Movies Like Inception (2010)

Inception is a 2010 action, adventure, science fiction film from Christopher Nolan with a MovieMagicScore of 8.4/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Twice Upon a Time and Southland Tales.

Action Adventure Science Fiction

Twice Upon a Time

1983

In the world of the Murkworks where nightmares are made, the evil Synonamess Botch hatches a scheme to make non-stop nightmares. Only Ralph and Mumford, misfits from the cheery land of Frivoli where good dreams are made, can stop him.

6.6

MagicScore

Southland Tales

2007

Set in the futuristic landscape of Los Angeles on July 4, 2008, as it stands on the brink of social, economic and environmental disaster. Boxer Santaros is an action star who's stricken with amnesia. His life intertwines with Krysta Now, an adult film star developing her own reality television project, and Ronald Taverner, a Hermosa Beach police officer who holds the key to a vast conspiracy.

5.2

MagicScore

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

2002

Frodo Baggins and the other members of the Fellowship continue on their sacred quest to destroy the One Ring--but on separate paths. Their destinies lie at two towers--Orthanc Tower in Isengard, where the corrupt wizard Saruman awaits, and Sauron's fortress at Barad-dur, deep within the dark lands of Mordor.

8.4

MagicScore

The Portrait of a Lady

1996

Ms. Isabel Archer isn't afraid to challenge societal norms. Impressed by her free spirit, her kindhearted cousin writes her into his fatally ill father's will. Suddenly rich and independent, Isabelle ventures into the world, along the way befriending a cynical intellectual and romancing an art enthusiast. However, the advantage of her affluence is called into question when she realizes the extent to which her money colors her relationships.

6.0

MagicScore

Napping Princess

2017

Japan, 2020, a few days before the opening of the Tokyo Olympics. Although she should be studying for her final exams, Kokone, a schoolgirl who lives in a small town with her widowed father, a mysterious and talented mechanic, falls asleep often, anywhere, anytime, entering, over and over, a dream-world where a squad of fantastic motorized contraptions fights against magic, a world close to reality where she will find out the keys of her true past.

6.6

MagicScore

Paprika

2006

When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patient's dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist can stop it and recover it before damage is done: Paprika.

7.8

MagicScore

Dreambuilders

2020

Minna, a young girl, misuses her newfound ability to create and control other people’s dreams to teach her bothersome stepsister a lesson. When her stepsister can no longer wake up, Minna has to enter the dream world to save her.

7.5

MagicScore

The Good Night

2007

Gary, a musician, is trapped in an unhappy relationship with his live-in lover, Dora. He becomes enthralled with a beautiful seductress who enters his dreams, and tries to control his dream-state so he can spend more and more time with her. When Gary sees his mystery woman's face on a bus billboard, he discovers she is real, and fate brings him an opportunity to meet her.

5.3

MagicScore

Caché

2005

George, host of a television show focusing on literature, receives videos shot on the sly that feature his family, along with disturbing drawings that are difficult to interpret. He has no idea who has made and sent him the videos. Progressively, the contents of the videos become more personal, indicating that the sender has known George for a long time.

7.0

MagicScore

#10

Criminal

2016

CIA Agent Bill Pope is on a mission to track down a shadowy hacker named 'The Dutchman'. When he gets mysteriously killed, an experimental procedure transfers his memories into a dangerous ex-convict. When he wakes up Pope's memories, his mission is to eliminate The Dutchman before the hacker launches ICBMs and starts World War III.

6.2

MagicScore

#11

Sicario

2015

An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.

7.4

MagicScore

#12

The Matrix Reloaded

2003

The Resistance builds in numbers as humans are freed from the Matrix and brought to the city of Zion. Neo discovers his superpowers, including the ability to see the code inside the Matrix. With machine sentinels digging to Zion in 72 hours, Neo, Morpheus and Trinity must find the Keymaker to ultimately reach the Source.

7.1

MagicScore

#13

Brazil

1985

Low-level bureaucrat Sam Lowry escapes the monotony of his day-to-day life through a recurring daydream of himself as a virtuous hero saving a beautiful damsel. Investigating a case that led to the wrongful arrest and eventual death of an innocent man instead of wanted terrorist Harry Tuttle, he meets the woman from his daydream, and in trying to help her gets caught in a web of mistaken identities, mindless bureaucracy and lies.

7.7

MagicScore

#14

The Matrix Revolutions

2003

The human city of Zion defends itself against the massive invasion of the machines as Neo fights to end the war at another front while also opposing the rogue Agent Smith.

6.7

MagicScore

#15

Ejen Ali: The Movie

2019

As MATA seeks to upgrade its gadget for all agents, Ali embarks on a mission to stop a plot against Cyberaya but begins to question his loyalty.

8.3

MagicScore

#16

Dark City

1998

A man struggles with memories of his past, including a wife he cannot remember, in a nightmarish world with no sun and run by beings with telekinetic powers who seek the souls of humans.

7.3

MagicScore

#17

Now You See Me

2013

An FBI agent and an Interpol detective track a team of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances and reward their audiences with the money.

7.3

MagicScore

#18

Set It Off

1996

Four inner-city Black women, determined to end their constant struggle, decide to live by one rule — get what you want or die trying. So the four women take back their lives and take out some banks in the process.

7.2

MagicScore

#19

Heart of Glass

1976

A small Bavarian village is renowned for its "Ruby Glass" glass blowing works. When the foreman of the works dies suddenly without revealing the secret of the Ruby Glass, the town slides into a deep depression, and the owner of the glassworks becomes obssessed with the lost secret.

6.5

MagicScore

#20

Memento

2000

Leonard Shelby is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty of locating his wife's killer, however, is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of short-term memory loss. Although he can recall details of life before his accident, Leonard cannot remember what happened fifteen minutes ago, where he's going, or why.

8.2

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Inception?

The top films similar to Inception by MovieMagicScore are Twice Upon a Time (6.6), Southland Tales (5.2), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (8.4). Each shares action/adventure/science fiction themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Inception worth watching?

Inception holds a MovieMagicScore of 8.4/10 from 40,158 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Inception?

Inception (2010) is a action, adventure, science fiction film directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe.

Where can I find more recommendations like Inception?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more action recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Twice Upon a Time Movies like Southland Tales Movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Movies like The Portrait of a Lady Movies like Napping Princess Movies like Paprika

About movies like Inception

This ranked list pairs Inception (2010), a action and adventure and science fiction film from Christopher Nolan, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Leonardo DiCaprio take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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