Filmography: Erin Brockovich (2000), Traffic (2000); Ocean's Eleven (2001); Full Frontal (2002); Solaris (2002); Ocean's Twelve (2004); Bubble (2005); The Good German (2006); Ocean's Thirteen (2007); Che: Part One (2008); Che: Part Two (2008); The Girlfriend Experience (2009); The Informant! (2009); Contagion (2011); Haywire (2011); Magic Mike (2012); Side Effects (2013) Steven Soderbergh is an amorphous, jack-of-all-trades auteur. Directing an astounding 17 films in a 13 year span before declaring himself "retired", Soderbergh's post-millennium oeuvre contains films in a number of different genres and styles. His most immediately recognisable films are the Ocean's series trilogy, a super-star reimagining of the original, Rat Pack-staring Ocean's Eleven movie. These are irresistibly fun films that are made all the more impressive by the contrast they stand in comparison to some of Soderbergh's other work. Of course, when you make so many films in such a relatively short time frame, there are bound to be a number of films people won't remember. For instance, if you know more than ten people who saw both Full Frontal and Bubble you deserve a prize. However, despite these "blemishes" on Soderbergh's record, the primary reason he belongs on this list is due to his unique ability to make entertaining genre flicks that tangentially tackle fascinating topics. Whether it be the war on drugs (Traffic), corporate corruption (The Informant!), potential epidemics (Contagion), or the pharmaceutical industry (Side Effects), no director in the history of film has been so accomplished at marrying the aspects that make cinema fun and issues of contemporary importance. If Soderbergh really is "retired" from making feature films, it will be a shame, but at least he left a terrific record.
A film fanatic at a very young age, starting with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies and gradually moving up to more sophisticated fare, at around the age of ten he became inexplicably obsessed with all things Oscar. With the incredibly trivial power of being able to chronologically name every Best Picture winner from memory, his lifelong goal is to see every Oscar nominated film, in every major category, in the history of the Academy Awards.
