Movies Like Life, Animated

If you liked Life, Animated (2016), a documentary movie directed by Roger Ross Williams, 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
John Candy: I Like Me (2025)
★ 7.9/10Also documentary
Those who knew iconic funnyman John Candy best share his story, in their own words, through never-before-seen archival footage, imagery, and interviews.
2
The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist (2026)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary
A father-to-be tries to figure out what is happening with all this AI insanity, and explores the most powerful technology humanity has ever created... and what's at stake if we get it wrong.
3
STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie (2023)
★ 7.8/10Also documentary
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…
4
I Am Heath Ledger (2017)
★ 7.4/10Also documentary
The life and career of an actor, artist, and icon. His own journey through his own camera.
5
Who Are You, Charlie Brown? (2021)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary
Lupita Nyong'o narrates a documentary about Peanuts and its creator, Charles M. Schulz. Famous fans—including Drew Barrymore, Kevin Smith, and Al Roker—share its influence on them, and a new animated story finds…
6
Elstree 1976 (2015)
★ 6.2/10Also documentary
A documentary about ten very different lives connected by having appeared onscreen wearing masks or helmets in Star Wars.
7
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (2024)
★ 8.1/10Also documentary
Christopher Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films and played dozens of other roles that displayed his talent and range as an actor, before being injured in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995…
8
Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary
Giving fans unprecedented access to the real life of the music sensation, Katy Perry: Part of Me exposes the hard work, dedication and phenomenal talent of a girl who remained true to herself and her vision in order to…
9
180° South (2010)
★ 7.2/10Also documentary
The film follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia.
10
David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived (2023)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary
As Daniel Radcliffe's stunt double in the Harry Potter films, David Holmes' work has been seen worldwide by millions of people. Tragically an on-set accident ended what David calls "the best job in the world," leaving…
11
Piece by Piece (2024)
★ 7.2/10Also documentary
A unique cinematic experience that invites audiences on a vibrant journey through the life of cultural icon Pharrell Williams. Told through the lens of LEGO® animation, turn up the volume on your imagination and…
12
Avatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/20 (2022)
★ 7.2/10Also documentary
An inside look at one of the most anticipated movie sequels ever with James Cameron and cast.
13
Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold (2017)
★ 7.4/10Also documentary
Literary icon Joan Didion reflects on her remarkable career and personal struggles in this intimate documentary directed by her nephew, Griffin Dunne.
14
Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018)
★ 8/10Also documentary
For more than thirty years, and through his television program, Fred Rogers (1928-2003), host, producer, writer and pianist, accompanied by his puppets and his many friends, spoke directly to young children about some…
15
Naqoyqatsi (2002)
★ 6.2/10Also documentary
A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.
16
Howard (2018)
★ 6.8/10Also documentary
Though legendary lyricist Howard Ashman died far too young, his impact on Broadway, movies, and the culture at large were incalculable. Told entirely through rare archival footage and interviews with Ashman’s family…
17
I Am Ali (2014)
★ 6.7/10Also documentary
Unprecedented access to Muhammad Ali's personal archive of "audio journals" as well as interviews and testimonials from his inner circle of family and friends are used to tell the legend's life story.
18
Ghost Elephants (2026)
★ 7.6/10Also documentary
In Angola's mist-shrouded highlands, three KhoiSan master trackers embark on a spiritual quest to rediscover the legendary "ghost elephants" of Lisima, creatures presumed lost but remembered in ancestral trance…
19
The Year Earth Changed (2021)
★ 7.9/10Also documentary
Never-before-seen footage shows how our living in lockdown opened the door for nature to bounce back and thrive. Across the seas, skies, and lands, Earth found its rhythm when we came to a stop.
20
American Teen (2008)
★ 6.4/10Also documentary
A documentary on seniors at a high school in a small Indiana town and their various cliques.