measured backdrop

Movies with measured vibe

The Visitor

1251. The Visitor

Crime Drama Music Relationship Drama Narrative Musical
7.6

20081h 44min

United States

Director: Tom McCarthy

A college professor travels to New York City to attend a conference and finds a young couple living in his apartment.

Themes

Meaning of life, Meaningless existence, Existential crisis, Hospitality under pressure, Violence in the family, Family isolation, Presence of a stranger

Available on

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

Paris

1252. Paris

Drama Tragic Drama
6.8

20082h 10min

France

Director: Cédric Klapisch

Pierre, a professional dancer, suffers from a serious heart disease. While he is waiting for a transplant which may (or may not) save his life, he has nothing better to do than look at the people around him, from the balcony of his Paris apartment.

Themes

Illness and dependence, Mortality and meaning, Immigration and paperwork, Urban transience, Caregiving and family duty, Ambition and restraint

Available on

Amazon Video
France Channel Amazon Channel
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

In Bruges

1253. In Bruges

Comedy Drama Crime Dark Comedy Organized Crime
7.9

20081h 48min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Martin McDonagh

After a botched hit leaves a child dead, a young hitman hides in Bruges with his older partner—until he learns what their boss really sent them there to do, and realizes the next target on the list is him.

Themes

Manipulation and control, Racial tension, Guilt and punishment, Dark humor in crime, Mortality and consequence, Violence and moral ambiguity

Available on

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

Taxi to the Dark Side

1254. Taxi to the Dark Side

Documentary Social & Political Documentary
7.5

20081h 46min

United States

Director: Alex Gibney

An in-depth look at the torture practices of the United States in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, focusing on an innocent taxi driver in Afghanistan who was tortured and killed in 2002.

Themes

State sanctioned interrogation, Civilian vulnerability in conflict, Bounty driven detentions, Accountability under military power, Expansion of torture practices, Violation of international norms

Available on

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

Sunshine Cleaning

1255. Sunshine Cleaning

Comedy Drama Dark Comedy Family Drama
6.8

20081h 31min

United States

Director: Christine Jeffs

A single mother and her slacker sister find an unexpected way to turn their lives around in this off-beat dramatic comedy. In order to raise the tuition to send her young son to private school the mom starts an unusual business – a biohazard removal/crime scene clean-up service.

Themes

Sibling collaboration under strain, Crime scene cleanup, Economic precarity under pressure, Family business dynamics, Biohazard risk, Private school tension

Available on

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

Anvil! The Story of Anvil

1256. Anvil! The Story of Anvil

Documentary Music Biographical Documentary Music Biopic
7.9

20081h 21min

Canada, United States

Director: Sacha Gervasi

At 14, best friends Robb Reiner and Lips made a pact to rock together forever. Their band, Anvil, hailed as the "demi-gods of Canadian metal" influenced a musical generation that includes Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax. Following a calamitous European tour, Lips and Robb, now in their fifties, set off to record their 13th album in one last attempt to fulfill their boyhood dreams.

Themes

Staying true to roots, Independence from majors, Financial precarity, Friendship as ballast, Artistic perseverance under pressure, Touring hardship

Available on

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

There Will Be Blood

1257. There Will Be Blood

Drama Historical Drama
8.2

20072h 38min

United States

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Ruthless silver miner, turned oil prospector, Daniel Plainview, moves to oil-rich California. Using his son to project a trustworthy, family-man image, Plainview cons local landowners into selling him their valuable properties for a pittance. However, local preacher Eli Sunday suspects Plainview's motives and intentions, starting a slow-burning feud that threatens both their lives.

Themes

Oil field power, Pipeline leverage, Church authority, Adopted son dynamics, Deception and impostor, Landowners pressure

Available on

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

The Water Horse

1258. The Water Horse

Family Adventure Fantasy Maritime Adventure Mythological Fantasy
6.4

20071h 52min

United States, United Kingdom

Director: Jay Russell

A lonely boy discovers a mysterious egg that hatches a sea creature of Scottish legend.

Themes

Wartime disruption, Protective bonds in crisis, Coming-of-age under pressure, Guardianship and isolation, Resilience through uncertainty, Coexistence with mythic presence

Available on

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

The Kite Runner

1259. The Kite Runner

Drama Tragic Drama
7.6

20072h 8min

China, United Kingdom

Director: Marc Forster

After spending years in California, Amir returns to his homeland in Afghanistan to help his old friend Hassan, whose son is in trouble.

Themes

Class inequality, Loyalty and betrayal, Family secrets, Exile and displacement, Ethnic tension, Guilt and avoidance

Available on

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

The Secret of the Grain

1260. The Secret of the Grain

Drama Relationship Drama
7.4

20072h 31min

France

Director: Abdellatif Kechiche

In southern France, a Franco-Arabic shipyard worker along with his partner's daughter pursues his dream of opening a restaurant.

Themes

Family conflict and loyalty, Immigrant family solidarity, Bureaucratic obstacles and loans, Entrepreneurship under precarity, Cultural hybridity and kinship, Food as legacy and memory

Available on

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