Favorite Films of All Time, No. 12

 


In 2022 I'm revisiting my favorite films of all time, doing a countdown of the Top 50 throughout the year. Check back each Friday for the latest installment in the countdown of films, which include releases through 2019. Agree? Disagree? Have a thought on the choice? Be sure to share in the comments below!

Neil McCauley: Don't let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.

Heat (1995)
Starring: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Dennis Haysbert, Ashley Judd, and Ted Levine
Director: Michael Mann
About: I have long been a fan of Michael Mann as a director. He's crafted some incredible and compelling films, from Manhunter and Last of the Mohicans to The Insider and Miami Vice. But his best film and my favorite is the 1995 crime epic Heat. The film is nearly three hours and chronicles the cat-and-mouse game between LAPD detective Vincent Hanna (Pacino) and crew leader Neil McCauley (De Niro). The film is remembered largely for featuring the first on-screen scene between the icons. They had been stars for years and even appeared in the same film, most notably The Godfather Part 2 in 1974, but had not shared a scene together on screen. That moment when they first come face-to-face in Heat is incredible, but it's just one piece of the puzzle. I love the story and characters, the richness of the journey and the arc of this film. The pacing and set pieces are captivating, particularly the climatic sequence and shoot out following the robbery in downtown Los Angeles. It was unlike anything I'd seen and still is a sequence in the film that captivates me. Heat is journey, it sucks you in and keeps you engaged throughout. It's a film I've seen many, many times and never cease to appreciate. It was an easy pick to end up on this list.

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