Shades of Dark

A dark comedy about the bitter rivalry between a film noire style private eye agency and a group of black film style guns for hire.  The two groups battle it out in a comedic mix of cinematic styles with serious implications about the nature of race relations.  Eventually members of each group band together to take on a local crime lord.

The Tragedy of John Hamnet

Modern film noire about a private investigator who is drawn into a crime family by the jealous would be heir of an assassinated don.  Story closely parallels the classic tragedy, Hamlet by William Shakespeare.  John Hamnet discovers secret tapes made by the don, implicating his brother (the new don) in his murder.  He becomes increasingly absorbed in the case until eventually it becomes personal.  Of course, it culminates in a massive gunfight, resulting in the deaths of most of the principals and a takeover by the neighboring crime family.