Has Director Michael Mann lost his marbles or transgressed to a whole new level? By Jeff What a divider this one has been. Critics and moviegoers have either been all-for-it (New York Times' Manohla Dargis, Hollywood Elsewhere's Jeffrey Wells, Roger Ebert, the majority of my friends), or simply impressed by the high level of historical production value but ultimately unswayed and unsatisfied by the hi-def camera action employed throughout and powerful but somewhat silent and muted script phrasings. No other director I have ever watched has as gradually enveloped me as much in his vision, upon repeated viewings, as Michael Mann (and maybe David Lynch). Mann's other primarily cited masterpieces, Manhunter , The Last of the Mohicans and yes, 1995's Heat , were all met by critics and audiences alike largely with ambivalent or negative reactions upon original release Today, Heat is considered one of the top 10 best films of the 1990s. With his last two films, the … [Read more...]