atmospheric backdrop

Movies with atmospheric vibe

Concrete Utopia

1. Concrete Utopia

Thriller Action Epic Action Survival Thriller
6.6
20232h 10min

Overview

The world has been reduced to rubble by a massive earthquake. While no one knows for sure how far the ruins stretch, or what the cause of the earthquake may be, in the heart of Seoul there is only one apartment building left standing. It is called Hwang Gung Apartments. As time passes, outsiders start coming in to Hwang Gung Apartments trying to escape the extreme cold. Before long, the apartment residents are unable to cope with the increasing numbers. Feeling a threat to their very survival, the residents enact a special measure.

Themes

Resource scarcity, Deception within leadership, Leadership legitimacy, Crowd dynamics, Survival hierarchy, Outsider exclusion

Available on

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

The Boy and the Heron

2. The Boy and the Heron

Animation Adventure Fantasy Drama Family
7.3
20232h 4min

Overview

While the Second World War rages, the teenage Mahito, haunted by his mother's tragic death, is relocated from Tokyo to the serene rural home of his new stepmother Natsuko, a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the boy's mother. As he tries to adjust, this strange new world grows even stranger following the appearance of a persistent gray heron, who perplexes and bedevils Mahito, dubbing him the "long-awaited one."

Themes

Loss of loved one shapes memory, World war ii reshapes horizon, Education unlocks agency, Coming of age through peril, Parallel world reveals choice, Magic world redefines belonging

Available on

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

Past Lives

3. Past Lives

Drama Romance Passionate Romance Relationship Drama
7.8
20231h 46min

Overview

Nora builds a calm, settled life in New York, then Hae Sung flies in from her past and turns every quiet routine into a storm of unfinished feelings. Across one charged weekend, husband, first love, and the woman caught between them collide in a city that suddenly feels far too small.

Themes

Intergenerational longing, Cross-cultural pressure, Memory as bond, Immigrant identity struggles, Destiny and interconnection, Marital loyalty under conflict

Available on

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

Master Gardener

4. Master Gardener

Drama Crime Mystery Thriller Organized Crime
6.1
20231h 51min

Overview

Narvel Roth is a meticulous horticulturist who is devoted to tending the grounds of a beautiful estate and pandering to his employer, the wealthy dowager Mrs. Haverhill. When she demands that he take on her wayward and troubled niece, it unlocks dark secrets from a buried violent past.

Themes

Loyalty and betrayal, Secrecy and disclosure, Wealth and control, Deception and power, Confronting a violent past, Boundaries in close relationships

Available on

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

Big George Foreman

5. Big George Foreman

History Drama Biographical History Sports Biography
6.6
20232h 9min

Overview

Fueled by an impoverished childhood, George Foreman channeled his anger into becoming an Olympic Gold medalist and World Heavyweight Champion, followed by a near-death experience that took him from the boxing ring to the pulpit. But when he sees his community struggling spiritually and financially, Foreman returns to the ring and makes history by reclaiming his title, becoming the oldest and most improbable World Heavyweight Boxing Champion ever.

Themes

Family pressure, Infidelity consequences, Comeback under pressure, Poverty to opportunity, Spiritual awakening, Mentorship and discipline, Faith and community

Available on

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

The Artifice Girl

6. The Artifice Girl

Science Fiction Thriller Mystery AI Sci-Fi Computer Threat Thriller
6.6
20231h 33min

Overview

A team of special agents discovers a revolutionary new computer program to bait and trap online predators. After teaming up with the program's troubled developer, they soon find that the AI is rapidly advancing beyond its original purpose.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Ai autonomy and agency, Ethics of baiting predators, Free will vs control, Human android relationships, Surveillance justice and accountability

Available on

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

The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan

7. The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan

Adventure Action Drama History Adventure Epic
6.7
20232h 1min

Overview

D'Artagnan, a spirited young Gascon, is left for dead after trying to save a noblewoman from being kidnapped. Once in Paris, he tries by all means to find his attackers, unaware that his quest will lead him to the very heart of a war where the future of France is at stake. Aided by King's Musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis, he faces the machinations of villainous Cardinal Richelieu and Milady de Winter, while falling in love with Constance, the Queen's confidante.

Themes

Duty vs loyalty, Romance under surveillance, Court intrigue and danger, Rebellion and allegiance, Honor under political pressure, Deception and political plots

Available on

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

Tetris

8. Tetris

Thriller History Drama Historical Event Political Thriller
7.4
20231h 58min

Overview

In 1988, American video game salesman Henk Rogers discovers the video game Tetris. When he sets out to bring the game to the world, he enters a dangerous web of lies and corruption behind the Iron Curtain.

Themes

Lies and corruption, Ethical ambiguity under pressure, Political pressure and coercion, International dealmaking under threat, Loyalty and friendship across borders, Rights licensing struggle

Available on

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

Mavka: The Forest Song

9. Mavka: The Forest Song

Animation Adventure Family Fantasy Family Animation
6.6
20231h 39min

Overview

Mavka, a Soul of the Forest, faces an impossible choice between love and her duty as Guardian of the Heart of the Forest when she falls for a human, a talented young musician named Lukas.

Themes

Folklore as fate, Nature as battleground, Independent film sensibility, Ukrainian folklore aesthetic, Love vs duty dilemma, Myths shaping guardians

Available on

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

Sanctuary

10. Sanctuary

Drama Thriller Relationship Drama Erotic Thriller
6.2
20231h 36min

Overview

Confined to a claustrophobic hotel room, the heir to a hotel empire and the dominatrix who has primed him for success become locked in a battle of wits and wills as he tries to end his relationship with her.

Themes

Corporate ambition vs ethics, Deception and bargaining, Power dynamics and domination, Transactional relationships under pressure, Control and manipulation, Public vs private personas

Available on

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