November was a pretty crazy month personally, but it was also the seventh year of Noirvember, which seems to have gotten bigger than I ever could have dreamed. It’s also the part of the year where many, many great films find their way into theaters. As always, you can see everything I watched last month behind the cut.

1. Mystery Street
2. The Naked Kiss
3. Moonlight (2016)
4. One False Move
5. Tokyo Drifter
6. Gimme Danger
7. Border Incident
8. Dead Reckoning
9. I Died A Thousand Times
10. Storm Warning (1951)
11. Farewell, My Lovely
12. Cruel Gun Story
13. Stray Dog
14. The Frontier
15. Christine
16. Arrival
17. Drunken Angel
18. The Enforcer (1951)
19. The Sorrow and the Pity
20. The Phenix City Story
21. Dial 1119
22. Black Angel (1946)
23. Storm Fear
24. Force of Evil
25. Loving (2016)
26. The Edge of Seventeen
27. High And Low
28. Fallen Angel
29. Aquarius
30. Whirlpool
31. JFK
32. Nocturnal Animals
33. I Am Waiting
34. Pale Flower
35. Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice
36. A Colt Is My Passport
37. Take Aim At The Police Van
38. Branded to Kill
39. Le Samouraï
40. Black Widow (1987)

1880s: 0
1890s: 0
1900s: 0
1910s: 0
1920s: 0
1930s: 0
1940s: 8
1950s: 9
1960s: 10
1970s: 1
1980s: 1
1990s: 2
2000s: 0
2010s: 9

I couldn’t narrow it down to just five films and do both Noirvember and all the great new releases I watched this year justice, so instead here are several highlighted favorites.

The Naked Kiss, 1964 (dir. Samuel Fuller)

I’d been meaning to catch this one for ages and I’m so glad I finally did. It’s a slick neo-noir (right at the beginning of neo-noir in my opinion, as films were beginning to consciously draw upon the noir films of the 40s and 50s), with a pretty feminist twist and features one hell of a lead performance from Constance Towers.

Moonlight, 2016 (dir. Barry Jenkins)

This is hands down my favorite film of the year so far. It’s so beautiful and raw and powerful. If you want to see a film that is brimming with empathy and a genuine love for humanity, this is the film you just have to see.

Storm Warning, 1951 (dir. Stuart Heisler)

I just happened to watch this super bleak noir about the KKK on election day. I had no idea what I was getting into with the film and I had no idea what we were getting into as a country, but it seemed the universe was trying to prep me psychologically.

Christine, 2016 (dir. Antonio Campos)

Another favorite film of the year featuring probably a career-best performance from Rebecca Hall. The film tells the true story of Christine Chubbuck, a news reporter who committed suicide on air in the 1970s. It’s a weighty subject for sure, but it’s done with such compassion for Christine by all involved.

The Edge of Seventeen, 2016 (dir. Kelly Fremon Craig)

What a delight this film turned out to be! I was hesitant at first as the writer/director has written one of my least favorite films (Post Grad), but I loved Hailee Steinfeld so much in True Grit and the trailer was great, so I took a chance. I’m so glad that I did. It’s one of those teen films that feels authentic and true to the angst of being a teenager in a way a lot of teen films really fail to capture. Just wonderful.

Fallen Angel, 1945 (dir. Otto Preminger)

It took three trips to Videodrome here in Atlanta to finally rent this film! As irritating as that was, it was also really exciting to realize that so many people had been interested in the film this Noirvember! This is one of the few Preminger noir films I had left to watch and it did not disappoint. It features great performances from Dana Andrews and Linda Darnell, as well as some really killer noir visuals.

Aquarius, 2016 (dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho)

I saw this trailer a million times leading up to finally seeing this film and it was every bit as good as the trailer made it look. Much like American Honey, this was a film that as nearly 3 hours long and when it was over I just didn’t want it to end. Sonia Braga is amazing in the lead role. I just wanted to hang out with her forever. This film also features one of the most perfect endings I’ve ever seen; a pure mic drop moment.

I Am Waiting, 1957 (dir. Koreyoshi Kurahara)

This was hands down my favorite discovery this Noirvember. It wears its American noir influences proudly, but it’s also deeply Japanese. It’s romantic and dark and sad and hopeful all in one perfect noirtastic package.

Branded to Kill, 1967 (dir. Seijun Suzuki)

I watched three Seijun Suzuki movies this Noirvember and I must say he may not be a director for everyone, but boy does he have a point of view and an inimitable style.

So that as Noirvember 2016. I hope you were able to watch lots of wonderful films this year! I can’t believe we’re already at the last month of the year. And, boy, what a crazy year it’s been!