Inception
(2010)A professional thief enters people's dreams to steal their secrets. He is offered a deal to erase his criminal past if he can instead plant an idea in someone's mind.
Heist films worth the setup
Half of a heist film is the planning, and the planning is usually the best half. The crew gets assembled, somebody explains the vault with a diagram, and then it goes wrong at the worst available moment.
The catalogue in 3D
The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. They work from the whole catalogue, not just this list.
The Usual Suspects
(1995)A small-time con man named Verbal Kint is questioned by police after a deadly fire on a ship. Through his story, he explains how he and a group of criminals got mixed up with a legendary and ruthless crime lord named Keyser Söze.
Reservoir Dogs
(1992)A group of diamond thieves realize their heist was a setup and turn on each other. The film jumps between their planning and the bloody aftermath.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
(1998)A young card sharp gets cheated out of a huge sum of money by a crime lord. He and his friends plan to rob a gang next door to pay off the debt.
Big Deal on Madonna Street
(1958)A group of bumbling small-time thieves in Rome plan to rob a pawn shop. Their efforts go comically wrong as they fumble through the heist.
The Sting
(1973)In 1930s Chicago, two con artists team up to pull an elaborate scam on a powerful mob boss. They set up a fake gambling operation and use a network of accomplices to trick him out of a large sum of money.
Casino
(1995)A Jewish gambling expert runs a Las Vegas casino for the mob. His childhood friend creates chaos and his marriage to a chip hustler falls apart, leading to the collapse of his career and relationships.
Catch Me If You Can
(2002)A young con artist impersonates a pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer to cash forged checks across the country. An FBI agent pursues him in a long-running chase across the United States.
Heat
(1995)An LAPD detective tracks a professional thief through Los Angeles. The film follows both men as their work strains their personal relationships and leads them toward a confrontation.
Bad Genius
(2017)A straight-A student in Thailand starts a cheating ring to help wealthy classmates pass exams. The scheme grows bigger and more dangerous as it expands to an international level.
Dog Day Afternoon
(1975)A man robs a Brooklyn bank to pay for his lover's gender reassignment surgery. The heist quickly goes wrong and turns into a hostage standoff with police surrounding the building.
The Wrong Trousers
(1993)A claymation inventor named Wallace gives his dog Gromit a pair of robotic trousers. A sneaky penguin moves into their home and uses the trousers to plan a museum diamond heist.
Die Hard
(1988)A New York City police detective visits his estranged wife at her company Christmas party in a Los Angeles skyscraper. A group of terrorists takes over the building, and he must stop them alone.
Nine Queens
(2000)Two con artists in Buenos Aires team up to pull off a big scam involving fake rare stamps. They have to stay one step ahead of everyone as the deal gets more complicated.
Rififi
(1955)An aging gangster and three partners plan a meticulous jewelry store heist in Paris. The film follows their careful preparation and the dangerous consequences that follow the crime.
Heist of the Century
(2020)A group of criminals plans and executes a major bank heist in Argentina. The film follows their scheme and the aftermath.
Le deuxième souffle
(1966)An escaped gangster tries to pull off one last heist while being hunted by a relentless police inspector. The movie follows his efforts to stay free and protect his allies in a world of betrayal and loyalty.
The Killing
(1956)A group of men plan a racetrack heist. The story follows each of their roles in the robbery and the unexpected complications that arise.
The Bad Guys 2
(2025)The Bad Guys come out of retirement to pull off one last heist. They team up with an all-female criminal squad to get the job done.
Le Cercle rouge
(1970)A recently released prisoner and an escaped criminal team up with an ex-police sharpshooter to plan a jewel heist. The film follows their careful preparations and the long silent robbery itself.
The Wild Bunch
(1969)An aging outlaw gang near the Mexico-United States border in 1913 struggles to survive as the modern world closes in. The story follows their attempts to pull off one last heist while facing betrayal and violence.
Le clan des siciliens
(1969)A Sicilian crime family orchestrates a daring heist and a prison escape. The story follows their careful planning and the police detective who tries to stop them.
How to Steal a Million
(1966)A woman tries to steal a statue from a museum to avoid a scandal. She teams up with a man she believes is a thief for the heist.
The Asphalt Jungle
(1950)A group of criminals plan a jewel robbery in a Midwestern city. The film follows the heist and its aftermath as the characters face the consequences of their actions.
Bande à part
(1964)Two men and a woman plan and carry out a small robbery. They hang out together, talk, and dance.
Ocean's Eleven
(2001)Danny Ocean gathers a team of eleven skilled criminals to rob three Las Vegas casinos owned by the man dating his ex-wife. They work together on an elaborate plan full of clever tricks and close calls.
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
(1974)A group of armed men hijack a New York City subway car and demand a large ransom for the passengers. The police and transit officials race against time to negotiate with the criminals and stop them.
Gun Crazy
(1950)A couple bond over their shared love for guns and crime. They go on a cross-country robbery spree that spirals out of control.
Treasure of San Gennaro
(1966)A group of bumbling thieves plans to steal a famous treasure from a Neapolitan cathedral. Their elaborate scheme goes comically wrong at every turn.
Inside Man
(2006)A bank heist turns into a hostage standoff in New York City. A detective negotiates with a mysterious robber who has a hidden plan. A powerful fixer gets involved to protect a bank owner's secret.
Trouble in Paradise
(1932)A gentleman thief and a lady pickpocket team up as a couple. They decide to rob a wealthy perfume company owner, but complications arise when the thief starts to genuinely fall for their target.
Kelly's Heroes
(1970)In 1944, a group of disillusioned American soldiers discover a hidden stash of gold bars and decide to steal it for themselves. They carry out an unsanctioned heist behind enemy lines while dealing with military bureaucracy and war-weariness.
Pickup on South Street
(1953)A New York pickpocket steals a wallet that contains secret microfilm wanted by foreign spies. He gets caught between the police and the agents who want the film back.
Jackie Brown
(1997)A flight attendant named Jackie Brown gets caught between arms dealers, the ATF, and a bail bondsman. She hatches a plan to steal money and disappear.
Charley Varrick
(1973)A small-time cropduster and bank robber finds himself in over his head when a heist nets mob money. He must outrun both the law and the mobsters who come looking for their cash.
Now You See Me
(2013)An FBI agent and an Interpol detective try to catch a group of magicians who rob banks during their shows and give the money to the audience. The magicians stay one step ahead using tricks and misdirection.
Special 26
(2013)A team of con artists poses as CBI officers to raid corrupt politicians and businessmen. As they plan their biggest job, real CBI agents close in on them.
Hell or High Water
(2016)Two brothers rob banks across West Texas to pay off the mortgage on their family ranch. A pair of aging Texas Rangers try to track them down.
The Brain
(1969)Two small-time French crooks get caught up in a train heist planned by a mastermind who was behind a famous real-life robbery. An army officer turns out to be the criminal leader, and a mafia boss gets involved.
Die Hard with a Vengeance
(1995)John McClane is dragged into a terrorist's deadly game of riddles across New York City. He teams up with a shopkeeper to stop a bomb plot and foil a heist of the Federal Reserve gold.
This list is from Underplayed Gems, a catalogue of films and series from everywhere. You can also browse by genre, country and year, or look around it in 3D and ask the Catbot there.