Ocean's Thirteen
Tuesday, July 31, 2007

I could easily lose count of these films.

So, is the third time the charm? I'm not one who'll watch the same film for the third time, because I like all the characters. It has to be fun too.

I really liked "Ocean's Thirteen." Then again, I am easy to please. Love me some serious male eye candy: George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon (I don't know what he's doing, but he's acquiring that "hotness factor" as he gets older). Even Casey Affleck was cute. Bernie Mac is a darling, no matter how fat he gets. (Please lose a few pounds, BM. It doesn't look good on you.)

Clooney has such gorgeous eyes: love a man with long eyelashes.

Okay, I'll briefly summarize: everyone (except Julia Roberts and Kathryn Zeta Jones) from all the prior flicks is in this film, facing off against a new enemy. The bad guy is the one and only Al Pacino! While Pacino was rather low key in this film, he was still entertaining (when is he not ever? Gotta do "Scent of a Woman" review someday).

Clooney channels a Clark Gable and Cary Grant vibe. He makes you realize how rare a film like this is. A slick, hip, dare-I-say suave flick for adults that isn't pornographic, mean, vile, vicious, profane, and gratuitously violent. A mouthful, but it needed to be said.

They pull off every caper (earthquake, a half billion dollar loss for the casino and diamond heist) fabulously.

It's a funny, enjoyable film, just don't think too deeply about how they pulled if off.

Labels: Al Pacino, Andy Garcia, Bernie Mac, Brad Pitt, Cary Grant, Casey Affleck, Clark Gable, Don Cheadle, Eliott Gould, George Clooney, Matt Damon

posted by GoldenAh
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Scarface: So Hardcore It's Funny
Thursday, June 7, 2007



I've watched many Al Pacino movies. I love watching this guy. He did an excellent "Richard III" with Winona Ryder some years ago.

Most of his films I've watched in reverse chronological order. One of the last films I saw him star in was "Scarface."

I am serious, when I say that "Scarface" is one of the funniest movies I ever saw. I know it was a supposed to be a serious one-of-a-kind film (remake of the original 1930's "Scarface" directed by Howard Hawks) from the early 1980s.



Why was this film so funny? If you start with "Scent of a Woman" to "Dog Day Afternoon" (I know it came before "Scarface"), a mental montage of a screaming, wide eyed, loopy Pacino evolves. So by the time Tony Montana utters the immortal, "Ju know whut ju need? Ju need a job!" Tears of mirth are streaming down my face.

What makes it a complete camp classic are the number of picture frame stores where you can find the favorite mob ensembles: "The Untouchables", "Godfather", "Goodfellas", a picture of Pacino with the cigar, or the machine gun, and the recent "Sopranos." Aside from "Casino" - I've never watched any of these ganster flicks - I can't stand mob movies.

However, my Mom was watching "Scarface" on cable - thought it was funny too - and recommended it. I went out, bought the platinum / gold edition DVD and loved the movie.

I know making it funny wasn't intentional, but it's all good.

Labels: Al Pacino, comedy, gangster films, mob films

posted by GoldenAh
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