Ocean's Eight


The film begins with a white faced Sandra Bullock in prison fatigues talking to camera.
She has lank dark long hair and is botoxed to buggery
My sister turned to me and whispered " Bloody hell It's Michael Jackson!"
Unfortunately Bullock does indeed resemble the plastic pop star and her expressionless face takes something vital away from this the latest of the " Ocean" comedy heist franchise.
It's hard to make a good comedy when the leading lady looks somewhat vacant .
Which is a shame.
Having said that Ocean's Eight is what it is.......it's an entertaining heist romp with a star cast of female crooks stealing the diamonds from a greedy old fashion house that can take the loss. The " ladies" are therefore all sympathetic Robin Hood types and although Bullock is no charm filled George Clooney you do end up rooting that the gems are indeed swiped from the bad guys.
As the complicated and totally unbelievable heist plan is uncovered we meet the mixed bag of lady criminals recruits.   Helena Bonham Carter ( looking like the wreck of the Hesperus) , an underused Cate Blanchett, Rihanna in dreadlocks et al all have their brief parts to play in the comedy romp but surprisingly it is Ann Hathaway as a not-so-dumb superstar actress who showcases the robbery diamonds and James Corden as an insurance investigator who turns up at the end of the movie who shine above the ensemble performances. Their turns are naturally funny and satisfying.

Ocean's Eight is a light , frothy romp. And at that level, it entertains.
7/10

50 comments:

  1. My daughter enjoyed watching this with friends in New Zealand. Shame about Sandra Bullock as I really like her, must see this x

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  2. Michael Jackson...hahaha!! Good one!

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  3. I'm probably going to take some flack for this, but Anne Hathaway is a better actress than Sandra Bullock. But Bullock was fantastic in Miss Congeniality (2008), and I loved her in Practical Magic (1998). Cate Blanchette is an exquisite actor, who should've won the Oscar for Elizabeth (1998), not boring Gwyneth Paltrow for Shakespeare in Love (1988).

    I like a good light, frothy romp. I'm adding this to my Must See List. Thanks for the review.

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    1. Hathaway has some great comic timing .
      I loved one of Blanchette's earliest movies PARADISE ROAD she plays an Australian nurse captured by the Japanese in WW2 ?

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    2. I so agree with you. Cate Blanchette should have won the Oscar for Elizabeth. Paltrow is indeed very boring and very much so in Shakespeare in Love. I think she got the Oscar because who her father is.

      cheers, parsnip

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  4. I definitely won't be wasting money watching that ****!

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  5. I agree with you 100 % about Cate Blanchette eroswings... cate was robbed !!

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  6. What a shame these 'ladies of Hollywood' feel the need to change their appearance instead of just growing older naturally.

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    1. You don't have to be a "of Hollywood" to mess with your features. One of my sisters is, by all accounts (of her kids - my nephews and niece) tinkering. She is a few years younger than me - and I am in good nick thanks to our good genes on both sides of the family. If she keeps going like she does (haven't seen her for many years since we live in different countries) she'll have problems introducing me to anyone as her older sister without compromising my parents having started at an even younger age than they did. If you can't follow any of the above, don't worry. It's not easy. And I am her sister.

      U

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    2. I went to a school reunion ten years ago & did not recognize an old school-mate as she'd totally transformed her face. I'd snubbed her unintentionally as I thought she'd come as the date of someone with whom I'd gone to school. :S

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  7. I've seen your comment on my own blog about this, JayGee. I feel a degree of satisfaction that you've given it a higher score than I felt I could manage, which is fine.

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  8. I love Bullock, but, yeah, she is looking a little plastic lately.

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    1. In a world where men often still judge women by their looks, maybe an actress feels plastic is preferable to old?

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    2. That's sadder... I adore an attractive woman of any decade....look at the beautiful Rosemary Harris , Jessica Tandy, Lauren Bacall

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  9. Such a shame, John, if you what you say implies that Bullock has indeed been botoxed to the point of stiff smile. I don't watch many films (doesn't fit into my day) but what I used to see of her over the years she struck me as so down to earth. Sassy yet feminine. Likeable. Not, of course, that a few injections to iron out your face makes you less likeable as the person behind the facade.
    Still ... Pity.

    U

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    1. I never said she was any less likeable , I said her stiff appearance takes away the vitality of the piece and performance.
      Please don't put words into my mouth

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    2. I give up, John. I "put words into [your] mouth"? I didn't say YOU thought her "any less likeable". What gives you that idea? Neither is my sister less likeable (see my reply to Jim) just because she fucks with what nature gave her.

      I don't understand you, John. Regardless of what I say, more often than not you see it as some sort of criticism. Even when it isn't. It's quite disheartening.

      U

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    3. Apologies I must have read it wrong

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  10. We loved the film, but it's bloody hard to act anything but bored if you can't move your facial muscles.

    We also felt she held her head so rigidly as she moved it was as though she was worried her hair would all fall off with any sudden movement. We gave it an 8/10 for entertainment value.

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    1. Agree....she just looked pissed off....and she seldom smiled which was odd

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    2. I used to love her as an actress as she seemed so animated and natural in all her older films ... not someone I thought would choose to go down to 'Botox'd to the limit' route at all.

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  11. It's very sad that still, women these days resort to surgery and Botox etc to keep their jobs .. and it isn't Other Women who want them to look unlined with pert boobs.
    Sandra Bullock along with so many others have resorted to what is really a very drastic measure, surgery to change their faces and bodies! to keep working. And the sad fact is ... it isn't other women or the female audience that this is being done for .
    I liked the Oceans 11 films with and because of the cast, George Clooney was excellent. But this - it has no real appeal.

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  12. Speaking of Botox - an in-law of mine developed a very rare "disorder" years ago. She is older and very healthy yet something caused her eyes to just close without warning and she could not open them right away.It was quite a while of seeing specialists etc to find out that it was neurological and there was one thing she could try. So she did. Botox shots around the eyes. We won't discuss the pain involved. It worked. She was never cured and still has bad days but Botox made her eyes open and close normally.
    Go figure ~

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    1. An old colleague of mine has just retired and opened a Botox business .
      What he has told me over a pint scares me

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  13. Hollywood does not like old, especially in women. I saw Sandra Bullock on TV promoting this picture and really did not notice that she had been “overworked”, however, maybe her lighting was extra good that day.

    I never really liked this series with the men and probably wouldn’t like this either. I may watch it when it comes to Netflix.

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    1. It's started to get better thanks to a few brave actresses and certain meatier roles being available. There is still a very long way to go. Though

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  14. Sometimes a light, frothy romp is just what's needed!

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  15. I think Sandra Bullock has looked that way for many years - she barely moved anything in her face besides her mouth in The Blind Side, and that was almost a decade ago. I liked her in a few comedies, but never in dramatic roles... I'm just not feeling this kind of caper movie at the moment...

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  16. It seems to me that an actor's face is his instrument. Of course the body is used in the craft as well but the face says it all and if that face has been stunned into immobility with botox and surgery, the art suffers. That's just my opinion.

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    2. I agree how much emotion can you she while you look like a cat caught in a wind tunnel

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  17. I will give this a miss I think. Your sister's comment was hilarious. She sounds like she has a great sense of humour as do you. All the best.

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  18. I LOVE Sandra Bullock... always have.. Its sad to hear her part was not done well.. I think actors would do well just to be their age.. I mean we've known Sandra Bullock for ages.. We KNOW she's no spring chick but we like her any way.. without the Botox.. wrinkles and all... I think any actor or actress HAS to be able to have expressions on their face!! Hugs! deb

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    1. I've always liked her...especially in her gentle comedies such as " while you were sleeping"

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  19. As much as I love Sandra Bullock, this movie lost me with Helena Bonham Carter. Ugh! Maybe when it comes to t.v. I'll give it a look. I too like a good frothy romp.

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    1. She's not bad in it ....even though she looks like an unmade bed

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  20. 'A light, frothy romp' is just what I need after today John, which has been a day and a half and it is only four o'clock.

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  21. Sandra Bullock should take a look at Dame Helen Mirren. That's how to age well in the business!

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  22. Thank you. Hugs from the beach.

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  23. I don't think I'll do botox-can't afford it anyway.I use factor 50 all year but my face has definitely dropped x

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  24. Poor Sandra! "Michael Jackson! " Could her prison unattractiveness be part of her acting the role, setting the scene? Prob most women look a little frumpy in prison.

    lizzy

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    1. No my sister was referring to her Botox ...which is a shame. She is a beautiful woman and lines and would have still been a beautiful woman at 52

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  25. What I really liked about the first "Oceans" movie was Brad Pitt. If you watch he is always eating through out the whole caper. It cracked me up.

    cheers, parsnip

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  26. The special effects and animation is very slick but it is expected from pixar. Apart from that there is nothing much to enjoy other than a few moments with Jack Jack. Storyline is very weak and everything is a stretch. Why the villian chooses to target superheroes and why only elastigirl is receuited is not established well at all.
    arrival putlockers There many characters and scenes forced. Voice of elastigirl is annoying and same with her husband. They should have used different actors to voice except Samuel Jackson. Skip this in theaters and wait for DVD release.

    See more:
    > the revenant putlocker
    > movies2k
    > Deadpool 2

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  27. Everyone has their own prospective while watching a movie. All the thoughts can not be common. Some of the people like and some of the people dislike. No body can judge like this.
    seo
    PPC

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  28. I've had to rethink my footwear when I realized Bullock's prison shoes were the same shoes I was wearing while seeing the movie!

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