unsettling backdrop

Movies with unsettling vibe

Small Things Like These

1. Small Things Like These

Drama History Historical Drama Social History
6.7
20241h 39min

Overview

In 1985, while working as a coal merchant to support his family, Bill Furlong discovers disturbing secrets kept by the local convent and uncovers truths of his own; forcing him to confront his past and the complicit silence of a small Irish town controlled by the Catholic Church.

Themes

Convent influence and complicity, Coal driven family economy, Barbershop community ties, Catholicism institutional control, Small town secrecy pressure

Available on

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

Heretic

2. Heretic

Thriller Horror Supernatural Horror Mind Game Thriller
7.0
20241h 51min

Overview

Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed, becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Religious hypocrisy, Belief as control, Indoctrination pressures, Power dynamics of faith

Available on

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

Memoir of a Snail

3. Memoir of a Snail

Animation Drama Comedy Family Animation Coming-of-Age Drama
7.8
20241h 34min

Overview

Forcibly separated from her twin brother when they are orphaned, a melancholic misfit learns how to find confidence within herself amid the clutter of misfortunes and everyday life.

Themes

Loss and resilience, Identity through adaptation, Childhood abandonment, Foster family strain, Twin bond and separation, Creativity as refuge

Available on

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

Woman of the Hour

4. Woman of the Hour

Crime Drama Thriller Serial Killer Crime Entertainment Industry Drama
6.6
20241h 35min

Overview

An aspiring actress crosses paths with a prolific serial killer in '70s LA when they're cast on an episode of "The Dating Game."

Themes

Media sensationalism, True crime framing, Aspiring actress vulnerability, Audience complicity, Serial killer fascination, Sexual assault violence

Available on

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

Speak No Evil

5. Speak No Evil

Horror Thriller Psychological Horror Mind Game Thriller
6.8
20241h 50min

Overview

When an American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare.

Themes

Power dynamics in relationships, Parental protectiveness under threat, Deception within hospitality, Isolation and threat, Manipulation under veneer, Predatory hosts and control

Available on

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

Slingshot

6. Slingshot

Science Fiction Thriller Space Sci-Fi Survival Thriller
5.7
20241h 49min

Overview

An elite trio of astronauts aboard a years-long, possibly compromised mission to Saturn's moon Titan, gears up for a highly dangerous slingshot manoeuvre that will either catapult them to Titan or into deep space.

Themes

"movie: slingshot. genres: science fiction, Thriller, Science fiction, Thriller main themes: moon, Saturn, Memory loss, Moon, Saturn, Memory loss full keywords list: moon, Saturn, Memory loss, Astronaut, Serene. concept analysis: the film explores the psychological effects of isolation and the fragility of human perception under extreme stress. it raises questions about reality, Trust, And the consequences of technological dependence in the pursuit of exploration."

Available on

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

Afraid

7. Afraid

Horror Science Fiction Thriller Psychological Horror AI Sci-Fi
5.2
20241h 24min

Overview

Curtis Pike and his family are selected to test a new home device: a digital assistant called AIA. AIA observes the family's behaviors and begins to anticipate their needs. And she can – and will – make sure nothing – and no one – gets in her family's way.

Themes

Corporate power over labor, Deception by automation, Privacy erosion through devices, Home surveillance, Family tech dependency, Ai governance of life

Available on

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

Blink Twice

8. Blink Twice

Mystery Thriller Whodunit Mind Game Thriller
6.5
20241h 42min

Overview

When tech billionaire Slater King meets cocktail waitress Frida at his fundraising gala, he invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. But despite the epic setting, beautiful people, ever-flowing champagne, and late-night dance parties, Frida can sense that there’s something sinister hiding beneath the island’s lush façade.

Themes

Abuse of power, Deception and control, Memory erasure, Gendered exploitation, Gaslighting and manipulation, Trauma and repression

Available on

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

Longlegs

9. Longlegs

Crime Horror Thriller Serial Killer Crime Psychological Horror
6.6
20241h 41min

Overview

FBI Agent Lee Harker is a gifted new recruit assigned to the unsolved case of an elusive serial killer. As the case takes complex turns, unearthing evidence of the occult, Harker discovers a personal connection to the merciless killer and must race against time to stop him before he claims the lives of another innocent family.

Themes

Memory and trauma, Investigation pressure, Occult manipulation, Familial violence, Haunted objects, Coded messages

Available on

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

Overview

A group of criminals kidnap a teenage ballet dancer, the daughter of a notorious gang leader, in order to obtain a ransom of $50 million, but over time, they discover that she is not just an ordinary girl. After the kidnappers begin to diminish, one by one, they discover, to their increasing horror, that they are locked inside with no normal little girl.

Themes

Betrayal and manipulation, Survival under siege, Power and coercion, Unreliable guardianship, Supernatural threat, Extortion and captivity

Available on

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