procedural backdrop

Movies with procedural vibe

161. Poker Night

Poker Night
Thriller Action Crime Horror Kidnapping & Captivity Thriller
6.2
20141h 44minUnited States, Canada
Director: Greg Francis

Overview

When a new detective is caught by a vicious psychopath and locked in a basement, he must use the knowledge he learned from some of the best detectives at Poker Night, then match wits against his captor.

Themes

Confinement under pressure, Risk management under threat, Group storytelling as strategy, Shared tactical knowledge, Cat and mouse dynamic, Trust under coercion

Available on

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

162. Black Sea

Black Sea
Adventure Drama Thriller Treasure Hunt Survival Thriller
6.4
20141h 55minUnited Kingdom, United States
Director: Kevin Macdonald

Overview

A rogue submarine captain pulls together a misfit crew to go after a sunken treasure rumored to be lost in the depths of the Black Sea. As greed and desperation take control on-board their claustrophobic vessel, the increasing uncertainty of the mission causes the men to turn on each other to fight for their own survival.

Themes

Trust under pressure, Betrayal and manipulation, Risk and consequence, Greed vs survival, Cross-cultural crew dynamics, Isolation and claustrophobia

Available on

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

163. [REC]⁴ Apocalypse

[REC]⁴ Apocalypse
Thriller Horror Zombie Horror
5.3
20141h 35minSpain
Director: Jaume Balagueró

Overview

Ángela Vidal, the young television reporter who entered the building with the firemen, manages to make it out alive. But what the soldiers don't know is that she carries the seed of the strange infection. She is to be taken to a provisional quarantine facility, a high-security installation where she will have to stay in isolation for several days. An old oil tanker, miles off shore and surrounded by water on all sides, has been especially equipped for the quarantine.

Themes

Survival under siege, Parasite threat unknown, Science against time, Unreliable authority, Supernatural fear, Contagion under quarantine

Available on

Tubi TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

164. Son of a Gun

Son of a Gun
Action Crime Drama Thriller Prison Crime
6.4
20141h 48minAustralia, Canada
Director: Julius Avery

Overview

Locked up for a minor crime, 19 year old JR quickly learns the harsh realities of prison life. Protection, if you can get it, is paramount. JR soon finds himself under the watchful eye of Australia's most notorious criminal, Brendan Lynch, but protection comes at a price.

Themes

Loyalty under threat, Protection dynamics in prison, Deception among criminals, Risk and reward in heists, Power hierarchies within gangs, Betrayal as leverage

Available on

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

165. Citizenfour

Citizenfour
Documentary Social & Political Documentary
8.0
20141h 53minGermany, United Kingdom
Director: Laura Poitras

Overview

In June 2013, Laura Poitras and reporter Glenn Greenwald flew to Hong Kong for the first of many meetings with Edward Snowden. She brought her camera with her.

Themes

Media accountability, Whistleblower risk, Privacy vs security, State secrecy tension, Surveillance ethics, Journalist ethics, Asylum politics

Available on

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

166. '71

'71
Thriller Action Drama War Military Action
7.2
20141h 39minUnited Kingdom
Director: Yann Demange

Overview

A young British soldier must find his way back to safety after his unit accidentally abandons him during a riot in the streets of Belfast.

Themes

Survival under siege, Military discipline under riot, Loyalist republican tension, Civilian risk during conflict, Institutional ambiguity and violence, Command decisions under pressure

Available on

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

167. Annabelle

Annabelle
Horror Supernatural Horror
5.5
20141h 39minUnited States
Director: John R. Leonetti

Overview

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.

168. The Equalizer

The Equalizer
Thriller Action Crime One-Person Army Organized Crime
7.3
20142h 12minUnited States
Director: Antoine Fuqua

Overview

McCall believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when he meets Teri, a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can’t stand idly by – he has to help her. Armed with hidden skills that allow him to serve vengeance against anyone who would brutalize the helpless, McCall comes out of his self-imposed retirement and finds his desire for justice reawakened. If someone has a problem, if the odds are stacked against them, if they have nowhere else to turn, McCall will help. He is The Equalizer.

Themes

Survival under pressure, Organized crime networks, Trafficking and exploitation, Vigilante justice vs law, Corruption and leverage, Retribution and coercion

Available on

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

169. Beyond the Reach

Beyond the Reach
Thriller Survival Thriller
5.6
20141h 35minUnited States
Director: Jean-Baptiste Léonetti

Overview

A high-rolling corporate shark and his impoverished young guide play the most dangerous game during a hunting trip in the Mojave Desert.

Themes

Deception and blackmail, Survival under threat, Coercive power dynamics, Violence and control, Trust and loyalty under pressure, Wealth vs poverty

Available on

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

170. Into the Storm

Into the Storm
Action Thriller Epic Action Survival Thriller
5.8
20141h 29minUnited States
Director: Steven Quale

Overview

As a new day begins in the town of Silverton, its residents have little reason to believe it will be anything other than ordinary. Mother Nature, however has other plans. In the span of just a few hours, an unprecedented onslaught of powerful tornadoes ravages Silverton. Storm trackers predict that the worst is still to come, as terrified residents seek shelter, and professional storm-chasers run toward the danger, hoping to study the phenomenon close up and get a once-in-a-lifetime shot.

Themes

Community resilience, Duty and sacrifice, Risk versus safety, Data collection under threat, Science versus danger, Technology in disaster response

Available on

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