Movies like Descartes (2009)
The best movies like Descartes (2009) are As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000), 42 Up (1999) and Being James Bond (2021). If Descartes hooked you with its documentary, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedVal (2021)7.2/10 from 250 votes
- NewestCome See Me in the Good Light (2025)Released 2025
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 this42 Up (1999)
Director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born adults after a 7 year wait. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBeing James Bond (2021)
Daniel Craig candidly reflects on his 15 year adventure as James Bond. Including never-before-seen archival footage from Casino Royale to the upcoming 25th film No Time To Die, Craig shares his personal memories in conversation with 007 producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMore Brains! A Return to the Living Dead (2011)
Retrospective documentary about the making of the horror cult classic "The Return of the Living Dead."
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies 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 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 thisMaria by Callas (2017)
Told through performances, TV interviews, home movies, family photographs, private letters and unpublished memoirs, the film reveals the essence of an extraordinary woman who rose from humble beginnings in New York City to become a glamorous international superstar and one of the greatest artists of all time.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThese Amazing Shadows (2011)
Tells the history and importance of The National Film Registry, a roll call of American cinema treasures that reflects the diversity of film, and indeed the American experience itself.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHalloween: 25 Years of Terror (2006)
Follow the evolution of the 'Halloween' movies over the past twenty-five years. It examines why the films are so popular and revisits many of the original locations used in the films - seeing the effects on the local community. For the first time, cast, crew, critics and fans join together in the ultimate 'Halloween' retrospective.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies 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 thisIn Search of the Last Action Heroes (2019)
The most comprehensive retrospective of the '80s action film genre ever made.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNight Will Fall (2014)
When Allied forces liberated the Nazi concentration camps in 1944-45, their terrible discoveries were recorded by army and newsreel cameramen, revealing for the first time the full horror of what had happened. Making use of British, Soviet and American footage, the Ministry of Information’s Sidney Bernstein (later founder of Granada Television) aimed to create a documentary that would provide lasting, undeniable evidence of the Nazis’ unspeakable crimes. He commissioned a wealth of British talent, including editor Stewart McAllister, writer and future cabinet minister Richard Crossman – and, as treatment advisor, his friend Alfred Hitchcock. Yet, despite initial support from the British and US Governments, the film was shelved, and only now, 70 years on, has it been restored and completed by Imperial War Museums under its original title "German Concentration Camps Factual Survey".
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSkin: A History of Nudity in the Movies (2020)
The definitive documentary on the history of nudity in feature films from the early silent days to the present, studying the changes in morality that led to the use of nudity in films while emphasizing the political, sociological and artistic changes that shaped that history. Skin will also study the gender inequality in presenting nude images in motion pictures and will follow the revolution that has created nude gender equality in feature films today.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Walking Dead: The Return (2024)
Stars of "The Walking Dead," Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira, walk down memory lane and visit iconic locations where pivotal moments between their characters, Rick and Michonne, were filmed.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisJaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story (2025)
The authorized documentary celebrating the film that redefined Hollywood, 50 years after its premiere. Featuring rare archival footage and interviews with acclaimed Hollywood directors alongside Steven Spielberg, top shark scientists, and conservationists, the film uncovers the behind-the-scenes chaos and how the film launched the summer blockbuster, inspired a new wave of filmmakers, and paved the way for shark conservation that continues today.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisVal (2021)
For over 40 years Val Kilmer, one of Hollywood's most mercurial and/or misunderstood actors, has been documenting his own life and craft through film and video. He has amassed thousands of hours of footage, from 16mm home movies made with his brothers, to time spent in iconic roles for blockbuster movies like Top Gun, The Doors, Tombstone, and Batman Forever. This raw, wildly original and unflinching documentary reveals a life lived to extremes and a heart-filled, sometimes hilarious look at what it means to be an artist and a complex man.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDjango & Django: Sergio Corbucci Unchained (2021)
A tribute to Italian filmmaker Sergio Corbucci (1926-90), presented by American filmmaker Quentin Tarantino.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMaking Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound (2019)
The history of cinematic sound, told by legendary sound designers and visionary filmmakers.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both documentary
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisVisions of Light (1992)
Cameramen and women discuss the craft and art of cinematography and of the "DP" (the director of photography), illustrating their points with clips from 100 films, from Birth of a Nation to Do the Right Thing. Themes: the DP tells people where to look; changes in movies (the arrival of sound, color, and wide screens) required creative responses from DPs; and, these artisans constantly invent new equipment and try new things, with wonderful results. The narration takes us through the identifiable studio styles of the 30s, the emergence of noir, the New York look, and the impact of Europeans. Citizen Kane, The Conformist, and Gordon Willis get special attention.
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 thisLe Musée fantôme (1974)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Sisters in Arms (2022)
In the wake of Greta Thunberg, the youth has been fighting for several months to save our planet. Leading the marches, on the front pages of the media as well as on social networks, young women have become, sometimes unintentionally, the key figures of this movement. Who are these women? Why are they so cheered and criticized at the same time? To better understanding of the commitment of Anuna and Adelaide (Belgium), Luisa (Germany), Lena (France), Leah (Uganda) and Artemisia (Brazil), we decided to follow them, but also to compare their struggle with that of another extraordinary woman who preceded them: Julia Butterfly. Twenty years ago, after spending 738 days on top of a majestic sequoia, this young American activist managed to save a thousand-year-old forest from being cut down. The film tells the story of the journey of these committed young women, each in their own way, but all driven by a unique energy, these "sisters in arms" tell their doubts and their desire.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Livet av Havnes (2020)
The poet Eirik Havnes performs a self-written poem as 50 filmmakers, dancers, extras and musicians are in action. Livet av Havnes is a hybrid between poetry, theater and concert. A live existential journey through Oslo's streets over the course of 45 minutes on 12 September 2020 between 19:02 and 19:47.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
The Five Senses of Theatre (1994)
British director Peter Brook talks about his theatre experience from his first directing gigs of Oxford to the foundation of a company of international actors coming from different acting schools and cultures.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Bombay, the Story of Seven Isles (1945)
1945 documentary directed by Paul Zils. The film explores the history and development of Bombay (now Mumbai), highlighting its transformation from a collection of seven islands into a major urban center.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Child (1948)
"Child" is a 1948 short documentary directed by Paul Zils. Unfortunately, specific details about the film's content are scarce, and it appears that the film may be lost.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Reign of the Superwomen (2021)
Follows the evolution of the female fronted superhero characters in comics from the 1940s and up to today. Detailing the influences of what made the characters and how they impacted on the comic book world.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Signal Box Archive (2021)
A unique look inside over 70 signal boxes taken from Video 125's archive filmed over a period of 30 years. Features 'boxes of all shapes and sizes, all kinds of operating methods from 19th century mechanical lever frames to 20th century panels to 21st century state-of-the-art Rail Operating Centres.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Bob Dylan: Odds and Ends (2021)
Bob Dylan "Odds and Ends" is composed of archival interviews, promotional videos and documentary shorts. It tells the story of some of the most important moments in the legendary artist's career.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Jazz in Poland (1964)
Performances by Poland's most acclaimed jazz bands, punctuated by short interviews conducted by German music journalist Joachim-Ernst Berendt. Appearing consecutively are: Warsaw Stompers, Namysłowski Quartet, Andrzej Trzaskowski Quintet, Krzysztof Komeda Quintet, Bossa Nova Combo and Wróblewski Quartet. The concerts are crowned by the All Star Session, a joint finale with all the performers and the song Family Blues.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both documentary
Like Descartes and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Descartes?
The closest matches to Descartes are As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000), 42 Up (1999) and Being James Bond (2021). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Descartes?
Start with As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000), the closest match to Descartes.
What is the highest-rated movie like Descartes?
Val (2021), rated 7.2/10 by 250 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Descartes?
Come See Me in the Good Light (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Spanish movies like Descartes?
The closest matches are in other languages.
How are movies similar to Descartes chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Descartes, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.