The Borne Ultimatum

Friday night, the 'rents and I went to see "The Borne Ultimatum." In a summer where every other movie seems to be the third in the series (Shrek 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At Worlds End, Spiderman 3, Oceans 13), I have to say that this might be the best out of the bunch.
It contained enough history of 'The Borne Identity' and the 'Borne Supremacy' that you didn't need to see either of them to follow the plot. Like the first two, it was fast paced and action packed. Jason Borne is a sympathetic hero who you root for the entire way through.
Two things really stood out to me in this movie. The first was the cinematography. Many scenes are shot as if you are eavesdropping on a conversation or looking over someones shoulder, instead of having a direct viewpoint. It gave me the feeling of being part of the movie, instead of being a passive observer.
The second thing I loved were all of the different locations. It's like a whirlwind tour of Europe and New York. What is most impressive, is that they scenes are shot in public places. I watched a mini-documentary on the making of 'The Borne Ultimatum' on HBO. They don't stage these public places with extras. They just shoot the film and hope no one walks up and asks Matt Damon for his autograph. Consequently, you truly get a taste of what living there is like. Bustling crowds, kiosks full of merchandise, tickets and turn stiles are all things that I don't have to deal with on a daily basis, but it's nice to "go home" for a little while, even if it is only in a movie.
The only advice I have for this movie, is sit towards the back. There is so much action, that you might get a little motion sick if you sit to close!
'The Borne Ultimatum'? Definitely worth your money.

Ocean's 13

In keeping with my new blogging resolution, here is an honest girl's opinion of Ocean's 13:

After trying to arrange to see this movie with several people, I finally gave up and treated myself yesterday. I ended up at the Easton AMC where, in case you didn't know, you can get in for $4.00 before noon. Who knew? Also, they've started a new concession gimmick where you can mix and match three items off a certain list for $7.50. Included on the list is 32 oz. popcorn, 16 oz, pop, bottle of water, regular sized candy bar and icees. So, I was in a pretty good mood even before the movie started, cause I felt like I was being thrifty (although not as thrifty as going to the $1.00 movies on half price night!)

The basic plot is that a bunch of cheaters are trying to cheat another cheater. It was better than Ocean's 12, but not as good as Ocean's 11. There was enough twists and toys to make it fun, but yet there was still some predictability.

But to be honest, when the cast includes names like George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, I'm not really going for the plot. Ladies, it's not just a piece of eye candy, it's an entire eye candy store!

Why do guys just get better with age? Remember when George Clooney used to be on "The Facts of Life" with a perm and overalls? Remember when Brad Pitt used to have bit parts on "21 Jump Street" and "Growing Pains?" Remember baby faced Matt Damon, when he won an Oscar for "Good Will Hunting" and took his mom to the show? Wow, they've come a long way. In fact, they've come so far, that for a few hours, I forgot all about their political views and how much I disagree.

Ellen Barkin was also in the movie. She had a really cute hair cut that made me want to cut my hair off. It was a blunt cut bob that flipped out on the one side. We'll have to wait and see if I can pull that one off.

What have I missed?? Al Pacino and Andy Garcia also star, but they didn't do enough for me to mention them before now. Although, now that I think back, Al Pacino's character is building a casino, and it's gorgeous! I'm not usually drawn to Asian inspired decor, but this was very rich looking. It gave the entire film a feeling of sophistication.

I know that I could give a rating...4 stars, 3 1/2 stars, etc., but really, what does that tell you? Nothing. In a capitalistic society, people can say a lot, but ultimately, you find out how they feel by how they spend their money. So, for my reviews, I'm just going with a simple "worth the price of admission" or "not so much."
Ocean's 13? Definitely worth it.