Ocean's Eleven was a great fun. Ocean's Twelve is a great fun, minus the spices.

Let me start with my grouches. First, it is good to have Andy Garcia back. A great performer, he is wasted in this movie. Sure, he is the guy who instigates the premise of this movie, but most of the time he just looks happy. They are getting the money for him. So what? In the first film, he was all over the place. Fuming, squabbling, breathing down the casino workers neck - the best performance in the first movie. Maybe, well, just maybe, the stars realised that he is too much of an actor to steal the show from the others who are there just to have fun. Well, its their show.

Second grouch? That Julia Roberts. Okay, its me. I can't stand her. And you have a subplot where her character sends up Julia Roberts the star. I wanted to crawl on my four and throw up the popcorns. But then, it’s me, my prejudice.

This caper movie is certainly a deserved sequel. If it doesn't pare well with its predecessor, it is because the original (not the 1960 original) is far superior and tough to beat. Hey, how many times you have good sequels (with exception of Godfather and Batman, to me)?

Well, suffice to say, all the gang is back. Clooney and Pitt are relaxed as usual, and the rest of the cast are up to their usual bags of trick. But the guy who really stands out is Damon. Boy, I am beginning to like him as an actor these days. He was good in the two Borne movies. And here, he plays a complete opposite of that secret agent role. His puppy dog earnestness, and humbling sense of confidence that he can play 'a more central role' in the organisation will have you either in stitches or empathy. Unfortunately, as the plot and the pace picks up in the end, Damon gets to do little.

Another standout is the addition herself. Catherine Zeta-Jones. Ah, my fingers are melting as I type this. Boy, does she have to be THIS gorgeous? I mean she was working her butt off in this movie, but I can't take my eyes off her. She may be wearing some dreary raincoat, but that sexuality....I shall not proceed. Catherine dear, if you wanna a movie of your own based on your Europol babe cop Isabel character, you got it honey.

All the other aspects of the movies go very well with the style it intended - with is a tribute to the glorious sixties. And I must get that soundtrack. Its one of the most coolest jazz score I have heard in years. David Holmes has done a brilliant job.

You will note that I didn't mention the story or premise of this movie. Who cares? The movie is about its stars. They are having fun on and off screen, and believe me, it rubs off.