The world of cinema has its own storytelling methods. Certain techniques have come to the fore in each period. The noir films produced between the 1940s and the 1960s had a very ‘anarchist’ spirit with their image, shooting technique and story. Neo: means new, noir: means black, and black stands out as new films. In other words, it can be described as new films noir in essence.
These films, which make great use of film noir elements, started to come to the fore after the 1960s. While the films shot between 1940 and 1960 were films noir, films made after these years are described as new noir because they combine with new technology. That is neo-noir. These films, which we can call modern noir films, refer to the classic film noir period abundantly, but were shot with new generation techniques. The term film noir was first used by Nina Frank.
Neo noir films come in large numbers as psychological dramas, crime dramas, psychological thrillers and films noir. Our struggling space antihero has to choose a path. Since the low-key lighting technique is generally used in the shooting angles of these films, it creates an even darker psychology. Anti-hero stories are often told in these movies.
Neo Noir movies to watch:
- Alien (1979)
- Blade Runner (1982)
- Terminator (1984)
- Twelve Monkeys (1995)
- Gatta (1997)
- Dark City (1998)
- The Matrix (1999)
- Collateral (2004)
- Drive (2011)
- Upgrade (2018)
- Joker (2019)
Crew landing on an unknown planet: Alien 1979
- Genre: Sci-fi/horror
- Year: 1979
- Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright
- Director: Ridley Scott
- IMDb: 8.5
Alien movie was published in our country under the name of Creature. The film, which tells the struggle for survival of the crew who had to land on an unknown planet, contains quite a lot of tension. The Nostromo spaceship has completed its mission and is returning to Earth. However, a request for help comes from another planet. They do not refuse this request for help, but there is something they do not think about.
Movie fighting robots that look exactly the same as humans: Blade Runner (1982)
- Genre: Sci-Fi/Action
- Year: 1982
- Cast: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young
- Director: Ridley Scott
- IMDb: 8.1
Dick Deckard is an expert fighter. He finally leaves his post. But before he leaves his post, he has to take care of one last job. It will identify and destroy the robots in the city, but there is a problem. All robots look like humans.
Timeless war machine movie: The Terminator (1984)
- Genre: Sci-fi/action
- Year: 1984
- Cast: Linda Hamilton, Michael Bienn, Earl Boen
- Director: James Cameron
- IMDb: 8.1
Designed to kill a criminal, the Terminator is the deadliest war machine in human history. It was designed to kill Sarah Connor and nothing can stop her. We can say that it is an effective example of human resistance.
The virus that declared war on humanity and the movie of the person fighting it: Twelve Monkeys (1995)
- Genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller
- Year: 1995
- Cast: Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Madeleine Stowe
- Director: Terry Gilliam
- IMDb: 8.0
Imagine a future where the human species is about to end. There is a team trying to investigate the events that caused the epidemic, and this team needs to travel in time. Our character is trying to solve the problem by going to the past.
The struggle of normal people with the superhuman race created by genetically modified: Gattaca (1997)
- Genre: Sci-Fi/Romantic
- Year: 1997
- Cast: Ethan Hawke, Umma Thurman, Jude Law
- Director: Andrew Niccol
- IMDb: 7.8
Developing technology in the 21st century now begins to interfere with human genetics and perfect humans are created. Superhuman race is also bred to perform special missions. But normal people began to be unemployed. This movie about this conflict presents a very immersive world.
The story of the man who wakes up one morning and is wanted as the perpetrator of brutal murders: Dark City (1998)
- Genre: sci-fi/dark
- Year: 1998
- Cast: Kiefer Sutherland; Jennifer ConnellyRufus Sewell
- Director: Alex Proyas
- IMDb: 7.6
Our character named John wakes up one morning in a hotel where he doesn’t know how. He realizes that he is wanted as the perpetrator of a series of brutal murders. He has lost his memory and does not remember whether he committed these murders.
The blue or red pill that offers a life in the throes of existence: The Matrix (1999)
- Genre: Sci-fi/action
- Year: 1999
- Cast: Keanu Reeves, Carrie Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne
- Director: Joel Silver
- IMDb: 8.7
Cities in the movie are occupied by machines. But there is one last remaining city. Trying to protect the city named Zion from the attack of machines, our character Neo falls into an existential process.
Owner and preferences of a taxi hired by a hitman: Collateral (2004)
- Genre: Action/Thriller
- Year: 2004
- Cast: Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Smith
- Director: Michael Mann
- IMDb: 7.5
There’s a hit man named Vincent. He has to get some work done, so he hires the first taxi he finds in Los Angeles. While the taxi driver doesn’t know anything, he makes a very good offer to her. The taxi driver accepts this offer and starts an adventure. Have a good time already.
Stunt by day and robber by night for driving fast: Drive (2011)
- Genre: Action/drama
- Year: 2011
- Cast: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston
- Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
- IMDb: 7.8
A stunt man in Hollywood drives very well. Thanks to his ability to drive fast, he also helps robberies at night. When the driver accepts an offer to help his neighbor, he embarks on a new adventure.
The story of a man integrating artificial intelligence into his body: Upgrade (2018)
- Genre: Sci-Fi/Action
- Year: 2018
- Cast: Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, Melanie Vallejo
- Director: Leigh Whannell
- IMDb: 7.5
A man paralyzed after an accident has an artificial intelligence-powered implant implanted in his body. This movie, which tells the adventure of a man who can reuse his body thanks to a chip implant, is waiting for you, dear cinema lovers.
A man’s answer to life: The Joker (2019)
- Genre: Thriller/crime
- Year: 2019
- Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz
- Director: Todd Phillips
- IMDb: 8.4
Would you like to witness the story of a man who was ostracized by society? Arthur, who is constantly in search of a new feeling and in pursuit of new ties, spends his life on the axis of two different masks. The resulting story will show certain turning points in his life.
It is also a movement that we see quite often that new generation cinemas often refer to and emulate noir films (dark themed). So what are your thoughts on this? Would you like to give different examples of neo noir films? We welcome your comments that will contribute to our content.