No disrespect to Halloween and spooky month, but Noirvember has always been more my jam. Conceived by film writer Marya E. Gates in 2010, Noirvember became the answer for those wanting to spend a dedicated month celebrating the vibey film noir genre.
Film noir has given us countless classics to dive into (such as Fritz Lang's 1931 stone cold classic M, currently available on the Criterion Channel and Hollywood Suite in Canada), but there are many offerings for those wanting a more contemporary take on the genre as well. From Ted Danson to Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the private investigator is alive and well on streaming platforms, while Kristen Stewart and newcomer Aurora Ribero put their own spin on the archetype of the femme fatale.
Grab your trench coat and find a spot in the shadows — Happy Noirvember!
For more streaming recommendations, be sure to read our past editions of Tune In or Turn Off here for more hits and misses.
Tune In: A Man on the Inside
(Netflix)
Based on the Oscar-nominated documentary The Mole Agent, Ted Danson plays a retiree who accepts a gig as a private investigator infiltrating a retirement home. Recalling classic spy motifs and tropes, A Man on the Inside is one of the most delightful shows with just the right amount of emotion and humour. Danson is a legend of television, and his latest series reminds us why.
Tune In: Disclaimer
(Apple TV+)
A rousing drama that turns the Rashomon device on its audience, Alfonso Cuarón offers up a bewildering seven episodes of television adapting Renée Knight's novel of the same the name. Cate Blanchett stuns as a famous journalist whose past comes back to haunt her when a book is published detailing a harrowing event in her youth. The series has divided viewers, but regardless of how the landing sticks, Cuarón's storytelling will reverberate episode to episode.
Tune In: Love Lies Bleeding
(Prime Video)
Lesbian bodybuilders fall in love, inject steroids and get involved in organized crime — the classic American love story. Love Lies Bleeding mashes neo-noir, thriller, mystery and romance into a visually captivating film, the second feature film from British director Rose Glass. The chemistry between Kristen Stewart and Katy O'Brian pings off the screen, driving the film forward to its rather fantastical conclusion.
Turn Off: Killer Heat
(Prime Video)
In Killer Heat, Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a private detective, "Jealousy Man," investigating the death of his client's husband's twin. The film goes hard on the noir genre, and each element is done fairly well, including the performances of Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley and Richard Madden. Unfortunately everyone is let down by an aggressively flat film. By the time Killer Heat's plot twist ending reveals itself, we're already checked out and looking for shade.
Turn Off: Knox Goes Away
(Prime Video)
A film that disappointed me greatly at TIFF last year, Knox Goes Away finds its way direct to streaming as I had predicted. Michael Keaton's performance as a hired killer in the early stages of dementia is stellar as expected, and the premise has incredible promise, as do the noir elements. The journey we take as an audience, however, is far too arduous for what awaits us in the end.
Tune In: The Shadow Strays
(Netflix)
One of my favourite action films of the year, The Shadow Strays takes the femme fatale trope and turns it on its bloody head. Timo Tjahjanto (who is currently filming Nobody 2 in Winnipeg) adds to the bold reputation Indonesian cinema has developed for itself in the action space with some noir flavouring. In her film debut, Aurora Ribero comes out of the gate, guns blazing, and quickly wins over audiences with her physicality and emotional explosiveness.
Turn Off: Wolfs
(Apple TV+)
Come for George Clooney and Brad Pitt, stay for.... Well, there's not much else. Even with the star power and radiating charisma of two of Hollywood's most revered actors, Wolfs just never finds its spark. Clooney and Pitt bounce off each other in their tried and tested manner, and it's truly a joy to watch them together on screen again. But the film itself is simply aimless and lacking in intrigue or any actual entertainment beyond the duo's banter.