Best Heist Movies

[Patricia Abbott]

After seeing the semi-pallid Ocean's Thirteen (okay, the guys looked pretty good), we got into a discussion of the best heist movies ever. Which movies stand out in your mind? For instance, someone said Dog Day Afternoon, but would that really count? Should a heist movie be mostly about planning and executing a heist and not sidebar into other issues.

[Redfezwriter]

Well I am an unabashed fan of Michael Mann, so I would say Thief is his best heist flick, but Heat is a sweeping masterpiece of criminal trade craft (Interestingly he had a former British special operations NCO consult on everything from ambushes, like the infamous bank/street gunbattle, to B&E techniques, via the 'hard key' at the precious metals facility)

I would throw John Boorman's The General in there as well (an uneven movie, but some interesting heists sprinkled throughout and ultimately saved by Brendon Gleason.)