Heat

Film Title: Heat
Year: 1995
MPAA Rating: R
Length: 171/188 (edited and unedited)
Film Genre: Action/Crime/Drama/Thriller
Director: Michael Mann
Producer: Pieter Jan Brugge
Writers: Michael Mann
Players:
Al Pacino as Lt. Vincent Hanna
Robert De Niro as Neil McCauley
Val Kilmer as Chris Shiherlis
Jon Voight as Nate
Tom Sizemore as Michael Cheritto
Amy Brenneman as Eady
Ashley Judd as Charlene Shiherlis
Natalie Portman as Lauren Gustafson
Dennis Haysbert as Donald Breedan
Plot: Neil McCauley heads a gang of heavily armed and highly determined theives/bank robbers who square off against Lt. Hanna in a deadly game of cat and mouse.
Acting: The acting in this film was top self. Pacino and De Niro give some mind numbing performances, makes you wonder why this is their only film together. Kilmer and Sizemore give amazing support to De Niro as members of his gang. Something to note, most of the support characters in this movie have gone on to big name success themselves (Judd, Portman, Brenneman and Haysbert.)
Cinematography Dante Spinotti does an amazing job as Cinematographer (Director of Photography), no wonder Mann has used him on three of his films (The Insider, Heat and Last of the Mohicans). Mann is an amazing director and you can truly see his unique style in this movie.
Visual: Mann shoots scenes a certain way. If you have seen the trailer for Miami Vice and his movies Collateral and Heat you will note his style. He loves night scenes intertwined with landscape shots, He loves night driving scenes with city lights reflecting on windshields and rear window, running scenes are close up and tight on the characters and a trade mark, he puts you right in the middle of the action. He puts you in the faces of the actors or over their shoulders, this adds so much to the intensity of the action. The movie is a visual masterpiece.
Audio: The sound for the movie is good for an action movie. Subtle volume changes between scenes of action and dialogue. The gun battles are amazing, a must for surround sound owners
When I watched it last: 1 hour ago
What to watch for: Amazing Performances by Pacino and De Niro as well as the supporting cast. Classic diner table scene as Cop and Criminal share a cup of coffee. Classic Michael Mann directing (vehicle tracking shots and down in the action gun battles)
What to watch out for: Excessive Language and Violence. 3 Hours Long!
IMDB Rating: 8.0 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: 3 1/2 out of 4 stars
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 9.0 out of 10. Beautiful movie, Amazing Cast, Incredible directing and Gripping story. This movie is the top of what the crime/action/drama genre should be, a must own.
--Reviewed by Jason