Movies like Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind (2020)
The best movies like Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind (2020) are The Phenomenon (2020), South of the Border (2009) and The Secret (2006). If Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedWe Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists (2012)7.1/10 from 363 votes
- NewestLouis Theroux: The Settlers (2025)Released 2025
The Phenomenon (2020)
This documentary examines unidentified aerial phenomenon. With testimony from high-ranking government officials and NASA Astronauts, Senator Harry Reid says it "makes the incredible credible."
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSouth of the Border (2009)
A road trip across five countries to explore the social and political movements as well as the mainstream media's misperception of South America while interviewing seven of its elected presidents.
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 thisMarvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Hawkeye (2022)
Join the likes of Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Florence Pugh, and Vincent D’Onofrio as they reveal how Marvel Studios’ “Hawkeye” was conceived and created. Witness firsthand what it took to pull off the show’s pulse-pounding action set pieces, and discover how iconic characters from the pages of Marvel Comics such as Kate Bishop were adapted and brought to life for the six-episode series.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Class of ‘92 (2013)
A detailing of the rise to prominence and global sporting superstardom of six supremely talented young Manchester United football players (David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Phil and Gary Neville). The film covers the period 1992-1999, culminating in Manchester United's European Cup triumph.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisChaos on the Bridge (2014)
Canadian acting legend William Shatner takes viewers inside the creation of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the bold attempt in 1986 to recreate the success of the original television series, in which Shatner played Captain James T. Kirk.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like this1 (2013)
Set in the golden era of Grand Prix Racing '1' tells the story of a generation of charismatic drivers who raced on the edge, risking their lives during Formula 1's deadliest period, and the men who stood up and changed the sport forever.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSidney (2022)
This revealing documentary honors the legendary Sidney Poitier—iconic actor, filmmaker, and civil rights activist. Featuring interviews with Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Halle Berry, and more.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisStan Lee (2023)
Celebrate the legacy of Stan Lee as the co-creator of such legendary characters as Fantastic Four, Iron Man, the X-Men, The Avengers, and hundreds more.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons Learned from a Mythical Man (2018)
One man’s journey to find meaning in Bill Murray’s many unexpected adventures with everyday people, rare and never-before seen footage of the comedic icon participating in stories previously presumed to be urban legend.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe U.S. vs. John Lennon (2006)
A documentary on the life of John Lennon, with a focus on the time in his life when he transformed from a musician into an antiwar activist.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOprah Winfrey Presents: When They See Us Now (2019)
Oprah Winfrey talks with the exonerated men once known as the Central Park Five, plus the cast and producers who tell their story in "When They See Us."
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Age of Stupid (2009)
Pete Postlethwaite stars as a man living alone in the devastated future world of 2055, looking at old footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMarvel's Behind the Mask (2021)
A documentary special that explores the power of identity behind the iconic superheroes we know and love today. These legendary Marvel creations and stories have not only reflected the world outside our window – they have become a reflection of our own identities and who we truly are.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMarina Abramović: The Artist Is Present (2012)
Performance artist Marina Abramovic prepares for a major retrospective of her work at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRoman Polanski: A Film Memoir (2012)
An interview with film director Roman Polanski conducted during his period of house arrest, discussing his life and work.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like this9/11: Inside the President's War Room (2021)
Experience the events of September 11, 2001 through the eyes of President Bush and his closest advisors as they personally detail the crucial hours and key decisions from that historic day.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLouis Theroux: The Settlers (2025)
Fourteen years after his first visit, Louis Theroux meets some of the growing community of religious-nationalist Israelis who have settled in the occupied West Bank.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisSeduced and Abandoned (2013)
SEDUCED AND ABANDONED combines acting legend Alec Baldwin with director James Toback as they lead us on a troublesome and often hilarious journey of raising financing for their next feature film. Moving from director to financier to star actor, the two players provide us with a unique look behind the curtain at the world's biggest and most glamourous film festival, shining a light on the bitter-sweet relationship filmmakers have with Cannes and the film business. Featuring insights from directors Martin Scorsese, 'Bernando Bertolucci' and Roman Polanski; actors Ryan Gosling and Jessica Chastain and a host of film distribution luminaries.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWe Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists (2012)
Takes us inside the world of Anonymous, the radical "hacktivist" collective that has redefined civil disobedience for the digital age. The film explores early hacktivist groups like Cult of the Dead Cow and Electronic Disturbance Theater, then moves to Anonymous' raucous beginnings on the website 4chan. Through interviews with current members, people recently returned from prison or facing trial, writers, academics, activists and major players in various "raids," the documentary traces Anonymous’ evolution from merry pranksters to a full-blown movement with a global reach, the most transformative civil disobedience of our time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisOn the Trail of UFOs: Dark Sky (2021)
Cryptid documentarian Seth Breedlove and paranormal researcher Shannon LeGro continue their search for the truth behind the enigma of unidentified flying objects
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
God, the Universe and Everything Else (1988)
In a studio setting, Stephen Hawking, Arthur C. Clarke and Carl Sagan (who joins them via satellite) discuss the Big Bang theory, God, our existence as well as the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Data Limite segundo Chico Xavier (2014)
UFO experts claim that after the explosion of the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there was an increase in the number of sightings of UFO'S (Unidentified Flying Objects) worldwide. Just over two decades later, the Brazilian medium Chico Xavier confided to close friends that when man reached the moon on July 20, 1969, happened a meeting with the celestial beings of our solar system to check the progress of humanity. They decided to grant a period of 50 years for humanity to evolve morally and live in peace, without provoking a third world war. If we live in peace until the Deadline, humanity would be ready to enter a new era of its existence, and magnificent feats would be checked everywhere, including our brothers from other planets would be expressly authorized to present themselves publicly and officially to Earth's residents.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
ET Contact: They Are Here (2017)
ET CONTACT: THEY ARE HERE documents the jaw-dropping stories of individuals from around the world who share similar accounts of extraterrestrial and otherworldly encounters. Producer and host Caroline Cory, who has her own extensive history with the supernatural, takes the viewers on an extraordinary journey to uncover whether these seemingly independent yet parallel reports may actually be scientific evidence of a greater phenomenon at work. Through a series of groundbreaking on-camera experiments on human DNA, and interviews with leading scientists, viewers will find themselves pondering the nature of their own reality or yet the true origin of the human species. ET CONTACT may ultimately show that the traditionally unexplained is, in fact, far more attributable to science than fiction. NOTE: This film has been released in some territories under the title: "Among Us".
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Mondo Ford (2000)
Dir. Scott Calonico's film purports to solve the assassination of President Kennedy, pointing the finger at President Gerald Ford...as well as bigfoot, Stonehenge, pyramids, and extraterrestrials.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Hidden Hand: Alien Contact and the Government Cover-up (2013)
The Hidden Hand is a controversial Award-winning documentary that explores the possibility of an extraterrestrial presence here on Earth. The film takes a keen look at a spectrum of topics like alien abduction, human/alien hybridization, the military's reverse-engineering of alien technology and the government cover-up of anything related to extraterrestrials. Is preoccupation with E.T.'s a form of cultural madness, or is something really going on? How would E.T. contact change the religious and political institutions of our society? The Hidden Hand is full of riveting interviews with experts and experiencers alike: Whitley Strieber, Dr. Edgar Mitchell, the 6th astronaut on the moon, Paul Hellyer, a former Canadian Defence Minister, Richard Dolan, Jim Marrs, Linda Moulton Howe, Col. John Alexander, Lyn Buchanan, Clifford Stone, Nassim Haramein, David Icke, Dr. Roger Leir, Graham Hancock and Paola Harris, among others. The shadowy world of UFOs is suddenly brought to light.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
UFO From Earth to the Moon (2016)
Interviewing cast and crew behind the scenes on UFO, this documentary lifts the lid on Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's first venture into live action science fiction.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Blue Man: Aliens have invaded Huron County! (1994)
In the spring of 1958, the UFO scare hit Huron County, Michigan! Farmers, housewives and school children lived in fear as numerous eye-witness sightings of an alien creature were reported in remote stretches of the county.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Doty (2024)
Richard Doty is a former Air Force Intelligence operative whose job at Kirtland AFB in New Mexico involved creating and disseminating disinformation about the existence of extraterrestrial spacecraft to UFO researchers. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Kirtland AFB was home to a wide range of highly classified technology experiments involving lasers, stealth aircraft, and nuclear weapons. Strange phenomena in the skies above the base piqued the interest of amateur and professional UFO investigators. Doty’s job was to recruit UFO researchers to be informants to the Air Force about goings-on in the UFO community and to spread military disinformation about UFOs among their peers. To accomplish this, Doty supplied fake documents to UFO investigators purporting to tell the “truth” about government involvement with extraterrestrials.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
UFOs and Nukes - The Secret Link Revealed (2016)
The definitive documentary on UFO activity at nuclear weapons sites, produced by renowned researcher Robert Hastings. Interviews with former U.S. Air Force nuclear missile launch officers who unequivocally state that UFOs have long monitored and even tampered with American ICBMs. Their dramatic testimony is reinforced by revealing declassified documents which convincingly confirm this situation as real and ongoing, extending from the 1940s to the present day. Sometimes fact is indeed stranger than fiction.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind?
The closest matches to Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind are The Phenomenon (2020), South of the Border (2009) and The Secret (2006). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind?
Start with The Phenomenon (2020), the closest match to Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind.
What is the highest-rated movie like Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind?
We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists (2012), rated 7.1/10 by 363 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind?
Louis Theroux: The Settlers (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there English movies like Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind?
Yes: The Phenomenon (2020), South of the Border (2009) and The Secret (2006).
How are movies similar to Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.