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Ocean's 11 I have been waiting for Ocean's 11 since the day that George Clooney decided it might be fun to remake it. I have followed its progress through every casting decision, the choice of Steven Soderbergh to direct, the production of the film, the big marketing push and, finally, its release. All along, I have hyped this movie as a possibility for THE best movie of the year. Now, I can honestly say that every moment, all the anticipation, and the long wait was all worth it. I love Ocean's 11. George Clooney stars as Danny Ocean - a good thief who got sloppy, arrested and incarcerated. Now, he has been released from prison and wants to pull off the greatest heist in history - he wants to rob $150 million from 3 Las Vegas casinos, and he's going to do it all in one night during a major heavyweight championship fight. Of course, you don't do something like that alone. Danny teams up with 10 other well-trained thieves, con men and experts including his best buddy - Dusty (Brad Pitt); a young hot shot pickpocket - Linus (Matt Damon); a great con man who knows the casinos - Frank (Bernie Mac); a former casino owner with a grudge - Reuben (Elliot Gould); an explosives expert - Basher (Don Cheadle); a legendary retired thief - Saul (Carl Reiner!); and 4 others. All have been chosen for their expertise and each has an integral role in the plan. If they pull it off, they'll be legends, but, if they fail, they will suffer the wrath of Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) - the owner of the casinos, a man who destroys his enemies, and the current boyfriend of Danny's former wife, Tess (Julia Roberts). Yep, some of Ocean's 11 think Danny is after more than the money, and his pursuits may put their payday in danger. Can they pull it off? Will Danny get Tess back? Lots of folks ask me how to critique a director. Acting is pretty obvious, as well as set decoration, cinematography and writing. However, directing is much harder to review. Let Ocean's 11 be a good example of how a director can make a film great. Hands down, Ocean's 11 is the coolest movie of the year, maybe the entire decade. It reaches this status because Soderbergh, along with screenwriter Ted Griffin, establishes a pace and tone to the movie that is consistent with every scene, every performance and every line in the film. That tone is defined by the director and his instructions to the actors. Ocean's 11 is full of amazingly smooth, hilarious one-liners, fantastic interaction between the characters and a plot that has you riveted to the edge of your seat until the credits role. It delivers the fantastic, "Rat Pack" energy and feel, while also giving us better plot development and characters. Steven Soderbergh is the man who makes it happen. He is the captain of the ship, the visionary who must put it all together. Each actor gets his or her chance to shine, and each has a fascinating role in the caper. Clooney and Pitt have great chemistry, and the audience truly feels like they are best buddies. Matt Damon holds his own with the big stars, and Don Cheadle shows a comedic ability that hasn't been on the screen since Out of Sight. However, the best performances come from vets Elliot Gould and Carl Reiner. Gould creates a character that is reminiscent of a Las Vegas that died when the corporations moved in, and he could have easily fit in the original film. Reiner gets a chance to be a master of disguise, which forces him to adopt foreign accents and mannerisms that we have never seen him perform before. The original Ocean's 11 was a good movie, a classic and a wonderful way to capture the Rat Pack at the height of their power and cultural significance, but this Ocean's 11 is better. It has better direction, better plot development, better acting and a better execution. Ocean's 11 with Frank Sinatra was a showcase for the Rat Pack, whereas Ocean's 11 with George Clooney is Oscar-worthy. Grade: A Behind-the-Scenes Story George Clooney is known for being a prankster on the set, and Ocean's 11 gave him his best idea ever. During Oscar season, Daily Variety, the bible of the entertainment industry, is full of ads touting stars, directors and films for Oscar consideration. However, it is against the Academy's rules to openly campaign for a nomination, so most ads are pictures of the potential nominee with the phrase, "For your consideration" and the name of the category the person is seeking. Clooney and Pitt decided that Matt Damon should suffer the ultimate humiliation. Clooney developed an ad featuring a photo of Damon from his movie, The Talented Mr. Ripley. Those familiar with the movie probably will remember a scene where his character was on the beach wearing a very dated bathing suit that enhanced the appearance of, well, his talented Mr. Ripley. This photo was to be accompanied by the line, "For Your Consideration, Matt Damon for People's Sexiest Man Alive." Sadly, Variety, even after Clooney begged and cajoled as much as he could, refused to run the ad. Variety felt they were a serious publication that should not be part of a prank. I hope it's on the DVD. Copyright 2001 - WaffleMovies.com
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