when the director actually listens to feedback

Soderbergh. No matter how many times I’ve listened to it said—no matter how many interviews and award shows—my whole life I’ve always pronounced it wrong. Always. Its crazy. But something I’ll keep on working on, because names are my absolute kryptonite. Anyway, it’s Soderbergh like “soda”, not like “sawdust”. I appreciate all of you who have brought it up. And to Mr. Soderbergh, as a tremendous fan: I am sorry. :) -Danny

It wasn't just that the movie was a fun heist caper or that it had good dialogue and banter between the characters. The movie has style. I don't just mean the setting or the wardrobe (although the clothing was so on-point!). I mean the movie itself, like a living being, had style. That carries across the years.

I think what’s amazing is that this movie literally has 11 main characters that the audience quickly A) likes, B) sees their value to the job/importance to story and C) gives them unique personalities. There are so many movies that maybe have half that number and the audience still won’t like each character or find one or two useless/ a throw away. That just goes to show how great the writers and actors were in this movie.

Saul’s Quiet Moment scene emphasizes the acting these characters go through. Their con is one big theater piece, so adding that brief pause before cutting to the MGM and the fight announcers is like the lead actor taking that moment of breath before entering the stage. It also adds a bit of tension to Saul’s collapse later on, where you don’t 100% know it’s a ruse until Rusty shows up as the doctor

Thank you so much for breaking this down. For those of us who don't know anything about cinematography, editing is only really noticeable when it's awful. When it's great, you're too caught up in the enjoyment to understand how you're being moved by the craftsmanship. Seeing video essays like this adds so many layers to the experience. I am excited to revisit this film and see it with fresh eyes!

I liked the gang going their own way at the fountain scene. Movie could have ended on that high note.

As much as I agree that the final edit of the opening sequence is better without the shot reverse-shot, I’m happy there exists a canon Danny answer to that question, even if it’s just a witty retort.

This gave me so much more appreciation for what is already one of my favorite films. The alt cut examples were a super clever way of illuminating Soderberg's intentionality, and how much the actors made deleted scenes so engaging they became free pickups. This is some peak CinemaStix work here my guy!

I can't get enough of how you make movies I love into something so valuable. It'a like having your grandma's cooking dissected by a chef. They go from: "this movie is fun, I enjoy watching it every time" to "here's why you're actually watching a masterpiece".

The late 90s to the early 2000s was like a second Golden Age. So many great movies drawing from the classics of the 30s and 40s. Oceans 11 sits near the top of the pile.

I always have the feeling many people forget about the oceans trilogy when they list their favourite movies. Maybe because they aren't movies with big emotions of any kind. But they master the art of being fully logical till the end. Every little smalltalk that you see seems like simple chemistry building for the group at first but has a deeper meaning in the end and was actually a foreshadowing of the plot. Also the chemistry between every character in the movie is so believabile that it seems real. Also maybe the best feel good movies that aren't comedies.

It’s how the characters relate to the plot that’s important and unfortunately so many blockbuster films these days prioritise plot over character. If you spend time with the characters you care about what drives them or understand what drives them. You relate to them, you root for them. Prioritising plot means losing humanity and without humanity you lose connection to the audience. Character should always come first and studios should stop cutting important character beats in favour of a streamline plot.

I definitely encourage anyone with the bandwidth to do so to click the gear icon and select ‘4K’ or ‘2160p’ while watching the video. Doesn’t matter what kind of display you’re using, it’ll give you a much, much less compressed image (on mobile it’s the gear icon and then “advanced”. Let me know if you have any questions. :) -Danny

It's like a comedy version of Michael Mann's "Heat". That movie was 2 hours, 50 minutes because he spent so much time with all the characters, but that's what made the movie so engaging and great. As others have said/implied, you need connection to the characters to make the plot matter.

Ocean's 11 is infinitely rewatchable

Ocean’s 11 is my favourite movie. It’s just so easy to watch. Not to mention a satisfying ending and plot progression.

This is my favorite movie of all time, and the sequence of character intros is just immaculate. The pacing and rhythm are so specific I can basically quote the whole thing from memory. The editing in the Ocean's series (particularly 11 and 13) doesn't get nearly enough attention, so thanks for taking some time to highlight it!

Ocean's Eleven is so good that it doesn't just make you love it, it makes you love movies in general. It's so masterfully executed, with such heart and style, that watching it gives you an appreciation for what movies can be when they're done this well. Most viewers aren't going to be consciously aware of all of the macro and micro elements, but they all come through so strongly on a subconscious level (particularly the wealth of invaluable character moments that you highlighted) that it ends up feeling instinctively satisfying.

Loved this since it came out. 12 is also a masterpiece I think. I really miss this kind of old school class and charm of 90's early 2000's stuff. Besides the dynamite cast and great lighting they kept any pop culture or current events out of it, which just adds to the appeal. I had no idea about the editing decisions, which apparently saved and transcended Oceans 11.

I love it when you make essays on my favourite films! Ocean's was one of the first franchises I really fell in love with and watched several times. It was, for my 10 year old self, the first movie that really made me pay attention to more than just the plot. It was the first time I was invested in characters' success.