Movies Like Monsters, Madmen & Machines: 80 Years of Science Fiction

If you liked Monsters, Madmen & Machines: 80 Years of Science Fiction (1980), a documentary and science fiction movie directed by Pamela Vail Kobbe and Jerry Kramer, 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
The Captains (2011)
★ 6.4/10Also documentary and science fiction
The Captains is a feature-length documentary film written and directed by William Shatner. The film follows Shatner as he interviews the other actors who have portrayed starship captains in the Star Trek franchise.
2
Star Wars Biomes (2021)
★ 6.4/10Also science fiction and documentary
Take a virtual vacation to some of the Star Wars films' most iconic and beloved locations like Hoth, Tatooine, and Sorgan, as this charming series whisks you off for fly-through tours of the Galaxy Far, Far Away.
3
The Matrix Recalibrated (2004)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary and science fiction
The making of Matrix Revolutions, The (2003) is briefly touched on here in this documentary. Interviews with various cast and crew members inform us how they were affected by the deaths of Gloria Foster and Aaliyah…
4
Behind the Planet of the Apes (1998)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary and science fiction
Roddy McDowall takes you, film by film, from production meetings to make-up sessions, then right onto the movie set to see the actual filming of the science fiction masterpiece. The most comprehensive history of Planet…
5
Extraordinary: The Stan Romanek Story (2013)
★ 6.4/10Also science fiction and documentary
Stan Romanek is the center of the world's most documented extraterrestrial contact story, and the multitude of evidence accumulated over the past decade has convinced thousands around the world that his story is true…
6
Spider-Man 2: Making the Amazing (2004)
★ 6.7/10Also adventure and science fiction
A comprehensive 12-part documentary on the making of "Spider-Man 2," covering everything from pre-production to premiere.
7
Chaos on the Bridge (2014)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary and science fiction
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…
8
Maidentrip (2014)
★ 7.1/10Also adventure and documentary
14-year-old Laura Dekker sets out on a two-year voyage in pursuit of her dream to become the youngest person ever to sail around the world alone.
9
Atlantis Rising (2017)
★ 6.4/10Also documentary and adventure
James Cameron and Simcha Jacobovici go on an adventure to find the lost city of Atlantis by using Greek philosopher Plato as a virtual treasure map.
10
The Art of Flight (2011)
★ 7.8/10Also adventure and documentary
Iconic snowboarder Travis Rice and friends redefine what is possible in the mountains. Experience the highs, as new tricks are landed and new zones opened, alongside the lows, where avalanches, accidents, and…
11
Black Holes: The Edge of All We Know (2020)
★ 6.6/10Also documentary and science fiction
Black holes stand at the limit of what we can know. To explore that edge of knowledge, the Event Horizon Telescope links observatories across the world to simulate an earth-sized instrument. With this tool the team…
12
Unacknowledged (2017)
★ 6.3/10Also documentary and science fiction
Dr. Steven Greer presents brand new top-secret evidence supporting extraterrestrial contact, including witness testimony, classified documents, and UFO footage, while also exploring the consequences of ruthlessly…
13
The Alpinist (2021)
★ 7.8/10Also documentary and adventure
The life of Canadian mountain climber Marc-André Leclerc as he pushes the boundaries of climbing while on an expedition to Patagonia.
14
Explorer: The Last Tepui (2022)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and adventure
This documentary starring climber Alex Honnold and famous biologist Bruce Means document their expedition to the South American sky islands in search of new species and discoveries. Follows elite climber Alex Honnold…
15
The Dawn Wall (2017)
★ 8/10Also documentary and adventure
In an unbelievable story of perseverance, free climber Tommy Caldwell and climbing partner Kevin Jorgeson attempt to scale the impossible 3000ft Dawn Wall of El Capitan.
16
Free Solo (2018)
★ 7.9/10Also documentary and adventure
Follow Alex Honnold as he attempts to become the first person to ever free solo climb Yosemite's 3,000 foot high El Capitan wall. With no ropes or safety gear, this would arguably be the greatest feat in rock climbing…
17
Racing Extinction (2015)
★ 7.8/10Also adventure and documentary
An unlikely team of activists and innovators hatches a bold mission to save endangered species.
18
Sherlock Holmes: Reinvented (2010)
★ 7/10Also documentary and adventure
Making of featurette for Sherlock Holmes (2009).
19
Valley Uprising (2014)
★ 7.7/10Also adventure and documentary
In the shady campgrounds of Yosemite valley, climbers carved out a counterculture lifestyle of dumpster-diving and wild parties that clashed with the conservative values of the National Park Service. And up on the…
20
Elephant (2020)
★ 7.7/10Also documentary and adventure
Disneynature’s Elephant follows African elephant Shani and her spirited son Jomo as their herd make an epic journey hundreds of miles across the vast Kalahari Desert. Led by their great matriarch, Gaia, the family…