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Joel Bender

Director, editor, writer and producer

Works as
Director, editor, writer and producer
Titles
12 on MovieCove · 18 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 20% in 30 days

What are Joel Bender's films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Bonds.

Genres

Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 19th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Horror3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 8th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 13th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 19th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
24%
Bonds
23%
Power
18%
Morality
13%
Survival
13%
Self
9%
Ideas
2%
Survival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFame2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 12 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 6 · Serious 4 · Dark 2

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 7 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 5 · Charged 5 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 7 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Dread
5
Joyful
2
Hopeful
3
Thrilling
3
Other
10

How their films linger

Fun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Joel Bender's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Subscription and free streaming for Joel Bender's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

18 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Window of Opportunity(2015)

    Editor · Producer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The True Adventures of Raoul Walsh(2014)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Dark Desire(2012)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Cursed(2010)

    Director · Editor

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Karla(2006)

    Director · Editor · Writer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Vlad(2003)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Immortal Combat(1994)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Midnight Kiss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director · Editor

  • Rich Girl(1991)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Immortalizer(1989)

    Director · Editor

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • The Runnin' Kind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Editor

  • Warrior Queen(1987)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Tenement (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Screenplay

  • R.S.V.P.(1984)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Returning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director

  • A Girl's Best Friend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Writer

  • Gas Pump Girls(1979)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Night-Flowers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Associate Producer

Career shape

A full career of 16 titles from 1979 to 2014.

Biggest box office

Rich Girl (1991)

$561K worldwide

Highest rated

The Cursed (2010)

Midcredits 45th

Most popular right now

Warrior Queen (1987)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing7 of 16: 3 only directing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score23rdWriting6 of 16: 4 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing1 of 16: 1 only producing, 0 with another roleEditing7 of 16: 4 only editing, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score15th

16 titles, 4 with more than one role — directing and editing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1970s2 · crew1980s6 · crew1990s4 · crew2000s1 · crew2010s3 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Joel Bender's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 15th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 12 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 16th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

16thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Approval · how many liked their films

20thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Reach · how many have seen their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up1
  • 50th to 74th1
  • 25th to 49th1
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 12 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser1
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · producer, editor

Window of Opportunity (2015)

89th percentile spread · 50% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer, producer

The True Adventures of Raoul Walsh (2014)

Midcredits 87th · 78% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 50/100 and the pacing 38/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Joel Bender's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 67 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 56 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Joel Bender work with?

People who share at least 2 of Joel Bender's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Michael D. Sellers shares the most, 2.

Writers

Actors

Composers

Producers

Mixed roles