Movies
Movie Topics & Themes
Thematic topics and narrative themes that define and categorize films — from heists and revenge to coming-of-age and dystopia.
themestopicsfilmmoviesstorytelling
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Topic / Theme↕ | Description↕ | Example Films↕ | Common Genres↕ | Emotional Tone↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heist | A group plans and executes a high-stakes robbery or con. | Ocean's Eleven, Heat, The Italian Job, Baby Driver, Rififi | Crime, Thriller, Action | Tense, Clever, Exciting |
| Revenge | A protagonist seeks vengeance for a wrong done to them or their loved ones. | John Wick, Oldboy, Kill Bill, Gladiator, The Count of Monte Cristo | Action, Thriller, Drama | Dark, Intense, Cathartic |
| Coming of Age | A young protagonist navigates the transition from youth to adulthood. | The Breakfast Club, Stand By Me, Boyhood, Lady Bird, Moonlight | Drama, Comedy | Nostalgic, Bittersweet, Hopeful |
| Survival | Characters must fight to survive against nature, society, or an enemy. | The Revenant, Cast Away, 127 Hours, Life of Pi, All Is Lost | Drama, Adventure, Thriller | Tense, Gritty, Triumphant |
| Time Travel | Characters move through time, altering or observing the past or future. | Back to the Future, Interstellar, Primer, Looper, The Terminator | Sci-Fi, Adventure, Thriller | Mind-bending, Nostalgic, Thrilling |
| Dystopia | A bleak future society defined by oppression, surveillance, or collapse. | 1984, The Matrix, Children of Men, Blade Runner, The Hunger Games | Sci-Fi, Drama, Action | Bleak, Thought-provoking, Urgent |
| War | Films depicting armed conflict, its brutality, heroism, and human cost. | Saving Private Ryan, Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket, 1917, Dunkirk | War, Drama, Action | Intense, Harrowing, Patriotic |
| Artificial Intelligence | Stories exploring machines that think, feel, or surpass human intelligence. | Ex Machina, Her, 2001: A Space Odyssey, I, Robot, Blade Runner | Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller | Philosophical, Unsettling, Fascinating |
| Identity & Self-Discovery | Characters grapple with who they are, where they belong, or what they believe. | Fight Club, Eternal Sunshine, Memento, Black Swan, Parasite | Drama, Thriller, Sci-Fi | Introspective, Disturbing, Revelatory |
| Love & Romance | Films centered on romantic love, attraction, heartbreak, and connection. | Casablanca, Titanic, La La Land, Before Sunrise, Pride & Prejudice | Romance, Drama, Comedy | Warm, Emotional, Longing |
| Crime & Investigation | Detectives, cops, or ordinary people investigate crimes and uncover truth. | Se7en, Zodiac, Knives Out, Chinatown, Prisoners | Crime, Mystery, Thriller | Suspenseful, Cerebral, Dark |
| Friendship & Loyalty | The bonds between friends tested by adversity, time, or circumstance. | The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me, Toy Story, Superbad, Good Will Hunting | Drama, Comedy, Adventure | Warm, Touching, Bittersweet |
| Family & Parenthood | The complexities of family bonds, parenting, and generational conflict. | Kramer vs. Kramer, The Godfather, Ordinary People, Hereditary, Up | Drama, Horror, Comedy | Emotional, Complex, Tender |
| Political Power & Corruption | Films about the abuse of power, political machinations, and systemic corruption. | All the President's Men, The Wire, Spotlight, Succession, Vice | Drama, Thriller, History | Cynical, Important, Gripping |
| Supernatural & Paranormal | Stories involving ghosts, demons, gods, or forces beyond natural explanation. | The Sixth Sense, The Conjuring, Rosemary's Baby, The Shining, Get Out | Horror, Fantasy, Thriller | Eerie, Unsettling, Mysterious |
| Sports & Competition | Films about athletes, sporting events, and the drive to win. | Rocky, Whiplash, Moneyball, Rush, Remember the Titans | Sport, Drama, Biography | Inspiring, Intense, Triumphant |
| Biography & True Story | Films based on real people's lives and actual historical events. | Schindler's List, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Social Network, Oppenheimer, Selma | Biography, Drama, History | Inspiring, Sobering, Fascinating |
| Space & Cosmic | Exploration of outer space, alien civilizations, and humanity's place in the cosmos. | Interstellar, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Gravity, Arrival, Dune | Sci-Fi, Adventure, Drama | Awe-inspiring, Vast, Philosophical |
| Grief & Loss | Characters processing the death of a loved one or the loss of something precious. | Manchester by the Sea, Requiem for a Dream, Coco, Up, Hereditary | Drama, Horror, Animation | Devastating, Tender, Cathartic |
| Race & Social Injustice | Films confronting racism, systemic inequality, and the struggle for civil rights. | 12 Years a Slave, Get Out, Selma, BlacKkKlansman, Moonlight | Drama, Thriller, History | Powerful, Urgent, Sobering |
| Mental Health | Stories exploring psychological illness, trauma, and the inner life of the mind. | A Beautiful Mind, Silver Linings Playbook, Black Swan, The Perks of Being a Wallflower | Drama, Thriller, Biography | Sensitive, Intense, Hopeful |
| Road Trip & Journey | Characters travel across vast distances, discovering themselves and others along the way. | Into the Wild, Little Miss Sunshine, Nebraska, Mad Max: Fury Road, Nomadland | Drama, Adventure, Comedy | Free-spirited, Melancholic, Liberating |
| True Crime | Based on real criminal cases, murders, and investigations. | Zodiac, Mindhunter, Making a Murderer, The Act of Killing, Memories of Murder | Crime, Documentary, Thriller | Disturbing, Gripping, Sobering |
| Class & Wealth | Films examining economic inequality, class mobility, and the divide between rich and poor. | Parasite, Knives Out, The Pursuit of Happyness, Crazy Rich Asians, The Square | Drama, Thriller, Comedy | Satirical, Tense, Eye-opening |
| Religion & Faith | Stories exploring spirituality, religious institutions, doubt, and belief. | Silence, Spotlight, Calvary, The Mission, First Reformed | Drama, History, Thriller | Contemplative, Challenging, Spiritual |
| Environment & Nature | Films about humanity's relationship with the natural world and ecological crisis. | Beasts of the Southern Wild, Princess Mononoke, First Reformed, Don't Look Up | Drama, Fantasy, Documentary | Awe-inspiring, Urgent, Beautiful |
| Immigration & Diaspora | Stories of people who leave their homeland and navigate life in a new culture. | The Farewell, Minari, In America, The Terminal, Brooklyn | Drama, Comedy | Nostalgic, Tender, Bittersweet |
| Technology & Digital Life | Exploring how technology, the internet, and digital culture shape human experience. | The Social Network, Her, Ex Machina, Black Mirror, Searching | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller | Unsettling, Thought-provoking, Relevant |
| Music & Art | Films about musicians, artists, and the creative process. | Whiplash, Bohemian Rhapsody, Once, Amadeus, Black Swan | Drama, Music, Biography | Passionate, Inspiring, Intense |
| Gangsters & Organized Crime | The world of mob bosses, crime families, and criminal organizations. | The Godfather, Goodfellas, Scarface, City of God, The Departed | Crime, Drama, Thriller | Brutal, Operatic, Compelling |
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