gritty backdrop

Movies with gritty vibe

Twisters

1. Twisters

Action Thriller Epic Action Survival Thriller
6.5
20242h 3min

Overview

As storm season intensifies, the paths of former storm chaser Kate Carter and reckless social-media superstar Tyler Owens collide when terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed. The pair and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.

Themes

Loss and trauma, Risk management under crisis, Profit at disaster cost, Teamwork vs rivalry, Celebrity influence vs science, Public funding and research incentives

Available on

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

MaXXXine

2. MaXXXine

Horror Thriller Slasher Horror Cover-Up Thriller
6.2
20241h 43min

Overview

In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.

Themes

Gendered labor stigma, Family estrangement and power, Fame vs exploitation, Cinematic pastiche and illusion, Industry violence and spectacle, Religious panic and hypocrisy

Available on

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

Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1

3. Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1

Western Drama Western Epic Historical Drama
6.6
20243h 2min

Overview

In 1859, families discover the lure of the Old West as they settle in territories from Wyoming to Kansas. Meanwhile, a gruff cowboy finds himself on the run with a prostitute and a young boy after killing a fellow gunman.

Themes

War profiteering, Frontier expansion, Moral restraint in warfare, Manifest destiny, Indigenous conflict, Coexistence vs raids

Available on

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

Thelma

4. Thelma

Action Comedy Adventure City Adventure Vehicle-Driven Action
7.0
20241h 38min

Overview

When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.

Themes

Family obligation vs autonomy, Independence vs dependence, Deception and distrust, Age-based resilience, Fraud-recovery ethics, Urban vulnerability and resourcefulness

Available on

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

The Bikeriders

5. The Bikeriders

Crime Drama Organized Crime Relationship Drama
6.6
20241h 56min

Overview

After a chance encounter, headstrong Kathy is drawn to Benny, member of Midwestern motorcycle club the Vandals. As the club transforms into a dangerous underworld of violence, Benny must choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Drug trade emergence, Masculinity under strain, Violence within clubs, Leadership versus aggression, Descent into criminality

Available on

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

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

6. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Action Science Fiction Adventure Epic Action Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi
7.5
20242h 29min

Overview

As the world falls, young Furiosa is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the wasteland, they encounter the citadel presided over by Immortan Joe. The two tyrants wage war for dominance, and Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.

Themes

Trauma and resilience, Gendered violence, Betrayal and loyalty, Power and control dynamics, Survival under scarcity, Tyranny and resistance, Maternal bond under duress

Available on

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

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

7. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Science Fiction Adventure Action Dystopian Sci-Fi Coming-of-Age Adventure
6.8
20242h 25min

Overview

Several generations following Caesar's reign, apes – now the dominant species – live harmoniously while humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all he's known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

Themes

Loyalty and betrayal, Memory and legacy, Leadership under threat, Technology as leverage, Empire building and oppression, Interspecies coexistence

Available on

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

The Roundup: Punishment

8. The Roundup: Punishment

Action Crime Thriller Comedy Buddy Action
6.6
20241h 49min

Overview

'Monster Cop' Ma Seok-do investigates an illegal online gambling business led by a former STS Baek and an IT genius CEO Chang. Ma proposes an unexpected alliance to Jang and begins hunting down the criminals.

Themes

Money laundering networks, Investigative persistence under pressure, Cryptocurrency front operation, Monopolizing online gambling, Data tracing and asset control, Deception and alliance dynamics

Available on

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

Boy Kills World

9. Boy Kills World

Crime Thriller Action One-Person Army Revenge Thriller
6.4
20241h 50min

Overview

When his family is murdered, a deaf-mute named Boy escapes to the jungle and is trained by a mysterious shaman to repress his childish imagination and become an instrument of death.

Themes

Oppression through spectacle, Resistance amid tyranny, Mind control through torture, Family loss through violence, Trauma through memory manipulation, Elite rule and brutality

Available on

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

Back to Black

10. Back to Black

Music History Drama Music Biopic Historical Drama
6.3
20242h 2min

Overview

The extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame from her early days in Camden through the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black that catapulted Winehouse to global fame. Told through Amy’s eyes and inspired by her deeply personal lyrics, the film explores and embraces the many layers of the iconic artist and the tumultuous love story at the center of one of the most legendary albums of all time.

Themes

Substance abuse cycles, Biography under pressure, Addiction shaping artistry, Mental illness and ambition, Alcoholism and fame, Public scrutiny and vulnerability

Available on

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