Ocean’s Eleven-Another Remake, oh Joy.
Why does Hollywood do these remakes? Because people keep going to them! Just say no, man. Just say no. Ocean’s Eleven, which is loaded down with star power, is a remake of a 1960's film. Honestly, at times I feel as though Hollywood is attempting to murder me. When will this sequel, television adaptation, video game translation madness end? As frequent readers know, I bitch a lot, a whole lot about the MBAs and lawyers that run the show in Hollywood. To these guys the film is no different than toothpaste or tampons, except that there are annoying creative types that make it harder for them to make money. Enough said, I have that off my chest, maybe I can actually review the film.
Ocean’s Eleven centers upon robbing a casino, which in and of itself is a pretty fun idea, have the money flow in reverse for once. The core concept is pretty brilliant–30 years ago when it was done the first freaking time! Nice, you’ve got to love that. The ridiculous level of star power includes one Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, George Clooney, the under rated and under appreciated Don Cheadle, Elliot Gould and two of the least talented “actors” you will ever see in a big budget movie, Scott Caan and Casey Affleck.
I really wish Clooney would stop being in movies, because he always plays one character George Clooney, it is annoying. However, Scott Caan son of James Caan and Casey Affleck, brother of the dreaded Ben Affleck make Clooney look like some sort of transcended being. They might be great guys seriously, but man cut your acting teeth in a lower profile film for Christ sakes. I have to blame director Stephen Soderbergh, he should not have let them anywhere near a camera once the slate had been lifted end of story. And if someone at the studio made this happen, for shame, would you do that with your money, sport? I didn’t think so. So many of these quarter-ass (not even half-ass) decisions are made because folks are playing with other people’s cash.
Overall, the film is entertaining and is one the best films by the wildly over-rated Soderbergh to date. Some of the casting decisions are, however, horrifically atrocious and he should have stepped in and literally said, “No way.” That is unless, they were his decisions.
Again, it is an entertaining film that took 5 chaps to get on paper, and audiences loved it, due in no small part, to all the celebrities and famous faces contained within. Its pretty sad when you actually think about it. The same film, the exact same film frame for frame with a group of unknown actors, does a small fraction of the box office take of Oceans Eleven.
We should all expect more originality out of Hollywood. Why not? Just because we haven’t expected it before? If we stop going to see sequels, if we stop buying their inferior product, they will overhaul it, worry more about the scripts that get made, who directs them and who stars in them.
Story C
Acting B
Visuals B-
Originality/Innovation D
Enjoyability Grade C-
Home Theater/HD Factor B
Overall Grade C+
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