HEIST

In heist flicks, what is being stolen never matters as much as the style with which the deed — not to mention subsequent double, triple, and quadruple-reverse crosses — is done. Writer-director David Mamet understands this perfectly and has crafted a very entertaining, very macho thriller. Much has been made of his hepcat slang — e.g., ”I want you to be as quiet as an ant not even thinking about p — -ing on cotton” — but it’s Hackman as the dodgy codger ahead-of-’em-all that provides real pleasure. Remind us again: Why didn’t he get an Oscar nomination this year?