Social commentary movies and TV shows – page 3
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List of social commentary movies
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 138 min.
Story:
In the run-up to the 1972 elections, Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward covers what seems to be a minor break-in at the Democratic Party National headquarters. He is surprised to find top lawyers already on the defense case, and the discovery of ...
Style:
political thriller, political, cerebral, realistic, serious ...
Audience:
family outing
Plot:
journalism, newspaper, political conspiracy, politics, conspiracy, political corruption, investigation, american politics, white house, investigative journalism, whistleblower, president ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, year 1973, year 1972, year 1976
Place:
washington d.c., usa, north america, miami, florida
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Mystery, War
Country: USA
Duration: 147 min.
Story:
At the height of the Vietnam war, Captain Benjamin Willard is sent on a dangerous mission that, officially, "does not exist, nor will it ever exist." His goal is to locate - and eliminate - a mysterious Green Beret Colonel named Walter ...
Style:
bleak, psychological, cult classic, surreal, sexy ...
Audience:
date night, adult
Plot:
vietnam war, jungle, insanity, anti war, military, army, secret mission, violence, mission, soldier, violent, river ...
Time:
20th century, year 1979, 60s, year 1969
Place:
vietnam, cambodia, southeast asia, asia, the philippines ...
Is relevant?
44K
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History, War
Country: Australia
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
As World War I rages, brave and youthful Australians Archy and Frank, both agile runners, become friends and enlist in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps together. They later find themselves part of the Dardanelles Campaign on the Gallipoli ...
Style:
atmospheric, harsh, touching, emotional, intense ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
world war one, military, friendship, anti war, politics, idealism, human spirit, wartime, desert, great war, british army, running ...
Time:
1910s, year 1915, 20th century, year 1981, 1920s ...
Place:
australia, egypt, ottoman empire, gallipoli, turkey ...
Is relevant?
181K
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA, France
Duration: 189 min.
Story:
New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison discovers there's more to the Kennedy assassination than the official story.
Style:
tense, political thriller, controversial, political, disturbing ...
Plot:
investigation, assassination, kennedy assassination, president, political conspiracy, conspiracy theory, legal, politics, cia, assassination of president, cold war era, courtroom ...
Time:
20th century, 60s, 90s, year 1991, year 1963
Place:
america, washington d.c., north america, midwest, chile ...
Is relevant?
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110K
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Japan, USA
Duration: 202 min.
Story:
A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he became a Black Muslim and then a leader in the Nation of Islam. His assassination in 1965 left ...
Style:
political, factual, inspirational, thought provoking, intense ...
Plot:
civil rights, racism, politics, african american, black history, civil rights movement, assassination, islam, biopic, childhood, black, anti racism ...
Time:
20th century, 90s, 60s, 50s, 1940s ...
Place:
usa, africa, new york, saudi arabia, manhattan new york city ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller, War
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 157 min.
Story:
Years before he becomes the tyrannical president of Panem, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow sees a chance for a change in fortunes when he mentors Lucy Gray Baird, the female tribute from District 12.
Style:
psychological, suspenseful, captivating, crying, fairy tale ...
Audience:
teens, teen drama
Plot:
dystopia, arena, mentor, fight to the death, death of friend, flashback, deception, singing, execution, murder, fight, love ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 85 min.
Story:
Irish comedian Dylan Moran live at Vicar Street, Dublin.
Style:
humorous, funny, surreal, witty, live comedy ...
Plot:
stand up comedy, live performance, stand up comedian, life philosophy, sarcasm, destiny, prejudice, culture clash, character study, creativity, social commentary, dark humor ...
Place:
dublin ireland, ireland
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 113 min.
Story:
Surveillance expert Harry Caul is hired by a mysterious client's brusque aide to tail a young couple. Tracking the pair through San Francisco's Union Square, Caul and his associate Stan manage to record a cryptic conversation between them. ...
Style:
neo noir, psychological thriller, psychological, cerebral, political thriller ...
Plot:
surveillance, paranoia, character study, spy, conspiracy, loner, losing-it hero, loneliness, obsession, wiretap, murder, hotel ...
Time:
20th century, year 1974, 70s
Place:
bay area, usa, san francisco
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Romance, War
Country: UK, France
Duration: 113 min.
Story:
The circularity of violence seen in a story that circles on itself. In Macedonia, during war in Bosnia, Christians hunt an ethnic Albanian girl who may have murdered one of their own. A young monk who's taken a vow of silence offers her ...
Style:
political, erotic, realistic, atmospheric, anthology ...
Plot:
love affair, monk, civil war, terrorist, photograph, social commentary, violence, wartime, islam, politics, muslim, murder ...
Time:
90s, year 1994, 20th century
Place:
macedonia, former yugoslavia, london, bosnia, england ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 119 min.
Story:
Derek Vineyard is paroled after serving 3 years in prison for killing two thugs who tried to break into/steal his truck. Through his brother, Danny Vineyard's narration, we learn that before going to prison, Derek was a skinhead and the leader ...
Style:
cerebral, rough, serious, clever, disturbing ...
Audience:
boys' night, date night, teens, teen drama
Plot:
gang, skinhead, racism, prison, neo nazism, neo nazi, character change, nazism, juvenile delinquency, murder, politics, african american ...
Time:
20th century, year 1998, 90s
Place:
los angeles, usa, california, america, north america ...
Is relevant?
252K
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Country: France, Canada, USA
Duration: 164 min.
Story:
During the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, eleven Israeli athletes are taken hostage and murdered by a Palestinian terrorist group known as Black September. In retaliation, the Israeli government recruits a group of Mossad agents to track down and ...
Style:
political, intense, brutal, political thriller, suspense ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
terrorism, espionage, assassination, mossad, vengeance, judaism, politics, terrorist, vigilante, revenge, spy, murder ...
Time:
70s, year 2005, 20th century, 2000s, year 1972
Place:
israel, middle east, palestine, germany, europe ...
Is relevant?
41K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
After his family is evicted from their home, proud and desperate construction worker Dennis Nash tries to win his home back by striking a deal with the devil and working for Rick Carver, the corrupt real estate broker who evicted him.
Style:
emotional, sincere, captivating, sexy, thought provoking ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
moral dilemma, real estate agent, eviction, single father, motel, financial crisis, dysfunctional family, human nature, workplace, parent child relationship, workplace situations, finance ...
Time:
year 2010, 21st century
Place:
usa, florida, orlando florida, california, boston ...
Is relevant?
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Genre: Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 124 min.
Story:
The movie is centered around the Salem Massachusetts witch trials of 1692. The movie is based on the play "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller. He also wrote the screen play adaptation.
Style:
talky, suspense, costume drama, gothic, period piece ...
Plot:
witch hunt, witch, salem witch trial, curse, courtroom drama, colonial america, politics, spell, twists and turns, vengeance, court, manipulation ...
Time:
17th century, 90s, 50s, 1950s
Place:
massachusetts, salem massachusetts, usa, north america, new england ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
An urban hotel in London is a gathering and flash point for legal and illegal immigrants attempting to cobble together their lives in a new country. The immigrants include Senay, a Turkish woman, and a Nigerian doctor named Okwe who is working as a ...
Style:
bleak, tense, suspenseful, harsh, grim ...
Plot:
immigrant, blackmail, maid, working class, friendship, illegal immigration, murder, black market, character study, prostitute, surgery, social decay ...
Time:
year 2002, 21st century
Place:
london, england, nigeria, britain, europe ...
Is relevant?
145K
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Italy
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
The real-life struggle of an honest New York City cop against a corrupt system.
Style:
suspense, neo noir, political, clever, grim ...
Audience:
date night
Plot:
police corruption, police, fighting the system, corruption, whistleblower, undercover cop, police investigation, corrupt cop, hippie, female nudity, cop, mafia ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, year 1973, 60s
Place:
new york, bronx new york city, usa, greenwich village manhattan new york city, manhattan new york city
Is relevant?
28K
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
Because of a technical defect an American bomber team mistakenly orders the destruction of Moscow. The President of the United States has but little time to prevent an atomic catastrophe from occurring. Director Sidney Lumet gives an atmospheric ...
Style:
tense, political, political thriller, realistic, bleak ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
cold war, nuclear holocaust, nuclear war, politics, nuclear threat, u.s. air force, military, nuclear explosion, atomic bomb, bomber, nightmare, nuclear bomb ...
Time:
20th century, 60s, year 1967
Place:
russia, new york, washington d.c., usa, moscow russia ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
A modern nightmare nearly becomes reality in this tension-filled story about an "incident" at a nuclear power plant. Jane Fonda stars as Kimberly Wells, an ambitious TV reporter covering a story on energy sources, who is present at the ...
Style:
suspense, tension, suspenseful, political, tense ...
Plot:
reporter, conspiracy, investigation, power plant, radiation, politics, journalism, nuclear power, whistleblower, disaster, murder, corruption ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, year 1979
Place:
california, usa, los angeles, southern california, pennsylvania
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min.
Story:
After a young woman suffers a brutal rape in a bar one night, a prosecutor assists in bringing the perpetrators to justice, including the ones who encouraged and cheered on the attack.
Style:
disturbing, thought provoking, realistic, poignant, rough ...
Audience:
girls' night
Plot:
courtroom drama, rape, injustice, sexual assault, rape victim, violence, gang rape, sexual abuse, violence against women, legal action, fraternity, legal ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, year 1988
Place:
massachusetts, boston, usa, washington d.c., washington state ...
Is relevant?
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28K
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
A suicidally disillusioned liberal politician puts a contract out on himself and takes the opportunity to be bluntly honest with his voters by affecting the rhythms and speech of hip-hop music and culture.
Style:
satirical, political, humorous, witty, thought provoking ...
Audience:
date night
Plot:
politics, political satire, hip hop, political corruption, satire, election, interracial romance, senator, fighting the system, insurance, interracial, campaign ...
Time:
20th century, year 1998, 90s
Place:
california, america, los angeles, usa, washington d.c. ...
Is relevant?
229K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 147 min.
Story:
An exploration of the United States of America's war on drugs from multiple perspectives. For the new head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the war becomes personal when he discovers his well-educated daughter is abusing cocaine ...
Style:
suspense, political, realistic, thought provoking, anthology ...
Plot:
drug traffic, organized crime, drug abuse, drug dealer, drug lord, addiction, drug addiction, drug cartel, drug, war on drugs, politics, corruption ...
Time:
year 2000, y2k, 20th century, 90s, 2000s
Place:
mexico, latin america, california, ohio, los angeles ...
Is relevant?
34K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: France, Algeria
Duration: 127 min.
Story:
Repression is the rule of the day in this film that skewers Greek governance of the 1960s. Z, a leftist rabble rouser, is killed in what appears to be a traffic accident. But given the political climate, the death of such a prominent activist raises ...
Style:
political thriller, political, realistic, tense, suspenseful ...
Plot:
conspiracy, politics, military, investigation, corruption, police, government, government corruption, justice, political corruption, politician, violence ...
Time:
year 1969, 60s, 20th century, 70s
Place:
greece, france, africa, europe
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: UK, Zimbabwe, USA
Duration: 157 min.
Story:
A dramatic story, based on actual events, about the friendship between two men struggling against apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s. Donald Woods is a white liberal journalist in South Africa who begins to follow the activities of Stephen Biko, ...
Style:
inspirational, political, cult classic, edutainment, political thriller ...
Plot:
racism, apartheid, politics, journalism, biopic, human rights, civil rights, social injustice, social commentary, black, african, friendship ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, year 1987, year 1975, year 1977
Place:
south africa, africa, cape town south africa, england
Is relevant?
174K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 126 min.
Story:
A young and impatient stockbroker is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on illegal inside information taken through a ruthless and greedy corporate raider whom takes the youth under his wing.
Style:
political, talky, intense, suspense, captivating ...
Audience:
manly
Plot:
wall street, stock market, stock broker, stock exchange, business, businessman, capitalism, yuppie, entrepreneur, greed, top executive, workplace ...
Time:
80s, year 1987, 20th century
Place:
new york, manhattan new york city, usa, california, canada
Is relevant?
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Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Music, Musical
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 147 min.
Story:
In 1987, five young men, using brutally honest rhymes and hardcore beats, put their frustration and anger about life in the most dangerous place in America into the most powerful weapon they had: their music. Taking us back to where it all began, ...
Style:
realistic, hood, intense, clever, inspirational ...
Audience:
manly
Plot:
hip hop, racism, music, ghetto, gangster, redemption, rap, rags to riches, profanity, rapper, african american, gang ...
Time:
90s, year 2015, 2010s, year 1990, year 1995 ...
Place:
los angeles, california, milwaukee wisconsin, usa, detroit ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Musical
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 107 min.
Story:
Life's questions are 'answered' in a series of outrageous vignettes, beginning with a staid London insurance company which transforms before our eyes into a pirate ship. Then there's the National Health doctors who try to claim a ...
Style:
parody, funny, philosophical, surreal, cult classic ...
Plot:
satire, monty python, philosophy, dark humor, surrealism, atheism, existentialism, atheist, humour, social commentary, death, life ...
Time:
year 1983, medieval times, 20th century, 19th century, 80s ...
Place:
london, england, europe, africa, northern england ...
Is relevant?
306K
Genre: Action, Crime, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
In a violent, near-apocalyptic Detroit, evil corporation Omni Consumer Products wins a contract from the city government to privatize the police force. To test their crime-eradicating cyborgs, the company leads street cop Alex Murphy into an armed ...
Style:
futuristic, entertaining, black comedy, cyber, intense ...
Audience:
boys' night, kids, teens, manly
Plot:
cyberpunk, robot, cyborgs, androids and robots, dystopia, robocop, police, revenge, graphic violence, law enforcement, satire, gory ...
Time:
future, near future, 80s, year 1987
Place:
usa, detroit, michigan
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
A voluptuous black woman takes a job as a high-class prostitute in order to get revenge on the mobsters who murdered her boyfriend.
Style:
grindhouse, sexy, cult classic, hood, neo noir ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
blaxploitation, revenge, sexualized violence, rape and revenge, vigilante, rape, female vigilante, black hero, rape victim, female exploitation, gangster, exploitation ...
Time:
70s, 20th century
Place:
usa
Is relevant?
461K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
Los Angeles citizens with vastly separate lives collide in interweaving stories of race, loss and redemption.
Style:
touching, inspirational, sincere, sexy, gloomy ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
racism, police, redemption, prejudice, plot twist, racial tension, racist, multiple storylines, sexual harassment, social injustice, class differences, interracial relations ...
Time:
year 2004, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
los angeles, usa, california, persia, puerto rico ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, UK, Japan
Duration: 109 min.
Story:
In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of humankind.
Style:
atmospheric, neo noir, depressing, apocalyptic, visually stunning ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
apocalypse, distopia, dystopia, chaos, redemption, end of the world, dystopian future, heroic mission, pandemic, fertility, post apocalyptic, dying ...
Time:
future, near future, distant future, year 2006, 2000s ...
Place:
england, london, europe, washington state, seattle ...
Is relevant?
259K
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: France, USA
Duration: 85 min.
Story:
Given the country's overcrowded prisons, the U.S. government begins to allow 12-hour periods of time in which all illegal activity is legal. During one of these free-for-alls, a family must protect themselves from a home invasion.
Style:
tense, scary, suspenseful, brutal, futuristic ...
Audience:
boys' night, adult
Plot:
home invasion, survival, survival horror, self defense, danger, violence spree, security system, dystopia, family in danger, society, killing spree, distopia ...
Time:
future, year 2013, near future, 2010s, year 2000 ...
Place:
california, usa
Is relevant?
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