img src= http://www.chromewaves.net/images/interface/20070807mattDamon.jpg title= Matt Damon class= blogPhoto This past long weekend? It was a Matt Damon weekend. Or more accuraely, a Matt Damon sequel weekend. It just happened that both A href= http://oceans13.warnerbros.com/ target= new title= Ocean's Thirteen i Ocean's Thirteen /i /a and A href= http://www.thebourneultimatum.com/ target= new title= The Bourne Ultimatum i The Bourne Ultimatum /i /a - both films I wanted to see - were playing and so, with the rest of the world at Lollapalooza, I was at the movies. br / br / We'll start with i Ocean's /i . Like most, I found i Ocean's Twelve /i to be something of a disappointment. It was arguably as funny as the first but as a caper film, it was weak. Sure, watching attractive, well-dressed people pal around and generally have a good time goofing off one another is fun in its own right, but they managed to accomplish that AND assemble a pretty decent heist flick in the first one so anything less was a let down. Thankfully, director Steven Soderbergh seems to have realized this and gotten his game back together for the latest (and last?) installment. br / br / Instead of a string of minor jobs told in flashback, i Thirteen /i dives right into the thick of things with the gang taking on Al Pacino's Willie Bank - a casino tycoon who screwed over Elliott Gould. The film plays up the ensemble cast more than I remember the first ones doing, with George Clooney not doing much besides playing business liason and looking dapper. In this one, everyone has a larger role - even the guys who you don't know who they are. The plot barely manages to stay on the right side of absurd but is given a considerable amount of breathing room thanks to the fun and breezy performances from all involved including Matt Damon. br / br / As for i The Bourne Ultimatum /i , following two top-notch action/espionage flicks like i Identity /i and i Supremacy /i it didn't have anything to make up so much as to live up to. But with director Paul Greengrass, who helmed the second film, back on board there was no reason to think that the latest (and last?) film wouldn't live up to the standards set by its predecessors - and boy, did it. br / br / Think of any overused, hyperbolic pull-quote you've seen for an action film - for i Ultimatum /i , they apply. It really was a both a white-knuckle rollercoaster ride and edge-of-the-seat thriller that, if I were to see only one film this year, it should have been this one. Okay, maybe not, but it really was an excellent action film that absolutely whizzed through two hours of intense fights, chases, espionage and exotic locales. A fitting cap to a terrific but still somehow underappreciated film franchise - I'm sorry there probably won't be any more, but on the plus side there won't be any more wondering if Julia Stiles is actually being directed to act like a zombie or if it just comes naturally. br / br / strong Trailer: /strong A href= http://youtube.com/watch?v=L-EyG12LxME target= new title= Ocean's Thirteen i Ocean's Thirteen /i /a (YouTube) br / strong Trailer: /strong A href= http://youtube.com/watch?v=DY7CnUY2EWk target= new title= The Bourne Ultimatum i The Bourne Ultimatum /i /a (YouTube) br / br / A href= http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/44422-interview-interpol target= new title= PF vs Interpol Pitchfork /a interviews and alternately punchy and defensive Paul Banks about a href= Http://www.interpolnyc.com target= new title= Interpol Interpol's /a album art aesthetic, canine mascot and hip-hop influences. br / br / a href= http://stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/hillside-the-festival-in-my-backyard.htm target= new title= STylus vs Hillside Stylus /a is offering an extensive review of last weekend's A href= http://www.hillsidefestival.ca target= new title= Hilside Hillside Festival /a , currently updated through the Saturday, Sunday recap presumably up tomorrow. br / br / Obviously, it was something of a quiet weekend with most of the world being at A href= http://www.lollapalooza.com target= new title= Lollapalooza Lollapalooza /a while I sat around the apartment and contemplated renting a href= http://imdb.com/title/tt0146984/ target= new title= The Legend Of Bagger Vance i The Legend Of Bagger Vance /i /a . Seeing all the hoo-hah coming out of Chicago did make me a little envious, but I did all that A href= http://www.chromewaves.net/lollapalooza2006.php title= Chromewaves vs Lollapalooza 06 last year /a and my feet hurt far less this year, propped up on the coffee table as they were. But if I am going to experience the fest vicariously through anyone, I choose A href= http://www.avclub.com/content/feature/lollapalooza_diary target= new title= AV Club vs Lollapalooza The AV Club /a . br / br / Hey look, I started a A href= http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4021788499 target= new title= Chromewaves.net @ Facebooks Facebook group /a . Why? I I don't know. ...read full story