John's Movie Musings

I caught Ocean's 13 last night and for those of you on the fence (or betting behind the line) on this one, rest assured they did it right. It's much, much better than 12, and as good as 11 - perhaps better in some areas.

It takes a special kind of person to enjoy these movies. Let's face it, if you wanted a serious movie, you'd head to the local two-screen cinema for a matinée of "Gay Cowboys Eating Pudding." (/end obligatory South Park reference) and call it a night over a glass of chianti.

For the rest of us, we enjoy these movies because we get to watch a bunch of guys (the same guys every woman in the world would leave you for) rob a casino. Instead of Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta Jones, we guys get Ellen Barkin who can still put the sweet on the eye candy.

Everything that made the first one funny, and was left out of the second one, is back in the third. The jokes work, especially the inside ones between Clooney and Pitt. Plus, there are a few cameos from the previous movies that are understated and thus, hilarious. And Pacino is one "Hoo-ah!" short of perfect.

For those of you who know Vegas well, you'll enjoy the CG work done on the casino that appears right on the Strip. It's very impressive and it's how CG should be done in movies.

Great fun, and definitely worth a rental -- or a matinée.

Grade: B