Steven Soderbergh's Five Best Films

Steven Soderbergh celebrates his 50th birthday with the Liberace biopic “Behind the Candelabra” set to premiere on HBO and the pharmaceutical industry-set thriller “Side Effects” coming to theaters this year. The Palme D'Or and Oscar winning director has over twenty features to his credit, nearly all good-to-great (even much-derided outings like “Full Frontal” and “Ocean's Twelve” are post-modern near-masterpieces). Here are his 5 best:

1 - 5 of 5

5 of 5 photos

"Out of Sight"
Soderbergh's first studio film is still his best, with George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez (yes, that Jennifer Lopez) steaming up the screen with movie star chemistry and a perfectly graceful balance between action, suspense, comedy, and romance. This was the first real proof of George Clooney's majesty as a star, and he's since gone on to become “George Clooney.” Sadly, it was the last (and only) great performance of Jennifer Lopez's... more
"Out of Sight"
Soderbergh's first studio film is still his best, with George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez (yes, that Jennifer Lopez) steaming up the screen with movie star chemistry and a perfectly graceful balance between action, suspense, comedy, and romance. This was the first real proof of George Clooney's majesty as a star, and he's since gone on to become “George Clooney.” Sadly, it was the last (and only) great performance of Jennifer Lopez's career, but it remains an unassailable all-time classic. A great supporting cast, terrific script by Scott Frank, and the almost casual brilliance of Soderbergh's direction (including the classic flash-forward Clooney-Lopez seduction scene) make this the best film of one of the great American directors' career. less