cynical backdrop

Movies with cynical vibe

The Watch

451. The Watch

Comedy Action Science Fiction Parody Alien Invasion Sci-Fi
5.7

20121h 42min

United States

Director: Akiva Schaffer

Overview

Four everyday suburban guys come together as an excuse to escape their humdrum lives one night a week. But when they accidentally discover that their town has become overrun with aliens posing as ordinary suburbanites, they have no choice but to save their neighborhood – and the world – from total extermination.

Themes

Deception through disguise, Alien invasion in suburb, Marriage strain under threat, Neighborhood watch dynamics, Teenage daughter safety, Collective courage under threat

Available on

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

360

452. 360

Drama Romance Relationship Drama Bittersweet Romance
6.1

20121h 50min

Austria, Brazil

Director: Fernando Meirelles

Overview

A disparate group of characters unknowingly bond by the sexual choices they make. Consumed by loneliness, a British businessman ponders a rendezvous with a prostitute. The businessman's wife prepares to call it quits with her younger lover. A Brazilian student breaks up with her boyfriend in London. A recovering alcoholic travels to Phoenix in search of his missing daughter. A paroled sex offender struggles to stay composed when propositioned in a Denver airport. A widower's religious devotion is put to a difficult test.

Themes

Deception and blackmail, Loneliness and longing, Infidelity as catalyst, Addiction and temptation, Secret love vs social duty, Moral ambiguity in desire

Available on

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

Killer Joe

453. Killer Joe

Crime Thriller Drama Organized Crime Psychological Drama
6.7

20121h 42min

United States

Director: William Friedkin

Overview

A cop who moonlights as a hit man agrees to kill the hated mother of a desperate drug dealer in exchange for a tumble with the young man's virginal sister.

Themes

Deception and betrayal, Greed and insurance fraud, Coercive control in crime, Family coercion under stress, Trust eroded by manipulation, Economic desperation shaping choices

Available on

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

Hick

454. Hick

Comedy Drama Coming-of-Age Drama Dark Comedy
5.5

20121h 39min

United States

Director: Derick Martini

Overview

A pistol-packing teen meets an unstable rebel and a cocaine-snorting drifter as she hitchhikes her way out West.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Displacement and belonging, Dangerous relationships, Unreliable guardianship, Child abandonment impact, Survival and flight

Available on

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

Paradise: Love

455. Paradise: Love

Drama Relationship Drama
7.0

20122h 1min

Austria

Director: Ulrich Seidl

Overview

On the beaches of Kenya they’re known as "Sugar Mamas" —European women who seek out African boys selling love to earn a living. Teresa, a 50-year-old Austrian and mother of a daughter entering puberty, travels to this vacation paradise, moving from beach to beach.

Themes

Class differences, Age gap relationships, Economic exploitation, Deception in affection, Tourism driven exploitation, Commodification of intimacy

Available on

Fandango at Home Free
Tubi TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Bernie

456. Bernie

Comedy Crime Drama Dark Comedy Con Artist Crime
6.8

20121h 39min

United States

Director: Richard Linklater

Overview

In small-town Texas, affable and popular mortician Bernie Tiede strikes up a friendship with Marjorie Nugent, a wealthy widow well known for her sour attitude. When she becomes controlling and abusive, Bernie goes to great lengths to remove himself from her grasp.

Themes

Crime and consequence, Wealth as leverage, Community complicity and loyalty, Emotional abuse and dependency, Public adoration vs scrutiny, Legal strategy and venue change

Available on

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

2 Days in New York

457. 2 Days in New York

Comedy Drama Romance Romantic Comedy Family Drama
6.0

20121h 31min

Belgium, France

Director: Julie Delpy

Overview

Marion and Mingus both come from failed relationships but, by bringing their children together, they've managed to form a small yet happy family. Tensions in their household soon begin to spike when Marion's jovial father shows up on their doorstep with his randy daughter and her peculiar boyfriend in tow. As the motor-mouthed houseguests shatter every taboo imaginable, the happy couple begin to question their commitment.

Themes

Intergenerational friction, Unwitting racism, Boundary testing in family, Belonging vs outsiders, Sexual frankness under scrutiny

Available on

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

Jeff, Who Lives at Home

458. Jeff, Who Lives at Home

Drama Comedy Awkward Comedy Relationship Drama
6.4

20121h 23min

United States

Director: Mark Duplass

Overview

Dispatched from his basement room on an errand for his mother, slacker Jeff might discover his destiny (finally) when he spends the day with his brother as he tracks his possibly adulterous wife.

Themes

Destiny vs chance, Deception and trust, Marital strain, Quest for meaning, Family responsibility, Ordinary heroism

Available on

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

The Hunger Games

459. The Hunger Games

Science Fiction Adventure Action Thriller Dystopian Sci-Fi
7.2

20122h 22min

United States

Director: Gary Ross

Overview

In a dystopian society where the Capitol forces each district to send two young tributes to fight to the death in a televised spectacle, a girl volunteers to take her sister’s place, setting the stage for a struggle of survival and defiance.

Themes

Survival under scarcity, Oppressive regime, Televised violence, Sponsor influence, Resistance and unrest, Alliance dynamics

Available on

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

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

460. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Drama Romance Comedy Romantic Comedy Relationship Drama
6.8

20121h 47min

United Kingdom, France

Director: Lasse Hallström

Overview

A fisheries expert is approached by a consultant to help realize a sheik's vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert and embarks on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible possible.

Themes

Dream vs reality, Feasibility under pressure, Marital strain under stress, Bureaucratic interference, Public image manipulation, Desert environment challenge

Available on

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