I was on HuffPostLive with Steven Soderbergh earlier today. I'm the bald one *without* the awesome filmography.
Sadly I only got one question in though you know I had a whole list. I haven't done a lot of these talking head gigs but it would be sweet to do more. Practice making slightly less imperfect.
After the interview I hit Side Effects. I know that's backwards but I don't control screening schedules. More on that one next week. But as you'll see in the interview Soderbergh is a thoughtful articulate filmmaker and I'll be sad to see him retire post Behind the Candelabra.
You guyz. I totes forgot to honor Steven Soderbergh on his 50th birthday on Monday but The Stubborn Jodieness of Jodie, who also just turned the half-century mark, was all I could process. And process. And process. Anyway... Soderbergh announced his retirement so long ago and kept right on making movies that it's started to seem like a comic dark cloud that's hung over his career since, oh, sex, lies and videotape (1989).
I couldn't begin to list my 50 favorite things about him, or even my top ten films since I haven't been a completist and he's often as much of a deterrent as a draw for me (especially this past decade). But there's no denying that he's a restless, creative guy who occassionally crafts something masterful.
Here are his five essential films according to my brain... aka my favorites. I love them so much more than the rest of his output that it's not even close. That said I have very very dim memories of King of the Hill (1993) and some people swear by it. (Which five Soderberghs are closest to your heart?)
sex, lies and videotape (1989, Palme D'or at Cannes, Oscar screenplay nom)
Out of Sight (1998)
Erin Brockovich (2000, Best Director nomination with Oscar)
Oceans Eleven (2001)
Magic Mike (2012)
And how thrilled are you that Behind the Candelabra, his Liberace biopic, is not so very far away now?
My New Plaid Pants pic of the day, first image from the set of Steven Soderbergh's Liberace bio Behind the Candelabra with Michael Douglas and Matt Damon as lovers Movie City News 29 Weeks To Go until Oscar! Wooo Cinema Blend apparently they're going to reboot The Brady Bunch. i09 pretends that 10 upcoming remakes / reboots aren't going to suck. Hey, someone has to stay positive.
Hollywood Elsewhere Dark Right(Wing) Rises... People can't stop talking about the politics of Chris Nolan's Batman trilogy. Hollywood.com interviewed me and other pundits on The Dark Knight Rises Oscar hopes Awards Daily breaks down the Tony nominees who made it to Oscar nominations Pajiba would like you to think about all the brunettes in Chris Nolan films. It's always brunettes. /Film manages to dig up a tiny bit of info about the Coen Bros Inside Llewyn Davis Awards Daily breaks down the Tony nominees who made it to Oscar nominations
Obits is it just me or are people dropping like flies... I'm a bit freaked out :( Studio Briefing Mr Cyd Charisse, singer/actor Tony Martin (1913-2012), has died The Guardian pays final respects to Chris Marker (1921-2012), the experimental filmmaker of La Jetée fame (which inspired 12 Monkeys) New York Times the ever fascinating Gore Vidal (1925-2012) Fresh Air remembers Lupe Ontiveros (1942-2012) of As Good As it Gets and Selena fame. I loved it when NBR handed her Best Supporting Actress for Chuck and Buck (2000). Remember that? That's my favorite Lupe turn.
Finally, in much happier news... Have you heard that Nina Arianda (Midnight in Paris, Win Win) is signing projects left and right. Looks like that Tony Award for "Venus in Fur" really did it. Nina, who has previously really had bit roles in movies, has surely arrived.
She recently signed on to play the great Guilieta Masina in Fellini Black and White the story of two missing days in the life of Oscar magnet Federico Fellini right before the Oscars in 58. Are they making this movie just for us? Seriously! She's also set to play Janis Joplin in another upcoming bio with Martha Marcy May Marlene's Sean Durkin helming after approximately a million years of rumors of this actress and that actress and sometimes more than one at once, playing her in a biopic. Hollywood apparently just can't let The Rose (1979) be the last word. Tina Fey and Jane Krakowski even sent up the development hell of Janis Joplin biopics in an arc of 30 Rock. Nina also joins a huge cast of recognizable actors in the fascinating sounding The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby which is reportedly a two-part film told from the husband (James McAvoy) and wife's (Jessica Chastain) perspectives.
This is all a long way of saying learn Nina's name and expect her on an Oscar shortlist in 5...4...3...2....1
Friday, January 25, 2013 at 12:53PM 
Me prepping for the chatHey guys
