Movies like It's a Wonderful Life (2001)
The best movies like It's a Wonderful Life (2001) are Anima (2019), The Work of Director Michel Gondry (2003) and Michael Jackson Video Greatest Hits: HIStory (1995). If It's a Wonderful Life hooked you with its music, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedAnima (2019)7.3/10 from 502 votes
- NewestApple Music Live: Lady Gaga MAYHEM Requiem (2026)Released 2026
Anima (2019)
In a short musical film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, Thom Yorke of Radiohead stars in a mind-bending visual piece. Best played loud.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Work of Director Michel Gondry (2003)
A look at the work of director Michel Gondry, through his music videos, short films, and commercials.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisMichael Jackson Video Greatest Hits: HIStory (1995)
This compilation features 10 of Michael Jackson's greatest video hits, including "Billie Jean," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Black or White," "Rock With You" and others. -Includes the never before seen 18 minute version of "Bad". Directed by Martin Scorsese. Featuring Wesley Snipes. -9:30 Long Version of "The Way You Make Me Feel". -"Black Or White"- short film "Panther" version -"thriller"- "monstrous masterpiece" the ultimate "music movie" 14 minutes of horrific fun by director John Landis. -"remember The Time"- directed by John Singleton (Higher Learning, Boyz N The Hood, Shaft),features Eddie Murphy and Magic Johnson.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisUnder the Sea: A Descendants Story (2018)
Mal emerges from the shadows of a mystical forest onto a dark coastline where she crosses paths with Dizzy.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEnd of the Century: The Story of the Ramones (2003)
A years-in-the-making documentary on the legendary punk band the Ramones. Through a mixture of archival footage, archival and new interviews with all members of the band's various lineups, and new interviews with a number of their contemporaries, the film traces the peaks and valleys the band experienced over the course of its 20-plus year career before disbanding in 1995.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Beach Boys (2024)
A celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music, and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisColdplay: A Head Full of Dreams (2018)
An in-depth and intimate portrait of Coldplay's spectacular rise from the backrooms of Camden pubs to selling out stadiums across the planet. At the heart of the story is the band's unshakeable brotherhood which has endured through many highs and lows.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisKeith Richards: Under the Influence (2015)
A portrait of Keith Richards that takes us on a journey to discover the genesis of his sound as a songwriter, guitarist and performer.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisJustin Bieber's Believe (2013)
A backstage and on-stage look at Justin Bieber during his rise to super stardom.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSing: Thriller (2024)
Buster Moon dreams up a star-studded spectacle set to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" in this animated short featuring characters from the hit "Sing" films.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDua Lipa: Studio 2054 (2020)
Dua Lipa's kaleidoscopic rocket fuelled journey through time, space, mirrorballs, roller discos, bucket hats, belting beats, throbbing basslines and an absolute slam dunk of the best of times in global club culture throughout the decades.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisDrumline: A New Beat (2014)
A girl from New York attends a college in Atlanta to join their once-famous marching band.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisTaylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show (2025)
Filmed at the end of Taylor Swift's record-breaking Eras Tour in Vancouver, B.C., this complete, in-depth 45-song concert includes the complete 'The Tortured Poets Department' set and special mashups.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisApple Music Live: Lady Gaga MAYHEM Requiem (2026)
For Apple Music Live, Gaga presents MAYHEM Requiem, a celebration and musical reimagining of MAYHEM.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisMy Little Pony: Best Gift Ever (2018)
As the ponies prepare for another Hearth's Warming, families come together to celebrate the holiday; Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash are ready for the big day, but Princess Twilight Sparkle doesn't have time to celebrate.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisOlivia Rodrigo: GUTS World Tour (2024)
At a sold-out concert in her hometown of LA, Olivia Rodrigo pours her heart into an electrifying night of chart-topping hits and pop-rock power ballads.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDickson Experimental Sound Film (1894)
William K.L. Dickson plays the violin while two men dance. This is the oldest surviving sound film where sound is recorded on the phonograph.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDestino (2003)
Short film to a song of love lost and rediscovered, a woman sees and undergoes surreal transformations. Her lover's face melts off, she dons a dress from the shadow of a bell and becomes a dandelion, ants crawl out of a hand and become Frenchmen riding bicycles. Not to mention the turtles with faces on their backs that collide to form a ballerina, or the bizarre baseball game.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (2020)
The story of the triumphs and hurdles of brothers Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb, otherwise known as the Bee Gees. The iconic trio, who found early fame in the 1960s, went on to write over 1,000 songs and have 20 No. 1 hits throughout their career, transcending more than five decades of changing tastes and styles.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
Worth the HypeMovies like thisShakira In Concert: El Dorado World Tour (2019)
Shakira is a global superstar who, by the age of 18, had taken Latin America by storm. Now, she celebrates her triumphant return to the stage in 2018 with a thrilling concert film documenting her acclaimed El Dorado World Tour.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both music
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like It's a Wonderful Life?
The closest matches to It's a Wonderful Life are Anima (2019), The Work of Director Michel Gondry (2003) and Michael Jackson Video Greatest Hits: HIStory (1995). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after It's a Wonderful Life?
Start with Anima (2019), the closest match to It's a Wonderful Life.
What is the highest-rated movie like It's a Wonderful Life?
Anima (2019), rated 7.3/10 by 502 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like It's a Wonderful Life?
Apple Music Live: Lady Gaga MAYHEM Requiem (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like It's a Wonderful Life?
Yes: Anima (2019), The Work of Director Michel Gondry (2003) and Michael Jackson Video Greatest Hits: HIStory (1995).
How are movies similar to It's a Wonderful Life chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside It's a Wonderful Life, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.