Movies Like Miss Hanaogi and Santa

If you liked Miss Hanaogi and Santa (1952), a movie directed by Hideo Suzuki, 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
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
★ 7.6/10
Ricky is a defiant young city kid who finds himself on the run with his cantankerous foster uncle in the wild New Zealand bush. A national manhunt ensues, and the two are forced to put aside their differences and work…
2
Dismissed (2017)
★ 6.5/10
A straight-edged teacher finds trouble when an honors student is willing to do anything to get an A.
3
Shout (1991)
★ 5.8/10
A new music teacher in a 1955 West Texas home for wayward boys brings new vision and hope for many of the interned boys.
4
Fortress (1985)
★ 6.9/10
After being kidnapped by four masked men, a teacher and her students rebel by plotting against the criminals.
5
Beast (2022)
★ 6.5/10
A recently widowed man and his two teenage daughters travel to a game reserve in South Africa. However, their journey of healing soon turns into a fight for survival when a bloodthirsty lion starts to stalk them.
6
Dances with Wolves (1990)
★ 7.8/10
Wounded Civil War soldier John Dunbar tries to commit suicide—and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he's assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with…
7
Close Range Love (2014)
★ 7.4/10
A smart high school student falls in love with her English teacher after she receives one-on-one tutoring from him.
8
Miller's Girl (2024)
★ 6.3/10
A talented young writer embarks on a creative odyssey when her teacher assigns a project that entangles them both.
9
Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog (1995)
★ 6.2/10
Teenager Angus adopts a stray dog and names him Yellow. Several days later, while travelling along the coast of British Columbia with Angus's father, John, the boy and dog become stranded when turbulent waters capsize…
10
The Lost Bus (2025)
★ 7/10
A determined father risks everything to rescue a dedicated teacher and her students from a raging wildfire.
11
How I Live Now (2013)
★ 6.6/10
An American girl, sent to the English countryside to stay with relatives, finds love and purpose while fighting for her survival as war envelops the world around her.
12
Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventure (1995)
★ 6.2/10
A young boy draws on the inspiration of legendary western characters to find the strength to fight an evil land baron in the old west who wants to steal his family's farm and destroy their idyllic community. When…
13
Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)
★ 6.6/10
A young boy finds himself pursued by two assassins in the Montana wilderness, with a survival expert determined to protect him, and a forest fire threatening to consume them all.
14
The Revenant (2015)
★ 7.5/10
In the 1820s, a frontiersman, Hugh Glass, sets out on a path of vengeance against those who left him for dead after a bear mauling.
15
Breath (2017)
★ 6.6/10
A pair of teenagers in Western Australia looking to escape the monotony of life in a small town take up surfing lessons from a guy named Sando.
16
The Longest Ride (2015)
★ 7.6/10
The lives of a young couple intertwine with a much older man as he reflects back on a lost love while he's trapped in an automobile crash.
17
Election (1999)
★ 6.9/10
A high school teacher meets his match in an over-achieving student politician.
18
The Jungle Book (1994)
★ 6/10
Raised by wild animals since childhood, Mowgli is drawn away from the jungle by the beautiful Kitty. But Mowgli must eventually face corrupt Capt. Boone, who wants both Kitty's hand and the treasures of Monkey City – a…
19
Barbarosa (1982)
★ 5.9/10
Karl Westover, an inexperienced farm boy, runs away after unintentionally killing a neighbor, whose family pursues him for vengeance. He meets Barbarosa, a gunman of near-mythical proportions, who is himself in danger…
20
Gunslingers (2025)
★ 6.1/10
When the most wanted man in America surfaces in a small Kentucky town, his violent history -- and a blood-thirsty mob seeking vengeance and a king’s ransom -- soon follow. As brothers face off against one another and…