Top 100 Movies Of The 1990's: #29 Heat
Box Office: $67.4 Million
Oscar Nominations: None
Oscar Wins: None
MovieRankings.Net: 93/100
Available To Stream: Tubi, Amazon Prime ($4)
It's tough to explain the hype and excitement that surrounded Heat when it came out. The concept of getting a crime movie with both Robert De Niro and Al Pacino actually acting together was almost too good to believe. I think that much hype and excitement hurt the movie when it came out. People had expectations that were nearly impossible to meet. I know I did.
This came out when I was 15 and I practically ran to the theater. I walked out not nearly appreciating it as much as I should have. This is a movie with some issues but it's still a very good movie with some great performances.
In hindsight, Robert De Niro should have gotten much more credit for his work in 1995. Casino came out in November followed by Heat in December. I think this might have hurt both movies. Both were largely ignored when award season rolled around. Maybe they cancelled each other out in a way? De Niro is incredible in both movies and really makes this movie so much better in a way Pacino didn't.
Have my friends and I been using this quote with each other for nearly 30 years? Yes. Does this bizarre performance belong in the movie? Absolutely not. In the diner scene, both Pacino and De Niro are incredible. But this weird acting job by Pacino is kind of a shame. I understand he believed his character was supposed to be coked out of his mind but all of that was supposedly cut. Whatever the reason for the choice, it drops the movie down a notch for me. It's so odd and needlessly distracting.
It's pretty wild how great and bizarre this cast is. Having Val Kilmer at the peak of his career to be the 3rd billed guy (and really the heart of the movie) was huge. You also have very good actors like Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Natalie Portman mixed with people you'd never expect like Tone Loc, Danny Trejo, Jeremy Piven and Hank Azaria. You could also argue that Ashley Judd and Amy Brenneman are rarely (if ever) better.
Is this Michael Mann's best movie? I think it's my favorite. You could argue The Insider (#45) is a better movie. Collateral and Heist are also both awesome. I don't really like The Last Of The Mohicans or Public Enemies so this is probably the top of the list for me. The heist shootout scene is one of the best action sequences in movie history.
Is Heat too long and bizarre at times? Absolutely. But it's also an all-time crime movie with specific scenes that are among the best in movie history. I wish people in 1995 (including myself) appreciated it more when it was originally released.
Monarchy. Shutterstock Images.29. Heat
30. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
31. Rounders
32. Unforgiven
33. Trainspotting
34. The Game
35. Out Of Sight
36. Carlito's Way
37. Seven
38. L.A. Confidential
39. Speed
40. Gattaca
41. Misery
42. Tombstone
43. Ransom
44. Wayne's World
45. The Insider
46. Back To The Future Part III
47. A Bronx Tale
48. The People Vs. Larry Flynt
49. Eyes Wide Shut
50. The Sandlot
51. Happy Gilmore
52. Contact
53. The Green Mile
54. Man On The Moon
55. Boyz N The Hood
56. Grosse Pointe Blank
57. Independence Day
58. The Rainmaker
59. Go
60. The Firm
61. Magnolia
62. The Talented Mr. Ripley
63. Tommy Boy
64. The Usual Suspects
65. In The Line Of Fire
66. My Cousin Vinny
67. Awakenings
68. JFK
69. Toy Story
70. Home Alone
71. Jerry Maguire
72. Titanic
73. Billy Madison
74. Apollo 13
75. Braveheart
76. Edward Scissorhands
77. Cape Fear
78. The River Wild
79. What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
80. 12 Monkeys
81. Stir Of Echoes
82. Mission: Impossible
83. Total Recall
84. Quiz Show
85. For Love Of The Game
86. Being John Malkovich
87. Men In Black
88. Scream
89. Alive
90. Three Kings
91. Glengarry Glen Ross
92. Die Hard With A Vengeance
93. The Blair Witch Project
94. Twister
95. Dirty Work
96. Election
97. Tremors
98. Any Given Sunday
99. The Wedding Singer
100. Clerks