contemplative backdrop

Movies with contemplative vibe

A Letter to Momo

31. A Letter to Momo

Comedy Fantasy Animation Drama Family
7.2

20122h

Japan

Director: Hiroyuki Okiura

A shy 11-year-old's life takes a strange turn when she discovers three hungry goblins living in the attic of her new house. She misses her old life. She misses her father so very much. Until she makes some new ghoulish friends.

Themes

Grief and resilience, Memory and longing, Belonging and home, Parent-child bond, Guardianship and care, Coexistence with the supernatural

Available on

Apple TV
Fandango At Home
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Midnight in Paris

32. Midnight in Paris

Fantasy Comedy Romance Time-Rule Fantasy Fantasy Romance
7.6

20111h 34min

France, Spain

Director: Woody Allen

While on a trip to Paris with his fiancée's family, a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight.

Themes

Nostalgia vs reality, Artistic longing, Past-era idealization, Time travel longing, Creative ambition vs relationship, Romance vs commitment

Available on

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

Restrepo

33. Restrepo

War Documentary Modern Conflicts Social & Political Documentary
7.4

20101h 33min

United States

Director: Tim Hetherington

Directors Hetherington and Junger spend a year with the 2nd Battalion of the United States Army located in one of Afghanistan's most dangerous valleys. The documentary provides insight and empathy on how to win the battle through hard work, deadly gunfights and mutual friendships while the unit must push back the Taliban.

Themes

Sacrifice and memory, Brotherhood under fire, Isolation and duty, Trust with local communities, Leadership under hardship, Endurance through danger

Available on

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

Bright Star

34. Bright Star

Drama Romance Historical Drama Passionate Romance
6.9

20091h 59min

Australia, United Kingdom

Director: Jane Campion

Set in a quiet London suburb, a bright, independent young woman meets a talented but impoverished poet who lives nearby. As feelings grow between them, their romance is threatened by a lack of money and an uncertain future.

Themes

Family expectation pressure, Romantic attachment vs practicality, Economic status constraint, Artistic vocation vs romance, Financial security anxiety, Social reputation concerns

Available on

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

Mary and Max

35. Mary and Max

Animation Comedy Drama Adult Animation Dark Comedy
8.1

20091h 32min

Australia

Director: Adam Elliot

A tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York.

Themes

Solace through letters, Loneliness through isolation, Friendship across distance, Family neglect effects, Identity through diagnosis, Resilience through connection

Available on

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

Departures

36. Departures

Drama Tragic Drama
8.0

20082h 10min

Japan

Director: Yojiro Takita

Daigo, a cellist, is laid off from his orchestra and moves with his wife back to his small hometown where the living is cheaper. Thinking he’s applying for a job at a travel agency he finds he’s being interviewed for work with departures of a more permanent nature – as an undertaker’s assistant.

Themes

Ostracism of funeral work, Memory through ritual, Duty and personal longing, Professional identity struggle, Emotional labor and gratitude, Family strain and acceptance

Available on

Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Still Walking

37. Still Walking

Drama Family Family Drama
7.9

20081h 54min

Japan

Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda

A family gathers together for a commemorative ritual whose nature only gradually becomes clear.

Themes

Intergenerational obligation, Parental disappointment dynamics, Ritual memory tension, Marriage stigma and acceptance, Bereavement shaping family, Hidden resentments surface

Available on

Google Play Movies
YouTube
AMC+ Amazon Channel
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Ben X

38. Ben X

Drama Coming-of-Age Drama
7.3

20071h 30min

Belgium

Director: Nic Balthazar

Harassed by bullies because of his mild autism, teen Ben finds refuge in an online computer game, which leads him to his virtual dream girl, Scarlite. Together, the odd couple seeks revenge against Ben's tormentors.

Themes

Bullying and resilience, Identity and self-expression, Neurodiversity and stigma, Online refuge coping, Surveillance and exposure, Collective cruelty and accountability

Available on

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

The Fountain

39. The Fountain

Drama Adventure Science Fiction Romance Epic Sci-Fi
7.1

20061h 36min

United States

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Spanning over one thousand years, and three parallel stories, The Fountain is a story of love, death, spirituality, and the fragility of our existence in this world.

Themes

Mortality and renewal, Science versus spirituality, Time-spanning love, Quest for immortality, Fragility of existence, Storytelling as continuity

Available on

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

Peaceful Warrior

40. Peaceful Warrior

Drama Coming-of-Age Drama
7.2

20062h

Germany, United States

Director: Victor Salva

A chance encounter with a stranger changes the life of a college gymnast.

Themes

Discipline under pressure, Living in the present, Mentorship and learning, Purpose beyond achievement, Mind body integration, Performance under adversity, Self mastery through practice

Available on

Google Play Movies
YouTube
The Roku Channel
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.