The majority of movies today have that sort of Neo-noir feeling which is because of the Iraq War. This
modern-era in film is interesting though, it reminds me of the post-classical Hollywood era in the late 1960s up until the early 1980s. As a moviegoer today films do involve serious issues that we all need to be aware of in our communities in which films do speak and give a major affect on our culture. I give credit to the film The Departed and Martin Scorsese because the film for one is serious and realistic but symbolic in it's meaning such as the rat crawling atop the balcony at the final scene of the movie. The film gave you that sort of zero sum feeling at the end, though, that expresses what we are as a nation are struggling with right now considering the Iraq War, and the mafia in general. Though there are so many other movies in 2007 that have tried to come close to The Departed like We Own The Night which is only a take off on The Departed. Film will always have it's depressing times, though, I think it's an affect on our society that we live in today.

Shine A Light is going to be awesome, a new documentary classic!

@Filmmaker1138: It's interesting you should say that movies have this darker mentality to them, because I think Robert Redford would agree. He's said over and over how he thinks the festival has become too dark in recent year, and how he was looking forward to this year's crop bringing about some much needed levity. You don't have to look far to see it--Be Kind Rewind has garnered the majority of the buzz, and so light it could probably be classified as slapstick. Martin McDonagh's In Bruges is about two hit men, and it's a comedy.

I think you're right in that filmmakers reacted to the Iraq war by making darker fare. Is it possible they're now reacting to that reaction?