City Island (2009)

Every family has it's secrets. Or, more correctly, every family member has them. This movie is primarily about best-kept secrets. There are enough character studies in this story to keep a professional amused.

Andy Garcia plays a second generation City Island native, or Clam Digger, who keeps multiple secrets from his family. Julianna Margulies plays a wife with no secrets, apparently. Steven Strait plays one of the secrets and Dominik Garcia-Lorido (yes Andy's real daughter) plays his daughter with a few secrets of her own. The secret keeping son is played by Ezra Miller. All in all - a very funny dysfunctional family. But in truth, their only real problem is that they don't tell each other the truth.

Alan Arkin and Emily Mortimer have wonderful roles as well. You gotta love movies where new Yorkers poke a little fun at themselves.

If you think you know NYC but have never heard of City Island (a best kept secret itself), you will probably love this movie. If your family needs a lesson in telling the truth to each other, this is a great story to help you get there. If you like a story with a very credible, funny, tidy ending, you should love this one.

Watch this movie with someone who has dreams of being an actor.

Ocean's Thirteen

Enough already? Lots of big stars - way more than 13. Some great lines. The sights and sounds of Vegas. What could go wrong? Its been done before, twice, and not just by these guys.

Yes, it keeps you guessing, and yes it is interesting. But it is also predictable and follows the formula set back in 2001. Professional cons, grifters, and thieves with seemingly endless means pull off impossible jobs. Change the characters and it's really still the same story.

Don't get me wrong, I liked this, but the first one is still the best of the bunch.

Good to see the old and the new here. Elliott Gould and Carl Reiner still know how to spin a story. Casey Affleck and Scott Caan do their better-known family members proud. All the regular guys are up to par. Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin are the marks this time around and both are great.

For those who know Vegas well this can be a fun watch to see the familiar and the imaginary. For those who don't know the difference, it's also a fun movie. Vegas is a place of make-believe and false advertising. This movie lives up to that standard.

Watch this with someone who remembers who all the old characters are.