Movies Like How Not to Be Stupid (A Guide to Critical Thinking)

If you liked How Not to Be Stupid (A Guide to Critical Thinking) (2010), a movie directed by Carey Burtt, 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 AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist (2026)
★ 6.9/10
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.
2
Orientation Day (2010)
★ 6.9/10
The Minions embark on their first day of work, eager to prove themselves in their new roles. After watching a hilariously outdated 'Initiation Video,' three rookie Minions take on bomb-carrying duty. Predictably, their…
3
Dug's Special Mission (2009)
★ 7/10
Dug is sent on foolish missions by Alpha, Beta, and Gamma so they can hunt for the Bird of Paradise Falls by themselves. Dug may find that where he belongs is not where he's been looking.
4
Home Makeover (2010)
★ 6.8/10
When a social worker visits Gru’s house to assess its suitability for children, chaos ensues. Margo, Edith, and Agnes, along with the ever-mischievous Minions, scramble to give the home a makeover in record time. Their…
5
Leo (2023)
★ 7.3/10
Jaded 74-year-old reptile Leo has been stuck in the same Florida classroom for decades with his terrarium-mate turtle. When he learns he only has one year left to live, he plans to escape to experience life on the…
6
Snoopy Presents: Lucy's School (2022)
★ 7.3/10
The Peanuts gang is anxious about starting at a new school in the fall, inspiring Lucy to start her own school instead. She soon learns that teaching isn't as easy as it sounds and that change can be a good thing.
7
Boat Builders (1938)
★ 6.9/10
Mickey buys a boat kit, and enlists Goofy and Donald to help assemble it. The plans say, "so simple a child could do it", so of course, they have their share of troubles. But before long, they're ready to launch the…
8
Creature Comforts (1989)
★ 7.3/10
A humorous and thought-provoking view of what animals in zoos might be thinking about their captivity and surroundings.
9
Cousin Ben Troop Screening (2012)
★ 6.4/10
Cousin Ben hosts a screening of Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom to the troops.
10
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins (2000)
★ 6.4/10
Buzz Lightyear must battle Emperor Zurg with the help of three hopefuls who insist on being his partners.
11
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2021)
★ 6.2/10
Greg Heffley is a scrawny but ambitious kid with an active imagination and big plans to be rich and famous – he just has to survive middle school first.
12
Tin Toy (1988)
★ 6.1/10
Babies are hardly monster-like, unless you're a toy. After escaping a drooling baby, Tinny realizes that he wants to be played with after all. But in the amount of time it takes him to discover this, the baby's…
13
Beau Hunks (1931)
★ 6.8/10
Stan and Ollie join the French Foreign Legion after Ollie's sweetheart rejects him.
14
Barefoot (2014)
★ 6.7/10
The "black sheep" son of a wealthy family meets a young psychiatric patient who's been raised in isolation her entire life. He takes the naive young woman home for his brother's wedding an improbable romance blooms, as…
15
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
★ 6.8/10
A listless and alienated teenager decides to help his new friend win the class presidency in their small western high school, while he must deal with his bizarre family life back home.
16
Summer School (1987)
★ 6.4/10
A high-school gym teacher has big plans for the summer, but is forced to cancel them to teach a "bonehead" English class for misfit goof-off students. Fortunately, his unconventional brand of teaching fun field trips…
17
Inner Workings (2016)
★ 7.8/10
This is the story of the internal struggle between a man's Brain—a pragmatic protector who calculates his every move, and his Heart—a free-spirited adventurer who wants to let loose.
18
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
★ 7.6/10
On the first day at his new school, Cameron instantly falls for Bianca, the gorgeous girl of his dreams. The only problem is that Bianca is forbidden to date until her ill-tempered, completely un-dateable older sister…
19
Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut (2024)
★ 6.7/10
Delve into the digestive system with this lighthearted and informative documentary that demystifies the role gut health plays in our overall well-being.
20
The Proud Family Movie (2005)
★ 5.8/10
Penny and her family are lured on an all expenses paid vacation where a mad scientist captures them, refusing to let them go because Oscar won't reveal his on of his secret Proud Snacks formulas.