Founded in 2012, A24 is an American independent film studio that also specializes in TV production. Since bursting into the indie scene, they have slowly accumulated fame and popularity (not to mention high-profile Academy Awards victories), to the point that they have nowadays become one of the most important representatives of Hollywood independent cinema.

The studio is characterized for granting its filmmakers full artistic freedom, yet most of their movies share some hard-to-explain similarities – a vibe, if you will. As such, it's always fun to discover films that may feel like they were produced by A24, but actually weren't.

Updated on July 5, 2023, by Diego Pineda Pacheco:

With Earth Mama (A24's latest) coming out this July 7, and the success of some of the studio's recent offerings like Past Lives, fans are no doubt looking for some more of that A24 goodness. They may want to branch out of the studio, since there are many movies out there that give off strong A24 vibes without actually being made or distributed by them.

20 'It Follows' (2014)

Jay (Maika Monroe) tied to a chair in 'It Follows'
Image via The Weinstein Company

It Follows is a horror film that focuses on the story of Jay (Maika Monroe), a young woman who is stalked by a supernatural entity after having a sexual encounter. The creature persistently pursues its victims, and the only way to escape is to pass the curse on to someone else through sexual intercourse. It's always scariest when horror movies don't show the monster, and It Follows does that perfectly.

The film, directed by David Robert Mitchell, is a true standout in the horror genre, thanks to its original premise and great use of tension and atmosphere to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. The movie is also aesthetically gorgeous, with a nostalgic style and dreamy cinematography that can fit right into A24's filmography. It Follows is a remarkable film with a novel premise and excellent execution that's still worth watching today.

Watch on Netflix

19 'The Banshees of Inisherin' (2022)

The Banshees of Inisherin featured
Image via Searchlight Pictures

With nine Oscar nominations, The Banshees of Inisherin immediately caught critics' and fans' attention through its dark humor and compelling story. Set on a remote island off the coast of Ireland, the tragicomedy features the abrupt end of a long friendship between two locals, Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson), which soon leads to disastrous consequences.

Pádraic and Colm's messy friendship is explored in a way that's reminiscent of the complex relationships featured in A24 movies like The Lighthouse and Good Time. The film's slow pace (and sudden shocking escalation) is set against spectacular sweeping shots of the bleak yet beautiful setting in Ireland, which only makes it an even more obvious contender as a movie with glaring A24 vibes.

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18 'Whiplash' (2014)

JK Simmons yelling at Miles Teller's character as he drums in 'Whiplash.'
Image via Sony Pictures Classics

The legendary drama Whiplash tells the story of Andrew (Miles Teller), an ambitious jazz drummer who enrolls in a prestigious music conservatory and finds himself terrorized by his ruthless tutor, Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). With heart-pounding performances and an electrifying soundtrack, Damien Chazelle's sophomore film is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Simmons and Teller deliver mesmerizing performances that make the film engrossing, perfectly complementing its story that explores the cutthroat world of music conservatories and the pressures that come with it. Furthermore, the film captures the music's intensity and energy perfectly through stylish cinematography. All of these elements mean it would seamlessly fit into A24's filmography.

Watch on Hulu

17 'Brokeback Mountain' (2005)

Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger hugging in 'Brokeback Mountain'
Image via Focus Features

On repeated occasions, Westerns have proved they can be beautifully romantic, and few are as moving as Ang Lee's highly acclaimed Brokeback Mountain. It follows Ennis (Heath Ledger) and Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal), a pair of cowboys who embark on a lifelong relationship that directly conflicts with the lives they're supposed to lead.

Quiet, subdued, and more than capable of breaking any audience member's heart, Brokeback Mountain transcends its subject matter to tell a universally endearing story about the human condition. It's an epic story if only because of the way it deals with its themes, which would help it fit snugly among A24's other LGBTQ+ dramas.

Watch on Prime Video

16 'Thoroughbreds' (2017)

Anya Taylor-Joy and Olivia Cooke as Lily and Amanda, two teenage girls, in 'Thoroughbreds'
Image via Focus Features

Anya Taylor-Joy and Olivia Cooke are perhaps two of the most talented actresses of their generation, and Thoroughbreds (Cory Finley's directing debut) brings them together in an exquisitely dark comedy thriller about Lily (Joy) and her emotionless friend Amanda (Cooke), as they plot to assassinate Lily's stepfather (Paul Sparks).

No one is fully sane and no one is fully crazy, and Thoroughbreds shows that with incredible nuance and a masterful juggling of different genres. Those who enjoy A24 thrillers with dark senses of humor and unpredictable plotlines will no doubt have a blast with this great addition to the genre.

15 'Nightcrawler' (2014)

Jake Gyllenhaal as Louis Bloom in Nightcrawler (2014)
Image via Bold Films

Nightcrawler is a crime thriller directed by Dan Gilroy and starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The plot revolves around Lou Bloom (Gyllenhaal), a determined, ambitious, and morally corrupt individual who begins working as a freelance camera operator for a small news station. Gyllenhaal gives a bone-chilling performance, making Lou both menacing and weirdly sympathetic, and offering an engrossing viewing experience through and through.

With its gripping storyline, breathtaking photography, and outstanding pace, the film is also a true standout in the crime-thriller genre. A24 is no stranger to such dark, gritty, and ethically complex character studies, with films like Uncut Gems and Enemy also demonstrating the dangers of obsession.

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14 'Mandy' (2018)

A wild-eyed Nicolas cage staring at the camera in Mandy
Image via RLJE Films

Mandy, starring Nicolas Cage in one of his best modern roles, is like a slow descent into hell and a bloody, grueling climb back up. It's about Red Miller (Cage), a broken man who chases after the cult that killed the love of his life. Graphic and dark beyond comparison, it's not a film for the faint of heart.

A24 loves to produce visually stunning horror films full of color like Midsommar and Climax, as well as endowing these stories with a sense of mystery and a slow-burn rhythm. Mandy checks all those boxes and more, delivering a thoughtful and contemplative but also loud, gory, and over-the-top movie about doomed love.

Watch on Prime Video

13 'Captain Fantastic' (2016)

A man playing the guitar on his porch while his daughter reads a book beside him
Image via Bleecker Street

Captain Fantastic may sound like a superhero film, yet it's anything but. It's actually a film about a father (Viggo Mortensen) raising his six children in isolation in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, and the troubles that arise when he has to assimilate them back into society after a tragic event.

Mortensen plays his role with poignancy and elegance, and the supporting cast is fantastic. The movie feels like one of A24's quirkier, less overwhelming outings. It's a super endearing film about fatherhood, masculinity, and learning to move past trauma, a feel-good drama perfect for those who enjoy them.

Watch on Prime Video

12 'Perfect Blue' (1997)

Satoshi Kon's Perfect Blue
Image via Rex Entertainment

The late Satoshi Kon was a master of making mind-boggling movies that you need to watch twice in order to fully appreciate them, and they just so happen to be some of the most staggeringly animated films ever made. Perfect Blue follows a former pop star turned actress (Junko Iwao), who's stalked by an obsessed fan and the ghosts of her past.

When it comes to psychological thrillers about tortured artists, it hardly gets any better than this. Perfect Blue has the mind-twisting story and jaw-dropping twists of the best A24 mystery films, with some outstanding voice work and truly marvelous animation.

11 'Booksmart' (2019)

Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Denver as Molly and Amy leaving against the lockers in Booksmart
Image via Annapurna Pictures

Olivia Wilde's latest may have made her a bit of a contentious director, but her debut, Booksmart, is an undeniably fantastic teen comedy. It's the story of two academic superstars (Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein) who, the night before graduation, set off to have all the fun that all their hard work stopped them from having throughout high school.

Booksmart is irresistibly charming, incredibly fun, and laugh-out-loud funny, but it also manages to sneak in some thoughtful themes and deeply emotional moments. It shares more than just vibes with the likes of Lady Bird and Mid90s, and anyone who enjoyed those ought to give this one a shot.

10 'The Favourite' (2018)

Rachel Weisz and Olivia Colman as Sarah Churchill and Queen Anne in The Favourite
Image via Searchlight Pictures

Known for his absurdist writing and bizarre style, Yorgos Lanthimos and A24 are pretty much a match made in heaven. The Favourite, one of his best-known films, follows the rivalry between a pair of cousins (Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz) as they compete to become the favorite of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman).

The film has a strangely pleasing visual aesthetic, an engrossing story, fascinating performances, and sharp humor that's more than eccentric, qualities that you can see in many A24 productions. The fact that this isn't one is as weird as the movie itself.

9 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' (2019)

portrait-of-a-lady-on-fire
Image via NEON

Yet another famous Hollywood independent film studio, NEON has been producing countless amazing movies for years that give off strong A24 vibes. If one had to pick only a handful that does so most prominently, Céline Sciamma's Portrait of a Lady on Fire, about a painter (Noémie Merlant) charged with the wedding portrait of a young woman (Adèle Haenel), would definitely be up there.

The film is a gorgeous and contemplative LGBT romantic drama with cinematography as beautiful as its protagonist's portraits, a deliberately slow pacing, and a character-focused narrative that often bends its own limits, not too dissimilar from A24's Oscar-winning film Moonlight.

Watch on Hulu

8 'Titane' (2021)

Titane
Image via NEON

Titane is another NEON production, without a doubt one of its weirdest. It's a stylish and surrealist drama about a former firefighter (Vincent Lindon) who's reunited with who he thinks is his son (Agathe Rousselle) after he's been missing for 10 years. Then again... Is he his son? Or is there something much stranger going on?

Titane is an experience that simply must be seen in order to be believed. It's about two lonely, fractured souls who come together to ease each other's pain; it's about fatherhood, sexuality, and femininity, and it's an absolutely mind-bending film that's simply impossible to forget.

Watch on Hulu

7 'Her' (2013)

her-joaquin-phoenix-7
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Spike Jonze's beautiful sci-fi romantic drama (undoubtedly one of the best in the genre) is the story of Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a lonely man who begins to fall in love and start a relationship with a newly developed operating system voiced by Scarlett Johansson.

A24 movies love to ponder on themes like human nature and the characteristics of love, so Her feels like a film that's right up their alley. It can sometimes get a bit bizarre, which is perfectly fitting for the studio in question; but, at its core, it's a bittersweet little movie about loneliness, comfort, and love.

Watch on The Criterion Channel

6 'Raw' (2016)

Garance Marillier in 'Raw'
Image via Focus World

Raw is a French-Belgian horror film directed by Julia Ducournau about Justine (Garance Marillier), a young woman who enrolls in veterinary school. A vegetarian, Justine's forced to consume raw rabbit kidney as part of a hazing ceremony, and this is when her desires for meat begin to emerge. Her difficulties as she tries to manage her newfound urges and the repercussions of her actions are explored in the film.

Raw is not for the faint of heart, but it is a must-see for fans of gripping horror dramas that are also thought-provoking. The movie, like many A24 horror films, is visually stunning, with a vintage style and ethereal cinematography that gives it a distinct look and feel.

Watch on Netflix

5 'Ingrid Goes West' (2017)

Image via NEON

Ingrid Goes West came out at the best time possible: Right at the start of the Aubrey Plaza renaissance that's still going on with force to this day. It's a dramedy about Ingrid (Plaza), an unhinged social media stalker who becomes obsessed with an influencer who seems to have a perfect life, and moves to LA to insinuate herself into the star's life.

Plaza and Elizabeth Olsen deliver fantastic performances, and the movie's twisted sense of humor is tied together wonderfully by the timely themes of social media obsession. The complex characters, funny yet thoughtful jokes, and idiosyncratic visual style are all what you'd find in many of A24's best comedies of the same kind.

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4 'The Neon Demon' (2016)

A trippy image from The Neon Demon
Image via Amazon Studios

Nicolas Winding Refn's The Neon Demon is a riveting horror film about an aspiring model (Elle Fanning) who, after moving to L.A., has her youth and vitality devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women. If movies about obsession destroying artists pique your interest, this one's a must-see.

Many A24 films seek to redefine the boundaries of cinema as an art form, and to bring traditional conceptions of beauty into question. As such, it may come as a surprise that this movie, which is a study and critique of beauty and aesthetics, was not produced by the famous independent studio.

Watch on Prime Video

3 'Sound of Metal' (2019)

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Image via Amazon Studios

In this Oscar-nominated film of incredible emotional power, a drummer played brilliantly by Riz Ahmed begins to lose his sense of hearing, and is forced to come to terms with the silent future that lies ahead of him.

Sound of Metal is a film as empowering as it is heartbreaking, which can be said about many A24 movies as well. It definitely has that cozy indie feel, along with marvelous performances, a complex story, and a pushing of cinema's boundaries as an art form in the shape of one of the best sound designs in any film of the 2000s.

Watch on Prime Video

2 'Call Me by Your Name' (2017)

Timothée Chalamet in 'Call Me By Your Name'
Image via Sony Pictures Classics

Yet another LGBTQ+ romantic drama that would feel right at home among A24's lineup, Call Me by Your Name chronicles the fleeting romance that blossoms between a teenager on the border of adulthood (Timothée Chalamet) and an older man (Armie Hammer) hired as his father's (Michael Stuhlbarg) research assistant.

The setting of northern Italy makes for a beautiful backdrop for this sweet and romantic but ultimately tragically sad love story, where the characters move poetically around the story and help the themes slowly develop.

1 'At Eternity's Gate' (2018)

Vincent van Gogh enjoying the pastures in At Eternity's Gate
Image via NEON

What, if not a NEON film, could be worthy of being considered the most A24-like movie that wasn't actually produced by the studio? Julian Schnabel's At Eternity's Gate follows Vincent van Gogh (played by Willem Dafoe) as he spends the final years of his life in France, painting masterpieces of the world that surrounds him.

The movie is as hauntingly beautiful as one of Van Gogh's paintings, an absolutely enrapturing and stylishly poetic exploration of the deepest corners of a man's fragmented soul. It's a love letter to Vincent, to art, and to cinema itself. Although it isn't an A24 movie, it's more than worthy of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the studio's best films.

Watch on Tubi

NEXT:The Best A24 Movies of All Time, Ranked According to Letterboxd