didn't get to these when they were in theaters...and not really "bad" movies...although Ocean's Eleven is pretty bunk...
Ocean's Eleven (2001) - 2001 (PG-13) Directed by Steven Soderbergh. Starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, and notable others. This popcorn caper has a lot of star power and adequate acting; unfortunately, it's ruined by a completely unbelievable script. Need a way of shutting down all of Las Vegas' power? No problem, just steal a gizmo from your local ivy league university. Need to place explosives in the vault? No problem, just play dress up and convince the casino boss to store your briefcase there. Need to get a guy in the vault as well? Just hire an Asian contortionist. What if the casino calls 911? Well, just tap into the phone lines and while you're at it, override the casino's closed circuit security monitors. Basically, this flick is about a bunch of superheros organizing a robbery. Nothing can stop them and it winds up being as believable as Soderbergh's way-overrated Traffic. NOT RECOMMENDED. Go watch Kubrick's The Killing again instead.
Panic Room - 2002 (R). (DVD) Directed by David Fincher. Jodie Foster is a divorced mother moving into a new home with her teenage daughter. The pair run for the protection of the "panic room"---a secret fortified room on the third floor---when three burglers after hidden loot break into the four-story home. Things get interesting when the determined criminals, one of whom has inside knowledge about the room, must figure out how to remove the stash from the locked and occupied panic room. Like Fincher's other movies (Seven, The Game, and Fight Club), the characters in this flick make believable decisions in strange and suspenseful situations. RECOMMENDED modern thriller.
laytah,
mr. henry
I partly share your view on Ocean's Eleven. I never really considered it believable, but I found it entertaining. Perhaps in a "leave most of your brain in the car and just enjoy it"-way, but still entertaining.
I was annoyed by that black-out gizmo, though. Especially, since it was so unneccessary.
And I too have no idea what's THAT great about Traffic.
During Panic Room, I fell asleep. I watched it again next morning and found it one of the most predictable thrillers I have ever seen. I love Fincher's style and I like Jodie Foster's acting, but I found the script was a steaming pile of crap.
- The former owner had a panic room installed for an enormous pile of money.
The hatch to the roof has a lock that I wouldn't use to secure by bike.
- Will they make it into the panic room ?
It's like ten minutes into the movie, what do you think ?
- One of the burglars is the "nobody should get hurt"-type.
Wanna bet he ends up helping the victims when masked psycho guy starts to freak?
- The burglars are two stories away, when does Jodie try to get the cell phone ?
When they're next door, becaue that's more suspenseful.
- The cell phone doesn't work in the panic room.
Gee, what a surprise. Who would have though a cell would have trouble penetrating ten flinsy inch of steel and concrete ?
Later, when the burglars are somewhere else in the 4-STORY-BUILDING, nobody thinks about leaving the room to call the cops.
- She just talked to the cops and now takes out the cameras. When you're the burglars, what would you think is going on ?
- For some reason mask-psycho watches her smash all the cams. He was blurping threads nearly every 30 seconds. Now he completely fails to deliver a simple "stop that or I kill your kid". Of course, this would have wrecked Jodie's "brilliant" plan.
I could keep this list going and going....
Pokethulhu---some good points regarding Panic Room...i'm re-evaluating my capsule review before i post it to my site...
...i think there were three inches of steel and 3 feet of concrete?...if i remember correctly...either way, i thought it stupid that they couldn't rig a makeshift antennae and push it out the outside pipe...
...and i do remember wondering why foster couldn't just tell the cops what was going on and then tell them to pretend she hadn't said anything...
TRAFFIC: ok, so a drug trafficer's wife was oblivious but somehow manages to take over the outfit AND DEVISES a way to pressure cook cocaine into phony porcelain dolls??? huh?
-mr. henry
Haven't seen "Ocean's Eleven",but do highly agree with P on "Panic Room",which is another dopey,dreary David Fincher film with all style,and no substance.
Ole Ghost Dog himself(Forrest Whitaker)must have been really itching for the UPN "Twilight Zone" hosting gig,after appearing in this Fincher turkey.
TRAFFIC: ok, so a drug trafficer's wife was oblivious but somehow manages to take over the outfit AND DEVISES a way to pressure cook cocaine into phony porcelain dolls??? huh?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A nod to the inventiveness of housewifes perhaps ?
Steven Millan wrote:
Haven't seen "Ocean's Eleven",but do highly agree with P on "Panic Room",which is another dopey,dreary David Fincher film with all style,and no
substance.
Ole Ghost Dog himself(Forrest Whitaker)must have been really itching for the UPN "Twilight Zone" hosting gig,after appearing in this Fincher turkey.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Good point there (and thanks), but I don't think Fincher is to blame for this mess. I guess, he did all he could with this horrible script.
But there are quite a few moments, whre you watch the camerawork and think "seen this in FIGHT CLUB"
for some reason, i'm still a LITTLE bit sympathetic regarding this movie. i rented this along with Ocean's Eleven. I found Ocean's to be a huge let down...maybe because i watched that first and Panic Room second...hmm...i had also recently watched Argento's "Sleepless"...and that would make a lot of movies look better than they perhapse really are...
Panic Room - 2002 (R). (DVD) Directed by David Fincher. Jodie Foster is a divorced mother moving into a new home with her teenage daughter. The pair run for the protection of a "panic room"---a secret fortified room on the third floor---when three burglers after hidden loot break into the four-story home. Things get interesting when the determined criminals, one of whom has inside knowledge about the room, must figure out how to remove the stash from the locked and occupied panic room. Like Fincher's other movies (Seven, The Game, and Fight Club), the characters in this flick make believable (if sometimes dumb) decisions in strange and suspenseful situations; however, this movie's script drops the ball in a couple key instances regarding believability. Also on the downside is the stereotypical mix of intruders: the quiet psychopath, the good we-weren't-supposed-to-hurt-anyone guy, and the greedy holding-out guy. Still, though arguably Fincher's weakest effort, this slickly directed flick is SEMI-RECOMMENDED for it's interesting premise and some engaging moments that rise above average popcorn thriller nonsense.
-mr. henry
I enjoyed both flicks, but clearly both are fine examples of stylish-but-empty movies. "Ocean's 11" may be my pick. It doesn't have great pretensions, and situations are deliciously old fashioned, so it is easier to ignore the plot holes. Probably it is the film by Soderbergh I have enjoyed the most. If it didn't seem that interesting to you, well, you'll have to admit the pretensions / achievement ratio is greater than with some of his other films.
About "Panic Room", I enjoyed the visuals and the cat-and-mouse game (couldn't help but think of the Roadrunner / Coyote cartoon in the gas scene), but I agree in that the script is not a big deal. Previous efforts by Fincher had juicy subtexts, while here all depended too much on suspense
Ocean's 11: Yeah, the pinch was stupid - they could have devised a much more believable way to cut power. The rest of it, while not exactly believable, was at least somewhat plausible and within my threshold for suspension of disbelief. I think my biggest problem was how the two driver guys kept swiching costumes (bellhops, bodyguards, gamblers, security guys, dealers, etc. etc. etc.) and nobody at the casino caught on. Otherwise it was a pretty good piece of fluff I thought. I especially enjoyed Elliot Gould's "3 most successful casino heists in Las Vegas history."
Haven't seen Panic Room - the trailer didn't exactly grab me. One question: did Foster have a daughter or a son in it? I read daughter in a review, but I could have sworn it was a son in the trailer. Was it a pre-teen "Pat" or did the review get it wrong?