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Best Heist Movies: 22 Top Heist Films Of All Time

Tags: film movie heist

The best Heist movies of all time are classics and deserve to be watched again and again. This list is in no particular order as they are all equally good.

Ever wanted to rob a bank? Here is your chance to do so vicariously.

A list of the best heist movies ever made that will keep you on the edge of your seat as they unfold before you.

The Best Heist Movies Of All Time

Are you ready? Do you have your best disguise on? Here’s our list of the best heist movies of all time.

Sexy Beast (2000)

Naveen Kumar, an Indian-born American writer, and filmmaker set out to make a Film about the human condition.

What he created was a documentary that captured what it means to be both animal and human in such a way as has never been done before.

His journey took him from Hollywood’s obsession with youth culture and beauty standards to Bollywood’s celebration of sensuality and sexuality.

The result is Sexy Beast, which explores the universal connections between sex appeal and power without being exploitative or voyeuristic.

In the film, Sexy Beast (2000), Ray Winstone plays a retired criminal who is lured back into crime by Ben Kingsley’s character.

The film examines how greed can bring out an intense desire to return to one’s old life and do what they love again.

Sexy Beast [Blu-ray]

Heat (1995)

In the 1995 film Heat, Al Pacino stars as Lieutenant Vincent Hanna, a detective who is on the trail of Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro), an experienced criminal and leader of a group of skilled robbers.

The film tells their story from both sides: Hanna’s investigation into McCauley’s crew and simultaneous planning for one last heist.

What begins as a cat-and-mouse game gradually becomes more personal when the two men confront each other in person – with deadly consequences.

The story follows these two characters as they are both trying to escape the law enforcement officers chasing them down, all while also trying to find each other before it’s too late.

The movie was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won four of them, including Best Supporting Actor (Val Kilmer), Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Film Editing.

“Heat” has since become an American classic that many people still enjoy watching today.

Heat (Remastered) [Blu-ray] [1995]
  • Al Pacino, Robert De Niro (Actors)
  • Michael Mann (Director)
  • German, French, Spanish (Subtitles)
  • Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)

Logan Lucky (2017)

In the film, Logan Lucky (2017), Jimmy Logan and his brother Clyde are two men who have been in prison for the past seven years.

The brothers come up with a plan to pull off an elaborate robbery during the Coca-Cola 600 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which is attended by more than 100,000 people and has over 140 million viewers on TV.

They assemble a team of criminals from their hometown including Joe Bang (played by Daniel Craig) to take part in this heist.

In order to finance this big event they need money so they decide to break into a construction site near where they live that houses some old bulldozers that can be sold for scrap metal after being broken down. To get enough money for everything else needed for

The movie stars Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Seth MacFarlane, Riley Keough, Katie Holmes, Katherine Waterston and Daniel Craig.

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Logan Lucky [Blu-ray] [2017]

BEST HEIST MOVIES

What Are Heist Movies?

Heist movies are a type of film that usually involves criminal activity.

The people who commit the crime are typically characters in an organized team, often led by a mastermind and they are portrayed as highly intelligent.

These movies have been around since the early days of cinema, but there is one person credited with creating this genre: Edwin S. Porter’s “The Great Train Robbery” (1903).

The Usual Suspects (1995)

The Usual Suspects is a 1995 film directed by Bryan Singer and starring Stephen Baldwin, Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri and Pete Postlethwaite.

The movie follows the story of Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey) who tells an unknown officer about his involvement in a heist gone wrong.

The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and won two for Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Pete Postlethwaite). Audiences enjoy this suspenseful crime thriller that is full of twists.

This 1995 movie directed by Bryan Singer is a mystery thriller that follows the investigation of Kevin Spacey’s character, Roger “Verbal” Kint.

The storyline is told from Verbal’s perspective and we learn about how he was brutally interrogated by two police detectives for hours in an attempt to get him to confess his involvement in a heist that went wrong.

He manages to escape from custody without ever giving up any information or names of those involved.

The film has been ranked as one of the best movies of all time on many ranking lists which makes it worth watching if you haven’t seen it yet!

The Usual Suspects (Blu-ray)
  • Audience Rating: Unrated (Not Rated)

Baby Driver (2017)

In 2017, Edgar Wright released his newest film Baby Driver. This action-packed film is about a talented getaway driver who is coerced into working for the mob after being forced into debt by them.

This movie has received many positive reviews and will surely be a hit with audiences of all ages.

It stars Ansel Elgort as Baby, Kevin Spacey as Doc, Jamie Foxx as Bats, Jon Hamm as Buddy, and Lily James as Deborah.

The soundtrack features tracks from artists such as Queen, T Rex, Beach Boys and Talking Heads among others.

It was written and directed by Edgar Wright and stars Ansel Elgort as the titular driver, Kevin Spacey as villainous boss Doc, Jon Bernthal in an “unexpected role,” Lily James as Debora, and Jamie Foxx.

Baby Driver [Blu-ray] [2017] [Region Free]
  • That's My Baby: Edgar Wright featurette
  • I Need A Killer Track: The Music featurette
  • Devil Behind The Wheel: The Car Chases featurette
  • Meet Your New Crew: Doc's Gang featurette
  • Commentary with Edgar Wright & Bill Pope

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Reservoir Dogs is a 1992 American crime film that was written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.

It stars Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney and Chris Penn as six criminals in Los Angeles who plan a jewelry heist.

The movie’s title refers to the way the characters refer to themselves after they each assume aliases taken from famous gangsters such as Mr. White – “Reservoir Dog” – and Mr. Pink – “Mr. Blonde.”

The movie follows a group of criminals who are planning a diamond heist, but end up getting sidetracked by kidnapping an undercover cop.

What ensues is an intense tale that will leave you on the edge of your seat wondering what happens next.

The movie tells the story of six criminals who band together for a diamond heist but end up being double-crossed by each other after one of them turns out to be an undercover cop.

This wildly popular cult classic has been hailed as one of Quentin Tarantino’s best films.

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Reservoir Dogs (15th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray]
  • Blu-ray
  • Blu-ray, Color, Dolby
  • Spanish (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
  • 1
  • 99

Inception (2010)

Inception is a 2010 science fiction film written and directed by Christopher Nolan.

The movie follows Cobb, an expert thief who steals information from people’s minds.

Cobb’s wife Mal died of cancer and he needs to perform one last job in order to be reunited with her in the afterlife.

Inception explores many different themes such as personal identity, dreams vs reality, and morality.

It also has some great visuals that really help illustrate what is happening in the story and show you what is going on inside someone’s head when they’re dreaming or thinking about something else entirely. What do you think?

Christopher Nolan directs these movies as if he was playing chess with us viewers – we never know what move he will make next!

He creates suspenseful scenes that have us on the edge of our seats while also providing insightful messages about life or society which makes him one of my favorite directors.

Inception (2010) (Steelbook) [Blu-ray] [Region Free]

Quick Change (1990)

Quick Change is a 1990 American comedy-drama film directed by John Badham and starring Bill Murray, Geena Davis, and Randy Quaid.

Though the movie was critically acclaimed when it was first released in theaters, it has since been largely forgotten.

It’s about a bank robbery gone wrong when the protagonist, Lou, ends up changing into a woman to escape from the police.

The main character in this film has to make quick changes as he tries to get away with his life intact.

Quick Change [Blu-Ray]
  • Bill Murray, Geena Davis, Randy Quaid (Actors)
  • Howard Franklin (Director)
  • Audience Rating: R (Restricted)

Thief (1981)

In 1981, Michael Mann’s “Thief” debuted in theaters and quickly became a cult favorite. The film is set in the late 1960s and follows an expert thief who lives by his own rules as he tries to outrun the law (and the mob) for one last job.

Thief was shot on location in Chicago and Los Angeles with many scenes filmed at night to mimic the feel of real burglaries.

This gave the film a gritty look that adds to its authenticity. It’s not just an action-packed thriller but also has some humorous moments that make it enjoyable for viewers.

The story follows professional thief Frank (played by James Caan) who is planning one last job before leaving the city for good.

But when things go wrong on an otherwise routine robbery, he finds himself caught in a deadly web of corruption and violence that threatens not just his life but also those around him.

The film explores themes like greed, morality, betrayal, fate, and justice as well as masculinity in society.

It features many famous actors including Robert Prosky, Tuesday Weld, and Dennis Farina.

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Thief [Blu-ray]
  • James Caan (Actor)
  • French (Subtitle)
  • Audience Rating: Unrated (Not Rated)

The Killing (1956)

The Killing is a 1956 crime drama film directed by Stanley Kubrick. The film stars Sterling Hayden as Johnny, an ex-con out to make one last score so he can go straight and raise his son.

The story follows two men, Johnny Clay and Tom Murphy, who are hired to carry out a heist of an armored truck in the middle of New York City.

Both men have their own motives for carrying out the robbery. One wants enough money to settle his debts while the other needs it to pay for his daughter’s school tuition fees.

What starts out as a simple job soon turns into a complicated game of life and death with no rules.

With both parties trying to maneuver past each other before they get caught, everyone will be forced to make difficult decisions that could change their lives forever.

The Killing (1956) is a film based on the novel of the same name by Lionel White.

It was adapted for screen and directed by Stanley Kubrick, with a screenplay by Jim Thompson. The film tells the story of a racetrack heist gone wrong.

Stanley Kubrick’s gritty crime drama remains one of his best heist movies to date, if not the best.

It has all the elements that make up great cinema: suspenseful twists and turns, strong character development, high stakes, and brilliant direction.

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The Killing (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]
  • The Killing - Blu-ray Brand New
  • Sterling Hayden, Vince Edwards, Elisha Cook Jr. (Actors)
  • Stanley Kubrick (Director)
  • English (Subtitle)
  • English (Publication Language)

The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

The Asphalt Jungle is a film that was released in 1950 by John Huston. The movie stars Sterling Hayden, Louis Calhern, Jean Hagen, James Whitmore and Marilyn Monroe.

It was filmed in black and white with an aspect ratio of 1.37:1 on 35 mm film. This film is about a group of criminals who are planning on robbing a racetrack bookie’s safe at midnight as well as some other things to make their plan work out smoothly.

They need someone who has inside knowledge about the layout of the building so they enlist Dix Handley played by Sterling Hayden to do this job for them but he needs money upfront for his expenses before he can go through with it which they don’t have so one of

The movie follows Dix Handley, played by Sterling Hayden; he’s one of many criminals who are involved in an elaborate plot to steal $2 million from a Chicago bank vault as well as kidnap Kathie Moffat, played by Marilyn Monroe.

They enlist the help of ex-convict Doc Riedenschneider and his girlfriend, Eady. Their first attempt at robbing the bank fails because they were not able to steal any money from it.

They then decide to rob the payroll office in order to get more money for their heist. The heist goes wrong when one member betrays them and shoots another member dead before being shot by Doc Riedenschneider’s girlfriend, Eady.

1950 was a pivotal year for film. It marked the beginnings of Hollywood’s Golden Age, as well as its decline.

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The Asphalt Jungle (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]
  • Sterling Hayden, Marilyn Monroe (Actors)
  • John Huston (Director)
  • English (Subtitle)
  • Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)

Ocean’s 11 (2001)

In 2001, a remake of the original Ocean’s 11 was released. The film starred George Clooney and Brad Pitt as Danny Ocean and Rusty Ryan respectively.

They are two friends who assemble a team to rob three Las Vegas casinos in one night, totaling $160 million dollars. This is considered one of the most successful heist films ever made.

The film was a remake of the 1960 version with Rat Pack members Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr.,

The team is led by Danny Ocean (George Clooney) who assembles his crew with help from his right-hand man, Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt).

Ocean’s 11 is an entertaining take on the classic heist genre which also offers some clever storytelling twists. If you haven’t seen this movie yet then now is your chance!

Ocean's Eleven (2001) [Blu-ray] [Blu-ray] (2008) Blu-Ray
  • George Clooney
  • Matt Damon
  • Julia Roberts

Rififi (1955)

In the classic film Rififi, an aging French gangster assembles a team of expert thieves to pull off what is supposed to be their last big heist.

They must overcome not only police and rival gangs, but also each other as they plan the perfect crime.

Rififi (1955) is a French film that was directed by Jules Dassin. This crime drama tells the story of a small-time criminal named Rififi who plans to steal from one of Paris’s most luxurious jewelry stores.

The movie stars Jean Servais as Rififi and features Renato Salvatori, Robert Manuel, and Jacques Duby in supporting roles.

The film opens with an elaborate heist scene where Rififi breaks into the store while his partners in crime distract the owner with gunshots outside.

The movie has been ranked among the top heist movies of all time because it shows how unpredictable things can become when you’re trying to steal from others without getting caught.

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Rififi (The Criterion Collection)
  • Magali Noël;Carl M hner;Magali No l;Perlo Vita;Robert Manuel (Actor)
  • Jules Dassin (Director)
  • Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)

Widows (2018)

“Widows” is a crime thriller directed by Steve McQueen and written by Gillian Flynn.

The movie stars Viola Davis as Veronica, the wife of deceased criminal mastermind, Harry Rawlings (Liam Neeson).

After her husband’s death, she must take over his duties to repay his debtors with what little money they have left.

Alongside her are Elizabeth Debicki as Alice; Michelle Rodriguez as Linda; Cynthia Erivo as Belle and Robert Duvall as Albert Garza.

The movie shows how women in poverty are pushed into a life of crime to make ends meet for themselves and their families.

Widows [Blu-ray] [2018]

Ronin (1998)

Ronin is a 1998 American action thriller film directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, Stellan Skarsgård, Sean Bean and Samuel L. Jackson.

The plot of the movie follows an expert sniper named Sam who is on a mission to kill his former boss Max (Robert DeNiro) after he betrayed him during a weapons deal in Africa.

Hollywood’s most underappreciated action hero is a Japanese ronin. I’m not talking about the samurai of feudal Japan but the Hollywood version, which has been around since Clint Eastwood first donned the mantle in “A Fistful of Dollars” (1964).

Ronin [Italian Edition]
  • robert de niro, jean reno (Actors)
  • john frankenheimer (Director)
  • Italian, Danish, Finnish, English, Norwegian (Subtitles)
  • Audience Rating: G (General Audience)

Inside Man (2006)

The 2006 film “Inside Man” is a drama-thriller starring Denzel Washington as an NYPD detective who’s trying to figure out what the bank robber’s plan is. It was directed by Spike Lee and written by Russell Gewirtz.

The movie follows Detective Keith Frazier (Washington) and Dr. Madeleine White (Jodie Foster) as they work together to stop Dalton Russel, played by Clive Owen, from robbing one of Manhattan’s largest banks on Wall Street in New York City.

However, their plans are thwarted when Russel has already taken hostages inside the bank before his arrival.

Plan oculto (Inside Man) (Blu-ray) [2006] (Import Movie) (European Format - Zone 2)
  • Castilian, English, Italian, French, German (Subtitles)
  • Audience Rating: Unrated (Not Rated)

Set It Off (1996)

Set It Off is a 1996 film directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Michael Henry Brown, Troy Anthony Miller, and J.F. Lawton.

The movie stars Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, Queen Latifah, Halle Berry, and Jennifer Lopez as four friends who rob their employers in order to pay for college tuition fees before they lose financial aid eligibility.

The film was released on October 5th of that year and went on to gross over 19 million dollars at the box office with an 8% approval rating from Rotten

Tomatoes with critics praising its acting performances but criticizing its screenplay which has been described as clichéd.

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Set It Off [Blu-ray]
  • Various (Actor)
  • Various (Director)
  • Audience Rating: R (Restricted)


This post first appeared on Filmmaking Lifestyle, please read the originial post: here

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Best Heist Movies: 22 Top Heist Films Of All Time

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