It’s hard to say if there’s ever been another director like Soderbergh. He’s retired from and returned to filmmaking on more than one occasion, he’s cemented himself as the master of the 21st century heist movie, and he’s proved to be at the forefront of new filmmaking technology for a long time now (his most recent film, Unsane, was filmed with iPhones for no other reason besides the fact that he liked the look of it). Soderbergh is unpredictable and dependable at the same time, and that’s part of what makes his movies so enjoyable. He has a real knack for directing, and his films all carry that signature Soderbergh style — that is, a distinct color palette, a sense of humor, and a clearly identifiable rhythm to the way the camera moves from scene to scene.
Traffic
Oddly enough, Traffic is one of Soderbergh’s most serious films. For someone with such a great sense of humor, it’s initially kind of strange to see him deal with such a heavy subject — the war on drugs — but he manages to hold his own through this ambitious and remarkable Oscar-winner.
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King of the Hill
Not to be confused with the Mike Judge cartoon of the same name, Soderbergh’s King of the Hill is a dramatic and interesting story about growing up in the Midwest during the Great Depression. It’s Soderbergh’s unique take on the true story the film is based on that ultimately makes this movie so endearing, as he chooses to focus on the lessons learned instead of focusing too much on the things that happen to the main character.
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Ocean’s Eleven
Soderbergh had already proven himself before the Ocean’s movies, but Ocean’s Eleven was when audiences and critics really got a good look at all that Soderbergh was capable of. The movie is endlessly entertaining as both a comedy and a heist film, and Soderbergh carries that energy through two other sequels, as well.
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Sex, Lies, and Videotape
As funny as it is powerful, Soderbergh’s Sex, Lies, and Videotape is a mesmerizing examination of the things that make us tick and the secrets we keep from even our closest loved ones. Sure, the cast is great, made up of James Spader, Andie MacDowell, Peter Gallagher, and Laura San Giacomo, but Soderbergh’s skill behind the camera and as a writer is what ultimately makes this a great movie.
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Out of Sight
Functioning as a strange sort of semi-sequel to Jackie Brown, Soderbergh’s adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel Out of Sight is uniquely and completely its own (despite coming from a book). Many praised Soderbergh for doing what Tarantino couldn’t do with similar source material, keeping the story moving without sacrificing any of the elements that make the narrative interesting.
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Erin Brockovich
Probably his most well-known film, Erin Brockovich stars Julia Roberts as the true-to-life champion of her community. The story is so classically Soderbergh that he honestly could’ve written the real-life events himself. It’s beloved by critics and audiences alike, and for a good reason: it’s a good movie.
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Logan Lucky
The most recent film on the list, Logan Lucky, is Soderbergh’s first after coming out of his most recent “retirement.” He knocks it out of the park with this one, aptly dubbed “Ocean’s 7-Eleven” by one of the characters in the film. It’s a heist movie, first and foremost, but it’s a great commentary on class and the United States, as well.
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And Everything Is Going Fine
Oddly enough, And Everything Is Going Fine is a documentary, not a narrative feature. Like one of Soderbergh’s earliest projects, Gray’s Anatomy, the documentary is a Spalding Gray vehicle — this time, Gray takes a look at himself and his life through a critical self-deprecating lens. It’s one of Gray’s best, but more importantly, it’s one of Soderbergh’s best as well.
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Magic Mike
When it first came out, it was easy to dismiss Magic Mike as something completely different than what it actually is: a (nearly) flawless Steven Soderbergh film. Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey really deliver. Many were quick to compare it to Boogie Nights, and they’re not completely wrong.
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Schizopolis
This is the most polarizing film on the list, but it definitely deserves a spot. Starring Soderbergh in not one but both leading roles, Schizopolis is a hilarious and scatterbrained film about… well, a lot. It’s like a screwball comedy amped up to eleven.
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