An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
2012
Theatre
The show has suddenly become quite wonderful, and the galvanising factor is the terrific stage debut of Melanie C
Blood Brothers
Music
The British pop music industry may be eating itself but if Muse are the pick of what it can offer the world in 2010 then British music is in rude health indeed
Muse
I was smitten by both Gilberts enormous luxuriant moustache and the intelligence and nuance of this highly entertaining play
I totally recommend Babbo to anyone who is looking for really good and traditional Italian food
Always been a fan but never seen them live. I was ecstatic to be part of this epic event. WOW!
London,
Derek Malcolm's rating
Reader rating
Friendly fun: Matt Damon, George Clooney and Bradd Pitt
Show stopper: Kylie Minogue on the red carpet
Fill her up: George Clooney enjoys himself at the after-show party
"This film is a cry for peace in the world," said George Clooney at the press conference for Ocean's Thirteen, Steven Soderbergh's third edition of his popular franchise.
A roar of laughter went up and one assumes he was being cynical. It is more like a cry for the kind of light-hearted fare so beloved in the old Hollywood Ratpack film.
It certainly brought out the rubber-necking crowds as Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Clooney and co ascended the red carpet towards the Palais. It was a change for the crowds to see their idols in their most flamboyant flesh because most films in the competition are not American and only if the stars are French, or just possibly British, do they recognise who they are cheering. Last night it was different, though one old lady asking Soderbergh if he was Al Pacino must have flummoxed him.
The film is about as good as the first of the franchise and better than the limp second. This time, Danny Ocean (Clooney) and his gang are trying to pull off their riskiest casino heist at The Bank, Las Vegas.
It is owned by Al Pacino's Willie Banks, a ruthless operator who double-crosses Ocean's friend and mentor Tishkoff (Elliott Gould, looking like a rather tatty ancient monument) and puts him into hospital. Tishkoff claims he has shaken the hand of Frank Sinatra, so he should be respected. But Banks doesn't give a damn.
This gives the gang a shared purpose to bring him down on the night of his greatest triumph - the opening of the casino.
First they will ruin him financially by turning the tables on the time-honoured rule that the house always wins. Then they will ruin him further by wrecking his reputation as winner of the Royal Review Board's Five Diamond Award for excellence.
How they manage it is so complicated that I was at a total loss to understand the ins and outs of the techniques used, so I can't possibly give away the ending. But I can say that the casino looks like a Roman emperor's wet dream and hope that Soderbergh didn't have to build it himself as well as pay the stars inordinate sums of money.
They really don't have to do very much in the way of acting since only Pacino has more than two lines to say at once. The film is action, action all the way and is bound to satisfy those who prefer that to any spurious cry for peace in the world. Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac and other familiar faces adorn the cast.
If in Ocean's Eleven Danny wanted his wife back and in Twelve he has to use his wits to get out of the trouble he got into in the first film, here the film is really about friendship. Or so they say. But a bit more characterisation and a bit less rushing about might have proved the point more potently.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Afternoon:
14°c
