Movies like
Loved the vibe? Here are ten films that hit similar notes—with match scores, reasons to watch, and where to stream in the US.
Contact (1997) stuck because it commits to its drama premise without apologizing—viewers remember set pieces and momentum as much as plot. Robert Zemeckis's control of tone keeps the ride coherent. The drama and science fiction blend is the engine: it lets the film shift registers without feeling like two different movies stitched together.
Runtime 2h 30m · ★ 7.4
Mood
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Showing 10 of 10 picks
★ 7.6 · Drama · Science Fiction · Mystery · 1h 56m
Why you'll love it
Arrival (2016) operates in the same drama as Contact, but with its own distinct voice and pacing. The tense payoff will feel satisfyingly familiar without retreading the same ground.
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★ 6.6 · Drama · Mystery · Science Fiction · 1h 31m
Why you'll love it
The Vast of Night (2019) belongs to the same conversation as Contact — both anchor their drama in science-fiction emotion that doesn't let go. The tense undercurrent connects them more than any plot summary would suggest.
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★ 8.5 · Adventure · Drama · Science Fiction · 2h 49m
Why you'll love it
If Contact's drama stayed with you, Interstellar (2014) delivers the same sensation through an entirely different story. The science-fiction through-line is the real common thread between them.
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★ 7.7 · Science Fiction · Drama · Adventure · 2h 21m
Why you'll love it
Where Contact excels in drama, The Martian (2015) doubles down on science-fiction to comparable effect. The tonal similarities run deep enough that watching both back-to-back feels intentional.
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★ 6.5 · Science Fiction · Adventure · Mystery · 2h 11m
Why you'll love it
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) is the natural next step after Contact: same science-fiction DNA, different perspective. The tense streak and mystery elevate it well above a simple genre exercise.
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★ 7.1 · Drama · Thriller · Mystery · 2h 8m
Why you'll love it
Fans of Contact who respond to its drama will find Murder on the Orient Express (1974) immediately familiar. Both films share a mystery sensibility without ever feeling like carbon copies of each other.
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★ 6.7 · Drama · Horror · Science Fiction · 1h 27m
Why you'll love it
There's a reason Contact fans keep landing on The Thing from Another World (1951) — the drama is unmistakably related even when the plots diverge. Both films operate on the same emotional frequency, especially in their third acts.
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★ 6.6 · Science Fiction · Mystery · Thriller · 1h 49m
Why you'll love it
Fire in the Sky draws from the same science-fiction well as Contact, channeling mystery in ways that feel unmistakably related. The 1993 film makes a natural companion watch — similar in spirit but distinctly its own.
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★ 6.8 · Drama · Action · Thriller · 2h 3m
Why you'll love it
Capricorn One (1977) captures the drama appeal of Contact without simply imitating it. The science-fiction streak running through both films is what puts Capricorn One at the top of any "if you liked…" shortlist.
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★ 6.6 · Romance · Science Fiction · Mystery · 1h 45m
Why you'll love it
The science-fiction appeal of Contact — that tense edge, the mystery — translates cleanly into Frequencies (2013). Different setting, same essential satisfaction.
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