It’s Michael Mann’s birthday! To mark the occasion, here are five of my favorite films of his. Check some of these out!
Heat (1995)
One of the greatest films with one of the greatest casts of all-time. Michael Mann’s Heat influenced so many heists and crime movies after it came out that they still owe him royalty money because of the inspiration he gave. For the first time, De Niro and Pacino would share the screen together with a stacked supporting cast of 90s heavy hitters like Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Ted Levine, Ashley Judd, and young Natalie Portman just to name a few. Mann is so technically proficient in every aspect here, it’s hard to fit it all into the short excerpt.
Thief (1981)
Thousands of directors can only wish they could make anything this great at any point in their career, let alone in their debut like Mann does here. His technical prowess and style are on full display in his first film with one of the coolest characters ever played by James Caan.
Collateral (2004)
I love that Mann had Tom Cruise play a legitimate heel with no redeeming qualities here. It’s one of Cruise’s best performances and one of the few where he isn’t just Tom Cruise. Another gritty and realistic crime thriller where Foxx and Cruise have electric chemistry. Mann’s visual style and aesthetic can turn a pedestrian thriller into something fantastic.
Manhunter (1986)
This movie is always overlooked because of the success of The Silence of the Lambs but this version blows 2002’s Red Dragon out of the water. Brian Cox turns in an underrated performance as Hannibal Lecter but Tom Noonan as Francis Dollarhyde and Mann’s visuals steal the show. A thriller that doesn’t get talked about enough.
The Keep (1983)
This isn’t good and even Mann disowned it after the studio practically destroyed his version, but I still go back to it for some reason. A Michael Mann Nazi horror movie should have been a slam dunk if he had been left the hell alone.
What are some of your favorite films to feature birthday boy Michael Mann?
