10 Best Gangster Movies (Not Made By Martin Scorsese)
9. Heat
How do you ensure that your film has the most authentic world possible? One that's able to make you suspend your disbelief and get lost in the world you're watching. Well, having two actors that both essentially epitomise an entire genre of cinema would probably do the trick. Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are both names synonymous with the gangster film, and while the former's name is frequently tied to Martin Scorsese's movies, his work isn't solely reliant on that director's work. In fact, De Niro will feature many times on this list (as will Pacino, unsurprisingly) which provides more than just a fleeting example of gangster films that De Niro has starred in without the guidance of Mr. Scorsese. Directed by Michael Mann, Heat is the story of Lt. Vincent Hanna's (Pacino) completely unhealthy obsession with catching career criminal Neil McCauley (De Niro) and bringing him to justice after years of evading the law. Gritty, stylistic and superbly acted, Heat's charm is undeniable, and the scenes in which Pacino and De Niro converse with each other are priceless. Watching the two actors play off of each other with extremely credible chemistry is a treat to all the senses. Most definitely a film that must be seen.
Joe is a freelance games journalist who, while not spending every waking minute selling himself to websites around the world, spends his free time writing. Most of it makes no sense, but when it does, he treats each article as if it were his Magnum Opus - with varying results.
