life in New York's infamous South Bronx. In the center is "Fort Apache", as the officers call their police station, which really seems like an outpost in enemy's country. The story follows officer Murphy, who seems to be a tough cynic, but in truth he's a moralist with a sense for justice.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Fugitive Kind (1960)
Val Xavier, a drifter of obscure origins, arrives at a small town and gets a job in a store run by Lady Torrence. Her husband, Jabe M. Torrance, is dying of cancer. Val is pursued by Carol Cutere, the enigmatic local tramp-of-good-family.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLethal Weapon (1987)
A veteran cop and an unstable detective become partners who must put their differences aside in order to bring down a heroin-smuggling ring run by ex-Special Forces.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisVishwanath & Sons (2026)
A celebrated Olympian shooter travels to America looking for a donor to help his sick child — but unexpected romance complicates his search.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like this44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out (2003)
After a failed bank robbery, two heavily armed men hold the Los Angeles Police Department at bay for 44 minutes.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisChristmas Around the Corner (2018)
Claire (Alexandra Breckenridge), a savvy venture capitalist from New York City, escapes to a quaint town in Vermont for the holidays and becomes a guest of the Fortenbury Bookstore. Upon arrival, Claire finds Christmas celebrations have been canceled by the town after a flood and the bookstore is in a dire state of disrepair. She immediately takes on the challenge to revitalize the store, but clashes with the owner, Andrew (Jamie Spilchuk), who initially rejects all her proposed improvements. Eventually, sparks fly as the two begin a budding romance, and Claire’s infectious optimism inspires Andrew to join her in reviving the yuletide spirit. But everything comes to a screeching halt when Claire discovers that Andrew is planning to sell the bookstore in the New Year. Will the spirit of Christmas be enough to change Andrew’s mind and encourage him to follow his heart?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSafety Last! (1923)
When a store clerk organizes a contest to climb the outside of a tall building, circumstances force him to make the perilous climb himself.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSweetie (1989)
The buttoned-down, superstitious Kay is attempting to lead a normal existence with her new boyfriend Louis. That’s until Sweetie, her rampaging, devil-may-care sister, returns home after an absence, exposing the rotten roots of their family and placing a strain on Kay and Louis’ relationship.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLovely, Still (2009)
A holiday fable that tells the story of an elderly man discovering love for the first time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFinding Father Christmas (2016)
Orphaned at a young age at Christmas, Miranda finds a clue that could unveil the truth about her father - and maybe a little something else will rekindle her Christmas spirit.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisJailer (2023)
Muthuvel Pandian, a retired, stern yet compassionate jailer lives a peaceful life with his family, but trouble knocks his door when his cop son’s tryst with an antique mafia gang goes awry and forces Muthu to step back into a dark world he had voluntarily took a break from.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHoliday in Handcuffs (2007)
A ne’er-do-well thirty-something attempts to appease her family by kidnapping herself an attractive boyfriend for the family Christmas. Despite unlikely odds and dysfunctional family moments, the two fall in love and share a magical Christmas.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPicture a Perfect Christmas (2019)
An extreme-sports photographer returns home for the holiday to take care of her grandmother, only to have a neighbor grab her attention as he needs assistance watching his young nephew.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNot Easily Broken (2009)
A car accident and shifting affections test the bond between a married couple.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Kaavalan?
The closest matches to Kaavalan are A Cookie Cutter Christmas (2014), The Party (1968) and Flash Gordon (1980). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Kaavalan?
Start with A Cookie Cutter Christmas (2014), the closest match to Kaavalan.
What is the highest-rated movie like Kaavalan?
Safety Last! (1923), rated 7.7/10 by 613 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Kaavalan?
Vishwanath & Sons (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Tamil movies like Kaavalan?
Yes: Vishwanath & Sons (2026) and Jailer (2023).
How are movies similar to Kaavalan chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Kaavalan, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.