A few notes on genre:

noir
Crime movies, 40s-50s, generally black & white, emphasis on mood.


neo-noir
Noir from the 60s on.
Generally made with an acute awareness of the noir that preceded it.


gothic
Of or relating to a style of fiction emphasizing the grotesque, mysterious, and desolate. - Webster's II. Covers a wide range, from horror to romance.


drama
Generally serious in outlook, often with social overtones.


film gris
Noirish. Often subsumes sub-genres such as thriller, suspense, spy, gangster.


war
War is hell.


science fiction
Futuristic, but often a critique of the present.


comedy
You wouldn't think a set called Dark Energy would lay a lot of emphasis on laughs, but irony abounds, and screwball often fits in well.


surrealism
Emphasis on the irrational, the subconscious.

fantasy
Wild, visionary fancy - Webster's.


documentary
Down to bare bone.