In 2021, I watched 508 movies. This is not healthy or wise behavior, but this was not a healthy or wise year. In order to extract at least some value out of those 1000ish hours, I’m going to write about it.

South Korea’s been quietly putting out the best noir in the world for over two decades by my count, and digging through 80-ish of those films this year was an absolute blast. If you’re a fan of neo noir and you’re looking for the contemporary best-in-class, this article’s not a bad place to start.