tense backdrop

Movies with tense vibe

The Absent One

2101. The Absent One

Thriller Investigation Suspense
7.1

20141h 56min

Denmark, Germany

Director: Mikkel Nørgaard

Denmark, 2014. A former police officer asks Carl Mørck, head of Department Q, to find out who brutally killed his young twins in 1994. Although a local inhabitant confessed and was convicted of murder, Carl and his partner Assad soon realize that there is something in the case resolution that is terribly wrong.

Themes

Institutional corruption, Trauma and memory, Peer pressure and belonging, Justice and accountability, Class dynamics, Violence and its aftermath, Deception and cover-ups

Available on

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

Gone Girl

2102. Gone Girl

Mystery Thriller Drama Whodunit Cover-Up Thriller
8.1

20142h 29min

United States

Director: David Fincher

On his fifth anniversary, a husband walks into his quiet suburban home and finds his famous wife gone and signs of a violent struggle hidden in plain sight. As the evidence he uncovers twists into a story he doesn’t recognize, the media, the police, and the entire country turn him into the villain of her disappearance.

Themes

Power dynamics in relationships, Media sensationalism, Public perception vs private life, Infidelity and blame, Fabricated narratives, Deception in marriage

Available on

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

Dracula Untold

2103. Dracula Untold

Horror Action Fantasy Vampire Horror Epic Action
6.2

20141h 32min

United States

Director: Gary Shore

Vlad Tepes is a great hero, but when he learns the Sultan is preparing for battle and needs to form an army of 1,000 boys, he vows to find a way to protect his family. Vlad turns to dark forces in order to get the power to destroy his enemies and agrees to go from hero to monster as he's turned into the mythological vampire, Dracula.

Themes

Family under threat, Duty versus power, Temptation by dark powers, Protective desperation, Power corrupts heroism, Loss of humanity

Available on

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

Annabelle

2104. Annabelle

Horror Supernatural Horror
5.5

20141h 39min

United States

Director: John R. Leonetti

A couple begins to experience terrifying supernatural occurrences involving a vintage doll shortly after their home is invaded by satanic cultists.

Themes

Haunted domestic space, Possession of objects, Ritual intervention limits, Parental protection under threat, Cult influence on family, Sacrifice and atonement

Available on

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

What We Did on Our Holiday

2105. What We Did on Our Holiday

Comedy Awkward Comedy
6.9

20141h 35min

United Kingdom

Director: Andy Hamilton

Doug and Abi and their three children travel to the Scottish Highlands for Doug's father Gordie's birthday party. It's soon clear that when it comes to keeping a secret under wraps from the rest of the family, their children are their biggest liability...

Themes

Deception in marriage, Aging patriarch and legacy, Family conflict under scrutiny, Media pressure on private lives, Wealth and kin rivalry, Separation and appearances

Available on

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

Two Night Stand

2106. Two Night Stand

Romance Comedy Romantic Comedy Awkward Comedy
6.3

20141h 26min

United States

Director: Max Nichols

After an extremely regrettable one night stand, two strangers wake up to find themselves snowed in after sleeping through a blizzard that put all of Manhattan on ice. They're now trapped together in a tiny apartment, forced to get to know each other way more than any one night stand should.

Themes

Isolation and connection, Snowstorm confinement, New year's eve pressure, One-night stand dynamics, Trust and miscommunication, Online dating pitfalls, Relationship complications

Available on

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

Playing It Cool

2107. Playing It Cool

Comedy Romance Romantic Comedy Awkward Comedy
5.9

20141h 34min

United States

Director: Justin Reardon

A young man meets and instantly falls in love with an engaged woman.

Themes

Romcom expectations vs reality, Commitment anxiety, Lying about charities, Engaged woman obstacle, Friends vs romance, Screenwriter perspective on romance

Available on

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

Bad Country

2108. Bad Country

Drama Action Crime Organized Crime
5.8

20141h 35min

United States

Director: Chris Brinker

When Baton Rouge police detective Bud Carter busts contract killer Jesse Weiland, he convinces Jesse to become an informant and rat out the South's most powerful crime ring.

Themes

Power dynamics, Loyalty under pressure, Moral ambiguity, Covert collaboration, Police mob tension, Informant ethics

Available on

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

Who Am I

2109. Who Am I

Thriller Computer Threat Thriller
7.4

20141h 45min

Germany

Director: Baran bo Odar

Benjamin, a young German computer whiz, is invited to join a subversive hacker group that wants to be noticed on the world's stage.

Themes

Deception and masks, Group loyalty under pressure, Law enforcement pressure, Anonymity vs exposure, Social engineering as leverage

Available on

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

Phoenix

2110. Phoenix

Drama Psychological Drama
7.3

20141h 38min

Germany

Director: Christian Petzold

German-Jewish cabaret singer Nelly survived Auschwitz but had to undergo reconstructive surgery as her face was disfigured. Without recognizing Nelly, her former husband Johnny asks her to help him claim his wife’s inheritance. To see if he betrayed her, she agrees, becoming her own doppelganger.

Themes

Betrayal and trust, Identity through performance, Postwar trauma and resilience, Deception through appearance, Inheritance and motive, Survivor memory and loss

Available on

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