cynical backdrop

Movies with cynical vibe

Monsters University

411. Monsters University

Animation Family Family Animation
7.2

20131h 44min

United States

Director: Dan Scanlon

Overview

A look at the relationship between Mike and Sulley during their days at Monsters University — when they weren't necessarily the best of friends.

Themes

Trust and betrayal, Rivalry vs collaboration, Underdog team formation, Competition and energy, Legacy vs self-made success, Adaptation and role switching

Available on

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

Hatchet III

412. Hatchet III

Horror Thriller Comedy Action Slasher Horror
5.6

20131h 21min

United States

Director: BJ McDonnell

Overview

A search and recovery team heads into Victor Crowley’s haunted swamp to pick up the pieces, and Marybeth learns the secret to ending the voodoo curse that has left Victor Crowley terrorizing Honey Island Swamp for decades.

Themes

Survival under siege, Revenge through violence, Authority versus desperation, Curse and repetition, Isolation in the swamp, Fate tied to family

Available on

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

Venus in Fur

413. Venus in Fur

Drama Entertainment Industry Drama
7.1

20131h 36min

France, Poland

Director: Roman Polanski

Overview

An enigmatic actress may have a hidden agenda when she auditions for a part in a misogynistic writer's play.

Themes

Consent and coercion, Gender power dynamics, Performance and domination, Female agency and desire, Theatrical manipulation, Masochism and role reversal

Available on

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

The Hangover Part III

414. The Hangover Part III

Comedy Dark Comedy
5.9

20131h 40min

United States

Director: Todd Phillips

Overview

This time, there's no wedding. No bachelor party. What could go wrong, right? But when the Wolfpack hits the road, all bets are off.

Themes

Trust under duress, Deception and betrayal, Coercive power dynamics, Reckless decision making, Chaotic resilience of friendship, Group loyalty vs independence

Available on

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

The Great Beauty

415. The Great Beauty

Drama Psychological Drama
7.7

20132h 22min

France, Italy

Director: Paolo Sorrentino

Overview

Jep Gambardella has seduced his way through the lavish nightlife of Rome for decades, but after his 65th birthday and a shock from the past, Jep looks past the nightclubs and parties to find a timeless landscape of absurd, exquisite beauty.

Themes

Deception and revelation, Socialite culture and emptiness, Aging and beauty obsession, Performative culture and authenticity, Art versus religion tension, Memory and longing for significance

Available on

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

The Great Gatsby

416. The Great Gatsby

Drama Romance Tragic Drama Passionate Romance
7.2

20132h 23min

United States, Australia

Director: Baz Luhrmann

Overview

An adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Long Island-set novel, where Midwesterner Nick Carraway is lured into the lavish world of his neighbor, Jay Gatsby. Soon enough, however, Carraway will see through the cracks of Gatsby's nouveau riche existence, where obsession, madness, and tragedy await.

Themes

Class inequality, Social climbing, Infidelity and obsession, Wealth as illusion, Hope amid decadence, Romance and betrayal

Available on

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

We Are the Nobles

417. We Are the Nobles

Comedy Satire
7.3

20131h 48min

Mexico

Director: Gary Alazraki

Overview

Tells the "riches to rags" story of the Nobles, three upper-class twenty-somethings that appear to have no limits to their checkbooks, and no direction in their lives. Until one day, their father tries to teach them a lesson by staging a financial scandal that forces the whole family to escape to an old house in the poor side of town, and leads the "kids" to do what they haven't done before: get jobs.

Themes

Class inequality, Deception and consequences, Social mobility pressures, Independence through work, Family authority dynamics, Value of work

Available on

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

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

418. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

Comedy Satire
5.9

20131h 40min

United States

Director: Don Scardino

Overview

After breaking up with his longtime stage partner, a famous but jaded Vegas magician fights for relevance when a new, "hip" street magician appears on the scene.

Themes

Reinvention under pressure, Audience manipulation ethics, Spectacle and endurance, Ego vs artistry, Mentor guidance and legacy, Competition and relevance

Available on

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

Cheap Thrills

419. Cheap Thrills

Comedy Crime Drama Thriller Dark Comedy
6.7

20131h 28min

United States

Director: E.L. Katz

Overview

Recently fired and facing eviction, a new dad has his life turned upside down when he meets a wealthy couple who offer a path to financial security... but at a price.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Moral compromise under pressure, Bets and dares as currency, Trust fraying among friends, Economic precarity via debt, Class vulnerability under spectacle

Available on

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

I'm So Excited!

420. I'm So Excited!

Comedy Satire
5.6

20131h 30min

Spain

Director: Pedro Almodóvar

Overview

Something has gone wrong with the landing gear of a plane en route from Madrid to Mexico City. The group of eccentric travelers on the flight, defenseless in the face of danger, indulge in colourful confessionals, while the outlandish crew attempts to find ways to entertain them.

Themes

Deception under duress, Collective risk taking, Class tension on flight, Performative distraction, Forbidden desire and secrecy, Authority and vulnerability

Available on

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