November is a month with many labels. It’s a time for writing novels (NaNoWriMo), giving thanks (Thanksgiving), celebrating Indigenous history and culture (Native American Heritage month) and going unshaven to spread awareness about men’s health (Movember and No-Shave November), but that’s not all!

I just learned November holds one more theme close to my film nerd heart: Noirvember.

The idea is simple. Spend the month diving into the dark corners of cinema where shadows stretch long, motives twist, men in cool hats talk in heightened theatrical rhythms and no one gets out clean. 

Film noir has always had a hold on me, dating all the way back to when I was a youngin’ watching Who Framed Roger Rabbit? on channel 13. I remember marveling at the vivacious cartoon woman and grumpy human man existing in the same frame, but I had no idea I was being indoctrinated to fall for the hard-nosed detective maneuvering through the shadows of a doomed city to help a dame who might be trouble (but is using her sex appeal to manipulate him for her own purposes, ofc).

So, in the spirit of Noirvember and my love for expanding your watchlists, I pulled together a few titles that capture that same mix of grit, temptation, sexual frustration and moral fog and where you can watch ‘em. Enjoy!

1. Brick – Rian Johnson

My fave quote: “I got all five senses and I slept last night. That puts me six up on the lot of you.” Delicious!

Premise: In a California high school filled with secrets, an introverted student named Brendan investigates his ex-girlfriend’s death. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, in one of his first big adult roles, brings the perfect amount of intensity to a story that reimagines Dashiell Hammett-style detective cool through teenage slang and fluorescent gloom. I still can’t believe this was Rian Johnson’s directorial debut and that it was made for $475,000—2005 was truly a different era. What a time to be alive.

Where to Watch: Ugggh, this one is only available to rent right now, which sucks. Hopefully, Netflix brings it back since Rian Johnson’s newest Knives Out is releasing next month.

2. Devil in a Blue Dress – Carl Franklin

My fave quote: “A man once told me that you step out of your door in the morning, and you are already in trouble. The only question is, are you on top of that trouble or not?”

Premise: Set in post—WWII Los Angeles, the film follows Easy Rawlins, a jobless veteran drawn into a search for a missing woman that exposes racial fault lines and political corruption. Denzel Washington plays him with a relaxed coolness, and Don Cheadle steals the whole film as his volatile friend Mouse. It’s both a detective story and a portrait of a segregated city, adapted from the legendary Walter Mosley novel.

Quick aside: Mouse might be one of my top 10 favorite movie characters of all time, and in a perfect world, we would’ve gotten an entire movie devoted to him and his shenanigans. 

Where to Watch: Check it out on YouTube for free 

3. The Nice Guys – Shane Black

My fave quote: “I think I’m invincible, it’s the only thing that makes sense. I don’t think I can die!”

Premise: Set in smog-choked 1970s Los Angeles, The Nice Guys follows two mismatched private investigators (Ryan Gosling’s neurotic screw-up and Russell Crowe’s grumpy enforcer) as they stumble into a conspiracy involving a dead adult film star, a missing girl and the auto industry. I struggled to choose between this film and Shane Black’s other perfect LA noir, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, but this one’s slightly funnier to me, and this list could use some lightening up. 

Quick aside: As I’m writing this, I’m starting to see a location bias that I should probably call out. I’m an LA native and have always had a soft spot for movies set in my hometown, but the recs are very much worth a watch!

Where to Watch: Again, this one’s only available for rent, but it’s definitely worth the $3.99 or a DVD purchase!

4. The Lowdown – Sterlin Harjo

My fave quote: “Oh, I’m sniffing at the right hole, and it stinks.”

Premise: Set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, The Lowdown follows Lee Raybon (Ethan Hawke), a used-bookstore owner and self-styled “truthstorian” inspired by Lee Roy Chapman, a real-life citizen journalist who was known for chasing uncomfortable truths in the city. When the black-sheep son of a powerful family turns up dead, Lee starts digging and uncovers a mess of corruption, buried land deals and old secrets tied to the Washberg clan. The show’s absolutely stacked with A-list talent—Jeanne Tripplehorn, Keith David, Kyle MacLachlan, Tim Blake Nelson, Peter Dinklage, Killer Mike and more—and the banging old-school country soundtrack ties it all together perfectly. 

Quick aside: This noir series from Reservation Dogs creator Sterlin Harjo is my favorite series of the year. It just wrapped its first season, and I am desperate for FX to renew it so I can watch Lee and his band of misfits get into more hijinks in Tulsa. I’ve pre-accepted its cancellation because every show I love gets snatched away from me so stakeholders can make another buck, but I want to be desperately surprised by a season 2 announcement. PLEASE! 

Where to Watch: Hulu

5. Mona Lisa – Neil Jordan

My fave quote: “You can never tell with women, George. They’re different. They wear skirts and like to powder their noses and when they go to heaven they get wings.”

Premise: Fresh out of prison, George (Bob Hoskins) lands a gig driving a high-end escort (Cathy Tyson) through London’s criminal underworld. The job starts simple, then turns messy once he catches feelings and realizes he’s way out of his depth. This is a working-class British noir through and through. George is just a man trying to do right in a world that keeps pulling him down

Where to Watch: Stream on HBO Max

6. Under the Silver Lake – David Robert Mitchell

My fave quote: “Well, there’s no getting out now, so I might as well make the best of it.”

Premise: Another LA neo-noir, and one every film bro you know probably loves—and not-so-secretly self-inserts into. The film follows Sam (Andrew Garfield), an aimless slacker who becomes obsessed with finding his missing neighbor and tumbles into a maze of codes, conspiracies and hidden messages buried in pop culture. Since its 2018 release, the film’s cult following has grown, with fans actually roaming the city trying to track down its clues and landmarks in real life. 

Where to Watch: Tubi for free or Fandango at Home for free

7. The Pickup on South Street – Samuel Fuller

My fave quote: “I have to go on making a living so I can die. But even a fancy funeral ain’t worth waiting for if I’ve gotta do business with crumbs like you.”

Premise: My list is way too modern, so I wanted to shout out a classic spy noir. In Pickup on South Street, a pickpocket snatches a woman’s wallet on the subway and finds microfilm tied to a Communist spy ring. The job drags him into a Cold War chase through the underbelly of New York. Thelma Ritter is a total standout here as the over-it informant just trying to get by. The dialogue is delectably snappy, and the film moves at a quick clip.

Where to Watch: Internet Archive for free and Tubi for free