cynical backdrop

Movies with cynical vibe

161. Rising High

Rising High
Comedy Drama Satire Professional Drama
6.0
20201h 34min

Overview

Charting the rise and fall of three corrupt real estate agents who accumulate absurd wealth in no time but fall into a vortex of fraud, greed and drugs.

Themes

Ambition and consequences, Greed and rapid wealth, Fraud and deception, Drug involvement and excess, Risk and instability in markets, Power and money dynamics

Available on

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

162. Misbehaviour

Misbehaviour
Drama History Comedy Historical Drama Satire
6.4
20201h 47min

Overview

A group of women involved in the Women's Liberation Movement hatched a plan to invade the stage and disrupt the live broadcast at the 1970 Miss World competition in London, resulting in overnight fame for the newly-formed organization. When the show resumed, the results caused an uproar and turned the Western ideal of beauty on its head.

Themes

Beauty contest disruption, Women's liberation movement, Student protest, Feminist activist, Intersectionality tensions, Women's rights discourse

Available on

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

163. Guns Akimbo

Guns Akimbo
Action Comedy Crime Thriller One-Person Army
6.3
20201h 38min

Overview

An ordinary guy suddenly finds himself forced to fight a gladiator-like battle for a dark website that streams the violence for viewers. In order to survive and rescue his kidnapped ex-girlfriend, he must battle Nix, a heavily armed and much more experienced fighter.

Themes

Deception and betrayal, Coercion under threat, Spectacle of violence, Surveillance via live streams, Entertainment vs exploitation, Family ties in crime

Available on

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

164. Superman: Red Son

Overview

Set in the thick of the Cold War, Red Son introduces us to a Superman who landed in the USSR during the 1950s and grows up to become a Soviet symbol that fights for the preservation of Stalin’s brand of communism.

Themes

Alliances and rivalries, Technology as leverage, Dissident suppression, State ideology expansion, Global influence, Propaganda and power

Available on

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

165. Buffaloed

Buffaloed
Comedy Drama Dark Comedy Professional Drama
6.2
20201h 35min

Overview

Set in the underworld of debt-collecting, homegrown hustler Peg Dahl will do anything to escape Buffalo, NY.

Themes

Class inequality, Economic precarity, Debt culture, Deception in debt market, Entrepreneurial hustle, Power and risk in urban enterprise

Available on

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

166. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
Action Crime Superhero Action Organized Crime
6.1
20201h 49min

Overview

Harley Quinn joins forces with a singer, an assassin and a police detective to help a young girl who had a hit placed on her after she stole a rare diamond from a crime lord.

Themes

Betrayal within crime networks, Vigilante justice vs institutions, Trauma shaping resilience, Female empowerment through alliance, Power dynamics in organized crime, Outsider alliance building

Available on

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

167. Togo

Overview

The untold true story set in the winter of 1925 that takes you across the treacherous terrain of the Alaskan tundra for an exhilarating and uplifting adventure that will test the strength, courage and determination of one man, Leonhard Seppala, and his lead sled dog, Togo.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Leadership through adversity, Human-animal partnership, Endurance against harsh conditions, Memory and misattribution


168. Sorry We Missed You

Sorry We Missed You
Drama Family Drama
7.6
20191h 41min

Overview

Ricky and his family have been fighting an uphill struggle against debt since the 2008 financial crash. An opportunity to wrestle back some independence appears with a shiny new van and the chance to run a franchise as a self-employed delivery driver. It's hard work, and his wife's job as a carer is no easier. The family unit is strong but when both are pulled in different directions everything comes to breaking point.

Themes

Caregiver burden and care conflict, Austerity induced class tension, Work pressure and fines, Debt driven precarious work, Income instability and risk, Fraying family resilience

Available on

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

169. Joker

Overview

During the 1980s, a failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.

Themes

Economic precarity and social service cuts, Social neglect of the downtrodden, Urban alienation and identity crisis, Media sensationalism and spectacle, Mental illness and stigma, Crowd violence and unrest

Available on

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

170. Marriage Story

Marriage Story
Drama Relationship Drama
7.9
20192h 17min

Overview

A stage director and an actress struggle through a grueling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal extremes.

Themes

Trust and betrayal tensions, Legal negotiation pressure, Marital power dynamics, Coast-to-coast separation, Creative work vs family

Available on

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