Steven Soderbergh used to be the king of indie filmmaking back in the 1990s. "Sex, Lies and Videotape" was his gigantic introduction to the scene, and a tentpole in the indie promise that broke out in the late '80s. He then became one of the hardest working, most productive and widely celebrated filmmakers in Hollywood. He's won every award you can imagine, made the "Ocean's" and "Magic Mike" trilogy, and won Best Director at the Oscars — in 2000 — after having two nominated films in the category in the same year.
And while you've probably seen his biggest hits and heard his name before, not every project he's worked on is as notable and famous as "Out of Sight" and "Erin Brockovich." Like that one time he produced the Academy Awards, or the time he made a murder mystery show that was interactive with an app deciding how the story would end. Here are our picks for the the best of Soderbergh that you might not have seen, but really should.
'The Knick' (2014-2015)
Initially buried on Cinemax for two seasons, this hospital drama set at the turn of the 20th century was easily one of the best TV shows back when it aired, and it's one of those famed shows that keeps getting people talking about a potential comeback. Clive Owen and Andre Holland help run the Knickerbocker Hospital in New York City when medical science is undergoing a breakthrough, and the city is on the brink of modern revolution.
'Schizopolis' (1996)
Steven was going through a divorce during this time, so what better way to process your emotions than to cast your soon-to-be ex-wife in an experimental, surrealist, non-linear comedy with no real story or plot. This is one hell of a dreamscape Steven cooked up, challenging the audience with hilarious sketches and odd non-sequiturs. Soderbergh shot it, wrote, edited, directed and starred in it too. This is one hell of a personal biopic, and a real treat for anyone brave enough to endure the 90 minutes of going deep inside of one man's brain.
'Side Effects' (2013)
This is one of the best Hitchcock films that's not actually made by master himself. A truly shocking twist hits you out of nowhere, a stacked cast doing underrated work and a premise that was ahead of its time; this mystery thriller has everything you want in something that is so Hitchcockian.
'Logan Lucky' (2017)
If you liked the comedic heists of the "Ocean's" movies, then you'll love Soderbergh's return to that genre with "Logan Lucky." This is a mix of "Talladega Nights" and "Knives Out," where Daniel Craig plays a Southern himbo who helps Channing Tatum and Adam Driver rob a NASCAR race. And yes, the other two also play lovable himbos.
'No Sudden Move' (2021)
The most recent entry on this list is set in the most distant past; Detroit in the 1950s at the height of the American automotive industry's power. What begins as a star-studded crime thriller slowly turns into a noir that delves deep into a conspiracy that is both true and will make your blood boil. The losers? All of us (and the main characters, of course).
'Haywire' (2011)
This is the most pure action film Soderbergh has made, or ever will make, and even then, it's mostly a spy movie that's more interested in spycraft than throwing punches. A covert agent gets caught up in a plot to assassinate her, and she has to make her way through a time-twisty narrative where everyone is seemingly out to get her. This movie rules — it just absolutely whips ass.
Honorable mentions: "The Limey," "Bubble," "Mosaic" the show and mobile app, "Full Circle," "The Girlfriend Experience," "Command Z," "Kimi," "Unsane," "High Flying Bird," "The Laundromat" and "Let Them All Talk"
If you enjoyed this list, we have more just like it, like underrated tearjerkers if you need a good cry or free movies on YouTube to watch this month.
[Image: YouTube]
