According to a recent articles out there on the Interwebs, Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh has announced that he is retiring from directing films. According to Soderbergh, he is simply done with making films, and he wants to get out and make way for others who still have the passion.
Soderbergh is probably known to most people as the director of the films in the
Ocean's Eleven franchise, as well as the guy who, in one year, directed both
Traffic and
Erin Brokovich. Both were nominated for Best Picture. But he leaves behind a much larger legacy as one of the most successful and innovative independant filmmakers and as a champion of "little films".
He burst onto the American film scene with his first feature film
sex, lies and videotape. It caused a sensation when it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival, and pretty much put that fest on the map. It also sparked a massive interest independant film. Its success paved the way for
Clerks,
Reservoir Dogs,
Metropolitan and other indie films that revolutionized American movies throughout the next decade.
Soberbergh had trouble connecting with audiences during this time. His follow up films,
Kafka and
King of the Hill, were not well-recieved. He began making more complex and idiosyncratic films, the best example of which is
Schizopolis. But in 1998, he made a film, and found a collaborator, that would help catapault him to the top of the film world. That film was
Out of Sight, and while it wasn't a big hit, it had a couple things going for it. First, it showed Soderbergh could make a mainstream film without sacrificing the qualities that made him unique. second, he worked with George Clooney, then a TV actor struggling to make his mark in the movies.
Out of Sight was well-recieved by critics, and it began to grow on audiences on video as well. His next film,
The Limey was even more well-recieved, and it was clear that Soderbergh had found his groove working in the system. He was great at making mainstream films feel fresh and innovative. It seemed like he was ready to go to the next level, and craft a film that could be both a big hit and an artistic success.