bleak backdrop

Movies with bleak vibe

Wolves

1061. Wolves

Horror Action Werewolf Horror Epic Action
5.3

20141h 30min

Canada, France

Director: David Hayter

The coming-of-age story of Cayden Richards. Forced to hit the road after the murder of his parents, Cayden wanders lost without purpose... Until he meets a certifiable lunatic named Wild Joe who sets him on a path to the ominous town of Lupine Ridge to hunt down the truths of his history. But in the end| who's really hunting whom?

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Adoption and lineage, Outsider belonging, Identity pressure, Pack politics, Violence restraint

Available on

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

The November Man

1062. The November Man

Crime Action Thriller Spy Action Political Thriller
6.3

20141h 48min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Roger Donaldson

An ex-CIA operative is brought back in on a very personal mission and finds himself pitted against his former pupil in a deadly game involving high level CIA officials and the Russian president-elect.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Deception within organizations, Personal vendetta in espionage, Exposure through whistleblowing, Power struggles and manipulation, Moral ambiguity in covert work

Available on

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

When the Game Stands Tall

1063. When the Game Stands Tall

Drama Sports Competition
6.6

20141h 55min

United States

Director: Thomas Carter

A young coach turns a losing high school football program around to go undefeated for 12 consecutive seasons.

Themes

Trauma and resilience, Ethics in recruitment, Work family balance, Legacy versus rivalry, Coaching under pressure, Discipline and brotherhood

Available on

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

The Giver

1064. The Giver

Drama Science Fiction Dystopian Sci-Fi Coming-of-Age Drama
6.4

20141h 37min

United States

Director: Phillip Noyce

In a seemingly perfect community, without war, pain, suffering, differences or choice, a young boy is chosen to learn from an elderly man about the true pain and pleasure of the "real" world.

Themes

Emotion suppression, Memory as power, Individual choice vs conformity, Awakening through memory, Color as perception, Deception by authority

Available on

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

The Calling

1065. The Calling

Thriller Investigation Suspense
5.9

20141h 48min

Canada, United States

Director: Jason Stone

Detective Hazel Micallef hasn't had much to worry about in the sleepy town of Port Dundas until a string of gruesome murders in the surrounding countryside brings her face to face with a serial killer driven by a higher calling.

Themes

Deception in appearances, Caregiver duty conflict, Obsession with resurrection, Small-town justice, Terminal illness ethics

Available on

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

Rurouni Kenshin Part II: Kyoto Inferno

1066. Rurouni Kenshin Part II: Kyoto Inferno

Action Adventure Drama Fantasy Epic Action
7.5

20142h 18min

Japan

Director: Keishi Otomo

Kenshin has settled into his new life with Kaoru and his other friends when he is approached with a request from the Meiji government. Makoto Shishio, a former assassin like Kenshin, was betrayed, set on fire and left for dead. He survived, and is now in Kyoto, plotting with his gathered warriors to overthrow the new government. Against Kaoru's wishes, Kenshin reluctantly agrees to go to Kyoto and help keep his country from falling back into civil war.

Themes

Mentorship and lineage, Samurai ethics under pressure, Duty vs pacifism, Bakumatsu era conflicts, Revenge vs mercy, Meiji era reform

Available on

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

These Final Hours

1067. These Final Hours

Science Fiction Drama Thriller Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Psychological Drama
6.6

20141h 27min

Australia

Director: Zak Hilditch

What would you do on the last day on Earth? With the end of the world only hours away, the self-absorbed James heads to the ultimate party-to-end-all-parties. On his way there, he saves the life of a young girl named Rose who is searching desperately for her missing father. This simple act sets James on a path to redemption.

Themes

Group dynamics under stress, Survival under apocalypse, Crisis-driven decisions, Search for connection amid chaos, Moral ambiguity in emergencies, Illusion of safety

Available on

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

Starry Eyes

1068. Starry Eyes

Horror Fantasy Mystery Psychological Horror Dark Fantasy
6.0

20141h 36min

Belgium, United States

Director: Dennis Widmyer

A hopeful young starlet uncovers the ominous origins of the Hollywood elite and enters into a deadly agreement in exchange for fame and fortune.

Themes

Ambition through exploitation, Elite control through ritual, Social climbing via deception, Fame as currency, Identity forged by transformation, Trust breached by insiders

Available on

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

A Most Wanted Man

1069. A Most Wanted Man

Thriller Political Thriller
6.7

20142h 1min

Belgium, Germany

Director: Anton Corbijn

A Chechen Muslim illegally immigrates to Hamburg and becomes a person of interest for a covert government team tracking the movements of potential terrorists.

Themes

Deception as strategy, Influence through manipulation, Loyalty over expediency, Financial leverage and risk, Ethical ambiguity of aid, State power and surveillance

Available on

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

When Marnie Was There

1070. When Marnie Was There

Animation Drama Family Mystery Anime
7.6

20141h 43min

Japan

Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Upon being sent to live with relatives in the countryside due to an illness, an emotionally distant adolescent girl becomes obsessed with an abandoned mansion and infatuated with a girl who lives there - a girl who may or may not be real.

Themes

Appearance versus reality, Unseen family ties, Foster care payments, Memory across generations, Trust and secrecy, Loneliness and belonging

Available on

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