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.
The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) stuck because it commits to its fantasy premise without apologizing—viewers remember set pieces and momentum as much as plot. Hiromasa Yonebayashi's control of tone keeps the ride coherent. The fantasy and animation blend is the engine: it lets the film shift registers without feeling like two different movies stitched together.
Runtime 1h 34m · ★ 7.7
Mood
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Era
Showing 10 of 10 picks
★ 8.5 · Animation · Family · Fantasy · 2h 5m
Why you'll love it
Spirited Away (2001) is the natural next step after The Secret World of Arrietty: same fantasy DNA, different perspective. The uplifting streak and animation elevate it well above a simple genre exercise.
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★ 7.8 · Animation · Family · Fantasy · 1h 43m
Why you'll love it
Fans of The Secret World of Arrietty who respond to its fantasy will find Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) immediately familiar. Both films share a animation sensibility without ever feeling like carbon copies of each other.
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★ 6.5 · Animation · Adventure · Family · 1h 42m
Why you'll love it
There's a reason The Secret World of Arrietty fans keep landing on Epic (2013) — the fantasy 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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★ 7.1 · Adventure · Animation · Family · 1h 43m
Why you'll love it
Mary and The Witch's Flower draws from the same fantasy well as The Secret World of Arrietty, channeling animation in ways that feel unmistakably related. The 2017 film makes a natural companion watch — similar in spirit but distinctly its own.
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★ 6.8 · Family · Animation · Comedy · 1h 8m
Why you'll love it
Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005) captures the fantasy appeal of The Secret World of Arrietty without simply imitating it. The animation streak running through both films is what puts Pooh's Heffalump Movie at the top of any "if you liked…" shortlist.
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★ 7.3 · Comedy · Fantasy · Animation · 2h
Why you'll love it
The fantasy appeal of The Secret World of Arrietty — that funny edge, the animation — translates cleanly into A Letter to Momo (2012). Different setting, same essential satisfaction.
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★ 7.0 · Adventure · Comedy · Family · 1h 55m
Why you'll love it
The filmmakers behind Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) clearly understood what makes fantasy work — the same quality that keeps The Secret World of Arrietty rewatchable. Expect the same funny rhythm, executed with a fresh angle.
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★ 8.3 · Adventure · Fantasy · Animation · 2h 14m
Why you'll love it
Princess Mononoke (1997) is the kind of film The Secret World of Arrietty fans discover and immediately send to their group chat. The fantasy overlap is real, but it's the uplifting emotional pull that seals the recommendation.
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★ 7.9 · Adventure · Animation · Fantasy · 1h 57m
Why you'll love it
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind shares The Secret World of Arrietty's gift for fantasy — the 1984 film delivers animation without overstaying its welcome. Consider it required viewing once you've finished rewatching your first pick.
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★ 7.5 · Family · Fantasy · Comedy · 1h 40m
Why you'll love it
Much of what makes The Secret World of Arrietty compelling — the fantasy, the family — shows up in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) in a slightly different form. Both films understand that funny storytelling works best when it trusts the audience.
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