procedural backdrop

Movies with procedural vibe

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

1. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

War Action History Drama Thriller
7.3
20162h 24min

Overview

An American Ambassador is killed during an attack at a U.S. compound in Libya as a security team struggles to make sense out of the chaos.

Themes

Contractor-led security, Outsourcing ethics, Interagency coordination tension, Diplomatic risk in crisis, Local militia influence, Civilian protection under threat

Available on

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

Baskin

2. Baskin

Horror Thriller Supernatural Horror Mind Game Thriller
5.8
20151h 37min

Overview

A squad of unsuspecting cops go through a trapdoor to Hell when they stumble upon a Black Mass in an abandoned building.

Themes

Intergenerational bonds, Ritual violence, Authority under pressure, Trauma transmission, Group paranoia, Perceived reality vs illusion

Available on

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

Heist

3. Heist

Action Crime Thriller Drama Heist
6.1
20151h 33min

Overview

A father is without the means to pay for his daughter's medical treatment. As a last resort, he partners with a greedy co-worker to rob a casino. When things go awry they're forced to hijack a city bus.

Themes

Trust under pressure, Loyalty and betrayal, Financial desperation, Family obligation, Risk and improvisation, Crime and consequence

Available on

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

Concussion

4. Concussion

Drama Professional Drama
7.1
20152h 3min

Overview

A dramatic thriller based on the incredible true David vs. Goliath story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE, a football-related brain trauma, in a pro player and fought for the truth to be known. Omalu's emotional quest puts him at dangerous odds with one of the most powerful institutions in the world.

Themes

Institutional pressure against findings, Scientific evidence vs sport, Brain trauma awareness, Public health vs entertainment, Legal and political scrutiny, Advocacy under threat

Available on

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

Victor Frankenstein

5. Victor Frankenstein

Drama Science Fiction Thriller Bio-Genetic Sci-Fi Mind Game Thriller
6.0
20151h 50min

Overview

Eccentric scientist Victor Von Frankenstein creates a grotesque creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment.

Themes

Ambition and ethics, Wealth and influence, Loyalty under pressure, Control of life, Institutional suspicion, Unforeseen consequences

Available on

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

Experimenter

6. Experimenter

Drama History Historical Drama Biographical History
6.6
20151h 37min

Overview

Yale University, 1961. Stanley Milgram designs a psychology experiment that still resonates to this day, in which people think they’re delivering painful electric shocks to an affable stranger strapped into a chair in another room. Despite his pleads for mercy, the majority of subjects don’t stop the experiment, administering what they think is a near-fatal electric shock, simply because they’ve been told to do so. With Nazi Adolf Eichmann’s trial airing in living rooms across America, Milgram strikes a nerve in popular culture and the scientific community with his exploration into people’s tendency to comply with authority. Celebrated in some circles, he is also accused of being a deceptive, manipulative monster, but his wife Sasha stands by him through it all.

Themes

Obedience to authority, Public scrutiny of science, Ethics in research, Career implications of controversy, Social pressure dynamics, Balancing curiosity and caution

Available on

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

Bridge of Spies

7. Bridge of Spies

Thriller Drama Political Thriller Historical Drama
7.6
20152h 21min

Overview

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union captures U.S. pilot Francis Gary Powers after shooting down his U-2 spy plane. Sentenced to 10 years in prison, Powers' only hope is New York lawyer James Donovan, recruited by a CIA operative to negotiate his release. Donovan boards a plane to Berlin, hoping to win the young man's freedom through a prisoner exchange. If all goes well, the Russians would get Rudolf Abel, the convicted spy who Donovan defended in court.

Themes

Cold war pressures, Legal drama ethics, Spy vs lawyer, Courtroom defense integrity, State recognition ambitions, Prisoner exchange diplomacy

Available on

YouTube
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The Martian

8. The Martian

Drama Adventure Science Fiction Survival Adventure Space Sci-Fi
8.0
20152h 21min

Overview

During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.

Themes

Reliance on scarce resources, Isolation and ingenuity, Improvisation under pressure, Survival through resourcefulness, Technology mediated connectivity, Risk versus safety expediency

Available on

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

Retribution

9. Retribution

Thriller Drama Domestic Thriller Family Drama
6.6
20151h 41min

Overview

While Carlos, a banking executive, takes his two kids to school in his car, he gets a phone call telling him that there is a bomb under the seats and he must to gather a large amount of money; otherwise, his car will blow up.

Themes

Deception under pressure, Time pressure, Financial coercion, Family safety stakes, Authority pressure, Crisis manipulation

Available on

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

Sicario

10. Sicario

Action Crime Thriller Narcotics Crime Political Thriller
7.7
20152h 2min

Overview

An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.

Themes

Deception and betrayal, Covert operations and legality, Corruption and state complicity, Borders and cross-border violence, Moral ambiguity in violence, Power and restraint in enforcement

Available on

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