OCEAN'S 13

The job of the cast of an "Ocean" picture is to be cute. I don't mean
this in a negative way -- this franchise is built on the audience liking the
characters on Mister Ocean's team. The specific plot is not the issue - Ocean's
team will always be trying to right an injustice - that is why the audience is
on their side. The cute factor and the crusading factor are at the center of
all these pictures. This current edition is representative of the template.

THE FIRST OF THE GEORGE CLOONEY SERIES WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF THEY DID NOT TRY SO HARD TO CREATE A ROLE FOR JULIA ROBERT'S -- AN ACTRESS I LIKED, UNTIL SHE WON THE ACADEMY AWARD AND ACTED LIKE A SPOILED CHILD IN ACCEPTING THE HONOR. I FELL OUT WITH HER THAT NIGHT -- THOUGH I DOUBT SHE IS LOSING A GREAT DEAL OF SLEEP OVER OUR BREAK-UP.

THE SECOND PICTURE HAD CATHERINE ZETA JONES AND THAT IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR ANY FILM.

THIS ONE HAS ELLEN BARKIN AND DOES NOT GO OUT OF THE WAY TO FEATURE HER AND THAT IS A GOOD DECISION - THIS SERIES IS ABOUT THE GOOD OLD BOYS AND HOW WE WOULD LIKE TO HANG OUT WITH THEM - THEY KNOW HOW TO HAVE A GOOD TIME.

I was glad to see a loose end tied up in the very last scene - I thought they had neglected giving a character his just due AND SINCE THIS SERIES IS ABOUT DETAILED PLANNING, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE ERROR.

I THINK THE OCEAN SERIES WILL HAVE TO MAKE BIG CHANGES IF IT IS TO CONTINUE -- THEY CAN'T KEEP ROBBING LAS VEGAS WHILE DRIVING AROUND THE CASINO FLOOR IN THEIR LITTLE RASCAL CARTS.
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I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND TWO MOVIES TO CATCH ON DVD, IF NOT IN A THEATRE.