Movies Like Darkness (Mater Tenebarum)

If you liked Darkness (Mater Tenebarum) (2020), a music movie directed by Arielle Apfel, 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
Hounddog (2008)
★ 6.5/10Also music
A drama set in the American South, where a precocious, troubled girl finds a safe haven in the music and movement of Elvis Presley.
2
Clika (2026)
★ 8.3/10Also music
Aspiring small-town musician Chito is determined to make it big. When a clip of him performing one of his songs goes viral, he seizes the opportunity and pushes to carve out a place for himself in the new wave of…
3
Too Late Blues (1961)
★ 6.4/10Also music
Ghost is an ideological musician and leader of a jazz band who would rather play his blues in the park to the birds than compromise himself. His peripatetic performances lead him to cross paths with a singer, while his…
4
Honey: Rise Up and Dance (2018)
★ 6.9/10Also music
Street dancer Skyler comes out of the shadow of her trained dancer sister, Tosha, & joins a dance competition with the Honey dance studio; the prize is a college scholarship.
5
Grace Unplugged (2013)
★ 6/10Also music
A talented young singer and aspiring songwriter’s Christian faith and family ties are tested when she defies her worship-pastor father and pursues pop-music stardom in GRACE UNPLUGGED, a moving and inspiring new film…
6
Captain EO (1986)
★ 7.9/10Also music
Captain EO and his crew journey to a dark, mechanical world to deliver a gift to the tyrannical Supreme Leader, using the power of music and dance to transform her realm from darkness into light.
7
Take the Lead (2006)
★ 6.9/10Also music
A former professional dancer volunteers to teach dance in the New York public school system and, while his background first clashes with his students' tastes, together they create a completely new style of dance. Based…
8
Lorenzo (2004)
★ 6.4/10Also music
A cat named Lorenzo is dismayed to discover that his tail has developed a personality of its own.
9
Crossroads (1986)
★ 7.4/10Also music
A wanna-be blues guitar virtuoso seeks a long-lost song by legendary musician, Robert Johnson.
10
Jailhouse Rock (1957)
★ 6.3/10Also music
Young convict Vince Everett, serving time for manslaughter, discovers his musical talent in prison and becomes a rock and roll star after his release, navigating fame and relationships.
11
Ghosts (1997)
★ 8.1/10Also music
In the town of Normal Valley, an eccentric magician named Maestro entertains the local children every day in his spooky mansion. One stormy night, the town's mayor leads a group of angry citizens to the mansion in an…
12
Flora and Son (2023)
★ 6.9/10Also music
Single mom Flora is at a loss about what to do with her rebellious teenage son, Max. Her efforts to keep him out of trouble lead to a beat-up acoustic guitar, a washed-up LA musician, and harmony for this frayed Dublin…
13
Coyote Ugly (2000)
★ 6.3/10Also music
Graced with a velvet voice, 21-year-old Violet Sanford heads to New York to pursue her dream of becoming a songwriter only to find her aspirations sidelined by the accolades and notoriety she receives at her "day" job…
14
One Chance (2013)
★ 6.7/10Also music
This film follows the remarkable and inspirational true story of Paul Potts, a shy, bullied shop assistant by day and an amateur opera singer by night.
15
The Tales of Hoffmann (1951)
★ 7.1/10Also music
A melancholy poet reflects on three women he loved and lost in the past: a mechanical performing doll, a Venetian courtesan, and the consumptive daughter of a celebrated composer.
16
Cadillac Records (2008)
★ 7.1/10Also music
The story of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in 1950s Chicago, and the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's musical legends, including Muddy Waters, Leonard Chess, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Etta…
17
The High Note (2020)
★ 7/10Also music
Set in the dazzling world of the LA music scene comes the story of Grace Davis, a superstar whose talent, and ego, have reached unbelievable heights. Maggie is Grace’s overworked personal assistant who’s stuck running…
18
Footlight Parade (1933)
★ 6.8/10Also music
A fledgling producer finds himself at odds with his workers, financiers and his greedy ex-wife when he tries to produce live musicals for movie-going audiences.
19
Lemonade Mouth (2011)
★ 7.4/10Also music
When five ragtag freshman first meet in detention, it seems they have nothing in common. But, through music, they form an unbreakable bond and discover they have the makings of the greatest high school garage band in…
20
Under the Sea: A Descendants Story (2018)
★ 7.1/10Also music
Mal emerges from the shadows of a mystical forest onto a dark coastline where she crosses paths with Dizzy.