So, the big question is this - what the heck is neo-noir? Sadly, there's no definite answer to this itchy question, but maybe let's try unraveling this mystery with the history of the term. So, neo-noir comes from the French term film noir used to describe neo's predecessors, meaning "dark movie." And while the forerunners of the genre, which originated between 1945 and 1960 in the United States, were often shot in literally black and white, that isn't what the 'dark' part means. In fact, it was used to describe a movie telling a sinister story, shot in a gloomy, shadowy way. Skipping to the current day and straight to neo-noir - the main criteria for a film to be called as such is for it to have… film noir themes and sensibility. Clear as day, right?
Since we all agree that trying to pick apart the genre leads to no definite success, why not try to watch some of them and then decide what neo-noir films are really about? And a good place to start would be to check out our collection of the best neo-noir movies that we've gathered on this list. Some of our submissions might surprise you - have you ever thought of The Dark Knight as a film noir? No? Well, try and rewatch it having this in mind! And what about Pulp Fiction? Thought it was a mere pulp crime flick? Nope again. See, it turns out that neo-noir has been living with us for a long time now; we just had no idea of its name.
Okay, get ready for loads of suspense, thrills, and ominous stories, for you will find all of it in our best movies list. Once you are there, give your favorites a vote and share your thoughts on these magnificent movies in the comments section!
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