Steven Soderbergh has been making feature films since he was in late twenties, and has also been famous since then, back to 1989. These days, he's best known for the Oceans 11, 12, and 13, movies with George Clooney and other megastars.

Earlier on, he did more arty stuff, but it's hard to keep making arty movies and make money, too.

It's his earlier, arty stuff that I tend to like.

At the moment, I'm in my second viewing since last night, and probably my seventh or eighth viewing over the past eighteen years, of Soderbergh's Sex, Lies, and Videotape. Its characters seem very real, like people I might know. One reminds me of myself, but in a more concentrated, more self-conscious kind of way. The movie is set in, and was filmed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There are only four characters that we meet for any appreciable time: Graham Dalton, a drifter sort of guy with a college education and an unclear source of money who travels around the country in an old car, staying places for short periods, meeting women and videotaping them discussing their sex lives; Graham's old college buddy, John Mullany, a yuppie attorney who's recently become junior partner; Ann Mullany, John's wife, a classic beauty in a Southern belle sort of way, who's rather uptight; and Cynthia Bishop, Ann's younger sister, an artist and bartender and sort of "free spirit." Basic plot: Graham decides to make Baton Rouge his home for awhile, and at first stays with John and Ann for a night or two. John is especially taken aback by, and disapproving of how Graham is spending his life. We also learn right toward the beginning that John is having an affair with Ann's sister, Cynthia. Both Ann and Cynthia feel drawn toward Graham, although and perhaps because he's told them that he's impotent, and both eventually talk to him on tape. There's a lovely, erotic scene of Ann taking Graham's hand and placing it on her face--positively beautiful. Superb acting, all around. I recommend it to almost any grownup. It's grownup kind of stuff, addressed in a very honest way. It looks great, too, with perfect framing, sets, lighting, and angles. I've ordered a copy of it for myself from powells.com for $9.95.
(Cast includes James Spader, Andie MacDowell, Peter Gallagher, and Laura San Giacomo.)

Last night, I also watched Soderbergh's King of the Hill (nothing to do with that fine, fine TV series of the same title). It came out in 1993, and I recall seeing it in a movie theater, probably somewhere around Princeton, NJ, where I was living for about a year, at that time. This is a whole different animal for Soderbergh, although both are excellent if you want a story with a clear story line. It's set in St. Louis, Missouri, in Depression-era America. Most of the action takes place in a residential hotel, where we meet a family of four: Aaron Kurlander, a boy about twelve years old, quite smart and clever, yet quiet; Erich Kurlander, Aaron's father, who's an erstwhile but decent traveling salesman; Mrs. Kurlander, Aaron's tubercular mother, who's been in an out of TB sanitariums; and Sullivan Kurlander, Aaron's little brother, greatly loved by Aaron, and a good kid. There are a number of interesting, colorful figures living there at the hotel: a wise guy teenager played very well by a 20 year-old Adrien Brody; and a somewhat creepy, yet still beneficent older man played by Spalding Gray. The story is simple: All the residents are being evicted from the hotel because they're not making enough money to pay rent. We see everyone there struggling, conniving, helping each other. We see an evil bellhop (which I try not to take too personally) and evil cops. It's a story about class struggle, basically from the point of view of a smart, 12 year-old boy. Every bit of the movie is perfectly set up in terms of outdoor and indoor scenes, clothing, etc. Lots of excellent shots. Again, highly recommended. (Cast includes Jeroen Krabbé, Lisa Eichhorn, Karen Allen, Spalding Gray, Elizabeth McGovern, Amber Benson, Katherine Heigl and Adrien Brody.)

FYI, I've watched a buttload of movies this week while I'm not teaching. Should have been grading some papers, and will do so. I'll be posting something soon about Black Snake Moan, another great one.

Oh, while I'm at it, I'd like to mention that powells.com is currently offering free shipping on DVDs ordered from them.