In My Opinion: Ranking the Films of Michael Mann
This one wasn't easy...
 | Public Enemies (2009) |
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| I can't begin to tell you how much I have thought about this movie since seeing it last Thursday. Discussing it as I walked out of the theater I wasn't entirely convinced of what I thought of it. I knew I liked it, but there are some slow moments and it can be a bit repetitive, but the good vastly outweighs any bad I was able to dig out of it. If you look at it strictly for its action you are going to come away absolutely astounded. Just check out the "Gunfight at Little Bohemia Lodge" clip below for a taste, I honestly think this gunfight may beat the one in Heat. The performances of Johnny Depp as John Dillinger and Christian Bale as his pursuer, Melvin Purvis, are excellent, but the real standout is Marion Cotillard as Dillinger's girl, Billie Frechette. Cotillard's performance is the glue that keeps this film together and to think she only spoke broken English before accepting the role is astonishing. There is no doubt in my mind she will be nominated for a Supporting Actress Oscar and the photography by Dante Spinotti is also on my Oscar short list. This film is truly beautiful. I will save most of my comments for my official review of the film, but I will say that when I originally came out of the theater I couldn't put my finger on the overall purpose of the film and the telling of Dillinger's life. I felt it lacked motivation, but the more I thought about it the more I began to realize that is exactly the point. Dillinger didn't live for the future, his life didn't have direction outside of living in the here and now and Public Enemies captures that explicitly. It spans 13 months of Dillinger's life as he begins by breaking his buddies out of jail, robbing banks and finding love on his way to actually finding some semblance of where he would like his life to go. Sound familiar? Perhaps De Niro in Heat? The comparisons to Heat are endless… Along with the gunfight clip, I think the clip directly below featuring Depp and Cotillard is an absolutely fantastic moment in the film and is sure to get you ready to see it on July 1… More on this flick tomorrow… You're With Me Now Gunfight at Little Bohemia Lodge | |
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 | The Insider (1999) |
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| It is hard to believe The Insider can be so intense and aggressive when you watch it and realize it has none of the action scenes typically found in a Michael Mann film. People aren't getting shot or run over by semis and no one is breaking-and-entering. Instead we are battling with words, paper and process as Al Pacino and Russell Crowe deliver a pair of performances to remember. I would say this is easily Pacino's best performance in the past ten years as he managed to be Pacino without resorting to really going overboard, which I thought he did a couple times in Heat such as the "Gimme all yah got! Gimme all yah got!" tantrum. Instead, this is restrained, yet aggressive Pacino and going up against the quiet tenacity of Crowe as Jeffrey Wigand, a role that put him on the map following L.A. Confidential two years earlier, it was pure gold. I think one of the things I respect most about this film is the immediate recognition of dramatic license taken with the story, which actually precedes the end credits. Oftentimes films based on true stories forgo admitting where things were changed or not necessarily kosher with the true story. Here, Mann owns up to it before you have a chance to hit eject or walk out of the theater. Kudos. For more of my opinion on this one, I wrote a review last October which you can find right here, and now here is a clip from the film. | |
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 | Collateral (2004) |
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| Yup, Collateral is my all-time favorite Michael Mann film. Even with the ending, which I think we can all agree is nowhere near as good as the first three-quarters of the film. I don't care, by the time the ending rolls around and Max (Jamie Foxx) flips his cab, I was fully invested and whatever happened next was simply icing on the cake. When I first saw this film in 2004 I was not at all prepared for what was in store and it bowled me over. Tom Cruise is an absolute force as Vincent (the fact he wasn't nominated is a crime) and I love Mark Ruffalo's contribution to this film. Up until Collateral I had no eye for Ruffalo whatsoever, but I have been aware of him ever since. Collateral's dialogue is off the charts and the marriage of music and visuals is perfect, but if anything it is the determined nature of Vincent that keeps me coming back to this one and no one scene is more memorable from this film than the one below… "Hey homey! Is that my briefcase?" | |
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So there you have it, that's my ranking of the nine Michael Mann directed films… Here's the list again in short form to help you in cutting and pasting your own list into the comments:
- Collateral (2004)
- The Insider (1999)
- Public Enemies (2009)
- Heat (1995)
- The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
- Manhunter (1986)
- Thief (1981)
- Ali (2001)
- Miami Vice (2006)
If you've seen The Keep or even want to include some of his made-for-TV movies such as "The Jericho Mile" (another I haven't seen) toss them into the mix as well. Public Enemies hits theaters this Wednesday, July 1. For more on that film click here.
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I absolutely 100% agree with you on Collateral. That was by far the best movie of 2004!
Heat is one of my 5 all-time favourites. Simply incredible. Most of his other films are excellent, but none matched Heat in my opinion.
And I'm glad you liked PE so much. Reviews haven't been exactly glowing so far.
Heat has the best line in all the films: "Because she has a GREAT ASS! And you got your head ALL THE WAY UP IT!" God I love that line.
I can't remember, how was Cotillard's English in "Big Fish". I do remember wondering why Tom Cruise was "lead actor" and Foxx was "supporting" in Collateral.
@polishprince:
haha, yeah! definitely the best Al Pacino line ever!
I am a huge Mahunter fan, I also enjoyed Collateral, and Public Enemies is sure to be one of my favorite film of the year!
Cotillard always outshines most in her films. She is amazing!
Have to disagree, the gorgeous Gong Li was the best thing about MV. She was amazing.
i love every Mann movie because there are more ideas in a scene of Mann movie than a entire Bay (or many another directors)filmography! his movies aren't perfect but fascinating! even Miami Vice who is more, for me, a love story with action( but i dislike Colin Farell in this movie,he's too "i'm not really here")
I havent seen Public Enemies yet, but that clip is fantastic.
I'm the movie buff among my group of friends and they always ask me during the oscars what constitutes best sound editing and mixing…Gunfight at Little Bohemia Lodge is it!
if anything, the last mohicans should be no 1, i dont know about collateral, it was alright.
Great list, except for one problem. To put COLLATERAL in front of HEAT, THE INSIDER, and LAST OF THE MOHICANS, is down-right shocking! COLLATERAL needs to be moved down to number seven and then move everything above it up one notch, then you'll have your Michael Mann list. Don't get me wrong. COLLATERAL is a good movie. But it's right there with ALI and MIAMI VICE as far as Michael Mann films go.
Alright brad if you remember me you know I comment on all Mann topics cause I love him and love the fact you share th love as well. I enjoyed your list very much but this is what I wanted to say
Miami Vice I feel is a film that grows on you but I feel the love story in the movie was an Interesting one because it was one that wouldn't ever last just like in Heat with Edie and De Niros love storyin heat and the ending music in Miami Vice on the beach and you hear the wind is so beautiful because they are having to walk away from eachother even though they don't want to at all. I feel Mann was trying to show us the true life struggles we have with dealing with hard choices and that's why I enjoyed it soo much but I agree not his best work.
The funny thing is I saw manhunter 4 years ago on amc and was shocked I didn't know about it before I love it.
I agree with all others but now to Heat. Heat is my all time favorite movie but sometimes I like the insider and collateral more. But I will say this I felt the ending to Heat worked because remember earlier in the movie with the amazing diner scene? That was simple an just them well I feel Mann wanted that for their final scene because in truth they are just two men in this big world but yet they were soo much like eachother and you can tell my Hannahs face that he din want to do this. I read in a book about Mann thy he said they hold hands because de niro is happy to have someone with him as he "rolls out". I ejoy that shot very much because it was the first action film I ever saw where the good and bad guys respected eachother but in truth you also dint hate the bad guy in this movie either. I feel that Heat is a REAL to life film. Also that alot of it really happened is cool fact to know too. But I am happy to see so many people love this film like I do
The Insider I agree with exactly everything you said it's such an amazing film and fighting with words is exactly it! Very underrated film I hope gets a nice 2 disc dvd bluray soon. But 3 shots in the film that set te tone the driving rang. The bullit in the mail box and te
beach phone scene and the blue setting simply beautiful.
Collateral. Again agree with everything even with Ruffalo I thought that was an amazing job by him and such a great person in the film I loved how he just kept going because it didn't feel right just perfect Because it have us the sometimes need break from max and vincent to show us that everything they are doing isn't going unnoticed. Both Foxx and cruise were amazing but I liked the end because of it's draw back to vincents story to earlier and that Vincent almost seemed happy rondos there because he has a little smile on his face with that great shot of him alone on the train.
Now Heat has the best( so far) shootout iv ever seen in my life and iv seen many great flicks Collateral is def the second best because of the intesne happenings and panic around them and cruise trying to kill his target while Fanning is trying to get max out of there and his very unexpected turn once they get out of the club. Miami Vice was amazing as well let us remember I believe in the theatrical verison there is no nonpoint so I agree it was unneeded but it def wasn't always there.
I want to ask everyone esp you brad if you all notice Manns use of dark blue lighting in his films ( manhunter on the beach in the begining sorta. The Insider beach again and Heat when he comes home to his appartment) amazing touch to show emotion I think.
Great write Brad thank you for this read
The Heat shootout is second best ever, in my opinion, to the final in "Way of the Gun" with the great line by Del Toro before "There's always free cheese in a mousetrap". That and the first two minutes by Sarah Silverman make it great.
The Insider is complex and fantastic, much better and developed than Collateral in my opinion; I think it is Russell's best performance yet.
Ugh, Collateral? I thought that movie was grossly overrated. Are you a Scientologist, btw? Perhaps that explains the rating. Anyways, my favorite has got to be Heat. That was such a heart pounding thriller. Great acting between Pacino, DeNiro, and Kilmer. Heat was what was emulated for Dark Knight.
I'd take Insider, and probably Public Enemies next after I see it. And Miami Vice last. Ferrell and Fox can't act, in my opinion. Oscars disagree, but then oscars suck.@polishprince: That was a friggin great line.
Insider is tops for me, but Collateral is right up there too.
" …I honestly think this gunfight may beat the one in Heat."
Sure can't wait for this one
Collateral…YES
I agree Collateral is his best movie. Heat was too boring for me. I feel PE will be better than Collateral though.
Collateral was great. I would rank it best. Last of the Mohicans next and then Heat.
I haven't seen The Insider yet. Not sure how. Will make more of an effort now. Can't remember Manhunter specifics. It's been a while. Ali and Thief have not seen yet.
I have seen The Keep a number of times. I would rank it in the top half of the list. Probably after Heat. I loved the unpredictability of Collaterall and The Keep has some of that. Very entertaining.
I have been waiting forever for Public Enemies.
@adu: If you found Heat boring I'm not sure Public Enemies is going to be your kind of movie.
Hey BB, am I the only one that thought Mario Van Peebles performance in ALI was amazing, he was spot on as Malcolm X more so than Denzel(yes I said it!) I studied so much of Malcolm when I was younger that you'd be hard pressed to give me info I didnt already know, so I know that Mario's portrayal of Malcolm was more accurate, and the fact that Mann included Malcolm in the movie as Spike for some incredibly strange reason had not even mentioned Ali in his movie, so props to Mann and Mario!!
It is all about Heat… Heat is the greatest crime drama in the history of film.
Watch it again if you don't believe me, the acting, the story,the homework that Mann did with actual modern day cops & robbers,the sound!!!!
Everyone goes on about the amazing shoot out scene and rightfully so but when you really spend time watching this film over and over it has so much more than just great gun scenes, it is beautiful and poetic, in short flawless.
The only thing unfortunate are the films that followed… The Insider was the best of the post Heat films but watch Collateral again,it is so good for the first half but it slowly gets digested into hollywood pablum and at the end Tom Cruise turns into the terminator,so sad.
Manhunter is very good as well, i know it is dated and a little clunky but Mann is about style and feeling so this film captures it very well. Anyone rolling there eyes right now needs to sit down and watch Heat again, no distractions,no breaks,no pausing, just sit and watch it.
It is all about Heat!
Collateral carried by Tom Cruise and Javier Bardem.Score is out of this World.
But,Jamie Fox and the pretty lawyer lady take it down from a 9 to a 7.5.A shame.
Before I forget….the actor who worked in the jazz bar was hauntingly electric…
his scene is without peer.
Ummm dude, the pretty lawyer lady is ummm actress and wife of Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith? wow you didnt know her name?
well Collateral is definitely the best flick and not only the best of Mann, but the best of its genre of all time, it's deep, stylish, clever and serious movie, dialogues are polished to the shine, every single scene is a true masterpiece, this is movie to be watched more than one time, it's just terrific movie and second place goes to Miami Vice, it's also as good as Collateral, so these two movies are the best for me of Mann's collection, talking about all others I can say that all the movies of Mann are amaizing, that's is way he's my favorite director