Here are Cinephile Corner’s 10 recommendations for movies like Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie:
Friendship
Friendship is one of the more unique comedies of 2025—a weird, squirm-inducing, unexpectedly affecting film that feels true to its title in all the worst (and best) ways. It’s another feather in A24’s cap for championing daring, off-kilter voices in comedy. If you’re in tune with Tim Robinson’s specific wavelength, it’s a must-watch.
Everybody Wants Some!!
I can probably count on one hand the movies I’ve rewatched more often than Everybody Wants Some!!, and that’s because Richard Linklater’s secret masterpiece is one of the most endlessly watchable films of the 2010s. Its 117 minutes fly by with the kind of effortless charm that makes you want to live inside it, following a team of college baseball players during the final weekend before classes begin at a mid-sized Texas university in 1980. Freshmen move into the house, parties blur together, baseball practice tests egos, and friendships form so naturally you wish you were dropped right into the middle of it.
Saturday Night
Saturday Night, directed by Jason Reitman, takes us back to the chaotic, unpredictable hours leading up to the first-ever episode of Saturday Night Live. Reitman’s film suggests that those 90 minutes before the show’s debut were more frenzied, uncertain, and downright messy than anything that’s aired in the decades since. It paints a vivid picture of a young Lorne Michaels, played with wide-eyed determination by Gabriel LaBelle, as someone who was deeply in over his head, unprepared to helm what would become one of television’s most iconic and enduring shows.
Y2K
The best way to approach Y2K is to go in completely blind. Seriously, avoid trailers and marketing if you can. The film’s absurd twists and genuinely hilarious moments are what make it so enjoyable, and knowing too much beforehand could spoil the fun. Kyle Mooney makes his directorial debut here, and he nails it. Throughout the brisk 91-minute runtime, he keeps the pace sharp and entertaining. The movie is often exhilarating, always self-deprecating, and has just enough 1999 nostalgia to hit the right notes without feeling overdone or cheesy.
Freaky Tales
Despite some flashes of intrigue, Freaky Tales ultimately feels like a movie coasting on its aesthetic rather than delivering a meaningful story. Boden and Fleck have proven themselves as talented filmmakers, but this effort lacks the emotional depth or narrative cohesion to make its ambitions pay off. Pedro Pascal, Tom Hanks, and Ben Mendelsohn highlight the film’s eclectic ensemble cast.
Fly Me to the Moon
Rumor has it that Apple is stepping away from theatrical releases for their original movies, and the lukewarm reception of Greg Berlanti‘s Fly Me to the Moon may be a big reason why. Starring Channing Tatum and Scarlett Johansson, this romantic comedy set against the backdrop of the U.S.-Soviet space race seemed poised for success. It had all the ingredients for a financial hit: big stars, a pastiche-heavy style, and the kind of premise that could benefit from strong word-of-mouth. Yet, it never gained traction.
It’s What’s Inside
To its credit, It’s What’s Inside makes a few choices to make itself memorable. The premise is inarguably fascinating, and the consequences of the central plot engine are enticing at times. But It’s What’s Inside becomes frustratingly convoluted, compounded by a set of characters that I simply could not care less about.
Snack Shack
Snack Shack is an uncomplicated good time, anchored by two excellent and innocent performances by Conor Sherry and Gabriel LaBelle as 14-year-olds A.J. and Moose, respectively. Director Adam Rehmeier flexes his ability to tap into the mind of today’s youth and deliver a movie that is laugh out loud funny with a charming, heartfelt story.
BlackBerry
Zipping through the years of the rise and fall of the first texting cellphone, the aptly-titled BlackBerry serves as a fantastic tale of corporate greed and those incapable of dealing with the success and fame that comes with building new technology. Incredible acting and direction contributes to one of 2023’s best movies.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
To put into words how exhilarating Everything Everywhere All at Once is isn’t easy to do. A film unlike any other, it pushes every filmmaking possibility to the brink in 2022. Many films come and go with the wind, but Everything Everywhere All at Once will be in our culture for years – even decades. The phrase “modern classic” doesn’t apply to films very frequently, but this is one of those instances where it feels justified.
READ MORE: Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (2026), Movies Like Friendship, Movies Like Y2K
