Heat
The movie that changed everything for me. In a way it’s hard to write a review because I may have seen it more than any other. I’m too entrenched with the material. So instead of a review or a Letterboxd quip, I’ll just write a long rambling love letter about some of the great aspects of the film. I saw this movie when I was a kid. I heard my parents talking about it and it sounded amazing so…
I’ve heard this described as a Heat (1995) homage. It’s not. It’s a movie that rips off scenes, situations, and dialogue directly from Heat and then makes them kind of trashy. It’s like if Heat was written by Mann while he was binging Monster energy drinks and chain smoking Marlboro Golds. There’s also some “homages” to other films like Usual Suspects and pick a David Ayer movie, but…. It kind of works. If nothing else, it’s a lot of fun…
Wes Anderson’s best movie. The mix of melancholy and dry humor is a combination that had aged like a fine wine over the years. And it’s a film that just seems to mean more the older I get.
And, if you pretend a few movies don’t exist, it’s the absolute perfect final movie for Gene Hackman.
What do you get when you take inspiration from classic cinema like Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and Lumet’s Network and use that to tell a Joker origin story? A masterpiece. This is my type of movie. I'm drawn to films with exceptionally compelling performances, dysfunctional people, and not much plot to weigh down the story or performances.
Joaquin Phoenix’s performance is phenomenal. He hits every note perfectly and balanced the line of sympathy and horror to perfection. No one has done…
Enjoyable, but I’m surprised how surface level so much of it is. Also, seems like a big missed opportunity not to talk to more people. I like Alex Gibney, but this feels like a less focused than most of his work.
Some good stories by Chase, even if many have been heard before. Some great behind the scenes footage, but not nearly enough. If you want a more in the weeds deep dive, watch the Talking Sopranos podcast.
