Movies Like Direct from Pluto: First Encounter

If you liked Direct from Pluto: First Encounter (2015), a movie directed by Shelley Ayres, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Pluto's Christmas Tree (1952)
★ 7.1/10
Pluto comes bounding outside to help Mickey get a Christmas tree. Chip 'n Dale see him and make fun of him, but the tree they take refuge in is the one Mickey chops down. They like the decorations, especially the candy…
2
Apollo: Missions to the Moon (2019)
★ 7.3/10
National Geographic's riveting effort recounts all 12 crewed missions using only archival footage, photos and audio.
3
A Beautiful Planet (2016)
★ 7.1/10
A breathtaking portrait of Earth from space, providing a unique perspective and increased understanding of our planet and galaxy as never seen before. Made in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space…
4
Maria by Callas (2017)
★ 7.4/10
Told through performances, TV interviews, home movies, family photographs, private letters and unpublished memoirs, the film reveals the essence of an extraordinary woman who rose from humble beginnings in New York…
5
Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine (2023)
★ 7.4/10
The James Webb Telescope stirs imaginations with vivid photos of distant galaxies. This documentary tracks its historic journey from inception to launch.
6
As Above, So Below (2014)
★ 6.8/10
When a team of explorers venture into the catacombs that lie beneath the streets of Paris, they uncover the dark secret that lies within this city of the dead.
7
Val (2021)
★ 7.2/10
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…
8
The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes (2022)
★ 6.3/10
This documentary explores the mystery surrounding the death of movie icon Marilyn Monroe through previously unheard interviews with her inner circle.
9
MARS: Inside SpaceX (2018)
★ 7.5/10
The inside story of SpaceX's plan to get humanity to Mars, providing an unprecedented glimpse into one of the world's most revolutionary companies. A behind-the-scenes journey with Elon Musk and his engineers as they…
10
A Million Miles Away (2023)
★ 7.6/10
The life of engineer and former NASA astronaut José M. Hernández, the first migrant farmworker to go to space.
11
STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie (2023)
★ 7.8/10
A short kid from a Canadian army base becomes the international pop culture darling of the 1980s—only to find the course of his life altered by a stunning diagnosis. What happens when an incurable optimist confronts an…
12
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy (2004)
★ 7.6/10
From the earliest versions of the script to the blockbuster debuts, explore the creation of the Star Wars Trilogy.
13
Being Eddie (2025)
★ 6.8/10
From teen comedian to Hollywood legend, Eddie Murphy revisits his extraordinary showbiz ride with raw honesty and humor.
14
The Age of Disclosure (2025)
★ 7.5/10
Director Dan Farah got 34 senior members of the U.S. Government, military, and intelligence community to come on camera. He says they reveal an 80 year cover-up of the existence of non-human intelligent life and a…
15
Nude (2017)
★ 9.2/10
NUDE explores perceptions of nudity in art by chronicling the creative process of photographer David Bellemere as he's commissioned by NU Muses founder Steve Shaw to shoot a fine art calendar of nude photographs.
16
In the Shadow of the Moon (2007)
★ 7.6/10
Archival material from the original NASA film footage – much of it seen for the first time – plus interviews with the surviving astronauts, including Jim Lovell, Dave Scott, John Young, Gene Cernan, Mike Collins, Buzz…
17
Pamela, a love story (2023)
★ 7/10
In her own words, through personal video and diaries, Pamela Anderson shares the story of her rise to fame, rocky romances and infamous sex tape scandal.
18
42 Up (1999)
★ 7.6/10
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.
19
Pretty Baby (1978)
★ 7/10
In 1917 New Orleans, a 12-year-old girl is raised in a brothel by her prostitute mother.
20
Time Lapse (2014)
★ 6.5/10
Three friends discover a mysterious machine that takes pictures 24 hours into the future and conspire to use it for personal gain, until disturbing and dangerous images begin to develop.