straightforward backdrop

Movies with straightforward vibe

How to Train Your Dragon

1. How to Train Your Dragon

Fantasy Family Action Adventure Epic Fantasy
7.8
20252h 5min

Overview

On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart, defying centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society.

Themes

Community transformation, Mentorship and growth, Tradition vs innovation, Youth empowerment, Friendship across species, Coexistence with dragons

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Peacock Premium
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Land of Bad

2. Land of Bad

Action War Thriller Military Action Survival Thriller
6.6
20241h 53min

Overview

When a Delta Force special ops mission goes terribly wrong, Air Force drone pilot Reaper has 48 hours to remedy what has devolved into a wild rescue operation. With no weapons and no communication other than the drone above, the ground mission suddenly becomes a full-scale battle when the team is discovered by the enemy.

Themes

Duty under pressure, Special ops constraints, Air force dependence, Behind enemy lines dynamics, Rescue operation pressure, Battle under fire

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Rescued by Ruby

3. Rescued by Ruby

Family Drama Animal Companion Family Family Drama
7.2
20221h 33min

Overview

Chasing his dream to join an elite K-9 unit, a state trooper partners with a fellow underdog: clever but naughty shelter pup Ruby. Based on a true story.

Themes

Training under pressure, Pursuit of belonging, Underdog partnership, Real-world rescue stakes, Trust in nonverbal cues, Temperament and discipline

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Joe Bell

4. Joe Bell

Drama Family Drama
6.2
20201h 33min

Overview

The true story of a small town, working class father who embarks on a solo walk across the U.S. to crusade against bullying after his son is tormented in high school for being gay.

Themes

Identity and belonging, Grief and resilience, Public accountability and empathy, Bullying and stigma, Lgbt youth marginalization, Parental duty and distance

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Benji

5. Benji

Drama Family Adventure Crime Animal Companion Family
6.4
20181h 27min

Overview

Two school kids strike up a friendship with an orphaned puppy named Benji. When danger befalls them and they end up kidnapped by robbers who are in over their heads, Benji and his scruffy sidekick come to the rescue.

Themes

Loyalty under threat, Family loyalty, Duty to protect others, Bond with animals, Parental control vs attachment, Moral agency in crisis

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Eddie the Eagle

6. Eddie the Eagle

Comedy Drama History Adventure Underdog Sports
7.3
20161h 46min

Overview

The feel-good story of Michael 'Eddie' Edwards, an unlikely but courageous British ski-jumper who never stopped believing in himself—even as an entire nation was counting him out. With the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach, Eddie takes on the establishment and wins the hearts of sports fans around the world by making an improbable and historic showing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.

Themes

Underdog perseverance, Self-trained breakthrough, Institutional resistance to outsiders, Unorthodox coaching methods, National pride and recognition, Time pressure to qualify

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Cowboys & Aliens

7. Cowboys & Aliens

Action Science Fiction Thriller Western Epic Action
6.0
20111h 59min

Overview

A stranger stumbles into the desert town of Absolution with no memory of his past and a futuristic shackle around his wrist. With the help of mysterious beauty Ella and the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde, he finds himself leading an unlikely posse of cowboys, outlaws, and Apache warriors against a common enemy from beyond this world in an epic showdown for survival.

Themes

Frontier violence and law, Outsider loyalty and belonging, Resource extraction and resistance, Memory and identity formation, Alliance against shared threat, Indigenous agency and sovereignty

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Overview

Bryan Mills, a former government operative, is trying to reconnect with his teenage daughter Kim. After reluctantly agreeing with his ex-wife to let Kim go to Paris on vacation with a friend, his worst nightmare comes true. While on the phone with his daughter shortly after she arrives in Paris, she and her friend are abducted by a gang of human traffickers. Working against the clock, Bryan relies on his extensive training and skills to track down the ruthless gang that abducted her and launch a one-man war to rescue his daughter.

Themes

Missing daughter protection, Kidnapping pressure, Ex special forces influence, Sex trafficking exposure, Rescue oriented justice, Abduction pursuit dynamic

Available on

Disney Plus
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Glory Road

9. Glory Road

Drama History Historical Drama
7.2
20061h 58min

Overview

In 1966, Texas Western coach Don Haskins led the first all-black starting line-up for a college basketball team to the NCAA national championship.

Themes

Resilience under hostility, Resource-driven team-building, Racial integration pressures, Leadership and cohesion under stress, Strategic experimentation and risk, Competition and prejudice dynamics

Available on

Disney Plus
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The World's Fastest Indian

10. The World's Fastest Indian

Drama Adventure History Biographical History Historical Drama
7.8
20052h 7min

Overview

The life story of New Zealander Burt Munro, who spent years building a 1920 Indian motorcycle—a bike which helped him set the land-speed world record at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats in 1967.

Themes

Persistence under constraints, Resourceful problem solving, Pursuit of dream against odds, Bureaucracy as obstacle, Risk versus practicality, Community support networks

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.