EXCALIBUR (1981) - ****

Magical and engrossing retelling of the King Arthurian myth by Oscar-nominated filmmaker John Boorman. Full of violence and sex that most such fantasy projects are neither willing or able to feature, and featuring early career work for future featured actors like Liam Neeson, Gabriel Mann, and Patrick Stewart. This takes a giant s*it on Antoine Fuqua's quite lame KING ARTHUR summer blockbuster bomb.

OCEAN'S ELEVEN (2001) - ***

Enjoyable mega-box-office hit all-star picture with Clooney, Pitt, Damon, and gang trying to rob three casinos with $160 million. Soderbergh makes for his major commercial success, and Andy Garcia is fun as the villain. Nothing great, but Soderbgh did admit that he made the picture as "simply pleasurable from beginning to end". He did that.