An ode to Michael Mann’s definitive L.A. crime film, ‘Heat’

Michael Mann’s 1995 “Heat” has become the definitive L.A. crime film, but probably no one has done more lately to celebrate the epic tale of cops and robbers than a movie critic in Sydney, Australia.

Since the summer of 2017, Blake Howard (@BlakeisBatman) has been subjecting the film — starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro — to a minute-by-minute analysis on his podcast, “One Heat Minute.” He and his guests have unpacked the nearly three-hour cat-and-mouse caper with admiration and reverence, and an affirmation of their love for cinematic culture.

Howard initially hosted guests who were friends and local movie buffs. But as the podcast garnered more attention, he added an array of international guests, including people who were involved in the making of the film.

For the final episode — minute 166 — Howard welcomes the director of “Heat,” Mann himself.

Mann and “Heat” fan Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) talks with Howard about why he took on the project, his passion for the movie, and how his roster of guests came together.

It’s a couple of cinephiles talking.