stark backdrop

Movies with stark vibe

211. Sinister

Sinister
Horror Thriller Mystery Psychological Horror Investigation Mystery
6.8
20121h 50minCanada, United States
Director: Scott Derrickson

Overview

True-crime writer Ellison Oswalt is in a slump; he hasn't had a best seller in more than 10 years and is becoming increasingly desperate for a hit. So, when he discovers the existence of a snuff film showing the deaths of a family, he vows to solve the mystery. He moves his own family into the victims' home and gets to work. However, when old film footage and other clues hint at the presence of a supernatural force, Ellison learns that living in the house may be fatal.

Themes

Family under siege, Occult influence on youth, Obsession with notoriety, Haunted home signs, Cycle of murder, Documentary footage spectacle

Available on

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

212. Red Dawn

Red Dawn
Action Thriller Military Action Survival Thriller
5.3
20121h 33minUnited States
Director: Dan Bradley

Overview

A city in Washington state awakens to the surreal sight of foreign paratroopers dropping from the sky—shockingly, the U.S. has been invaded and their hometown is the initial target. Quickly and without warning, the citizens find themselves prisoners and their town under enemy occupation. Determined to fight back, a group of young patriots seek refuge in the surrounding woods, training and reorganizing themselves into a guerrilla group of fighters.

Themes

Betrayal and loyalty, Community resilience under pressure, Occupation resistance, Youth-led insurgency, Guerrilla infrastructure, Military improvisation

Available on

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

213. A.C.A.B. - All Cops Are Bastards

A.C.A.B. - All Cops Are Bastards
Action Drama Crime Police Procedural Political Drama
6.6
20121h 45minFrance, Italy
Director: Stefano Sollima

Overview

A look at the controversial riot cops unit, told through the stories of three veteran cops and a young recruit.

Themes

Economic precarity and duty, Police loyalty under strain, Violence vs restraint, Family strain and housing insecurity, Immigrant and crowd tensions, Fascist influence and conflict, Legal boundaries under pressure

Available on

Netflix
Rakuten TV
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

214. The Grey

The Grey
Action Adventure Drama Thriller Survival Adventure
6.7
20121h 57minUnited Kingdom, United States
Director: Joe Carnahan

Overview

Following a grueling five-week shift at an Alaskan oil refinery, workers led by sharpshooter John Ottway are flying home for a much-needed vacation. But a brutal storm causes their plane to crash in the frozen wilderness, and only eight men, including Ottway, survive. As they trek southward toward civilization and safety, Ottway and his companions must battle mortal injuries, the icy elements, and a pack of hungry wolves.

Themes

Leadership under crisis, Camaraderie under strain, Survival after airplane crash, Mortality in wilderness, Conflict under stress with wolf pack, Belief vs doubt

Available on

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

215. Killer Elite

Killer Elite
Action Adventure Thriller Spy Action Revenge Thriller
6.4
20111h 56minAustralia, United States
Director: Gary McKendry

Overview

Based on a shocking true story, Killer Elite pits two of the world’s most elite operatives—Danny, an ex-special ops agent and Hunter, his longtime mentor—against the cunning leader of a secret military society. Covering the globe from Australia to Paris, London and the Middle East, Danny and Hunter are plunged into a highly dangerous game of cat and mouse—where the predators become the prey.

Themes

Loyalty under threat, Secret society pressure, Revenge dynamics, Mercenary code conflict, International pursuit, Identity through roles

Available on

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

216. The Skin I Live In

The Skin I Live In
Drama Horror Mystery Thriller Body Horror
7.6
20112hSpain
Director: Pedro Almodóvar

Overview

A brilliant plastic surgeon creates a synthetic skin that withstands any kind of damage. His guinea pig: a mysterious and volatile woman who holds the key to his obsession.

Themes

Illegal medical experiments, Body autonomy and control, Identity and transformation, Captivity and confinement, Surveillance and secrecy, Adoption and kinship

Available on

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

217. Blitz

Blitz
Crime Action Thriller Serial Killer Crime Investigation Suspense
6.1
20111h 37minFrance, United Kingdom
Director: Elliott Lester

Overview

A tough cop is dispatched to take down a serial killer who has been targeting police officers.

Themes

Bias against outsiders, Media manipulation by killer, Deception within investigations, Professional rivalry and trust, Violence against law enforcers, Alliance under pressure

Available on

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

218. Ironclad

Ironclad
Romance Adventure Action History Adventure Epic
6.1
20112h 1minUnited Kingdom, United States
Director: Jonathan English

Overview

In the year 1215, the rebel barons of England have forced their despised King John to put his royal seal on the Magna Carta, a seminal document that upheld the rights of free men. Yet within months of pledging himself to the great charter, the King reneged on his word and assembled a mercenary army on the south coast of England with the intention of bringing the barons and the country back under his tyrannical rule. Barring his way stood the mighty Rochester castle, a place that would become the symbol of the rebel's momentous struggle for justice and freedom.

Themes

Betrayal and trust, Romance amid conflict, Rights and authority, Charter legitimacy, Siege resilience, Church versus crown, Loyalty and vows

Available on

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

219. The Yellow Sea

The Yellow Sea
Drama Thriller Crime Korean-Style Thriller Organized Crime
7.3
20102h 21minSouth Korea
Director: Na Hong-jin

Overview

A Korean man in China takes an assassination job in South Korea to make money and find his missing wife. But when the job is botched, he is forced to go on the run from the police and the gangsters who paid him.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Loyalty under pressure, Immigrant vulnerability, Cross-border crime, Crime network dynamics, Debt and desperation

Available on

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

220. King of Devil's Island

King of Devil's Island
Drama Action Historical Drama Military Action
7.4
20101h 57minNorway, France
Director: Marius Holst

Overview

Norwegian winter, 1915. On the island Bastøy, outside Oslo, a group of young boys aged 11 to 18, are held in an institution for delinquent youth, notorious for its sadistic regime. One day a new boy, Erling, arrives, determined to escape from the island. After a tragic incident, he ends up leading the boys in a violent uprising. When the boys manage to take over the island, 150 soldiers are sent in to restore order.

Themes

Class inequality, Abuse of power, Collective resilience, Youth revolt, Institutional brutality, Punishment and control

Available on

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