I'm going to recommend three rentals for your weekend viewing pleasure.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

No particular reason. I happened to catch all three of these in the last month or so and realized they're pretty much three completely different takes on the same story. They're sort of "neo noirs" I guess you could say. Modern Sam Spade type detective stories with a twist.

First up-

The Caveman's Valentine

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cavemans_valentine/

Starring Samuel Jackson. Unlike the other seventy movies he made that year, this is one he really wanted to do. In this movie, the detective, Jackson, plays a mentally ill homeless man trying to solve the murder of another homeless man. It's the sort of crime most of society would never take a second glance at. It has a lot of cliches, it stretches suspension of disbelief to the breaking point, and it had mixed reviews. But the good thing about movies with mixed reviews is that it generates more conversation.

Next up-

Brick

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/brick/

This time, the detective is a high school student, trying to solve the murder of his ex-girlfriend. This is the movie that Alpha Dog wanted to be. The interesting thing is that it shows teenagers as real people who experience real love, feel real pain, and committ real crimes. The dialogue isn't anything like what real teens talk like. But that's what makes it noirish, and entertaining. Here, instead of a hard nose cop who plays by the book giving Sam Spade trouble, you've got the high school vice principal. Instead of the informant bookie who knows everything about everyone, you've got the nerd in study hall. I can't remember Sam Spade's mom ever showing up asking if he wants milk and cookies though. Lots of new faces in this one.

Last but not least-

The Salton Sea

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/salton_sea/

Val Kilmer's a dirty, strung out, scummy drug addict. He's covered in tattoos, enjoys crappy rock music, and going on benders filled with coke, meth, and for all we know paint thinner fumes. Worse, he's a snitch, ratting out even his closest friends. But the thing is, it's all part of his plan. He's under deep cover. He's looking the man who murdered his wife, a bystander in a drug crime. Lots of interesting, and scary, secondary characters in this one. Good twist in the end.

That's all for now.