Filmsane

Roger Ebert dubbed Steven Soderbergh the “poster boy of the Sundance generation, and since then he actually worked hard to maintain that reputation.

Soderbergh has been a powerful presence in the film history for almost 30 years, ever since he presented his breakthrough master piece Sex, Lies, and Videotape, back in 1989. The film won the Palme d’Or at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival, was influential in revolutionizing the independent film movement in the early 1990s, and put Soderbergh on the map.

He earned an Academy Award nomination for best originals screenplay for Sex, Lies, and Videotape and since then he’s been playing on the both side of the production spectrum. He’s been noted for having critical and commercial success with his movies (earning even Oscar for best direction) but also has been a darling of the indie scene where his experimental movies filed with unknown actors and actresses thrived and actually succeeded to find an audience.

And after a long hiatus, (after 2013’s Behind the Candelabra) Soderbergh is back with another movie. Logan Lucky is his latest work and is yet another heist comedy film in Steven’s long and fantastic career. It has Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Seth MacFarlane, Riley Keough, Katie Holmes, Katherine Waterston, Dwight Yoakam, Sebastian Stan, Brian Gleeson, Jack Quaid, Hilary Swank, and Daniel Craig in the roles and it was already met with positive reviews.

But what about his previous movies? Can I have a brief reminder of some of them? My favorite Steven Soderbergh movies?

Here’s my list, and I can’t wait to hear yours.

Out of sight – 1998

Starring : George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle…
Fun fact about it: Out of Sight (1998) is one of George Clooney’s favorite films on his resumé. He said “It was the first time where I had a say, and it was the first good screenplay I’d read where I just went “That’s it.” Even though it didn’t do very well box-office wise, we sort of tanked again, it was a really good film.”

Erin Brockovich – 2000

Starring : Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart…
Fun fact about it: The character George, the biker boyfriend played by Aaron Eckhart, was based on Erin Brockovich-Ellis’s Mexican-American biker boyfriend Jorge. Erin and Jorge did break up, but he did not leave her life. He was hired as a full time live-in nanny for Erin’s children for several years, paid for by the law firm so that she would have more time to devote to her work.

Contagion -2011

Starring: Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Kate Winslet…
Fun fact about it: Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow previously appeared together in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999).

Traffic – 2000

Starring : Michael Douglas, Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta-Jones…
Fun fact about it: The film has 135 speaking parts and was shot in over 110 locations in eight different cities.

Side Effects – 2013

Starring : Jude Law, Rooney Mara. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Channing Tatum…
Fun fact about it: Steven Soderbergh considered casting Lindsay Lohan for the role of Emily and he auditioned her three times. However, producers felt that her ongoing legal issues would disrupt the production process. Rooney Mara was eventually cast for the part.

Magic Mike – 2012

Starring: Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Cody Horn, Matt Bomer, Matthew McConaughey…
Fun fact about it: There are 19 minutes worth of male stripping in the film.

Haywire – 2011

Starring : Gina Carano, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Bill Paxton…
Fun fact about it: Gina Carano’s voice was altered for the film, giving her character a deeper-sounding voice.

Ocean’s Eleven – 2001

Starring : George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy García, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts…
Fun fact about it: Steven Soderbergh wanted the actors to hang out on set to make sure they had good chemistry. During downtime, the cast often crowded around Carl Reiner to listen to his stories.

Sex, Lies, and Videotape – 1989

Starring : James Spader, Andie MacDowell, Peter Gallagher, Laura San Giacomo…
Fun fact about it: The film was written by Steven Soderbergh in eight days on a yellow legal pad during a cross country trip.