Rating: 
Summary: Take Snatch and Sneakers, mix them together and there you go
Review: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Andy Garcia and Matt Damon head a super-cast of stars (among others, Julia Roberts and Don Cheadle -both of them, second timers with director Steven Soderbergh from Erin Brokovich and Traffic, respectively) in a movie about... yes, the traditional robbery theme! Seen it before? Yep! Clooney (Danny Ocean), yet in another ex-convict role (remember "O, Brother..."?), leads a gang of eleven experts to rob three Las Vegas casinos. Sounds like a familiar plot? Perhaps, but Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh manages to pull off a movie that's very entertaining. Not that it's in any way related to the plot of the 1992 movie, but it reminded me of the movie "Sneakers" where Robert Redford gathered a group of experts as well... That's where the similarities stop. Then it is very much like Traffic, in its overall feel, music, and even part of the concept. 'Nuf said! Check it out! It's one of the most entertaining movies of the Christmas season.
Rating: 
Summary: Ocean's of cool
Review: Okay, so no one could ever be as cool as the Rat Pack, but these guys come pretty close. The film is a VERY loose remake of the the orginal of the same title. This one, however, is far superior. Aside from the technical improvements over the original, the film also improved on the acting and script of the orignal. Lets face it, the original wasn't very good all around. It was just the idea of it that was good. Anyway, Soderbergh, in his first real mainstream film, does a pretty good job. Obviously the material isn't as good as, say, "Traffic" or "Out of Sight", but he keeps the film moving and uses some of his signature techniques to make everything look a little less ordinary.As for the cast, the leader of the pack, George Clooney, pretty much plays himself. Normally, that's not something that I would enjoy seeing, but he was perfect for the role. His charm and wit go a long way in making you believe that anyone could talk these guys into the preposterous. He was the epitome of cool. Brad Pitt also turned in a good performance. I happen to think that he is one of our most underrated actors. This film was the perfect showcase for any nonbelievers. The rest of the cast was pretty much by the numbers. Aside from Carl Reiner and Elliot Gould, bland is a good way to describe them. Matt Damon, to his credit, did okay with what he had to work with and Julia Roberts was pretty much just there.Clooney and Pitt are the ones who really hold the thing together. The onscreen chemistry between the two was amazing. The same can't be said for Clooney and Roberts. Like I said, she was kind of just there. That was pretty evident in most of her scenes with Clooney, which is a shame 'cause they were so well written and everything he said crackled and then died when she responeded. All in all, "Ocean's Eleven" is not the best film ever made by any means. It is however, one of the most entertaining film that I've seen in recent years. See it for the stars and for two hours of non-stop fun!PSIt's not supposed to be serious. So, if you go into it thinking that it's anything more than pure entertainment, you WILL be dissapointed.
Rating: 
Summary: Soso at most, typical mainstreamed movie
Review: Yeah the movie delivers everything you expect from the commercials, unfortunately nothing more. I haven't seen the original, though i do know that Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack had this old New York charm to them. I see none of that in this movie. The "witty" dialogue is limited to "They say i paid my debt to society" and "Funny i didn't get a check." Obviously the script was budgeted to pay for the big hollywood types. Don't get me wrong, Clooney is alright, and Pitt and Damon are good actors, but they just don't seem right for the movie, especially if you want to compare them to the Rat Pack. Damon's better off in serious roles. Julia Roberts just doesn't seem to be having any fun at all. Andy Garcia however, was pretty swell as the ruthless power hungry casino owner. The problem with such a large cast is they tend to be watered down, as if the charisma and charm is divided amongst them. This is evident as the minor cast members, Don Cheadle (who's a great actor), the two Mormons, and the Chinese guy are simply there for backdrop purposes. What is good about the movie, are the only scenes that actually pick up the pace, which are the actual heist scenes. The heist itself is actually quite slick. This is just a reminder though that remakes of classic movies tend to be overbudgeted and over elaborate. Watch if you don't know who the Rat Pack are and just want a simple action/romance/comedy/hollywood fest for a diversion.
Rating:
Summary: Action without senseless violence
Review: This movie was highly entertaining, not to mention all the eye candy of the all-star cast, but just watching a cast of actors by skill execute a brilliant plan. I was more than thrilled with everyone's performance. They were humorous and had the audience cheering for the robbers!!! By the way, did I mention all the eye candy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Bring Back the Rat Pack
Review: Soderbergh turns in a ring-a-ding dud. It's good, but not great. I was disappointed: after catching the original on cable and loving it, I thought Soderbergh would do a bang-up job. Turns out the original has more punch. It's very uneven: some great acting, some atrocious; some great set pieces, other parts with bad editing and pacing. Plus a lame new Soderbergh-esque ending. Brad Pitt and Elliott Gould shine, but Julia is wasted and Andy Garcia thinks he's playing Dracula Corleone. There is subzero chemistry between Clooney and Roberts...ditto Roberts and Garcia...and her part is stunted compared to Maureen O'Hara in the orig. The fancy gadgets and sweet costumes don't make up for some bad plot holes, and the wonderful score only crops up a few times. It's funny, but also too slow for a caper, and the ending left the audience literally scratching their heads. I felt cheated: Soderbergh picked a few parts of the original and made an homage to them, but chopped out the parts that made it coherent, replacing them with modern touches. My advice, rent the original first, and enjoy the low tech-ness: they rob the casinos by posing as garbagemen! By comparison, the new one is a knockoff, borrowing from Mission Impossible, David Mamet, Go and Swingers, Boogie Nights, and even Out of Sight. He should have watched Heist and Get Shorty instead. Soderbergh should stick to original material. He tried to make this into a romance (?!) when it should just be a heist movie. Funny note, though: Julia and Brad have more screen time together than they did in The Mexican, where they played a couple! Also, great cameos from Joshua "Pacey" Jackson and That Kid From That 70's Show (and Traffic).
Rating:
Summary: Steven does it again.
Review: If you're like me, you planned on seeing this movie as soon as you heard that Steven Soderbergh was directing. Yes, Traffic was a little weak in spots (and I'm sure Steven was aware of that), but Erin Brockovich, The Limey, and Out of Sight were all very entertaining refreshing films chock full of subtle new ideas and certainly a lot of subtle acting. Anyway, I'm in love with Steven, I admit it! I want him to have my child.There are a couple very small problems with Ocean's Eleven, but I don't want to draw your attention to them. The bottom line? There are no glaring inconsistencies. Nothing that makes so little sense, it pulls you out of the movie. This is actually quite an accomplishment. How many thriller movies have we seen where the plot hinges squarely on some particularly unrealistic event? The details of the robbery are pretty complex and it's hard to keep up with it all. Ideally, we just let go and enjoy the whirlwind excitement of megawatt star-power, a dazzlingly audacious heist, non-stop humor, great cast chemistry, and Steven's inspired camera work (yes, he's the cinematographer as well as the writer and producer (along with George). I just pray for a director's commentary and lengthy "making of" documentary on the DVD!!!
Rating:
Summary: Ocean's Eleven
Review: What a disappointment! I fought to stay awake this was so boring. The only redeeming qualities were good looks and some witty dialogue. Otherwise, the plot plodded along, the techiques for robbery were predictable and the actors were hugely under-utilized. Don't waste your money; save this one for library check-out! I'm going back to the original rat-pack. At least there was some style of new, hip sophistication underneath it all.
Rating:
Summary: Ocean's Eleven Almost a Ten
Review: I had occasion to see Ocean's Eleven on this opening weekend for the updated 1960 flick. This is a two part review: Part I - 2001 Ocean's Eleven - This is in the same genre of many recent technology flicks that we expect to see. This film has been brought into the 21st century with all the latest gadgets and its flamboyant stars. Frankly, I had forgotten almost everything about the original film (1960) and therefore was able to enjoy this one as if it were a brand new film. It is slick, comedic and a little suspenseful. What I miss from Mission Impossible (the TV show, not the movie) is all of the preparation that goes into planning and pulling off a heist like this. And, while the movie does show a lot of the planning, it doesn't show all of it, and as a result, there are some delightful and unexpected surprises awaiting you when the robberies take place. Go see and enjoy. Part II - 1960 Ocean's Eleven - I had occasion to see this movie on satellite the next day. I remember seeing the movie when it first came out and enjoyed the comradery of the 'Rat Pack' and probably thought it was a pretty good file at the time. I now can't believe how lame this film is and without the modern technology and gadgets we have now, this film certainly doesn't hold up today. And, in fact, the simplicity of what was done to break into the casinos and the lack of security in manpower in the cashier's cages, makes it unbelievable. The film languishes in self-admiration for the stars, including Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin singing parts, and the movie is more about themselves than the casino heist. I didn't remember the surprise ending of this film until the funeral scene and this is one of the film's redeeming qualities. Don't waste your time.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT GREAT MOVIE
Review: Loved it, the plot, the cast, the direction, everything. Go see this movie, you definitively won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: energetic, cool, and brilliantly crafted
Review: Well, my high hopes for this film were far exceeded. What a rush! Steven Soderbergh has such a confident, fun style with this glitzy, slick, and unpredictably fun caper. Sure, it isn't full of gravity like "Traffic," and it isn't supposed to be. Soderbergh and his four-star cast just want to have fun, and they let us as audience members join in the fun with them. Soderbergh's inventive flourishes and gorgeous photography combined with the lively performances and sharp script means an intelligent, funny, exciting and visually breathtaking cinematic experience. Definitely one of 2001's best films!
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