oppressive backdrop

Movies with oppressive vibe

Before I Wake

811. Before I Wake

Drama Fantasy Horror Thriller Psychological Horror
6.2

20161h 37min

United States

Director: Mike Flanagan

An orphaned child's dreams—and nightmares—manifest physically as he sleeps.

Themes

Grief and coping, Fragile family bonds, Foster child dynamics, Dreams shaping reality, Memory as fear trigger, Caregiver trust under strain

Available on

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

The Boss

812. The Boss

Comedy Satire
5.4

20161h 31min

United States

Director: Ben Falcone

A titan of industry is sent to prison after she's caught for insider trading. When she emerges ready to rebrand herself as America's latest sweetheart, not everyone she screwed over is so quick to forgive and forget.

Themes

Family loyalty tensions, Reinvention after downfall, Rivalry driving strategy, Mentor led capital infusion, Branding under pressure, Class ascent

Available on

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

Things to Come

813. Things to Come

Drama Relationship Drama
6.9

20161h 42min

Germany, France

Director: Mia Hansen-Løve

Nathalie teaches philosophy at a high school in Paris. She is passionate about her job and particularly enjoys passing on the pleasure of thinking. Married with two children, she divides her time between her family, former students and her very possessive mother. One day, Nathalie’s husband announces he is leaving her for another woman. With freedom thrust upon her, Nathalie must reinvent her life.

Themes

Gendered expectations, Family duty vs freedom, Intellectual independence, Education as dialogue, Caregiving and loss, Midlife reinvention

Available on

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

The Red Turtle

814. The Red Turtle

Animation Drama Fantasy Family Stop-Motion Animation
7.5

20161h 21min

Belgium, France

Director: Michael Dudok de Wit

The dialogue-less film follows the major life stages of a castaway on a deserted tropical island populated by turtles, crabs and birds.

Themes

Survival under pressure, Loss and resilience, Transformation and belonging, Isolation and connection, Storytelling and memory, Companionship through hardship

Available on

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

Krisha

815. Krisha

Drama Family Drama
7.1

20161h 21min

United States

Director: Trey Edward Shults

When Krisha returns to her estranged family for Thanksgiving dinner, past demons threaten to ruin the festivities.

Themes

Addiction coping, Aging parent memory issues, Deception about sobriety, Secret relapse, Family conflict escalation, Meal disruption

Available on

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

The Belko Experiment

816. The Belko Experiment

Horror Thriller Survival Thriller Psychological Horror
6.2

20161h 29min

United States

Director: Greg McLean

A group of eighty American workers are locked in their office and ordered by an unknown voice to participate in a twisted game.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Surveillance and control, Power dynamics in crisis, Survival under coercion, Coercive containment, Group conflict under pressure

Available on

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

Evolution

817. Evolution

Mystery Drama Horror Alien Horror Coming-of-Age Drama
5.9

20161h 22min

Belgium, France

Director: Lucile Hadžihalilović

11-year-old Nicolas lives with his mother in a seaside housing estate. The only place that ever sees any activity is the hospital. It is there that all the boys from the village are forced to undergo strange medical trials that attempt to disrupt the phases of evolution.

Themes

Power dynamics, Ethics of experimentation, Youth exploitation, Seaside isolation, Uncertainty and coercion, Medical authority

Available on

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

Brimstone

818. Brimstone

Thriller Western Drama Revenge Thriller Revisionist Western
7.0

20162h 28min

Belgium, France

Director: Martin Koolhoven

In the menacing inferno of the old North-American West, Liz is a genuine survivor who is hunted by a vengeful preacher for a crime she didn’t commit.

Themes

Trauma and resilience, Silence and communication, Gendered violence and exploitation, Religious coercion and violence, Survival under persecution, Retributive justice

Available on

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

Hush

819. Hush

Horror Thriller Home Invasion Horror Survival Thriller
6.6

20161h 22min

United States

Director: Mike Flanagan

A deaf woman is stalked by a psychotic killer in her secluded home.

Themes

Isolation and vulnerability, Deception under duress, Survival through quick decisions, Home as trap, Lip-reading as leverage, Stalking and siege dynamics

Available on

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

The Ones Below

820. The Ones Below

Thriller Domestic Thriller
6.1

20161h 27min

United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom

Director: David Farr

A young affluent couple expecting their first child hits it off with the new couple that moves in downstairs, until a dinner party between them ends in a shocking accident.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Trust under strain, Class disparity, Domestic paranoia, Parenthood expectations, Neighborhood intrusion

Available on

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