Movies like The Penguin Who Couldn’t Swim (2018)
The best movies like The Penguin Who Couldn’t Swim (2018) are Matriculated (2003), The Little Matchgirl (2006) and $9.99 (2009). If The Penguin Who Couldn’t Swim hooked you with its animation and drama, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedPiper (2016)8.1/10 from 1,791 votes
- NewestMy Penguin Friend (2024)Released 2024
Matriculated (2003)
The human resistance works to convert a sentinel to their side. Part of the Animatrix collection of animated shorts set in the Matrix universe.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Little Matchgirl (2006)
An animated short based on Hans Christian Andersen's tale about a poor young girl with a burning desire to find comfort and happiness in her life. Desperate to keep warm, the girl lights the matches she sells, and envisions a very different life for herself in the fiery flames filled with images of loving relatives, bountiful food, and a place to call home.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like this$9.99 (2009)
Have you ever wondered "What is the meaning of life? Why do we exist?" The answer to this vexing question is now within your reach! You'll find it in a small yet amazing booklet, which will explain, in easy to follow, simple terms your reason for being! The booklet, printed on the finest paper, contains illuminating, exquisite colour pictures, and could be yours for a mere $9.99.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisFloat (2019)
A father discovers that his son floats, which makes him different from other kids. To keep them both safe from the judgement of the world, Dad hides, covers, and grounds him. But when his son's ability becomes public, Dad must decide whether to run and hide or to accept his son as he is.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisStrings (2004)
The story of Prince Hal who sets out to avenge his dead father against the city's rivals, the Zeriths, little knowing it was his wicked uncle Nezo who is the real killer, with his own designs on the throne.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Dam Keeper (2014)
In a desolate future, one small town has survived because of a large windmill dam that acts as a fan to keep out pollution. The dam's operator, Pig, works tirelessly to keep the sails spinning and protect the town, despite abuse from classmates and an indifferent public. When a new student joins Pig's class, nothing will be the same again.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMy Penguin Friend (2024)
A lost penguin rescued from an oil spill transforms the life of a heartbroken fisherman. They become unlikely friends, so bonded that even the vast ocean cannot divide them.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBeyond (2003)
While looking for her cat, a young woman and some kids find an abandoned building where strange things happen and the rules of physics don't always apply. Part of the Animatrix collection of animated shorts set in the Matrix universe.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRobin Robin (2021)
A bird raised by mice begins to question where she belongs and sets off on a daring journey of self-discovery.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPAW Patrol: Jet to the Rescue (2020)
A royal relative steals a gem with the power to make things fly, the Paw Patrol takes to the skies to stop him and save Barkingburg.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPloey: You Never Fly Alone (2018)
A plover chick has not learned to fly when his family migrates in the fall. He must survive the arctic winter, vicious enemies and himself in order to be reunited with his beloved one next spring.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWinnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You (1999)
After Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Rabbit see Christopher Robin making a valentine for -- gasp! -- a girl, they find he's been bitten by a "Smitten" and is lovesick! Worried that he'll no longer have time for them, and hoping a second bite from the love bug will cure him, they set out on a wild adventure to capture the Smitten. This wonderful story, filled with magic and whimsy, and sweetened with three new songs, reminds us all that the heart is big and always has plenty of room for friends -- old and new.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWorld Record (2003)
A record-breaking competitive runner begins to stretch the limits of the Matrix. Part of the Animatrix collection of animated shorts set in the Matrix universe.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisProgram (2003)
Cis and Duo discuss leaving the real world during a samurai sword fight. Part of the Animatrix collection of animated shorts set in the Matrix universe.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPiper (2016)
A mother bird tries to teach her little one how to find food by herself. In the process, she encounters a traumatic experience that she must overcome in order to survive.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisDC Showcase - Batman: Death in the Family (2020)
Tragedy strikes the Batman's life again when Robin Jason Todd tracks down his birth mother only to run afoul of the Joker. An adaptation of the 1988 comic book storyline of the same name.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHow to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming (2019)
It's been ten years since the dragons moved to the Hidden World, and even though Toothless doesn't live in New Berk anymore, Hiccup continues the holiday traditions he once shared with his best friend. But the Vikings of New Berk were beginning to forget about their friendship with dragons. Hiccup, Astrid, and Gobber know just what to do to keep the dragons in the villagers' hearts. And across the sea, the dragons have a plan of their own...
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisAlmost Home (2014)
A group of aliens searching for a new planet on which to make home, with little success. Promotional short for Dreamworks Animation's forthcoming feature, Home.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCurious George 2: Follow That Monkey! (2009)
The film chronicles George's adventures as he befriends Kayla, a baby elephant, at a magic circus show and helps her travel across the country to be reunited with her family.Accompanied by his friend, the Man with the Yellow Hat, George travels by foot, train, and truck to reach Kayla's brother and sister in California, only to be accused of elephant-napping and brought all the way back to New York.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSnoopy Presents: It's the Small Things, Charlie Brown (2022)
Charlie Brown is determined to win the big baseball game. But things turn into a fiasco right before the matchup, when Sally bonds with a little flower on the pitcher's mound and vows to protect it at all costs.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAwakening (2008)
Carsten is dating Melissa, who introduces him to her parents. On a camping trip with Melissa's family, Carsten finds that he shares a secret with Melissa's father.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
El Materdor (2008)
Mater is a matador fighting a herd of bulldozers in Spain. When Lightning McQueen enters the story, the bulldozers begin to chase him due to his red paint.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation
SnoozefestMovies like thisThere is exactly enough time (2021)
Oskar Salomonowitz, the 12-year-old son of filmmakers Anja Salomonowitz and Virgil Widrich, had drawn 206 pictures in a flip book when he died in an accident. His father continued to draw the film with the remaining 482 sheets.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation
The Double (2012)
In a gloomy era of Taiwan under Japanese rule, there's a noble family, the mother of the twins of different sexes died early, and their father works for the government away from home. YU, the twin brother, have nightmares every night about being drowned by someone. He is lonely and longing to talk to his sister, but he could not meet her. Because AMEKO, the twin sister, has been in illness isolation since childhood. Things become strange while their cousin WEN CHENG was returning from Japan. YU finds out a big secret of the whole family, about his sister and the killer in the dream.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Ganef (2020)
Confusion escalates when a little girl thinks she sees her beloved family cleaner steal a precious ornament.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
The Return of the Monster (2017)
A little boy is bedeviled by recurring nightmares of a monster that just won’t go away.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation
Health for the Americas: Cleanliness Brings Health (1945)
The comparison of two rural families to demonstrate the need for proper hygiene and the consequences of its neglect.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation
Night (1930)
The moon and two owls sing to the Blue Danube Waltz, celebrating the night. Moths dance around a candle flame, fireflies glow, frogs chorus, and so forth.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation
The Cactus Kid (1930)
Mickey walks into the tavern where Minnie is dancing, and begins to dance and play piano himself. Pegleg Pete comes in and treats Minnie badly. Mickey tries to defend her, but Pete steals her away. Mickey, riding Horace Horsecollar, gives chase. He manages to throw Pete off a cliff.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation
Mon chéri (2015)
On a hot summer‘s day, lonely Franklin is invited to play with other kids for the first time since moving to a new village. But when the children stumble across a recently moved-in house and observe his mother, things take a drastic turn – and Franklin once again has to play a role that he is not meant for…
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like The Penguin Who Couldn’t Swim?
The closest matches to The Penguin Who Couldn’t Swim are Matriculated (2003), The Little Matchgirl (2006) and $9.99 (2009). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after The Penguin Who Couldn’t Swim?
Start with Matriculated (2003), the closest match to The Penguin Who Couldn’t Swim.
What is the highest-rated movie like The Penguin Who Couldn’t Swim?
Piper (2016), rated 8.1/10 by 1,791 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like The Penguin Who Couldn’t Swim?
My Penguin Friend (2024) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like The Penguin Who Couldn’t Swim?
Yes: Matriculated (2003), The Little Matchgirl (2006) and $9.99 (2009).
How are movies similar to The Penguin Who Couldn’t Swim chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Penguin Who Couldn’t Swim, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.