deliberate backdrop

Movies with deliberate vibe

Human Capital

631. Human Capital

Drama Relationship Drama
7.2

20131h 51min

Italy

Director: Paolo Virzì

The destinies of two families are irrevocably tied together after a cyclist is hit off the road by a jeep in the night before Christmas Eve.

Themes

Care decisions under pressure, Interconnected families, Social disruption from accident, Fateful collision, Public perception and liability, Privilege and responsibility

Available on

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

The Railway Man

632. The Railway Man

Drama History Historical Drama Biographical History
7.1

20131h 56min

Australia, France

Director: Jonathan Teplitzky

A victim from World War II's "Death Railway" sets out to find those responsible for his torture. A true story.

Themes

Trauma and endurance, Revenge vs restraint, Psychological scars of war, Survival after torture, Brainwashing and memory

Available on

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

Still Life

633. Still Life

Drama Professional Drama
7.4

20131h 32min

Italy, United Kingdom

Director: Uberto Pasolini

A council case worker looks for the relatives of those found dead and alone.

Themes

Bureaucratic detachment, Loneliness and care, Compassion through ritual, Memory versus oblivion, Funeral ritual under strain, Absent kinship networks

Available on

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

The Trials of Cate McCall

634. The Trials of Cate McCall

Drama Legal Drama
6.2

20131h 29min

United States

Director: Karen Moncrieff

In order to be reinstated to the bar and recover custody of her daughter, a hotshot lawyer, now in recovery and on probation, must take on the appeal of a woman wrongfully convicted of murder.

Themes

Legal ethics under pressure, Pro bono dilemma, Addiction and career, Custody as leverage, Manipulation of the system, Obsession and professional risk

Available on

Amazon Video
The Roku Channel
Pluto TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

An Adventure in Space and Time

635. An Adventure in Space and Time

Drama Entertainment Industry Drama
8.2

20131h 23min

United Kingdom

Director: Terry McDonough

Actor William Hartnell felt trapped by a succession of hard-man roles while wannabe producer Verity Lambert was frustrated by the TV industry's glass ceiling. Both of them were to find unlikely hope and unexpected challenges in the form of a Saturday tea-time drama. Allied with a team of unusual but brilliant people, they went on to create the longest running science fiction series ever made.

Themes

Gender barriers in media, Creative ambition under constraint, Industry gatekeeping and opportunity, Collaborative creativity under pressure, Legacy dynamics and succession, Audience reception risk

Available on

Britbox Apple TV Channel
Hoopla
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Book Thief

636. The Book Thief

Drama Historical Drama
7.5

20132h 11min

Germany, United States

Director: Brian Percival

While subjected to the horrors of WWII Germany, young Liesel finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others. Under the stairs in her home, a Jewish refugee is being sheltered by her adoptive parents.

Themes

War-time resilience, Books as refuge, Protective sheltering, Youth indoctrination vs doubt, Trauma through shared reading, Power of words

Available on

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

Philomena

637. Philomena

Drama Family Drama
7.6

20131h 38min

United Kingdom

Director: Stephen Frears

A woman searches for her adult son, who was taken away from her decades ago when she was forced to live in a convent.

Themes

Mother son relationship, Convent secrets, Records destruction, Search for child, Adoption ethics, Abuse in care

Available on

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

Ender's Game

638. Ender's Game

Science Fiction Action Adventure Space Sci-Fi Military Action
6.6

20131h 54min

United States

Director: Gavin Hood

Based on the classic novel by Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game is the story of the Earth's most gifted children training to defend their homeplanet in the space wars of the future.

Themes

Military school discipline, Chosen one pressure, War strategy ethics, Alien invasion resilience, Child prodigy isolation, Starship duty conflicts

Available on

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

12 Years a Slave

639. 12 Years a Slave

Drama History Historical Drama Biographical History
8.1

20132h 14min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Steve McQueen

In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty as well as unexpected kindnesses Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist will forever alter his life.

Themes

Deception and betrayal, Abuse of power, Freedom vs confinement, Slavery and exploitation, Abolitionist influence and memory, Labor coercion and debt

Available on

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

Inside Llewyn Davis

640. Inside Llewyn Davis

Drama Music Entertainment Industry Drama Narrative Musical
7.4

20131h 45min

France, United Kingdom

Director: Joel Coen

In Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, gifted but volatile folk musician Llewyn Davis struggles with money, relationships, and his uncertain future.

Themes

Economic precarity shaping decisions, Hospitality dependency and isolation, Self-expression vs commercial demand, Artistic legitimacy under pressure, Melancholy as creative fuel, Interpersonal betrayals within scenes

Available on

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