Now Here’s An Item …
… that makes me smile.

The English movie mag Empire is running a feature on its Web site promising a crash course in all things film noir. The feature promises to make you an expert in just 10 movies and it includes plot summaries and pix from such classics as “The Maltese Falcon,” “Double Indemnity” and “The Long Goodbye.”

If you’re like me and still can’t get enough noir to satiate your needs, may I suggest the amazing Hard Case Crime line of paperbacks edited by Charles Ardai? The line features both reprints of old classics and new works, including the incredible “Songs of Innocence.” After a year’s break, the line is set to relaunch in August with a whole new set of titles.

It’s well worth your time.