Greatest Films to Never Be Oscar Nominated

There are lots of terrific films that receive many Academy Awards nominations but never achieve any wins: Hell or High Water, The Thin Red Line and Apocalypto are just but a few favourites that never struck gold. But an even more egregious sin is for some of the greatest, and some of my most favourite, films that didn't even get a single nomination in any category. Here are some of the biggest catastrophes. 

Heat (Michael Mann, 1995)

1995 was such a strong year for cinema with films like Braveheart, Apollo 13, Se7en, The Usual Suspects and Toy Story stealing much of the limelight. Heat is director Michael Mann's greatest achievment, and one of the best films of its decade. Uniting Robert De Niro and Al Pacino on-screen for the first time, this cat and mouse crime thriller is punctuated with stunning shootouts and riveting performances. Perhaps it was too hard to choose between De Niro and Pacino for the Best Actor nod, but the glaring omissions of Heat in the Sound, Cinematography, Director, Supporting Actor (Val Kilmer), Picture and Editing categories still fires me up. On the other hand, however, the film didn't need awards to seal its reputation and continues to endure and find an audience 26 years on. 

Paths of Glory (Stanley Kubrick, 1957)

Stanley Kubrick's films are treated as reverentially as Jackson Pollack paintings or Mozart's symphonies. They are peerless, impeccable productions that linger long after finishing. Paths of Glory, a film made under a studio (and therefore not to Kubrick's liking), is one of the best war films ever made. A brilliant Kirk Douglas attempts to defend a group of scapegoated soldiers from being executed in WWI, leading to a haunting and emotionally resonant finale. 1957's other great war film, The Bridge on the River Kwai, swept up the gold statues but Kubrick's snub for a Director nomination would have started the precedent for snubbing the master filmmaker for the rest of his career. The film's technical aspects, notably its polished cinematography which features elegant tracking shots, were also grossly unrewarded. 

Mission Impossible- Fallout (Christopher McQuarrie, 2018)

Action films seldom get the 'prestige' nominations (acting, directing, picture, screenplay) but can often do well in the technical categories. Fallout was a box office success that boasted career-best reviews for the franchise and stunned audiences with its craftsmanship. In other years it might be more forgiving to not nominate a 'conventional' studio summer action film, but, considering this was the year that the hideously cut Bohemian Rhapsody was not only nominated for but also won the Academy Award for Best Editing, it seems ridiculous that the objectively better edited and shot Fallout did not get in. Furthermore, the film reinforced the conversation that Mad Max: Fury Road struck up- why aren't stunt teams honoured with a category?

Before Sunrise (Richard Linklater, 1995)

Quite possibly one of the sweetest, gentlest and most romantic pictures ever made, the first installment in Richard Linklater's Before trilogy is a truly touching film that sees a young American meet a young French woman on a train, getting off and spending a night in Vienna getting to know each other. Whilst hardly a frontrunner in any specific category (its delightful dialogue was often improvised by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delphy), it just seems a massive shame that such a wholesome, charming story couldn't be rewarded. 

Any Sergio Leone film (1964-1984)

Sergio Leone's influence as a director is enormous. The Italian director stylised an entire sub-genre with the Spaghetti Western (his Dollars trilogy) before making the ultimate Western with Once Upon a Time in the West and finishing his career with the towering gangster epic Once Upon a Time in America. None of his films received Oscar nominations and, whilst I see awards ceremonies as being beneath these films, it is surprising they were never heaped with praise: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly contains one of the greatest scores of all time, Once Upon a Time in the West features stellar, sinister work by Henry Fonda and Once Upon a Time in America is true epic with its production design, editing, screenplay and performances by Robert De Niro and James Woods. All of Leone's films contain enveloping wide shots and extreme close-ups, justifying a Cinematography Oscar, whilst composer Ennio Morricone's unmatchable scores for all of his films are immortal on their own right. 

The Dark Knight Rises (Christopher Nolan, 2012)

2008's The Dark Knight reinforced The Return of the King's point that sequels could garner Oscars and also established that mainstream superhero films could be viable for accolades too. The acclaimed crime epic was a smash hit, garnering nominations for Supporting Actor, Sound Editing / Mixing, Visual Effects, Cinematography, Editing, Make-up and Production Design, winning in the first two. The Dark Knight Rises didn't challenge or change the conventions of a superhero film in quite the same way as its predecessor, but it was still highly received by critics and grossed over a billion dollars. The fact that it didn't get a single nomination as always been bothering: the technical components in particular are still breathtaking. From its great sets to exhiliratingly captured spectacle, The Dark Knight Rises is one of Christopher Nolan's most commendable achievements and surely deserved him a Director nod, as well as the available space for it in the Best Picture race. Perhaps the success of The Avengers overshadowed the quality of content, but nearly a decade on it and it still feels as fresh and ambitious today. 

The Searchers (John Ford, 1956)

The Searchers is to American cinema what The Iliad is to the Greeks- it is a definitive piece of art that tells an immortal story that constantly changes in its interpretations and influence. John Ford was a monumental director who hoovered up an unbeaten four directing Oscars over his career (so perhaps he didn't really need a nomination here) but it seems strange that such a highly regarded picture went unnoticed with the Academy. John Wayne's performance as Ethan Edwards, a men destined to loneliness as he searches for his abducted niece, is the strongest piece of proof that the Duke can indeed act and is far worthier of an Oscar than his True Grit performance. Wreathed in weighty subtext, this is perhaps the darkest U rated film ever made, albeit one that contains vivid landscapes and gorgeous vistas- frankly it's astonishing the director of photograhy was snubbed. 

The King of Comedy (1983)

Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese are no strangers to Academy Awards, but nor indeed have they ever needed them to legitimise their talent. The King of Comedy is a film that not many have seen, but those that have deeply love it. A black-comedy drama satire, this celebrity-based talk show story was used heavily for inspiration of the Oscar hit Joker, with De Niro playing a talk show host in that film and the wannabe talk show host in The King of Comedy. It is one of his less conventional performances and is utterly believable, whilst the scathing screenplay is also a cracker. 

Other favourite films with no nominations include: 

• Groundhog Day (1993) - screenplay, best actor
• Touch of Evil (1958) - cinematography, editing
• The Shining (1980) - picture, director, cinematography, editing, production design

Year in Review: 2021

 2021- when 'pandemic records' were consistently broken and challanged, when long delayed event films finally got released and audiences were at long last taken to Arrakis. If 2020 was an absolute dud of a year, with the '2019' releases of 1917, Parasite and Jojo Rabbit breaking their backs to maintain the quality for the rest of the UK's calendar year. Luckily 2021, if only through the sheer amount of content made available at cinemas and streaming sites, is a far stronger year. The blockbusters are better, the awards contenders are perhaps a lot more deserving and a wealth of these will be revisited (as opposed to just Tenet). Here is a breakdown of the year featuring my own little awards system. 

Top 10 of the Year:

(Honourable Mentions: Another Round, King Richard, Spider-man: No Way Home, Those Who Wish Me Dead, Nomadland)

10. A Quiet Place: Part II

Despite the significantly aged children, John Krasinski's sequel to the 2018 sleeper classic is another very polished thriller. Bolder camera movements, more assured direction and a fantastically edited final sequence are among the film's strongest traits, but it is the sense of family, led by an always classy Emily Blunt, that makes these pictures work. The main characters feel like a close family in a truly lovely way. Progressive with the deafness elements, too. 

9. No Time to Die 

A second viewing is perhaps necessary now that the overwhelming emotion and conflict has died down, but this was a Bond film worthy of the wait. Daniel Craig is simply excellent every second he is on-screen and whilst his chemistry with Lea Seydoux feels flat, scene stealing turns from Ana de Armas and Ben Wishaw make up for it massively. Included in the mighty 163 minute runtime are loving homages to the underrated On Her Majesty's Secret Service, some cracking locations and a series of showstopper set-pieces in Italy, Norway and a... stairwell? A Bond film of both convention and boldness. 

8. Last Night in Soho

Another treat from Edgar Wright. Thomasin McKenzie continues a northward trajectory as Eloise, a university student who, at night, lives through the shoes of Anya Taylor-Joy's Sandy, a performer from the far more sinister 1960's London. Acting like a reverse Hot Fuzz, whereby the protagonist moves from the village to the troubled city, Last Night in Soho is a technical marvel with sumptuous production design, elegant camera moves and tricksy mirror shots. Diana Rigg goes out with a bang in her final role and the soundtrack will be looped on your Spotify for days. 

7. The Harder They Fall

If the Western genre has one major flaw it is its inherent whitness. Considering over a quarter of cowboys and lawmen were black on the US frontier, it's a cinematic calamity that these numbers are not reflected in the films of the genre. Enter The Harder They Fall, an almost all-black ensemble-starring exercise in sheer style. Director Jeymes Samuel resurrects numerous real life African American figures and thrusts them into a gripping story about two rival gangs looking for revenge. Idris Elba, LaKeith Stanfield and Regina King are mighty, but the final shootout is the film's true weapon. 

6. Sound of Metal 

A worthy awards contender last year, Sound of Metal is essential viewing. Riz Ahmed is often fabulous but this is undeniably his greatest achievment as he plays Reuben, a drummer who loses his hearing and seeks to get it repaired, realising as he does that self-acceptance is more important than striving to be healed. The sound design is staggering in putting the audience into his shoes; one scene with a child on a slide is unforgettable. 

5. Luca

It seems a shame that Disney has put Pixar's latest, the equally terrific Soul and Luca, onto Disney+ for free whilst Disney's own films (such as the boring Raya and the Last Dragon) get theatrical releases and premium rental options. Regardless of this, Luca is like a hot squash to treat a cold- warm, sweet and makes your nose run. Beautiful animation collides with a captivatingly simple story that ensures Luca will be a classic 'when I'm ill I always watch...' film. Silencio Bruno!

4. The Last Duel 

Ridley Scott maybe deluded in blaming millenials on their phones for the box office bomb of this, but he isn't wrong about this film finding an audience in the future and being highly regarded like his Blade Runner. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck reunite for scriptwriting and performing, crafting a handsomely structured modern Rashomon that investigates a sexual assault from a trio of perspectives: Damon's de Carrouges, his wife Marguerite's (excellent Jodie Comer) and Adam Driver's Jacques le Gris. With bursts of hard medieval ultraviolence, Ridley Scott returns to prime form with this MeToo inspired picture. The finale is unrelentingly gripping. 

3. Dune

Frank Herbert's 1965 novel is to science-fiction what The Lord of the Rings is to fantasy- a dense, intricately detailed epic filled with characters and races, customes and cultures. Only a filmmaker as passionate as Denis Villenueve could have adapted the towering work so faithfully to the big screen, opting to only translate roughly the first half of the novel to film. The gonzo cast is spearheaded by the ubiquitous Timothee Chalamet but its the technical aspects that leave you speechless: Greig Fraser's mindblowing cinematography, the sense of scale, Hans Zimmer's score and some fabulously realised vehicles and costumes. 

2. The Mitchells vs The Machines

Perhaps this film might not have even been watched were it not for a five star review from Empire that revealed this was a spiritual, creative sequel to Phil Lord and Chris Miller's insane Spider-man: Into the Spiderverse. Like that 2018 classic, MvM is ludicrously kinetic with its stunning, refreshing animation and genuinely hilarious comedy. This is the funniest film of the year, and it's a shame its meme potential was never realised. The Mitchell family are a joy to watch as their world is upended by Olivia Coleman's snooty AI who unleashes swarms of robots to imprison humanity. Admist all of the action and needle-drops there is a beautiful father-daughter relationship and an immortal message on family tolerance. 

1. The Power of the Dog 

Here is something nobody saw coming: Netflix released two brilliant Westerns this year. Considering that genre is not even listed on the streaming site, it's a serious feat. Jane Campion's critical darling, The Power of the Dog pulls you in hook, line and sinker through its delicious subtleties. Benedict Cumberbatch had had a belter of a year: The Courier, Spider-man, The Mauritanian and, hopefully, his Oscar gambit as Phil Burbank in this 1920s set stunner about two cowboy brothers who find their romantic match in a mother and her son. Kodi Smit-McPhee provides a stellar supporting role as the son, who, in the last few shots, clicks everything together in a surprising but spot-on reveal. If the slowburn is too much for most audiences, as well as the hints for violence that never comes, then its the long shadows of explored masculine fragility that will linger. 

                Awards 2021!

Favourite Male Performance: Benedict Cumberbatch in The Power of the Dog 

Honorable Mentions: Stellan Skarsgaard in Dune, Daniel Craig in No Time to Die, Mads Mikkelson in Another Round, Will Smith in King Richard, Riz Ahmed in Sound of Metal, Willem Dafoe in Spider-man: No Way Home

Favourite Female Performance: Jodie Comer in The Last Duel 

Honourable Mentions: Anya Taylor-Joy in The Last Night at Soho, Rebecca Ferguson in Dune, Ana de Armas in No Time to Die, Emily Blunt in A Quiet Place: Part II, Frances McDormand in Nomadland

Best Director: Denis Villeneuve, Dune 

Best Cinematography: Greig Fraser, Dune

Runner Ups: The Green Knight, Zack Snyder's Justice League, The Power of the Dog

Best Score: Hans Zimmer, Dune

Best Editing: Last Night in Soho 

Favourite Action Scenes:

• Misty woods- No Time to Die 
• Godzilla vs Kong Round 2- Godzilla vs Kong 
• The last duel- The Last Duel 
• Final shootout- The Harder They Fall
• Sandworm attack- Dune
• Furbies- The Mitchells vs The Machines
• Spider-men vs the Green Goblin- Spider-man: No Way Home
• Father and son vs Whitespike queen- The Tomorrow War 
• Superman vs Steppenwolf- Zack Snyder's Justice League

Favourite Non-Action Scenes: 

• Banjo vs piano- The Power of the Dog 
• Farewell- Luca
• The dance- Last Night in Soho

David Fincher Filmography

The heir to Stanley Kubrick from a directing perspective, David Fincher is best known for his crime and thriller films that have dark and moody atmospheres and the occasional narrative twist. Notorious for his extensive amount of takes and 'control freak' persona, Fincher's film always come across as polished, slickly edited productions dotted with electrifying performances. Let's take a look at his work. 

11. Alien^3 

It is contentious as to whether the third instalment of the Alien franchise should make the list; despite being Fincher's debut it was a butchered, studio-twisted film that the director himself wants nothing to do with. It is Fincher's only truly bad film: the infuriating handling of some of the characters from Aliens at the start sets off a narrative that feels unfulfilling and second-rate compared to the predecessors. Fincher still crafts a film that impresses visually, with a handful of famous shots, but this is one best to forget exists. 

10. The Game 

It is testament to Fincher's quality of output that The Game is his second weakest film. Michael Douglas plays a millionaire who finds himself playing a 'game' that forces him to question what is real, what is dangerous and what isn't. It is a firmly 1990s film, and Douglas is solid in the lead: he doesn't 'lose it' too early so as to stagnate the rest of the film but there is still a seething sense of frustration coming from his performance that really works. Let down by a twist that forces you to forget a lot of what came before, The Game is adequate as a slow burner, but not overly memorable. 

9. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 

Fincher's only fantasy-romance film, Benjamin Button is ferociously long for a short story adaptation, but the concept of a man who lives his life backards is utilised well. Anchored by a stoic Brad Pitt performance and some helpful visual effects work, Fincher smoothly resurrects the early 20th century with immaculate costumes and sets. Ultimately the picture doesn't have too much to actually say beyond 'old people and babies have similarities' but there is a literary feel to the film that makes for pleasent Sunday afternoon viewing. 

8. Mank 

Fincher's most personal film is his most recent. Adapting his late father's screenplay, the picture charts   Gary Oldman as Herman Mankiewicz, the screenwriter of the legendary Citizen Kane, who tussels for creative control in the Golden Era of Hollywood. For lovers of Kane, Orson Welles, classic films and the era as a whole, this is a gem to behold. Packed with authentic detail, gorgeous monochrome photography and a unique, highly designed sound scape, it is a cornucopia of film Easter eggs. But whilst it is technically impressive, the story and purpose of the film are sketchy. Much like Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Mank serves as a visual autobiography for its director who struggles to get his vision in modern Hollywood. Fincher must see something of himself in the screenplay, because there is little else to thematically and emotionally attatch to here. 

7. Zodiac 

This may seem like heresy to some to have Zodiac slap-bang in the middle of a Fincher ranking, and it's understandable why this is a highly appreciated film. Drawing on three engaging performances from Robert Downey Jr., Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Ruffalo, Fincher's childhood obsession with the Zodiac killings is painstakingly animated into celluloid. The killings are exceptionally directed and the screenplay is chock full of details and theories that demand further research. The basement scene is also outstanding too. Where the film suffers is its length. This is the longest 160 minute film going: if you don't look at the time then it can become impatient as it mercilessly continues to include seemingly every important date and detail in the case. It is documentary-esque in approach and perhaps that is the alternative for this story so as to condense the bum-numbing run time.

6. Panic Room 

A moderately underrated thriller. Fincher goes full Hitchcock for this one, following a stylish opening credit scene he sets the cameras up in a rather nice, empty new home in the city and never leaves it for two hours. Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart are the mother and daughter who have just moved in and find themselves under siege in the house's panic room when Jared Leto and Forest Whitaker break in for some illegal antics. If the set-up feels too basic for a 120 minute picture, then marvel at how Fincher and cinematographers Conrad Hall and Darius Khondji find new and inventive ways to smoothly move the camera around to create a very dynamic experience within the confines of the claustrophobic setting. The payoff does have its ex machina moments, but as a thriller that thrills effectively, it accomplishes exactly what it intends. 

5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 

A worthy English-language remake, this Daniel Craig-starrer has all the murkiness of Denis Villenueve's Prisoners. Boasting astounding work from Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara and Stellan Skarsgaard, Dragon Tattoo is crisply shot and filled with some horrific, unforgettable images. Often unflinching, Fincher directs with utter calmness whilst the Oscar-winning editing is truly flawless. Having made this so swiftly after The Social Network is a feat unto itself.  

4. The Social Network

A critic's favourite film, this is frequently cited as one of the greatest films of the 2010s. It's easy to see why: Fincher is fully in control of the subject matter as he chronicles the emergence of Facebook and the appalling behaviour of the insufferable Mark Zuckerberg. Aaron Sorkin's high energy script absorbs from the first scene, and the irritating Jesse Eisenberg is annoyingly good casting as the equally irritating tech giant. The score is mesmerising and Andrew Garfield knocks it out of the park too. But please Fincher, what did you do with the other Armie Hammer twin?

3. Gone Girl 

A total surprise of a film considering how popular the novel was among mums (think Fifty Shades of Grey and Girl on the Train). Fincher is at home making elusive crime films and Gone Girl summons a shedload of the director's creative juices. Captivating through Rosamund Pike's tour de force performance, the mysteries and relationships are intoxicating dramatically. When it is violent it is very violent, but it earns the right to be due to the slow pacing and unease. 

2. Fight Club 

It's easy to hate on Fight Club: like Joker, American Psycho and The Wolf of Wall Street. it belongs firmly in the film-bro camp of idolised cinematic texts. Fight Club is one of two Fincher films I have seen twice and if the first time underwhelmed, the second time was a blast. The brutal fight scenes, charismatic Brad Pitt performance and its position on consumerism are fascinating, whilst the tackling of masclinity is divisive and incomplete. If it suffers from all of its narration, it makes up for it with wry humour and a total ridiculousness that makes it a terrifically enjoyable ride. 

1. Se7en 

David Fincher's best film, Se7en is one of the greatest films of the 1990s. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman investigating murders inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins is a tantalising prospect on its own, but the rain lashed city, unnerving third-act and haunting final lines seal this in the memory. The devil is in the details and Fincher packs the film with them: the opening credits, the macabre images and the heavy foreshadowing are joyful to unpack on second viewing. By the time the three main characters get in a car together to an undisclosed location, it's hard to blink. 

Godzilla vs Kong Review

 Big fights between big names always do gangbuster business. Whether its Mayweather vs Pacquiao or Batman vs Superman, brand names smashing the living daylights out of each other has an immense failure. Enter Godzilla vs Kong, the fourth entry in Warner Bros’ ‘Monsterverse’ franchise that sees an amphibious nuclear dinosaur fight a big monkey. The film’s title does an excellent job at explaining the content to be honest.

The road to Godzilla vs Kong has been an odd one. It started with 2014’s Godzilla, a mature, Nolanised take on the Japanese icon that largely deprived audiences of its eponymous character. In 2017 came the exceedingly fun B-movie Kong: Skull Island which brought Hollywood’s legendary ape into the same universe, and at a far greater size than ever seen before. 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters was a critical and commercial failure despite its notable attempts at listening to its predecessor’s flaws. Luckily, Godzilla vs Kong was already in production, so the financial shortcomings did not affect this. And what luck that was, because this is the most preposterously enjoyable blockbuster since Mission Impossible: Fallout.

People don’t go to independent films for their innovative CGI, and nor should people go into a film literally called ‘Godzilla vs Kong’ expecting a tightly woven script peppered with three-dimensional characters. The characters are as minimal as possible to make room for the earth-shaking monster brawls, but in the words of Obi-wan Kenobi “… that’s… why I’m here.”

The plot, as irrelevant as it is, concerns the journey undertaken by Kong and his human allies to the centre of the earth in order to combat Godzilla, who has begun attacking the labs of definitely-not-crooked company Apex Cybernetics. On Team Kong there’s Alexander Skarsgard, Rebecca Hall and Kaylee Hottle as Jia, a deaf child whose unique relationship with Kong is the emotional crux of the film as both are the last native inhabitants of Skull Island. Trying to uncover the purpose of Godzilla’s rogue antics is a returning Millie Bobbie Brown and two comic-relief sidekicks played by Julian Dennison and Brian Tyree Henry. The human scenes are ultimately equivalent to the adverts before during and after a televised sporting match: you endure them patiently because the good stuff is just around the corner. Of course, I have seen people hate on the picture by comparing it to such films as Jurassic Park where we actually like and bond with the human characters as well as having big dinosaur action. To this I counter that, with Jurassic Park, the film has a build-up before introducing the dinosaurs which heightens the drama as this is the first film in a franchise (Godzilla too was all build-up). Secondly, Godzilla vs Kong has already established its two icons in previous films so they can be introduced from the get go and the fighting is between those two as opposed to dinosaurs vs humans. This means Godzilla vs Kong gets away with not needing 3D characters because they are not a part of the main conflict. 

There have been many ‘vs’ films across the decades: Aliens vs Predator, Freddy vs Jason, Kramer vs Kramer (well, maybe not that one) but the problem most of these films have is that they never fully embrace their title, and instead flirt around the edges of the concept or get bogged down with other story strands. Director Adam Wingard (the fourth low-budget indie director to be handed the reins for an enormous blockbuster within the franchise) commits entirely to the titular premise. The sparkling marketing campaign and the ludicrous premise have been spoofed and memed in the build-up to it, and its nice to see the film enjoy itself as much as the trailers do (take notes The Meg). It’s barely forty minutes in before the two juddering juggernauts are smacking each other senseless, and then the final forty minutes ramps things up even more. The film knows what it is, and what it needs to be, emphasised by the bookending of the film with two brilliant song choices. 

Wingard (You’re Next, The Guest) directs the mayhem with absolute clarity. Unlucky King of the Monsters, this is gloriously radiant in its colours and maintains the staggering wide shots for as long as possible. One sequence in a neon-drenched Hong Kong sees the titans go at it for what might be the lengthiest monster fight without cutting to a human. It is the blockbuster filmmaking fans of the franchise have been clamouring for: less people, more beautiful destruction (which is scored by another bombastic effort from Warner Bros’ regular Junkie XL). Aside from the scraps, the film’s second act unveils the mythical ‘Hollow Earth’ which really is cinema-worthy material. The gravity bending landscapes and enormous scale is as breath-taking as one would hope after three films of mentioning it, to the point that it could be called ‘Money Shot: The Movie’.  

Godzilla vs Kong has already become a massive success in a post-Covid film industry, showing that where Christopher Nolan and Wonder Woman failed, it took two of cinema’s oldest icons turning buildings to butter to get the industry going again. Despite being between Godzilla and King Kong, the real winner is cinema. Who would have thought it?

Legendary Entertainment 

Mann-erisms: Ranking the 11 Films of Michael Mann

 Michael Mann is a filmmaker whose career is fascinating to investigate. Unleashing his theatrical debut, Thief, in 1981, Mann has since made ten more films over a 39 year career. He likes taking several years off between his pictures, no doubt due to his intense research and preparation for his projects. An auteur if you are aware of his style, Mann's films are defined by their authentic detail and feel, the sleek visual style, innovative camera choices and handling of such themes as masculinity, honour and codes and crime. .His films are not always commercial successes, and only one of his films has won an Academy Award (The Last of the Mohicans won for Sound). But among his ouvre are some immensely influential films. Without Mann we might not have got CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Dark Knight, John Wick and digital photography. 

I first became aware of Mann as a director following my first watch of The Last of the Mohicans. Heat was next but it took several years before I started hunting down his other films. Finally, having accessed all 11 of his features, I can rank them. 

11. The Keep (1983)

A film about Nazis stuck in a castle with an antagonistic supernatural presence should write itself. Butchered by the studio, Mann's sophomore effort is rumoured to have a 210 minute cut. As it stands, it clocks in at under 100 minutes and is all the worse for it. In desperate need of remastering, this is a dismally edited audio mess with a bizarre Tangerine Dream score that plays far too loudly. Mann's direction is assured, and there are inspired shots, but the intense tone cannot match the goofy effects, careless ending and lack of irony. Not even Ian McKellen can work magic with this unfortunate mess. 

10. Miami Vice (2006)

Having never watched the TV show, I went into this completely blind. Miami Vice is a mess of a film, allegedly hampered by an arrogant Jamie Foxx's refusal to do certain sequences, which led to numerous re-writes. Foxx is joined by Colin Farrell and neither of their characters make an impact. The story is dense and often impenetrable, whilst the action and shootouts feel insignificant compared to what Mann has done before and after. A dull, humourless watch.  

9. Blackhat (2015) 

Taken out of context, Blackhat has a slew of very good scenes. A diner brawl, a tunnel shootout with immersive sound design and a visually stunning finale are all YouTube worthy to revisit. But in the context of the narrative, it breaks the suspension of belief. The casting of Chris Hemsworth as an American computer hacker still baffles: this techno-nerd is also a bodybuilding tank capable of dispatching enemies with tables and screwdrivers alike. It often feels silly. Blackhat succeeds as a thriller that makes the dangers of cyber-crime very clear, and feels like the natural evolution of Mann's fascination with criminals. There are some intense and unexpected moments, but an uneven runtime and poor casting make this close to being a good film.  

8. Public Enemies (2009)

Public Enemies should have been a walk in the park for Mann to make: a period set historical film about a wanted bank robber and the FBI agent trying to bring him down, with two of the most popular actors of their generation at the peak of their powers playing the two leads. It was meant to be Heat but set in the 1930s. After watching it, the film feels like a poor substitute. There is a lot of greatness in this film, but an equal amount of frustration and missed potential. Johnny Depp is singularly brilliant as John Dillinger, whilst Christian Bale is criminally underused and uninteresting as Melvin Purvis. The cinematography is terrific but the usage of high definition digital camera makes it look more televised than cinematic. The shootouts are good but there is a sense of pulling punches in them. Public Enemies only really works when Depp is on-screen, and despite the struggle in getting there, the finale is magnificently helmed and scored. Agonisingly close to being a thumbs up.

7. Manhunter (1986)

Before Mads Mikkelson and Anthony Hopkins, Brian Cox was Hannibal Lecter. Based on the book Red Dragon, the film follows William Peterson as Will Graham as he investigates the killings of the 'Tooth Fairy' with the help of former nemesis Lecter. Manhunter is definitely a Michael Mann film: an unusual musical score which overplays its hand here and there, strikingly vivid visuals and colour representations, and forensic detail. A methodically paced picture, it makes for unsettling viewing. 

6. Ali (2001)

A lot of Mann's films cast actors at their peak popularity. Such is the casting of Will Smith as Muhammad Ali. Following his charismatic performances in Independence Day and Men in Black among others, Smith's role as Ali secured him an Oscar nomination and proved he was a certified dramatic actor. Despite a 145 minute runtime, Ali is entertaining filmmaking thanks to some tasteful cinematography (Emmanuel Lubezki!) and the expected authentic direction. Tracing Ali's life through the 1960s and culminating with the legendary Rumble in the Jungle, the film finds time to be a sports picture, a biopic, a civil rights film, an anti-war film and a fascinating look at America in the two decades. With a comforting cast including Jamie Foxx, Giancarlo Esposito, Jeffrey Wright and an invisible Jon Voight, Mann's film just about does justice to an incredible person's turbulent life. The first boxing match and the assassination of Malcolm X are knockout scenes. 

5. Thief (1981)

Mann's first feature is a startling debut. A stripped down version of Heat, this tightly contained picture stars James Caan as the eponymous jewel thief who wants to start a family life away from crime. Inevitably he's sucked in further, leading to a fiery finale. Thief announces Mann's style quitely: the authenticity and detail in the heists, the neon visuals and smooth shot composure, the cold tone, the excellent sound design. It takes a while to properly get into the story, but once the direction starts feeling more confident (and the Tangerine Dream score becomes addictive) then Thief is helluva underrated 1980s crime picture. 

4. Collateral (2004)

Casting actors against type is often fun, with Henry Fonda in Once Upon a Time in the West being a personal favourite. In close second is Tom Cruise in Collateral. Sporting a grey suit and grey hair, Cruise's Vincent is one of the superstar's greatest roles. The story is contained and simple: Jamie Foxx plays Max, a cab driver, who unknowingly (and then is forced to) drives Vincent around night-time LA so the latter, a hitman, can execute people on his list. Their dynamic is an entertaining one, and Mann's acute visual exploration of a city at night is terrific stuff. A muscular film in its editing and sound effects, Collateral is evidence that Mann is relishing making the film: the night club sequence pre-empts John Wick, the cat and mouse finale is riveting and the "Yo homie, is that my briefcase?" never gets old. The two men, both methodical workers who enjoy what they do, find similarities despite the wildly different moral codes. There is a superb bit of subtext where Vincent saves Max too, a wordless exchange which amounts to something like respect. The climax is doubtful, but this is a fun thriller. 

3. The Insider (1999) 

A whistle-blower docu-drama might not be the most accessible film (especially with a massive runtime), but under Mann's acute eye The Insider is his most critically praised film. Securing numerous Oscar nominations, it stars Russell Crowe (hitting the prime of his career) and Al Pacino as Jeffrey Wigand, a whistle blower for tobacco companies, and the television producer wanting to tell his story respectively. Both are frightfully good. Confidently made, with numerous director's tricks at hand, The Insider is informative and gripping. 

2. The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

The Last of the Mohicans is a unique film. Unique in its position among Mann's modern and crime set filmography, and unique as a historical film. It has few, if any, contemporaries, much like Master and Commander's hegemony over the Napoleonic War era. Set in 18th century America, the brisk epic sees Daniel Day-Lewis play Hawkeye, a white man raised by the last of the Mohican tribe. With his adoptive brother and father, they end up escorting and protecting an English captain and the two daughters of an English general. Hot on their tails is Wes Studi's Magua, a terrific enemy. Mann and Day-Lewis spent time in the wilderness hunting and trapping in preparation for the shoot, and the result is an authentic experience that features stunning on-location landscapes and a truly tremendous score. The action is exciting yet brutal, and the drama feels at first rushed, but on second and third viewing the strength of the subtext makes all of the dramatic moments land, and them some. The final sequence, rightfully revered, is one of the great movie moments. 

1. Heat (1995)

Unanimously agreed on as being Mann's most essential film, Heat is an all-timer. A 170 minute crime epic, the picture turns LA into a dense, populated labyrinth filled with characters each with their own story. A superb cat and mouse thriller, Mann brought Al Pacino and Robert De Niro together onscreen to electrifying effect as the detective tracking down a professional thief. The bursts of action are muscular, not the least centrepiece shootout which requires the highest volume permitted. Alongside the two acting heavyweights, Mann peoples the script with Jon Voight, Wes Studi, Natalie Portman and a scene stealing Val Kilmer too. The result is a fascinating character study of clashing yet similar philosophies, with Pacino and De Niro being mirror opposites of each other. Their diner scene is a stunning display of acting whilst their final confrontation is somewhat moving. The greatest film of the 1990s.