Soderbergh will finish the 2010’s decade with 7 archiveable films—a decade in which he retired. I love how prolific he is and can’t wait to see what he does in 2020—but I don’t think any of those 7 films from the 2010’s will make the decade’s top 100
High Flying Bird starts with a nice tracking shot going from the street outside to a swank Manhattan restaurant with the gold ceiling as background. This film is largely in the archives because of how much attention Soderbergh pays to background. This isn’t Ocean’s Thirteen in that regard (go back and check out that underrated film) but still.
This film is largely in the archives because of how much attention Soderbergh pays to background.
The gifted fast-talking Andrew Holland (Moonlight) is very good here- charismatic and smooth.
It is no feat of film form but the normal Holland-driven narrative is broken up with real NBA players in an interview in black and white—Karl Anthony Towns, Reggie Jackson, Donovan Mitchell
Posh Manhattan bar, again- background and foreground, an elegant house in Philadelphia, the World Trade Center area – again—such care for background and the frame
a beautiful shot here— Soderbergh pairs a smart script and a strong lead performance from Holland with his ability to capture elegant and picturesque mise-en-scenes
Soderbergh is shooting with an Iphone and shooting quickly. There are some really finely set frames here—one at a press conference, one in front of a window. However, the worst of Soderbergh’s efficiency and prolific nature is here too. Poor Bill Duke deserves another take or two in his scene with Holland. He comes off terribly. I’d be nervous if I was an actor.
Intellectual, modern, political—I think the writing here is very good
This isn’t on the level of Haywire or Behind the Candelabra if we’re ranking the decade’s best Soderbergh and his 2010’s isn’t nearly as strong as his 2000’s so this is a B-side Soderbergh
Leave A Comment