Movies like Buttons of Consciousness (2015)
The best movies like Buttons of Consciousness (2015) are As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000), The Curse of the Dragon (1993) and Capital in the Twenty-First Century (2019). If Buttons of Consciousness hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedI Am Heath Ledger (2017)7.4/10 from 233 votes
- NewestDid Easter Replace the Divine Feminine (2026)Released 2026
As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000)
A compilation of over 30 years of private home movie footage shot by Lithuanian-American avant-garde director Jonas Mekas, assembled by Mekas "purely by chance", without concern for chronological order.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Curse of the Dragon (1993)
A 1993 documentary film about Bruce Lee. The film includes interviews from some of his fellow students and opponents who worked alongside him in his movies.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCapital in the Twenty-First Century (2019)
Film adaptation of French economist Thomas Piketty's ground-breaking global bestseller of the same name: an eye-opening journey through wealth and power.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCome See Me in the Good Light (2025)
In an intimate and joyful story of love in the face of loss, celebrated poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley find strength—and unexpected hilarity—in what might be their final year together.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMy Mom Jayne (2025)
Through deeply personal interviews with her siblings and an examination of the photographs, letters, and belongings left behind, Mariska assembles a new portrait of her mother Jayne Mansfield, an extraordinary and complex woman.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisS4: The Bob Lazar Story (2026)
Over 35 years after Bob Lazar's revelations, this documentary exposes secrets of a facility the government still denies. Featuring Lazar's testimony, recreations, and new evidence, it reopens a case that continues to spark global curiosity
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisEx Libris: The New York Public Library (2017)
A documentary about how a dominant cultural and demographic institution both sustains their traditional activities and adapts to the digital revolution.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDrew: The Man Behind the Poster (2013)
A documentary on legendary movie-poster artist Drew Struzan.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEnd Game (2018)
Filmed and edited in intimate vérité style, this movie follows visionary medical practitioners who are working on the cutting edge of life and death and are dedicated to changing our thinking about both.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAnna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me (2023)
From the heights of her modeling fame to her tragic death, this documentary reveals Anna Nicole Smith through the eyes of the people closest to her.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGilbert (2017)
The life and career of one of comedy's most inimitable modern voices, Mr. Gilbert Gottfried.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNaqoyqatsi (2002)
A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDownloaded (2013)
A documentary that explores the downloading revolution; the kids that created it, the bands and the businesses that were affected by it, and its impact on the world at large.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAvatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/20 (2022)
An inside look at one of the most anticipated movie sequels ever with James Cameron and cast.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCharlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin (2003)
Brilliant, long in-the-works story of the life and art of the world's greatest comedian and the cinema's first genius, Charlie Chaplin. Produced, written and directed by renowned film critic Richard Schickel.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Art of the Steal (2010)
A gripping tale of intrigue and mystery in the art world, this film traces the history of a collection of Post-Impressionist paintings - worth billions - which became the subject of a power struggle after the death of its owner. Dr. Albert Barnes.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisI Am Heath Ledger (2017)
The life and career of an actor, artist, and icon. His own journey through his own camera.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisVoyage of Time: The IMAX Experience (2016)
A celebration of the universe, displaying the whole of time, from its start to its final collapse. This film examines all that occurred to prepare the world that stands before us now: science and spirit, birth and death, the grand cosmos and the minute life systems of our planet.
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 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 this2012 Crossing Over A New Beginning (2012)
December 21, 2012 is on everyone's mind. What will it bring? Is it the end of the world? A new beginning for mankind? Or just another year on the calendar? Brave Archer Films presents '2012 Crossing Over, A New Beginning.' The feature documentary explores a positive spiritual perspective on the events of Dec 21, 2012. The film investigates the galactic alignment, consciousness awakening, cycles of evolution, our binary star system with Sirius, the fear agenda in the media, who's behind it, love vs fear and much more. The film is loaded with amazing revelations of the current times we live in, from exceptional astrologer and teacher Santos Bonacci, spiritual leaders Bud Barber, George Neo and much more. The doco is shot entirely in Full HD, illustrated with high end animations and includes original music by Jonathan Kent.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Limbs of Sun (2016)
A journey into time, landscape and consciousness: The Southwestern United States in the black-and-white moving images and unsettling instrumental music. Entropy of the American dream.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Did Easter Replace the Divine Feminine (2026)
Did Easter replace the Divine Feminine? This thought-provoking documentary explores ancient traditions of rebirth, the role of feminine divinity, and how religious narratives evolved over time—inviting viewers to reconsider what resurrection truly means.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Zen & the Art of Dying (2015)
Zenith Virago is an activist and educator who for over 20 years has been returning the coastal region of Byron Bay, Australia to a more communal, celebratory, and creative engagement with death and dying.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Superhuman: The Invisible Made Visible (2020)
SUPERHUMAN: The Invisible Made Visible is based on the jaw-dropping experiences of individuals with extra-sensory powers that seem to defy the laws of physics known to man today. Producer and host Caroline Cory, who has her own extensive experience in the field of Consciousness Studies and Extra Sensory Perception, takes the viewers on an extraordinary journey to achieve tangible and measurable proof of these seemingly miraculous phenomena. Through a series of groundbreaking scientific experiments and demonstrations, viewers will find themselves connecting the dots about the true nature of their own consciousness, the relation between mind and matter and discover whether they live in a simulated matrix or if they can have control over their physical reality and create a fulfilling human experience. The film ultimately shows that once the invisible worlds are made visible, this attained higher awareness will transform humans into superhumans.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
AM I? (TBA)
AM I? follows AI consciousness researcher Cameron Berg as he investigates one of the deepest scientific mysteries of our time: whether we have accidentally built a new kind of mind. Featuring interviews with leading philosophers, AI pioneers, and researchers at the frontier of consciousness science, the documentary explores what it means when we no longer know the nature of what we've created.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Shift (2009)
From the creators of You Can Heal Your Life: The Movie comes a compelling portrait of three modern lives in need of new direction and new meaning. In his first-ever movie, Wayne Dyer explores the spiritual journey in the second half of life when we long to find the purpose that is our unique contribution to the world. The powerful shift from the ego constructs we are taught early in life by parents and society—which promote an emphasis on achievement and accumulation—are shown in contrast to a life of meaning, focused on serving and giving back. Filmed on coastal California’s spectacular Monterey Peninsula, The Shift captures every person’s mid-life longing for a more purposeful, soul-directed life.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Time Is Art: Synchronicity and the Collective Dream (2015)
"Time is Art" is ultimately the story of an artist's search for inspiration in a money-driven society that shuns creativity, and of the human search for meaning in a seemingly meaningless world.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Silent Glow (2018)
New forms of manipulation and the inundation of stimuli from new media pose a great risk to children’s mental health. Finally, society has started to respond. A secular culture of consciousness is arising: meditation and new forms of resilience and mindfulness training have formed part of the curriculum in many of Europe’s schools. Can systematic inner development genuinely enable young people to take responsibility – for their own lives, for society and for the world? Can openness, compassion and an ethical attitude in children be increased by mental training?
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Buttons of Consciousness?
The closest matches to Buttons of Consciousness are As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000), The Curse of the Dragon (1993) and Capital in the Twenty-First Century (2019). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Buttons of Consciousness?
Start with As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000), the closest match to Buttons of Consciousness.
What is the highest-rated movie like Buttons of Consciousness?
I Am Heath Ledger (2017), rated 7.4/10 by 233 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Buttons of Consciousness?
Did Easter Replace the Divine Feminine (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
How are movies similar to Buttons of Consciousness chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Buttons of Consciousness, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.