10 Slamdance 2019 Films You Need To See

We’re somehow already deep into January 2019. I don’t know how that happened, but I do know that means the year in film festivals is about to kick off in earnest. Most well-known is obviously Sundance—it is, after all, the big daddy of indie film—which starts this week. But it’s not the only one. Also this weekend, and also in Park City, Utah, we’ve got Slamdance, the radical response to the over-corporatization and exclusivity of Sundance. 

'Unsane' (2018) Movie Review

Since kicking off retirement, Steven Soderbergh has crafted a hillbilly heist flick (Logan Lucky), helmed every episode of a period medical drama (The Knick), created a weird interactive movie/app thing (Mosaic), and produced a ton of other projects. And just to prove he has more creative energy that the rest of us combined, he found the time to use an iPhone to shoot the low-budget, throwback horror thriller, Unsane.

Steven Soderbergh's 'Unsane' Trailer Messes With Claire Foy's Head

Steven Soderbergh is busier in retirement than I will ever be. Then again, so are my parents—I thought the whole point of retiring was to kick back and enjoy not working, but what do I know, I’ll never have the chance to do it anyway. I’m getting off topic. I’m into Soderbergh’s version of retirement, however, because it means we keep getting things like The Knick, Logan Lucky, and his latest film, and first straight horror movie, Unsane, which just dropped this fantastic new trailer.

Steven Soderbergh's 'Logan Lucky' Trailer Is Low-Down And Dirty

Steven Soderbergh and I have very different definitions of retirement. I’m happy for that fact, though, because it means he keeps churning out fantastic work like The Knick and his upcoming hillbilly heist movie, Logan Lucky. We’re still a month-plus out, but this should serve to brighten up an otherwise sparse looking August, and there’s a new trailer to whet your whistle.

Watch 'The Knick' Season 2 Trailer, It Has Old-Timey Surgery And Quarantines

If you haven’t been watching The Knick on Cinemax—I know, who has Cinemax?—you should find a way to do so immediately. It’s easily one of the best new shows of last season, and though we’re still a few months off, there’s an ominous new teaser trailer for season 2. Check it out below.

DVD/Blu-Ray Review: 'Side Effects'

“Better living through chemistry,” quips psychiatrist Jonathan Banks (Jude Law) as he cracks an energy drink before running off to see another patient. Early on in Steven Soderbergh’s Side Effects, Banks is about to meet Emily Taylor (Rooney Mara) for the first time, a woman he will proceed to prescribe a series of anti-depressants to.

'Haywire' Movie Review

“Haywire”, the new action movie from director Steven Soderbergh, has a serious direct-to-video vide. But it’s like the classiest DTV movie you’ve ever seen. Not only is the cast so far over the head of this style of film—not many straight up action flicks feature names the size of Ewan McGregor, Michel Douglas, Michael Fassbender, and Antonio Banderas, some, but not many—but Soderbergh’s hand is readily apparent. He adds many of his trademark visual and structural flourishes to spruce up the joint. “Haywire” is full of recognizable color and musical themes, a narrative that jumps around in time, tricky camera moves and angles, intricate depth of frame, even down to a planning montage that is reminiscent of his “Ocean’s” movies. “Haywire” isn’t going to blow your mind hole, or make you think too hard about important issues, but, especially given the massive delays in getting a release (Soderbergh was able to shoot and unleash “Contagion” before “Haywire” would ever see the light of day), it is a solid revenge-tinged actioner, full of kick ass brawls, chases, and a sly, self-deprecating sense of humor.

'Contagion' Movie Review

If you’re not already freaked the hell out by the idea of a global pandemic—some heretofore unknown and untreatable disease sweeping across the face of the Earth, leaving a trail of devastation and death—Steven Soderbergh’s (“Traffic”) latest movie, “Contagion”, might just do the trick. The film is a cold, almost clinical presentation of a virus that quickly mushrooms out of control, to the point that when you hear someone cough three rows behind you, you’ll want to bolt from the theater, douse yourself in hand sanitizer, and make a beeline for the hills.