documentary-style backdrop

Movies with documentary-style vibe

Minari

1. Minari

Drama Family Drama
7.4
20211h 55min

Overview

A Korean American family moves to an Arkansas farm in search of its own American dream. Amidst the challenges of this new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they discover the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.

Themes

Grandmother grandson relationship, American dream under pressure, Farmland as livelihood, Mobile home isolation, Intergenerational caregiving challenge, Hatchery labor tension

Available on

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

The Dig

2. The Dig

Drama History Historical Drama Historical Event
7.1
20211h 52min

Overview

As WWII looms, a wealthy widow hires an amateur archaeologist to excavate the burial mounds on her estate. When they make a historic discovery, the echoes of Britain's past resonate in the face of its uncertain future‎.

Themes

Class differences, Gendered expectations, Ownership rights, Historical significance, War era constraints, Cross class collaboration

Available on

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

Death to 2020

3. Death to 2020

Comedy Satire
6.8
20201h 11min

Overview

2020: A year so [insert adjective of choice here], even the creators of Black Mirror couldn't make it up… but that doesn't mean they don't have a little something to add. This comedy event that tells the story of the dreadful year that was — and perhaps still is? The documentary-style special weaves together some of the world's most (fictitious) renowned voices with real-life archival footage.

Themes

Political polarization, Misinformation dynamics, Public health uncertainty, Institutional trust erosion, Media satire critique, Democratic process scrutiny

Available on

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

The Mole Agent

4. The Mole Agent

Documentary Social & Political Documentary
7.5
20201h 30min

Overview

When a daughter becomes concerned about her mother's well-being in a retirement home, private investigator Romulo hires Sergio, an 83-year-old man who becomes a new resident—and a mole inside the home, who struggles to balance his assignment with becoming increasingly involved in the lives of several residents.

Themes

Aging care dynamics, Loneliness in elder care, Family absence in care, Undercover observation in care, Caregiver accountability tensions, Resident autonomy vs oversight, Ethical ambiguity in care

Available on

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

Rose Island

5. Rose Island

Comedy Adventure Satire Maritime Adventure
7.0
20202h

Overview

In 1968, engineer Giorgio Rosa established the independent state called "The Isle of Roses" off the coast of Rimini, built on a platform outside the territorial waters, with Esperanto as the official language. The Italian authorities did not take it well because the micronation was seen as an expedient to not pay taxes on the revenues obtained thanks to the arrival of numerous tourists and curious people.

Themes

Pursuit of recognition, Government pressure, Political independence, Seasteading experiments, Tourism as leverage, Unofficial sovereignty

Available on

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

Ammonite

6. Ammonite

Romance Drama Passionate Romance Historical Drama
6.5
20201h 58min

Overview

In 1840s England, palaeontologist Mary Anning and a young woman sent by her husband to convalesce by the sea develop an intense relationship. Despite the chasm between their social spheres and personalities, Mary and Charlotte discover they can each offer what the other has been searching for: the realisation that they are not alone. It is the beginning of a passionate and all-consuming love affair that will defy all social bounds and alter the course of both lives irrevocably.

Themes

Social expectations, Forbidden intimacy, Class boundaries, Endurance and care, Female companionship, Scientific ambition

Available on

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

The Life Ahead

7. The Life Ahead

Drama Family Drama
6.8
20201h 34min

Overview

In seaside Italy, a Holocaust survivor with a daycare business takes in a 12-year-old street kid who recently robbed her.

Themes

Immigrant precarity, Community solidarity under pressure, Intergenerational caregiving, Aging and decline, Care as obligation, Vulnerability of street youth, Fear of medical institutions

Available on

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

Overview

Two New Orleans paramedics' lives are ripped apart after encountering a series of horrific deaths linked to a designer drug with bizarre, otherworldly effects.

Themes

Time as weapon, Family dissolution under crisis, Designer drug ethics, Caregiver under pressure, Unreliable time perception, Obsession with time, Mortality and memory

Available on

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

BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky

9. BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky

Documentary Music Music Documentary Concert Film
7.3
20201h 19min

Overview

Record-shattering Korean girl band BLACKPINK tell their story — and detail the hard fought journey of the dreams and trials behind their meteoric rise.

Themes

Creative process under scrutiny, Girl group dynamics under pressure, K-pop training demands, Identity versus commercialization, Public performance expectations, Solo debut pressure

Available on

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

My Octopus Teacher

10. My Octopus Teacher

Documentary Nature & Wildlife Documentary
8.1
20201h 25min

Overview

After years of swimming every day in the freezing ocean at the tip of Africa, Craig Foster meets an unlikely teacher: a young octopus who displays remarkable curiosity. Visiting her den and tracking her movements for months on end he eventually wins the animal’s trust and they develop a never-before-seen bond between human and wild animal.

Themes

Human animal bond, Fragility of life, Interdependence with wildlife, Mentorship across species, Long term observation, Trust through patience

Available on

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