Rating: Summary: "The Sting" updated Review: I used to think they could never make a con movie as good as "The Sting." But this one's pretty dang close.
Rating: Summary: Don't Believe the Hype Review: George Clooney. Matt Damon. Andy Garcia. Brad Pitt. Julia Roberts. Steven Soderbergh. No plot. Wait - which one doesn't fit?With such star power it just might be blasphemy to say that there was no plot in Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's Eleven", but it's the truth. Danny Ocean (Clooney) and Rusty Ryan (Pitt) hire nine experts to heist three Las Vegas casinos. In the end, they only heist one because of a boxing fight there. Now I'm not a nitpicker, but perhaps they should have just said "let's jack one casino?" In reality, this movie's plot was overlooked because of the actors. The plot is skinnier than an anorexic supermodel. Glitz and glamour hook you in when they hit the casino, but it left me with a feeling that there should have been more. As the heist draws near, we find out that Ocean's ex, Tess (played by Julia Roberts) is in a relationship with Terry Benedict (Garcia) the owner of the casinos that will be robbed. There isn't much chemistry between Roberts and either of the two men, and her scenes are short as it is. The heist begins, and we're treated to scene after scene of lying, manuevering, and breaking and entering. The heist sequence is great. It's actually the only part of the movie that will lock you in your seat. The rest of the movie is dry and quick. It has some funny parts, but "Eleven" barely makes it to the end. It's under two hours, and it leaves you with a feeling that there could have been more. More plot, more beefy kind of scenes are needed here, other than men and women constantly dressed up and ready to score some dough. To sum it up, "Eleven" needed more and was just too quick.
Rating: Summary: Very boring and stupid Review: Just one but great thing about this film: THE CAST. BITT, DAMON, CLOONEY, ROBERTS, GARCIA, AFFLECK(Casey). All this, great actors.But the movie was so stupid and predictable I just wanted to get out of the theater.
Rating: Summary: Absolutely Horrible; Unconvincing Characters Review: Just because you have a bunch of "beautiful people" in a movie doesn't make it good. The characters are very poorly developed. Brad Pitt has no place playing a tough guy casino robber. His character is very unconvincing. And also, Julia Roberts? She's much too prudish for such a role. This plot would have been much better if the characters would have been more serious and sinister. This movie was awkwardly not funny despite its frequent efforts. Yuck.
Rating: Summary: An entertaining caper flick Review: I have trouble calling this a remake, because it doesn't share much in common with the "rat pack" original except the name of the lead character and that it is a casino heist. Actually, this is a better film than its namesake, apart from the fact that the cast of the original was filled with entertainment legends. Director Steven Soderbergh (Erin Brockovich, Traffic) takes a vacation from serious filmmaking with this film, which on his resume is something of a lark. Everyone seems to be having a good time and it is clear that the actors enjoyed making this film. The overhauled screenplay pops with snappy dialogue, riddled with deadpan humor and a decent, though somewhat far fetched plot. It has a little of the whimsical feel of "The Sting", though the screenplay isn't as strong. A crew of professional thieves plans to knock over three casinos on a fight night by raiding the impregnable vault that serves all three. The plan is elaborate, full of high tech wizardry, daring deceptions and acrobatic stunts. The caper runs into more than the normal amount of foul ups, but our devious team of burglars is always up to the task of working around the glitches. The cast is very solid. George Clooney is perfectly cast as the brainchild of the scheme. He is dapper, macho and smooth with a sardonic wit that keeps the film's tone serious yet light. Brad Pitt plays the always eating Rusty, who is really the brains behind the operation, coordinating it flawlessly. Except for "The Mexican", this is much lighter material than Pitt usually tackles, yet he gives a suave performance seeming very comfortable with his character. Despite the fact that this is an ensemble cast, Pitt carries a lot of the weight and makes the story as close to believable as could be possible given its improbable nature. Don Cheadle continues to impress, rendering a terrific demolitions expert. His cockney accent is great and with this part Cheadle shows once again what a terrific character actor he is. In a little twist of irony, Cheadle plays an analogous part in this film to that played by Sammy Davis, Jr. in the original, and he also played Sammy in the TV movie entitled "The Rat Pack". Poor Andy Garcia has the thankless task of playing the heavy in a tongue-in-cheek film, but he does a marvelous job. Matt Damon plays the rookie, giving the character a charming naiveté and a mischievous bent. Julie Roberts is nothing more than a throw in, with a minor role as Ocean's ex-wife. If you don't take this film too seriously, you are in for an entertaining evening. It is smartly done without too much melodrama, and provides just enough suspense and realism to keep it from being a farce. I rated it an 8/10.
Rating: Summary: "You're gonna need a crew as nuts as you are ... " Review: Ocean's 11 is one of those rare "ensemble" or "team" films where the distinguished supporting cast turns in outstanding and unforgettable performances, but yet still do not steal the show from the big stars. That means (1) almost every scene is important and memorable, providing non-stop entertainment and (2) if you're a fan (or even if you're not) of George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Andy Garcia, or Julia Roberts, you will be even more impressed than you were before. Throw in excellent filming (Soderberg continues to raise the bar) and an unpredictible story, and you have a near-perfect action movie. Make no mistake, Ocean's 11 is not "edgy" - this is not a "stealth" theft version of the eye-popping "strong" heist of "Heat". But it is irresistible fun, and a movie you can enjoy over and over again. The DVD also has special features - including a documentary, director's commentary (frankly, I think this is one of the weakest commentaries I've heard, but its better than nothing), and a full-length commentary with Andy Garcia, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon (thoroughly entertaining ... thanks guys!) - that make this a five-star, must-have DVD.
Rating: Summary: For those who take their magic lite Review: It is too bad the critics didn't like this film. Ocean's Eleven reminded me of the old buddy films of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis and featured one of the most entertaining scripts and set of supporting performances I have seen in a long time. The ensemble cast and director blend their talents, weaving a fast-paced tapestry of humor, suspense, and action. No one artist gets the screen for too long, so if you are buying this for two hours of Clooney, Roberts, or Pitt - you'll be disappointed. And the jazz soundtrack composed for the film is simply spectacular. Daniel Ocean has just got out of prison, starts to work on another heist, and puts together the most entertaining scam since The Sting. The Score (with DeNiro and Brando) was a good film, but too serious in tone to enjoy watching more than once or twice. I found myself watching this film two times in a row. There's no message here...just two hours of fun. You'll never see this many stars having this much fun acting their brains out again. Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner, and Elliot Gould turn in unforgettable performances. I just hope Steven Soderburgh realizes what he has here and uses these folks together again. There is magic here, and I am one movie fan that would like to see more of it. Just one word of caution. The DVD says there is an special feature entitled "The Look of the Con." but this feature is nowhere to be found on the DVD. However the one featurette that is on the DVD is quite good. But consider this - this film must have been a blast to make. In the end titles you read after all the other actors names roll in the credits... And Introducing Julia Roberts. Nice touch, Mr. S.
Rating: Summary: Slow,Dull setup with No payoff. Review: This film is exceptionally dull...it has no heart,no pulse it's all cardbored...yes I ment to spell it like that. You can spend millions to get the best and best looking stars but it doesnt assure your films success...or maybe it does. The 1st film tried the same thing with the same result.
Rating: Summary: Awesome movie!! Review: At first, I didn't even want to see it. But after the first few minutes, I was hooked. Very clever story line!
Rating: Summary: Fantastic movie Review: Great movie. If you're into heist movies like The Score, this is probably one of the best. can't go wrong for less than 20 bucks
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