yeti speak…

love a heist

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What is it about these heist movies that really perks my interest?  We watched the 2003 version of The Italian Job with some friends recently.  I really liked it (despite the cheesiness that will always float around Marky Mark’s aura.)  It made me curious as to why these types of thievery movies are so satisfying.  Movies like Oceans Eleven / Twelve, The Thomas Crown Affair, Sneakers, The Great Train Robbery, and even Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers… 

Is it the Robin Hood in me that wants the rich to get poorer?  Well, in these movies the money is usually just shifted around.  The poor usually don’t see a red cent.  So I guess Robin Hood is a bit of a stretch.

Perhaps, it’s the well-crafted plan–the con–that I like.  I think I can appreciate when people are able to use their wiles to get around "the system."  It’s that strong individuality and value of cunning that is ingrained in me that cheers as the Mini-Coopers speed away with the gold.

What about you?  Do you ever find yourself drawn into a good heist flick?  I just wish I knew how to crack a safe…

5 responses to “love a heist”

  1. pete Avatar
    pete

    Ah yes…The Score, featuring Robert Deniro and Marlon Brando’s first onscreen pairing ever.

  2. yeti Avatar
    yeti

    i didn’t see that one…is it worth watching? or maybe i did…does that also have val kilmer in it?

  3. Michelle Carnes Avatar
    Michelle Carnes

    Yup.. I admit… I really like the movie. I love these theif movies that portray the theifs as the “good guys”. And those with the dough, the “bad guys”. And well, I like Mark Mark, where is his funky bunch? …ha ha. He’ll never live it down being the brother of Donney Walberg from “The New Kids On The Block” either. “Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! ,.. hang’ing tough!” What’s funny is I have a friend named Tommy that looks just like Mark. Kinda trips me out when I watch the movie.

  4. Mr. W. Arfarin Avatar
    Mr. W. Arfarin

    I love heist movies, and love to give lists of good heist movies.

    The original Italian Job is supposed to be good, too.

    The grandaddy of them all is Rififi (spelling). It was made in France by a blacklisted American director during the 40s or 50s, I believe. Excellent movie.

    Stanley Kubrick’s The Killing is an incredible example of the sub-genre as well. But it’s part of the sub-sub-genre of when a heist goes bad.

    A lesser known heist movie is one called Topkapi. It’s quite humorous, and it takes place in Turkey.

    The Sting with Redford and Newman is stellar.

    And then there is one of my favorite Mamet movies, a House of Games.

    Heat is a great one, too. It’s one of my favorite Michael Mann movies. That’s the one that stars Val Kilmer, Deniro and Ashley Judd.

    And the obviously titled Heist is great as well.

    Finally, Nine Queens. It’s Spanish dish with subtitles, but it’s well worth your time.

    The thing about heist movies is that they are also con-movies. I can give you a list of good con-artist movies, but that’s another day. The above list has overlap with con-artist movies.

    Enjoy!

  5. yeti Avatar
    yeti

    wow, mr. arfarin,

    now i have some new ones to put on the list…

    although most of those you mentioned won’t be easily accessible here…but some will be.

    i think i’ve seen the sting and heat. i like con movies, too. i’ve probably seen more of those.

    thanks for the comments everyone.

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