Movies About Sociologists

From Edgar Wright, starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Bill Nighy
Rated R

Hot Fuzz is a 2007 action-comedy film directed by Edgar Wright. The film stars Simon Pegg as an overzealous police officer who is transferred from the Metropolitan Police Service in London to a small town in the West Country. His partner, played by Nick Frost, is an unambitious local police officer who must come to grips with his partner's extreme enthusiasm. The two must work together to uncover a conspiracy that puts the entire town in danger. Along the way, they encounter a host of colorful characters and must battle an array of villains. Hot Fuzz is a hilarious and light-hearted take on the cop genre.

From Directors: José Padilha, Felipe Lacerda, starring Sandro do Nascimento, Rodrigo Pimentel, Luiz Eduardo Soares, Anonymous
Rated R

Bus 174 is a 2002 Brazilian documentary film directed by José Padilha and Felipe Lacerda. The film follows the story of Sandro do Nascimento, a homeless young man from Rio de Janeiro whose attempted robbery of a bus in 2000 resulted in a highly publicized hostage situation. Through interviews, archival footage, and recreations, the documentary provides an in-depth examination of the events leading up to the incident and its aftermath. It digs into the social, political, and economic conditions that shaped the life of Sandro and other young people like him, and ultimately explores the complex issues of poverty and inequality in Brazil. The film ends with a call to action to help the thousands of homeless youth in Rio, and shines a light on the struggle of those living on the margins of society.

From David Fincher, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards
Rated R

Zodiac is a suspenseful crime drama based on the real-life investigations of the Zodiac killer in the San Francisco Bay Area during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Directed by David Fincher, the film follows the story of crime reporter Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.), cartoonist Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), and police inspector Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo), as they attempt to hunt down the elusive killer. The investigation is filled with twists and turns as the Zodiac killer sends taunting letters to the police, newspapers, and the public, evading capture and continuing to commit murders. The film also features an all-star cast including Robert Duvall, Chloë Sevigny, John Carroll Lynch, and Anthony Edwards. With its gripping suspense and thrilling performances, Zodiac is a must-watch for crime movie fans.

From Directors: Don Siegel, Clint Eastwood, starring Clint Eastwood, Andrew Robinson, Harry Guardino, Reni Santoni
Rated R

Dirty Harry is a 1971 crime-action film starring Clint Eastwood as Harry Callahan, a San Francisco police inspector whose ruthless tactics and take-no-prisoners attitude make him an unlikely hero. After a violent bank robbery, San Francisco is terrorized by a psychopathic killer known as Scorpio, and Callahan is assigned to the case. He soon realizes that Scorpio is playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the police and must use any means necessary to stop him. With a strong cast and gritty direction from Don Siegel and Clint Eastwood, Dirty Harry is a classic action-thriller that is still widely regarded as one of the best cop films ever made.

From Fatih Akin, starring Baki Davrak, Gürsoy Gemec, Cengiz Daner, Tuncel Kurtiz
Rated Not Rated

The Edge of Heaven is a 2007 German-Turkish drama film written and directed by Fatih Akin. The film follows the lives of two different families in Germany and Turkey who, despite their cultural and religious differences, become connected by fate. When Ali Aksu, a Turkish immigrant, learns that his daughter Yeter is engaged to a German man, he disapproves and decides to visit his daughter in Germany. Ali's unexpected death brings Yeter and her German lover, Nejat, together. Nejat then goes to Turkey to search for Ali's estranged son, Ayaz. As fate would have it, Nejat's daughter, Lotte, is also looking for Ayaz, who is now living in Turkey. The two families form an unlikely bond, with each trying to make sense of their own lives as well as the life of the other. In the end, they are all left to grapple with the consequences of their decisions and the power of fate.

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Todd Field, Sydney Pollack
Rated R

Eyes Wide Shut is a psychological drama thriller directed by Stanley Kubrick that follows the story of Dr. Bill Harford (Tom Cruise), a successful doctor living in New York City. After his wife, Alice (Nicole Kidman), confesses to fantasizing about another man, Bill embarks on a nighttime odyssey of sexual and moral discovery. His journey leads him into the seedy underworld of Manhattan and ultimately to a secret society ritual that threatens to tear apart his marriage and family life. Ultimately, Bill is forced to confront his own dark desires, as he faces the ultimate challenge of whether or not he can save his marriage and himself.

From Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, starring Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman, Garrett Hedlund
Rated R

From Roman Polanski, starring Emmanuelle Seigner, Mathieu Amalric
Rated Not Rated

From Directors: Abbas Kiarostami, Banafsheh-Shay Modaressi, starring Rin Takanashi, Tadashi Okuno, Ryô Kase, Denden
Rated Not Rated

From Florin Serban, starring George Pistereanu, Ada Condeescu, Mihai Constantin, Clara Voda
Rated Unrated

From Bernard Rose, starring Virginia Madsen, Xander Berkeley, Tony Todd, Kasi Lemmons
Rated R

From Bryan Singer, starring Ian McKellen, Brad Renfro, Joshua Jackson, Mickey Cottrell
Rated R

From Emilio Martínez Lázaro, starring Ernesto Alterio, Paz Vega, Guillermo Toledo, Natalia Verbeke
Rated R

From Albertina Carri, starring Analía Couceyro, Albertina Carri, Santiago Giralt, Jesica Suarez
Rated Not Rated