A Glean movie guide
Beyond the Mask: Gritty Crime & Chaos
High stakes. No easy answers.
Intense thrillers and grounded epics for fans of Gotham’s darkest hour.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Batman
A rain-soaked detective story that captures the same grounded, gothic intensity as the Nolan trilogy.
In his second year of fighting crime, Batman uncovers corruption in Gotham City that connects to his own family while facing a serial killer known as the Riddler.
- 02
Heat
The definitive crime epic that directly inspired the opening heist and urban scale of The Dark Knight.
Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.
- 03
Joker
A haunting character study exploring the psychological decay and societal chaos of Batman’s greatest foe.
During the 1980s, a failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.
- 04
Logan
A brutal and emotional farewell that treats the superhero genre with uncompromising, R-rated realism.
In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hideout on the Mexican border. But Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are upended when a young mutant arrives, pursued by dark forces.
- 05
Se7en
A bleak, atmospheric hunt for a serial killer who uses elaborate chaos to test the limits of justice.
Two homicide detectives are on a desperate hunt for a serial killer whose crimes are based on the "seven deadly sins" in this dark and haunting film that takes viewers from the tortured remains of one victim to the next. The seasoned Det. Somerset researches each sin in an effort to get inside the killer's mind, while his novice partner, Mills, scoffs at his efforts to unravel the case.
- 06
Sicario
A cold, tactical look at the moral compromises made in the pursuit of order during an escalating drug war.
An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.
- 07
The Departed
A high-tension game of moles and betrayal where the line between cop and criminal completely vanishes.
To take down South Boston's Irish Mafia, the police send in one of their own to infiltrate the underworld, not realizing the syndicate has done likewise. While an undercover cop curries favor with the mob kingpin, a career criminal rises through the police ranks. But both sides soon discover there's a mole among them.
- 08
Prisoners
A harrowing exploration of how far a person will go when the system fails to provide justice.
Keller Dover is facing every parent’s worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street.
- 09
No Country for Old Men
Features a terrifying, philosophical antagonist who represents the unstoppable and random nature of chaos.
Llewelyn Moss stumbles upon dead bodies, $2 million and a hoard of heroin in a Texas desert, but methodical killer Anton Chigurh comes looking for it, with local sheriff Ed Tom Bell hot on his trail. The roles of prey and predator blur as the violent pursuit of money and justice collide.
- 10
Skyfall
A personal and grounded Bond entry that mirrors Nolan’s focus on legacy and institutional collapse.
When Bond's latest assignment goes gravely wrong, agents around the world are exposed and MI6 headquarters is attacked. While M faces challenges to her authority and position from Gareth Mallory, the new Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee, it's up to Bond, aided only by field agent Eve, to locate the mastermind behind the attack.