Thanks for including Devil’s Advocate. That movie definitely does not get the love and attention it deserves. Keanu is decent in it but everyone else is *stellar*.
Godfather III isn’t a good movie, it’s two potentially good movies stitched into one giant bad one. They should have done the Vatican thing OR the NYC thing. I know the first two went back and forth with Sicily in one and the past in two, but they didn’t pull it off in three.
NONONONONO listen, listen…im going off topic but….
You know the cheesy voiceovers from Carlito’s Way, the ENTIRE book it’s based on is written that way. And the author was a no joke criminal court judge with a rep for handing out heavy sentences. It’s bizarre and amazing.
Edwin Torres. There are some interviews with him on the movie’s Criterion release. He talks about how Carlito and many of the characters are based on people he grew up with or came across in the criminal justice system. He also sounds remarkably similar to the voice/accent Pacino is trying to do in the movie.
Great list, though Heat is underrated IMO. The GREAT ASS line is a favorite, but I think the speech to Justine and Ralph is more quintessentially Vincent Hannah. "You know, you can ball my wife if she wants you to... ...but you do not get to watch my TELEVISON SET!"
I probably am underrating Heat here. The "television set" line is another great line (in a movie full of them)... It's fun to joke about or imitate what Pacino is doing in Heat, but it also thoroughly works and is WAY MORE entertaining than just watching some actor play it down the middle.
Great list! And I love that you put The Insider first too. Such an underappreciated performance. Pacino as the exasperated, chain-smoking, honestly tired of this shit producer is somehow louder than all his "ah" moments, but in the quietest way. That's real acting.
Heat is one of the greatest films of the entire decade, the best film of its genre, and is 100% the high point of almost every cast member from that decade with the exceptions of De Niro who was in Goodfellas and Ted Levine who was in Silence of the Lambs.
Completely forgot about Tombstone. That’s his high point. Love that movie. I still loved Sizemore and Trejo in Heat more than Desperado and Saving Private Ryan. I wasn’t even thinking of Portman, only the adult actors…but I agree that her role in Heat is not as cool as The Professional.
I can't deny the influence of Heat. But I think it's often remembered more for its peaks (which, to be fair, are very high) versus its valleys (ex. almost all the dynamics between Pacino and DeNiro and their significant others).
Also not sure I can agree it's the 90s apex for every actor—Kilmer had Tombstone, Sizemore had Saving Private Ryan, Trejo is more essential/iconic in Desperado (though this is bigger), and Portman made more of an impact in The Professional.
Heat belongs in the top 3
Valid take. Most people would probably agree with you, just never totally worked for me.
Great list. I am glad we agree about the Insider. It's one of his greatest performances and IMHO Manns finest work. Check out my essay on this masterpiece: https://djraghavan.substack.com/p/of-men-and-their-craft-the-beauty?r=2shf0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Great essay. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for including Devil’s Advocate. That movie definitely does not get the love and attention it deserves. Keanu is decent in it but everyone else is *stellar*.
Yeah, Devil’s Advocate is incredibly rewatchable. It’s a ride.
Love Carlito’s Way, my fav performance of his.
All-time fave?
Yes. Haven’t seen Godfather.
Godfather III isn’t a good movie, it’s two potentially good movies stitched into one giant bad one. They should have done the Vatican thing OR the NYC thing. I know the first two went back and forth with Sicily in one and the past in two, but they didn’t pull it off in three.
It’s going for a Godfather epic canvas. But, unlike the others, it does not feel organic here. A lot of it feels forced.
NONONONONO listen, listen…im going off topic but….
You know the cheesy voiceovers from Carlito’s Way, the ENTIRE book it’s based on is written that way. And the author was a no joke criminal court judge with a rep for handing out heavy sentences. It’s bizarre and amazing.
Edwin Torres. There are some interviews with him on the movie’s Criterion release. He talks about how Carlito and many of the characters are based on people he grew up with or came across in the criminal justice system. He also sounds remarkably similar to the voice/accent Pacino is trying to do in the movie.
I waS a MEAN SONUVABITCH whILe sHE was aLIVE!
Great list, though Heat is underrated IMO. The GREAT ASS line is a favorite, but I think the speech to Justine and Ralph is more quintessentially Vincent Hannah. "You know, you can ball my wife if she wants you to... ...but you do not get to watch my TELEVISON SET!"
I probably am underrating Heat here. The "television set" line is another great line (in a movie full of them)... It's fun to joke about or imitate what Pacino is doing in Heat, but it also thoroughly works and is WAY MORE entertaining than just watching some actor play it down the middle.
Agree completely.
I often forget about The Insider, and more people need to talk about Any Given Sunday when they talk about his work, I feel.
Almost totally down the line, I agree. The Insider is an unsung masterpiece in a year of wall-to-wall masterpieces.
Yeah, ‘99 was stacked. And The Insider’s up there at the top for me.
Great list! And I love that you put The Insider first too. Such an underappreciated performance. Pacino as the exasperated, chain-smoking, honestly tired of this shit producer is somehow louder than all his "ah" moments, but in the quietest way. That's real acting.
I agree—I much prefer quiet-loud Pacino to loud-loud Pacino.
Heat is 1. The Insider is 2.
Heat is one of the greatest films of the entire decade, the best film of its genre, and is 100% the high point of almost every cast member from that decade with the exceptions of De Niro who was in Goodfellas and Ted Levine who was in Silence of the Lambs.
Completely forgot about Tombstone. That’s his high point. Love that movie. I still loved Sizemore and Trejo in Heat more than Desperado and Saving Private Ryan. I wasn’t even thinking of Portman, only the adult actors…but I agree that her role in Heat is not as cool as The Professional.
Sizemore might the toughest. Is this his best of all time? He’s really good here. “For me, the action is the juice,”
I can't deny the influence of Heat. But I think it's often remembered more for its peaks (which, to be fair, are very high) versus its valleys (ex. almost all the dynamics between Pacino and DeNiro and their significant others).
Also not sure I can agree it's the 90s apex for every actor—Kilmer had Tombstone, Sizemore had Saving Private Ryan, Trejo is more essential/iconic in Desperado (though this is bigger), and Portman made more of an impact in The Professional.
‘CAUSE SHES GOT A GREAT ASS’ line reading deserves #1
Fair point