Who's sorry now?

The apology: "Ocean's Thirteen"

Why apologize?: Clooney, Pitt and Roberts returned but “Ocean’s Twelve” fell $60 million short of “Ocean’s Eleven” at the box office. Critics debated if the sequel’s French New Wave-style playfulness and celebrity in-joking was clever, or a sign of narcissism and indulgence run amok.

Did it work?: Yes and no. Director Steven Soderbergh brought the series back to Vegas and ditched the movie-star hanging-out interludes that annoyed so many “Twelve” haters. Critics and “Eleven” fans were largely relieved and mildly pleased by the film, but its gross during a competitive summer-movie season paled next to what its predecessors scored with holiday release dates.