OCEANS 8, #4 in the heist franchise spun off from the original 1960 ‘Rat Pack’ vehicle, retooled for diversion seekers six decades down the line. In this 2018 caper comedy the crew is all-female, the cast top class, the $70,000,000 production a sleek winner in every aspect. Gary Ross (Pleasantville, The Hunger Games) directed, co-writing the chic and cheeky fun with Olivia Milch. Satisfying lark stole 23rd place in the States in ’18, part of a global payday of $297,700,000.

“Somewhere out there is an eight-year-old girl lying in bed, dreaming of being a criminal. Let’s do this for her...”

Con artist ‘Debbie Ocean’ (Sandra Bullock) is pardoned from stir, and after paying respects to her deceased brother ‘Danny’ (the absent Mr. Clooney—is he gone, or are they pulling a fast one?) she wastes no time setting up a new sting of stings: lifting a Cartier necklace valued at 150mil from a jewelry display at the Met Gala. Her crew is put across with cool-on-full by Cate Blanchett (sexy thang), Anne Hathaway (very funny), Helena Bonham-Carter (a delight), Sarah Paulson, Rihanna, Awkwafina (rules!) and Mindy Kaling. The personality mesh couldn’t be better, the packaging gleams, and it sports a killer, absolutely irresistible soundtrack from Daniel Pemberton. All sequels should be so fine.

110 minutes cruises like a Maserati (borrowed). With James Corden (very good), Richard Armitage, Elliott Gould, Nathanya Alexander (cute), Dakota Fanning, Marlo Thomas, Elizabeth Ashley, Griffin Dunne and a slew of let’s-play-along celebrity mini-cameos.