Movies Like Before Launching into Space

If you liked Before Launching into Space (1960), a documentary movie directed by Kurt Goldberger, 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
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.
2
The Captains (2011)
★ 6.4/10Also documentary
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.
3
Apollo: Missions to the Moon (2019)
★ 7.3/10Also documentary
National Geographic's riveting effort recounts all 12 crewed missions using only archival footage, photos and audio.
4
In the Shadow of the Moon (2007)
★ 7.6/10Also documentary
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…
5
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.
6
Heart of a Dog (2015)
★ 6.5/10Also documentary
Musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson reflects on the deaths of her husband Lou Reed, her mother and her beloved dog.
7
Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds (2025)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary
The elite pilots of the Air Force Thunderbirds display exceptional skill, trust and courage during a high-stakes training season.
8
S4: The Bob Lazar Story (2026)
★ 8.4/10Also documentary
Over 35 years after Bob Lazar's revelations, this documentary exposes secrets of a facility the government still denies. Featuring Lazar's testimony, recreations, and new evidence, it reopens a case that continues to…
9
I Am (2010)
★ 7.3/10Also documentary
I AM is an utterly engaging and entertaining non-fiction film that poses two practical and provocative questions: what’s wrong with our world, and what can we do to make it better? The filmmaker behind the inquiry is…
10
Voyage of Time: Life's Journey (2017)
★ 6.3/10Also documentary
A celebration of the universe, displaying the whole of time, from its start to its final collapse. This film examines all that occurred to prepare the world that stands before us now: science and spirit, birth and…
11
Harmontown (2014)
★ 6.6/10Also documentary
A comedic, brutally honest documentary following self-destructive TV writer Dan Harmon as he takes his live podcast on a national tour.
12
Above Majestic (2018)
★ 7.4/10Also documentary
A look at the origins, history and conspiracies behind the "Majestic 12", a clandestine group of military and corporate figureheads charged with reverse-engineering extraterrestrial technology.
13
Chaos on the Bridge (2014)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary
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…
14
Directed by John Ford (1971)
★ 7/10Also documentary
A documentary about the life and films of director John Ford.
15
The Secret (2006)
★ 6.6/10Also documentary
Interviews with leading authors, philosophers and scientists, with an in-depth discussion of the Law of Attraction. The audience is shown how they can learn and use 'The Secret' in their everyday lives.
16
Come See Me in the Good Light (2025)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary
In an intimate and joyful story of love in the face of loss, celebrated poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley find strength—and unexpected hilarity—in what might be their final year together.
17
Interstellar: Nolan's Odyssey (2014)
★ 7.8/10Also documentary
A look behind the lens of Christopher Nolan's space epic.
18
A Trip to Infinity (2022)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary
Does infinity exist? Can we experience the Infinite? In an animated film (created by artists from 10 countries) the world's most cutting-edge scientists and mathematicians go in search of the infinite and its…
19
Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine (2023)
★ 7.4/10Also documentary
The James Webb Telescope stirs imaginations with vivid photos of distant galaxies. This documentary tracks its historic journey from inception to launch.
20
Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear (2022)
★ 7/10Also documentary
Explore the evolution of Buzz Lightyear from toy to human in the making of Pixar’s Lightyear. Dive into the origin and cultural impact of everyone’s favorite Space Ranger, the art of designing a new “human Buzz,” and…