Movies Like E.T. and Friends: Magical Movie Visitors

If you liked E.T. and Friends: Magical Movie Visitors (1982), a documentary and tv movie movie directed by Andrew Solt and Malcolm Leo, 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 Godfather Family: A Look Inside (1990)
★ 7.8/10Also documentary and tv movie
A documentary on the making of the three Godfather films, with interviews and recollections from the film makers and cast. This feature also includes the original screen tests of some of the actors for "The Godfather"…
2
Behind the Planet of the Apes (1998)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary and tv movie
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…
3
Interstellar: Nolan's Odyssey (2014)
★ 7.8/10Also documentary and tv movie
A look behind the lens of Christopher Nolan's space epic.
4
Louis Theroux: Twilight of the Porn Stars (2012)
★ 6.3/10Also documentary and tv movie
In 1997, Louis Theroux made a documentary about the world of male porn performers in Los Angeles. 15 years later, he returns to find a business struggling with the deluge of free porn on the internet. Louis revisits…
5
The Making of Star Wars (1977)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary and tv movie
Learn the incredible behind-the-scenes story of how the original Star Wars movie was brought to the big screen in this fascinating documentary hosted by C-3PO and R2-D2 which includes interviews with George Lucas and…
6
What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2018)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary
A documentary exploring the legacy of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the reasons it went from the black sheep of Star Trek to a beloved mainstay of the franchise, and a brainstorm with the original writers on what a…
7
4 Little Girls (1997)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary and tv movie
On September 15, 1963, a bomb destroyed a black church in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four young girls who were there for Sunday school. It was a crime that shocked the nation--and a defining moment in the history of…
8
Making The Witcher (2020)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary and tv movie
Journey into the extraordinary world of "The Witcher" — from casting the roles to Jaskier's catchy song — in this behind-the-scenes look at the series.
9
David Bowie: Five Years (2013)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and tv movie
Featuring a wealth of previously unseen archive, this film looks at how Bowie continually evolved: from Ziggy Stardust to the Soul Star of Young Americans, to the ‘Thin White Duke’. It explores his regeneration in…
10
Directed by John Ford (1971)
★ 7/10Also documentary
A documentary about the life and films of director John Ford.
11
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.
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
Seven Up! (1985)
★ 7.2/10Also documentary and tv movie
A group of British children aged 7 from widely ranging backgrounds are interviewed about a range of subjects. The filmmakers plan to re-interview them at 7 year intervals to track how their lives and attitudes change…
14
28 Up (1985)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary
Just two years away from turning 30, participants in Michael Apted's documentary series are facing serious questions of identity and purpose, wondering whether they've found their place in the world.
15
Fuck (2006)
★ 6.4/10Also documentary
A documentary on the expletive's origin, why it offends some people so deeply, and what can be gained from its use.
16
As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000)
★ 7.8/10Also documentary
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.
17
Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe (2014)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary and tv movie
A look at the story behind Marvel Studios and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from all of the Marvel films, the Marvel One-Shots and "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."!
18
Titanic: 20 Years Later with James Cameron (2017)
★ 6.6/10Also documentary and tv movie
For the 20th anniversary of "Titanic," James Cameron reopens the file on the disaster.
19
Shawn Mendes: In Wonder (2020)
★ 8.1/10Also documentary
A portrait of singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes' life, chronicling the past few years of his rise and journey.
20
A Toxic Love Story (2026)
★ 6.4/10Also documentary
A string of threatening emails escalates into a revenge plot involving a newly married US marshal and his ex-girlfriend.