SNEAK PEEK : Best “Heist" Movies

Movies are meant to transport viewers and take them on an incredible journey, with one of the most popular genres being the live-action 'heist' movie:

"Ocean’s" Series

We’re referring to this one as a series because it’s a collection of films tied together through the main character, 'Danny Ocean', played by George Clooney.

The 'Ocean’s Eleven" film that many are familiar with was released in 2001 and led to several sequels. What you may not realize is that "Ocean’s Eleven" was actually a reboot of the original "Ocean’s 11" that was released in 1960.

Because the 2001 release was such a smash hit, other releases followed, including "Ocean’s Twelve" (2004), "Ocean’s Thirteen" (2007), and "Ocean’s 8"| (2018). Besides Clooney, casts included Brad Pitt, Bernie Mac, Elliott Gould, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck and Carl Reiner.

Ocean's 8" is unique because of the all-female cast, with the main character 'Debbie Ocean', played by Sandra Bullock. The character is the sister of the notorious heist mastermind, 'Danny Ocean'.

Each of the movies features some kind of elaborate heist planned and depicted with astonishing detail, leaving viewers doing their best to keep up. What makes them so special is that there are always a few surprises and twists you didn’t see coming revealed at the end.

"The Ocean’s" series of films is nothing short of spectacular, from start to finish, but "Ocean’s Eleven" is arguably the best. In this one, the crew wants to pull off the “largest heist in history” in the Las Vegas casino world. It’s the kind of film that might put you in the mood for a bit of casino gaming yourself, which you can easily do by checking out this new list here.

"Now You See Me"

The film "Now You See Me" has many of the same elements as Ocean’s Eleven. It’s essentially the same premise: a team is working together to pull off a huge heist in Las Vegas, the details of which are elaborate and precise.

What makes this 2013 release a little different is that professional magicians are the thieves. Viewers are treated to a double whammy, a heist and some spectacular magic tricks and illusions.

The all-star cast includes Jesse Eisenberg, Morgan Freeman, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine, Dave Franco and Isla Fisher. If you watched this movie and loved it, be sure to check out the 2016 follow-up, "Now You See Me 2".

And for those who follow Hollywood gossip, you probably know that Now You See Me 3 has been stuck in a grey area for almost a decade, but there finally seems to be movement. Rumors are that both Morgan Freeman and Mark Ruffalo will be back, but nothing has been confirmed.

"The Italian Job"

"The Italian Job" was released in 2003. This action/thriller movie is another example of an homage to an older film, a comedy-caper released in 1969, so the reboot was much more thrilling.

"The Italian Job" movie is known for its beautiful scenery, being shot in both Venice and Los Angeles, and the ability of the cast to inject humor into the plot.

The movie stars Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham, Edward Norton, Donald Sutherland, Yassin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def), Franky G. and Seth Green.

The heist is to steal $35 million worth of gold bullion from an ultra-secure safe located in Venice from another group of thieves who have already stolen it.

You’ve got professional thieves stealing from other professional thieves; what could go wrong? The movie is epic and iconic throughout, and it won’t disappoint.

"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels"

"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" may not be the first film that comes to mind when listing heist movies, but it checks off all the boxes. Not only does this one involve a big heist, but it’s got a double-cross, a shocking ending, nd non-stop laughs. As seems to be the case with many of the movies on this list, "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" was released in 1988 and is a remake of a previous film, "Bedtime Story", released in 1964.

The movie takes place on the French Riviera, where the main characters, played by Steve Martin and Michael Caine, seduce rich female vacationers and then feed them elaborate cons to get money from them. Without going into too much detail so that the ending doesn’t get spoiled, let’s just say things don’t exactly go to plan with one particular target.

Heist films continue to do a great job of combining action, thrills, adventure, comedy and romance, with honorable mentions including "Fast Five", "The Thomas Crown Affair", "Three Kings", "The Town", "To Catch a Thief, "Reservoir Dogs" and "Point Break".