deliberate backdrop

Movies with deliberate vibe

Sorry, Baby

1. Sorry, Baby

Drama Comedy Relationship Drama Awkward Comedy
7.1
20251h 43min

Overview

Agnes feels stuck. Unlike her best friend, Lydie, who’s moved to New York and is now expecting a baby, Agnes still lives in the New England house they once shared as graduate students, now working as a professor at her alma mater. A ‘bad thing’ happened to Agnes a few years ago and, since then, despite her best efforts, life hasn’t gotten back on track.

Themes

Female solidarity under pressure, Power dynamics in academia, Agency after assault, Trauma healing through friendship, Motherhood and professional life, Jury duty and impartiality

Available on

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

The Penguin Lessons

2. The Penguin Lessons

Drama Historical Drama
7.1
20251h 51min

Overview

In 1976, as Argentina descends into violence and chaos, a world-weary English teacher regains his compassion for others thanks to an unlikely friendship with a penguin.

Themes

Class inequality, Penguin as catalyst, Based on memoir or autobiography, American football coach authority, School teacher mentorship, Animal human friendship

Available on

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

The Woman in the Yard

3. The Woman in the Yard

Horror Thriller Supernatural Horror Domestic Thriller
5.0
20251h 28min

Overview

In the aftermath of her husband's death, widow Ramona's struggle to raise her two kids is hindered by the arrival of a mysterious woman with supernatural abilities.

Themes

Deception and perception, Grief shaping motherhood, Supernatural intrusion and control, Psychological pressure and coping, Car accident grief, Isolated farmhouse fear

Available on

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

Late Shift

4. Late Shift

Drama Professional Drama
7.8
20251h 32min

Overview

An entirely ordinary day on the beds ward of a surgical department. The nursing team is understaffed due to a shortage of personnel. Despite the hectic environment, Floria cares for her patients with expertise and full dedication. Although she gives her all, the shift gradually spirals out of control – until it eventually leads to a dramatic outburst.

Themes

Caregiver endurance under strain, Resource scarcity and fatigue, Professional duty vs burnout, High pressure decision making, Team coordination under stress, Patient welfare amid chaos

Available on

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

Overview

Two highly trained operatives grow close from a distance after being sent to guard opposite sides of a mysterious gorge. When an evil below emerges, they must work together to survive what lies within.

Themes

Isolation through distance, Manipulation by private organization, Romance under restraint, Loyalty under conflicting duties, Mutation of life through lab, Secrecy and control

Available on

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

Presence

6. Presence

Horror Thriller Drama Haunting Horror Family Drama
6.1
20251h 24min

Overview

A couple and their children move into a seemingly normal suburban home. When strange events occur, they begin to believe there is something else in the house with them. The presence is about to disrupt their lives in unimaginable ways.

Themes

Found footage aesthetics, Time nonlinearity and memory, Interracial marriage pressure, Suburban haunting and family strain, Voyeurism and observed behavior, Drugging and coercive control, Parental favoritism and conflict

Available on

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

Winter Spring Summer or Fall

7. Winter Spring Summer or Fall

Romance Drama Coming-of-Age Romance Coming-of-Age Drama
6.1
20241h 37min

Overview

Remi and Barnes, two very different teenagers, meet by chance in the winter of their senior year, then spend four days together over the course of a year that will change their lives forever.

Themes

Parental expectations, Peer pressure and risk, Career ambitions vs romance, Autonomy through choices, Independence and attachment, Volunteering as identity

Available on

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

The Brutalist

8. The Brutalist

Drama History Historical Drama Biographical History
7.3
20243h 35min

Overview

When an innovative modern architect flees post-war Europe, he is given the opportunity to rebuild his legacy. Set during the dawn of the modern United States (in Pennsylvania), his wife joins him, and their lives are forever changed by a demanding, wealthy patron.

Themes

Displacement and belonging, Gendered power dynamics, Class aspiration and assimilation, Postwar reconstruction pressures, Trauma and memory in design, Patronage and ambition, Immigrant reinvention through architecture

Available on

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

The Return

9. The Return

History Drama Adventure Historical Event Historical Drama
6.3
20241h 56min

Overview

After twenty years away, Odysseus washes up on the shores of Ithaca, haggard and unrecognizable. The king has finally returned home, but much has changed in his kingdom since he left to fight in the Trojan war.

Themes

Loyalty under siege, Succession pressure, Deception and recognition, Duty and marriage, Kingdom decline

Available on

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

Queer

10. Queer

Drama Romance Historical Drama Passionate Romance
6.4
20242h 18min

Overview

In 1950s Mexico City, William Lee, an American ex-pat in his late forties, leads a solitary life amidst a small American community. However, the arrival in town of Eugene Allerton, a young student, stirs William into finally establishing a meaningful connection with someone.

Themes

Loneliness and connection, Desire versus distance, Surreal perception and telepathy, Addiction and dependence, Identity and embodiment, Boundaries of intimacy

Available on

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