2024 Blind Spot Series: Heat

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What I knew going in: That it is known as one of Michael Mann's best films.

Happy 2024! This is my first Blind Spot pick of the new year. Coming in a bit late post wise, but better late than never. Heat is one of those movies that my husband and I kept talking about wanting to see, but never getting around to it. With the end of the month creeping up on me, I decided to pull the trigger.

Michael Mann is a director I needed to give a second chance. Not because I disliked his films, no. He's made several good ones, but because I never put much thought into what he was doing behind the camera. With Ferrari coming out recently, It made me want to see more of his work.

What surprised me the most about Heat was that it kept me intrigued for all 3 hours of its run time. I won't lie, I looked at that before hitting "play" and immediately assumed I'd be bored for part of it. But I was wrong. I should've known Al Pacino and Robert De Niro would keep me entertained. Both of their characters are quiet unlikable, but it was still fun to watch their very loud game of cat and mouse.

I'm happy to be proven wrong by a film. I didn't expect to think much of this at all, but it was a great film and a good way to start 2024 in the Blind Spot department.

Grade: B+

Comments

  1. thevoid99January 28, 2024 at 5:21 PM

    Glad you liked this as I grew up on this film when it came out in the 1990s as it was unlike anything I saw as a teenager at that time. It still holds up. Yet, I have to remind myself that it's a big-budget remake of his 1989 TV movie L.A. Takedown as the only actor that appears in both of those films is Xander Berkeley who plays Natalie Portman's dad in the film but played the guy that gets de Niro's crew in trouble i the TV movie. It's available on YouTube for free as that is one of 4 films of Mann that I need to see as I will have my Auteurs piece on him coming in the fall.

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    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 29, 2024 at 11:58 AM

      I'm curious how similar they are, looking forward to your review!

      Delete
  2. joel65913January 28, 2024 at 7:30 PM

    I liked this well enough the one time I watched it without ever having the desire to return to it. Mann can be a terrific director but he can also be madly inconsistent. This came during a strong run for him sandwiched in between the two pictures of his I like best-The Last of the Mohicans (my favorite of all his films) and The Insider.

    Of course the showpiece of this is the acting duel between Pacino and De Niro and they bring it as only they can surrounded as they are by a strong cast of excellent performers but where you mentioned that you didn't really feel the length I did. It held my interest but there were times were it dragged for me.

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 29, 2024 at 11:58 AM

      I imagine all the press for this film was about them finally sharing some screen time.

      Delete
  3. BirgitJanuary 28, 2024 at 8:31 PM

    I'm glad you like this film. It is quite good and Sharon Stone was also good in this

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    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 29, 2024 at 11:57 AM

      Sharon Stone isn't in this one, are you thinking of Casino? Because if so, I agree!

      Delete
    2. AnonymousJanuary 31, 2024 at 7:42 AM

      Ooh craps…you’re right. Both are good.

      Delete
  4. AnonymousFebruary 2, 2024 at 3:47 PM

    Oooo I love HEAT. I can't even guess how many times I have watched it over the years.

    ReplyDelete

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