The film noir genre made me the cinema buff I am today. I love just about everything about it, from the style, cinematography, screenplay, snappy dialogue and the twisty labyrinth crime plots. It's cynical gritty themes on tortured souls, shady characters, tragic fates and sexually manipulative femme-fatales have always stuck with me. And the anti-heroes and mobsters unhealthy obsessions, lusts and desires that include greed, sex and murder make this the most influential genre, and for me, the best genre ever. These pessimistic themes have throughout the years crossed over from the post-war period into modern neo-noir and even into the science fiction genre, exploring more modern complex subjects creating many more iconic stories. I ignored comedic and self-aware hipster noirs like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Brick. And I had to add the 90s television cartoon series Batman: The Animated Series because it was the first noir I have ever seen and gave me my very first taste of things to come.
