Contemporary Noir
While a film noir movies lists generally include films from the 1940s and 1950s, it is also possible to find examples of new film noir movies, as well as those made in the 1970, 1980, 1990s and 2000s. French for black film, noir movies routinely feature morally ambiguous characters committing crimes with greed or lust as a motivation. Hard-boiled private eyes and treacherous dames are also staples of the genre....
The Black Dahlia (2006)
5.6/10
Director: Brian De Palma
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Aaron Eckhart, Scarlett Johansson, Hilary Swank, Mia Kirshner, Mi...
Brian de Palma tackles one of Hollywood's grisliest and most sensational unsolved murders, adapted from the fictional novel by James Ellroy. Elizabet... Read more
The Wrong Man ( aka Lucky Number Slevin ) (2006)
7.5/10
Director: Paul McGuigan
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Lucy Liu, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Peter Outer...
This thoroughly entertaining noir-ish revenge flick is packed with wry one-liners and pop-culture references ala 'Pulp Fiction', and boasts a similarl... Read more
Invisible Waves (2006)
6.7/10
Director: Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Starring: Tadanobu Asano, Hye-jeong Kang, Eric Tsang, Toon Hiranyasup, Ken Mitsuishi, Mari...
Kyoji is a chef in a mobster-run restaurant who, unwisely, has been having an affair with his boss' wife. When they are discovered the husband orders... Read more
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang ( Blu-ray ) (2005)
7.6/10
Director: Shane Black
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Val Kilmer, Corbin Bernsen, Michelle Monaghan
From Shane Black, the man who wrote the book on buddy flicks - kicking off the "Lethal Weapon" series, comes this astonishing and hilarious directoria... Read more
A History of Violence ( Blu-ray ) (2005)
7.5/10
Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Ed Harris, Maria Bello, Viggo Mortensen, William Hurt, Stephen McHattie, Ashton...
Adapted from a graphic novel, Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is a quiet man living a quiet life in Indiana. A quiet shattered when a pair of fugitives wa... Read more
Sin City ( Blu-ray ) (2005)
8/10
Director: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller
Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Brittany Murphy, Bruce Willis, Clive Owen, Elijah Wood, Michae...
Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller together adapted three of Miller's noir-drenched stories from his famous comic series. With a stellar cast (includin... Read more
Batman Begins ( Blu-ray ) (2005)
8.3/10
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Morgan Freeman, Gary O...
The Dark Knight's origins are finally explored on the big screen. Fuelled by vengeance following his parents' murder, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) tra... Read more
Veronica Mars: Season 2 (2005)
8.4/10
Starring: Kristen Bell, Percy Daggs III, Teddy Dunn, Jason Dohring, Francis Capra, Ryan Ha...
Season 2 of this cult favourite begins when Veronica misses the bus - a school bus that minutes later plunges off a cliff into the Pacific. It may be... Read more
Shadowboxer (2005)
5.6/10
Director: Lee Daniels
Starring: Cuba Gooding Jr, Helen Mirren, Vanessa Ferlito, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Macy Gray,...
Attempting to re-invigorate the fatigued gun-for-hire genre, this bizarre, if not somewhat deranged thriller stars Helen Mirren as a trained assassin... Read more
Brick (2005)
7.4/10
Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Nora Zehetner, Lukas Haas, Noah Fleiss, Matt O'Leary, Emil...
A fresh take on the hard-boiled noir, this festival hit stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as an outsider teen-turned-stoic gumshoe after his ex-girl (Emilie... Read more