Logging

Film:  Heat with director commentary

Despite seeing this film over 10x, I never watched the director commentary on the later DVD reissue.  Fascinating stuff.  I think critics of this film cite the over plotting and Al Pacino playing it "too big."  I don't see it.  Pacino's over-the-top scenes are played purposeful, to throw his CI's and other rats off.  They are strategic from a character standpoint.  As for the over plotting, this film pre-dates The Wire and other realistic novel-dramas we are now accustomed to watching on TV and is interested in building the same type of fully realized world.

Someone in film school called this a "beautiful, flawed film," to me, damning it by faint praise.  I believe the film grows in stature with time and I personally prefer watching it to The Godfather, which is probably the best film of all time.  And also, just to be a prick, I think Thief is a better movie than Taxi Driver.

UPDATE:  Think about the ridiculous number of actors in the film who are principally known for other things (now or then) as either stars or huge character actors.

Al Pacino - Michael Corleone
Robert DeNiro - Travis Bickle
Val Kilmer - Iceman, Jim Morrison
Tom Sizemore - common character actor
Ashley Judd - star of a series of female thrillers
Tom Noonan - The Tooth Fairy and other serial killers and creeps
Ted Levine - Buffalo Bill
Bud Cort - Harold and Maude
Jon Voight - Joe Buck
Wes Studi - any Indian Chief in any modern movie
Dennis Haysbert - the President in 24
William Fincher - common character actor
Mykelti Williamson - Limehouse on Justified
Amy Brenneman - Private Practice
Natalie Portman - child actor turned Oscar winner
Hank Azaria - Bart Simpson
Danny Trejo - B movie star via Robert Rodriguez
Henry Rollins - musician, radio program host
Tone Loc - musician
Jeremy Piven - Ari Gold

That's 20, not even counting Diane Venora.