Best movies like Explorers
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
The visionary dreams of three curious and adventuresome young boys become an exciting reality in Explorers, the action-fantasy from director Joe Dante, who combines keen humor, warmth and fantasy with unexpected twists. In their makeshift laboratory, the boys use an amazing discovery and their ingenuity to build their own spaceship and launch themselves on a fantastic interplanetary journey.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 23000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Romance, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: light, cult classic, feel good, retro, uplifting, intellectual, epic, stylized, mindfuck, offbeat
Best tv shows and movies like Explorers (1985):
Similar in 90%
Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century (1999)
Plot Summary:
Zenon Kar, a 13-year-old girl who lives on a space station in the year 2049, gets into some trouble and is banished to Earth. With help from some Earth friends she must find her way back.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: futuristic, teen, humorous, not serious, whimsical
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Similar in 90%
Space Buddies (2009)
Plot Summary:
B-Dawg, Mudbud, Budderball, and all the rest of the Buddies are back, but this time, they're setting their sights even higher -- as in, the moon! With the help of their new pals Spudnick (voiced by Jason Earles) and Gravity, these pooches are go for launch. But to pull off their moon landing and make it home safely, our canine heroes will have to summon all their bravery and imagination.
IMDB Rating: 4.3
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 84 min
Plot tags: feel good, humorous, semi serious, tense, light, captivating, entertaining, futuristic
Similar in 78%
Muppets from Space (1999)
Plot Summary:
When Gonzo's breakfast cereal tells him that he's the descendant of aliens from another planet, his attempts at extraterrestrial communication get him kidnapped by a secret government agency, prompting the Muppets to spring into action. It's hard to believe Gonzo's story at first, but Kermit and friends soon find themselves on an epic journey into outer space filled with plenty of intergalactic misadventures.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 20000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: humorous, light, entertaining, feel good, not serious, exciting, slasher, fantasy adventure, funny, parody
Similar in 78%
Meet Dave (2008)
Plot Summary:
A crew of miniature aliens operate a spaceship that has a human form. While trying to save their planet, the aliens encounter a new problem, as their ship becomes smitten with an Earth woman.
IMDB Rating: 5.1
IMDB Votes: 43000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Romance, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: humorous, funny, semi serious, slapstick, parody, inspirational, romantic, black comedy, family comedy, teen
Similar in 79%
Zeus and Roxanne (1997)
Plot Summary:
Mary Beth is a marine biologist that gets annoyed when a dog called Zeus stows aboard her research boat. Nevertheless she is intrigued when the intrusive canine makes best-friends with her captive dolphin, Roxanne. She falls in love with Zeus's owner, Terry, a musician who rides a bike.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: sweet, melancholic, touching, feel good, humorous, semi serious, light, clever, unusual plot structure, entertaining
Similar in 89%
A Wrinkle in Time (2003)
Plot Summary:
Based on a children's series by the same name. Meg and Charles Wallace are aided by Calvin and three interesting women in the search for their father who disappeared during a government experiment. Their travels take them around the universe to a place unlike any other.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: Canada
Duration: 251 min
Plot tags: humorous, semi serious, captivating, spiritual, psychotronic
Similar in 76%
Mom and Dad Save the World (1992)
Plot Summary:
Emperor Spengo sees Marge Nelson and using a giant magnet, kidnaps her and her husband Dick, hoping to make Marge his before blowing up the Earth. The Emperor and other inhabitants of his planet are somewhat less than bright, and Dick begins reliving episodes of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers in order to rescue Marge, save the Earth, and restore the rightful emperor to the throne.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: humorous, funny, grindhouse, sexy, semi serious, parody, light, road movie, clever, entertaining
Similar in 81%
Spaced Invaders (1990)
Plot Summary:
A crew of Martians overhears a radio broadcast of Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" coming from Earth, and, thinking the Martian fleet is attacking Earth, they land their broken-down ship in a backwater mid-American town. As luck would have it, they land on Halloween and get mistaken for trick-or-treaters. Comedy ensues as the Martians try to get taken seriously.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: cult classic, humorous, dark, grindhouse, independent film, offbeat, semi serious, surprise ending, slapstick comedy, parody
Similar in 88%
Earth to Echo (2014)
Plot Summary:
After a construction project begins digging in their neighborhood, best friends Tuck, Munch and Alex inexplicably begin to receive strange, encoded messages on their cell phones. Convinced something bigger is going on, they go to their parents and the authorities. When everyone around them refuses to take the messages seriously, the three embark on a secret adventure to crack the code and follow it to its source. But taking matters into their own hands gets the trio in way over their heads when they discover a mysterious being from another world who desperately needs their help. The epic, suspenseful and exciting journey that follows will change all of their lives forever.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 20000
Genere: Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: exciting, sentimental, suspenseful, stylized, enigmatic, scenic, freeze frame, serious, psychotronic, light
Similar in 85%
Star Kid (1997)
Plot Summary:
Shy seventh-grader Spencer Griffith's life changes when the meteor falls into local junkyard and he finds a Cybersuit - the wise and strong robot from another galaxy. Spencer puts Cybersuit on and becomes a different kind of guy.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: humorous, entertaining, stylized, semi serious, cult classic, epic, independent film, offbeat, light, sexy
Similar in 80%
D.A.R.Y.L. (1985)
Plot Summary:
Daryl is a normal 10-year-old boy in many ways. However, unbeknown to his foster parents and friends, Daryl is actually a government-created robot with superhuman reflexes and mental abilities. Even his name has a hidden meaning -- it's actually an acronym for Data Analyzing Robot Youth Life-form. When the organization that created him deems the "super soldier" experiment a failure and schedules Daryl to be disassembled, it is up to a few rogue scientists to help him escape.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Family, Sci-Fi
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: uplifting, epic, mindfuck, colorful, touching, serious, eighties, nostalgic
Similar in 77%
Mac and Me (1988)
Plot Summary:
A Mysterious Alien Creature (MAC) escaping from nefarious NASA agents, is befriended by a young boy in a wheelchair. Together, they try to find MAC's family from whom he has been separated.
IMDB Rating: 3.4
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: sentimental, humorous, semi serious, cult classic, mockbuster, funny, epic, independent film, psychotronic, feel good
Similar in 80%
Starman (1984)
Plot Summary:
An alien takes the form of a young widow's husband and asks her to drive him from Wisconsin to Arizona. The government tries to stop them.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 51000
Genere: Romance, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min
Plot tags: road movie, touching, spiritual, anamorphic, suspense, erotic, mystical, inspirational, thought provoking, feel good
Similar in 90%
Bingo (1991)
Plot Summary:
Bingo, the runaway circus dog, is off the leash and saving Chuckie's life! Bingo and the boy become the best of friends in this canine comedy featuring doggy disguises and skateboarding, pinball and prison. Chuckie and his parents (Cindy Williams and David Rasche) are moving house, a thousand miles away, but Bingo won't be allowed to join them. Chuckie and Bingo's determination to be reunited is t.
IMDB Rating: 4.9
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: humorous, touching, not serious, spoof, entertaining, feel good, parody, funny, clever, unusual plot structure
Similar in 81%
Honey I Blew Up the Kid (1992)
Plot Summary:
Wayne Szalinski is at it again. But instead of shrinking things, he tries to make a machine that can make things grow. As in the first one, his machine isn't quite accurate. But when he brings Nick & his toddler son Adam to see his invention, the machine unexpectedly starts working. And when Adam comes right up to the machine, he gets zapped along with his stuffed bunny.
IMDB Rating: 4.9
IMDB Votes: 46000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Romance, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: funny, light, clever, feel good, humorous, slapstick, hilarious, epic, cult classic, not serious
Similar in 90%
The Cat from Outer Space (1978)
Plot Summary:
A UFO is stranded on earth and impounded by the US government. Its pilot, a cat with a collar that gives it special powers, including the ability to communicate with humans, has eluded the authorities and seeks the help of a scientist in order to reclaim and repair his ship and get back home.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: cute, humorous, mysterious, freeze frame, offbeat, feel good, semi serious, hilarious, fairy tale, light
Similar in 81%
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Plot Summary:
After a gentle alien becomes stranded on Earth, the being is discovered and befriended by a young boy named Elliott. Bringing the extraterrestrial into his suburban California house, Elliott introduces E.T., as the alien is dubbed, to his brother and his little sister, Gertie, and the children decide to keep its existence a secret. Soon, however, E.T. falls ill, resulting in government intervention and a dire situation for both Elliott and the alien.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 431000
Genere: Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min
Plot tags: sentimental, feel good, emotional, sad, inspirational, sweet, touching, entertaining, light, exciting
Similar in 75%
Beethoven's 5th (2003)
Plot Summary:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. When Sara takes Beethoven to spend summer vacation with wacky Uncle Freddie in an old mining town, the mischievous canine "digs up" the missing clue to a legendary hidden fortune of Rita and Moe Selig. Now everybody wants to be the dog's best friend as his discovery unleashes a frenzy of treasure hunting among the community's cast of kooky creatures. With help from Uncle Freddie and Garrett (a friend or maybe more), Sara and Beethoven try to help uncover a secret that has been in the crazy little town for years. Description above from the Wikipedia article Beethoven's 5th (film), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
IMDB Rating: 4.1
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy, Family, Adventure
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: feel good, humorous, realistic, semi serious, entertaining, light
Similar in 89%
Little Monsters (1989)
Plot Summary:
A young boy is scared of the monster under his bed. He asks his 6th grade brother to swap rooms for the night as a bet that the monster really exists. Soon the brother becomes friends with the monster and discovers a whole new world of fun and games under his bed where pulling pranks on kids and other monsters is the main attraction.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: light, entertaining, melancholic, feel good, humorous, semi serious, epic, mysterious, visual, creepy
Similar in 83%
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
Plot Summary:
Mere seconds before the Earth is to be demolished by an alien construction crew, Arthur Dent is swept off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher penning a new edition of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.".
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 206000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: light, parody, cult classic, funny, philosophical, clever, humorous, witty, stylized, intellectual
Similar in 75%
SpaceCamp (1986)
Plot Summary:
Andie Bergstrom, an astronaut eagerly awaiting her first trip to space, runs a summer camp for teenagers with her NASA-employed husband, Zach. One night during an engine test, Andie and four teenage campers are accidentally shot into space. Together, the group -- which includes Kathryn, a pilot-in-training, and Tish, a ditz with a perfect memory -- must work together to operate the spacecraft and return home.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: intense, entertaining, melancholic, semi serious, inspirational, uplifting, action adventure, exciting, suspenseful, light
Similar in 78%
The Ewok Adventure (1984)
Plot Summary:
The Towani family civilian shuttlecraft crashes on the forest moon of Endor. The four Towani's are separated. Jermitt and Catarine, the mother and father are captured by the giant Gorax, and Mace and Cindel, the son and daughter, are missing when they are captured. The next day, the Ewok Deej is looking for his two sons when they find Cindel all alone in the shuttle (Mace and Cindel were looking for the transmitter to send a distress call), when Mace appears with his emergency blaster. Eventually, the four-year old Cindel is able to convince the teenage Mace that the Ewoks are nice. Then, the Ewoks and the Towani's go on an adventure to find the elder Towanis.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: humorous, semi serious, exciting, captivating, saga, light, sincere, feel good, entertaining, epic
Similar in 82%
The Last Starfighter (1984)
Plot Summary:
A video game expert Alex Rogan finds himself transported to another planet after conquering The Last Starfighter video game only to find out it was just a test. He was recruited to join the team of best Starfighters to defend their world from the attack.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 45000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: exciting, cult classic, light, entertaining, semi serious, retro, epic, anamorphic, mindfuck, humorous
Similar in 79%
*batteries not included (1987)
Plot Summary:
In a soon to be demolished block of apartments, the residents resist the criminal methods used to force them to leave so a greedy tycoon can build his new skyscraper. When tiny mechanical aliens land for a recharge, they decide to stay and help out.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 37000
Genere: Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: feel good, entertaining, touching, sentimental, light, emotional, sweet, humorous, semi serious, funny
Similar in 78%
Stand by Me (1986)
Plot Summary:
After the death of a friend, a writer recounts a boyhood journey to find the body of a missing boy.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 432000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: sentimental, sad, emotional, feel good, atmospheric, cult classic, teen, road movie, inspirational, clever
Similar in 82%
My Science Project (1985)
Plot Summary:
Michael and Ellie break into a military junkyard to find a science project for Michael's class, and discover a strange glowing orb which absorbs electricity. When the orb begins to blend past, present, and future, its up to Michael and Ellie to stop the orb and save mankind.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: offbeat, humorous, semi serious, fast, psychotronic, light, feel good, eighties, complex, idiotic
Similar in 85%
Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)
Plot Summary:
After their father is called into work, two young boys, Walter and Danny, are left in the care of their teenage sister, Lisa, and told they must stay inside. Walter and Danny, who anticipate a boring day, are shocked when they begin playing Zathura, a space-themed board game, which they realize has mystical powers when their house is shot into space. With the help of an astronaut, the boys attempt to return home.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 113000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: exciting, intense, semi serious, epic, captivating, futuristic, mystical, funny, atmospheric, mysterious
Similar in 82%
The Goonies (1985)
Plot Summary:
A young teenager named Mikey Walsh finds an old treasure map in his father's attic. Hoping to save their homes from demolition, Mikey and his friends Data Wang, Chunk Cohen, and Mouth Devereaux run off on a big quest to find the secret stash of Pirate One-Eyed Willie.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 293000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 114 min
Plot tags: feel good, funny, cult classic, entertaining, intense, sentimental, humorous, semi serious, exciting, inspirational
Similar in 88%
Flight of the Navigator (1986)
Plot Summary:
This 1986 Disney adventure tells the story of 12-year-old David who lives with his family in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. When he awakens from being accidentally knocked out in the forest near his home, he finds that eight years have passed. His family is overjoyed to have him back, but just as perplexed as he is by the fact that he hasn't aged. When a NASA scientist discovers a UFO nearby, David gets the chance to unravel the mystery and recover the life he lost.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 51000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: feel good, futuristic, entertaining, exciting, stylized, sweet, touching, serious, uplifting, mind bending
Similar in 88%
Back to the Future (1985)
Plot Summary:
Eighties teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time to 1955, inadvertently disrupting his parents' first meeting and attracting his mother's romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by rekindling his parents' romance and - with the help of his eccentric inventor friend Doc Brown - return to 1985.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 13000000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 116 min
Plot tags: feel good, exciting, light, funny, cult classic, teen, futuristic, spectacular, not serious, fast paced