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Because crime is a family affair.

I’m not going to say that we needed an Ocean’s 11 spin-off. All I am going to say is that, as an avid fan of Steven Soderbergh’s style-centric comedic heist films starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon, I am just thrilled to see the franchise continue. This time, though, it’s the girls who get to do all the grifting and thieving and charming and, coolly enough, the switcheroo works.

At its thieving heart, Ocean’s 8 is a fun summer flick.  With nods to the original trilogy (through set-ups, song choices, and cameos from the original crew), the film feels very similar in spirit to what came before.  The con is back on!

I just wish that director Gary Ross (The Hunger Games) had a bit more swagger in his step as this impressive cast, who simply don’t disappoint, demand an equally stylish film as the men got. The film, once the chips get placed, kind of just goes on autopilot; a deft hand behind the camera might have been able to energize some of the rather lacking aspects as Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock), pleading her case just like her brother did in Ocean’s 11, cons herself out of prison and implements a revenge caper that loses a bit of gas in the third act.

Released with stories of her own to tell about her brother, Danny, she gets placed back on the street, after five years behind bars, in the same evening gown she was arrested in. Thing is, she’s been planning something big and it starts with a rather humorous showcasing of her own skills as she chats and charms her way into new duds. Debbie makes her own particular set of skills known to us rather quickly.  But Danny hangs over this picture with a framing device that doesn't payoff...yet.

But for what she has planned, involving the Met Gala and a big diamond necklace, she will need a little help from her friends. And, much like the other films in the series, we get elaborate introductions as the all-female crew is brought aboard. Because Ocean’s 8 lacks the style of Soderbergh and the sounds of David Holmes (both sorely missed), the film only truly shines when the rest of the cast is introduced; it’s all in the planning stages here. This is truly where the film shines. {googleads}

With Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter in tow, the fun is established. And, yes, they are cool to watch come together. Unfortunately, it’s when their plan – which catches the eye of an insurance fraud investigator (James Cordan) – goes into action that we lose some much-needed steam. Their target is Anne Hathaway (who steals the show) as actress Daphne Kluger AND Richard Armitage as an art dealer named Claude Becker, but the surprises – much like the endless cameos – are so numerous that it quickly tips the scales into distraction. Bummer.

Without the buzz of Soderbergh’s crackling camera, the New York City vibe quickly runs out of gas. All that sparkles isn’t gold; it is true indeed. Don’t get me wrong as there is fun to be had here. This cast is fantastic, deserving of better things. I seriously hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of them because I do feel strongly that there is a better story to be told with these ladies in their roles.

Fingers crossed that this isn’t the beginning and the end of the Ocean’s 8 crew. After all, girls just wanna have fun.

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[tab title="Details"]

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language, drug use, and some suggestive content.
Runtime: 110 mins
Director: Gary Ross
Writer: Gary Ross, Olivia Milch
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway
Genre: Crime | Drama | Action
Tagline: Every con has its pros.
Memorable Movie Quote: "16.5 million dollars in each of your bank accounts five weeks from now."
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Bros.
Official Site: https://www.oceans8movie.com/
Release Date: June 8, 2018
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: Own it early on digital on August 21, 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD debut on September 11.
Synopsis: Five years, eight months, 12 days...and counting. That’s how long Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock)—just released from prison—has been concocting the greatest heist of her storied career. She knows what it’s going to take—a team of the best in their field, starting with her former partner-in-crime Lou (Cate Blanchett). Together, they recruit a crew of specialists: jeweler Amita (Kaling); street con Constance (Awkwafina); expert fence Tammy (Paulson); hacker Nine Ball (Rihanna); and fashion designer Rose Weil (Bonham Carter). The target is $150 million in diamonds—diamonds that will adorn the neck of world-famous actress Daphne Kluger (Hathaway), who will be center stage at the event of the year, the Met Gala. Their plan appears rock solid, but it will need to be flawless if the team is to get in and get away—all in plain sight..

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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]

Blu-ray Details:

Blu-ray Details:

Home Video Distributor: Warner Bros.
Available on Blu-ray - Own it early on digital on August 21, 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD debut on September 11.
Screen Formats: 2.40:1
Subtitles: English SDH; French; Portuguese; Spanish
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos; English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1; French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1; Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1; English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set; digital copy; movie anywhere; DVD copy
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Warner Bros. have presented Ocean's 8 with a 2.4:1 widescreen transfer highlighted by a Dolby Atmos-True HD 7.1 audio track that pops with the cool jazzy tones of a swanky period soundtrack appropriate for the setting. We get a double-sided amaray case housed inside a cardboard slipcover. Inside the case is one BD-50 disc, a DVD copy and a paper slip with digital download information

The film is quite colorful, particularly in its second half which takes place at New York's Met Gala where the palette comes to life with a veritable feast for the eyes as elaborate ball gowns and intricately detailed sets take center stage.

There are some significant problems, however, when it comes to the darker levels where details get lost, mid-tones muddy up, and even the bright colors often become over-saturated. Many scenes in the film's first third take place in a dark New York apartment loft and it is in these scenes where the film suffers most from the poor transfer. Contrast seems pushed to the limit which absolutely crushes the dark tones with way too much unintended grain and compression artifacting that very nearly ruin the entire experience. The look is quite noticeable and certainly a significant oversight in the transfer. Things do recover when the action takes us inside the Met Gala where the screen comes to life with color and light.

Blu-ray Supplements:

Commentary:

• None

Special Features:

• Deleted Scenes - Two short scenes (totaling 01:53) that didn't make the final cut.

• Reimagining the Met Gala (12:47) - A thirteen minute feature with interviews and footage of the crafting of the Met Gala scene where the film's finale takes place. Director Gary Ross talks about the importance of featuring the event with elaborately detailed custom gowns, exact details, and a total commitment to authenticity.

• A Heist in Heels (11:35) - An eleven and a half minute featurette with director Gary Ross that gets into details of the style and look of the film and how important it was to take the story and mold it around the powerful women at its center.

• Ocean's Team 3.0 (13:20) - A character outline that gets into the backgrounds and expectations of each of the film's 8 main characters.

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