Monday
Nov052012
Yes, No, Maybe So: "Side Effects"
Monday, November 5, 2012 at 4:22PM Some directors make a movie every five years. Some every two. Steven Soderbergh makes so many lately that he seems intent on creating a whole new filmography to go with his previous one. Here's a thought, Stevie: Don't retire! Stop rushing. There are plenty of movies to be made and you're only 49 years old.
The Happy Couple Chan & Rooney. Or are they....?
His new thriller Side Effects starring Channing Tatum and Rooney Mara now has a trailer. Let's break down it down with a yes no or maybe so right here...
YES
- Why is Rooney Mara's voice so druggy... oh, right. The title. I'm intrigued.
- Amusing how the trailer starts with happy images that could have been right out of a real "this pill will make everything about your life generically great/romantic" drug ad. Ask your doctor what Ablixat can do for you.
- "Ablixat" haha. That sounds so real and typical. And also creepy and destructive. Thus, it's perfectly titled
- Channing Tatum, Jude Law Rooney Mara, and CZJ? Yes please. It doesn't suck to be Soderbergh come casting time.
NO
- Not a jaundice color palette again! Oh Stevie. I hate yellow.
- That cheap scare tagline "in some instances death may occur". I hope Soderbergh isn't some reactionary anti-science person.
MAYBE SO
- Contagion had its moments if not enough of them so if Soderbergh needs another crack at death and pharmaucetical thrills of sorts, so be it.
- The trailer is purposely vague but one gets the sense there's some sort of icky sexual side effect. If one of the side-effects is a movie that uses Hollywood's favorite misogynistic sub-theme 'Female Sexuality is Scary' than I'm out.
The trailer in question..
Are you a yes, no or maybe so?
Reader Comments (19)
Like most his recent releases (this looks slightly better), I'm a "meh". Can that be a new option: Yes, No, Maybe, Meh
I have total faith in Soderbergh. For a guy with a lot of hits and an Oscar, he feels entirely too underrated in my eyes. Man has made at least nine great movies, with another half dozen really good ones.
What a boring, stale title for a thriller.
Looks like it actually stars Jude Law, and the Channing's character has an early demise. No?
Why does he insist on hiring Zeta-Jones? Her Oscar was to make her disappear and she did and nobody seemed to notice or care and now the world knows it caused her depression—so they feel sorry for her and hire her again. I say let her remain in misery.
That's pretty mean.....I think she got the Oscar because she was smashing in Chicago and built up goodwill for her role in Traffic.
Glad to see her work with him again.
Maybe-no.
There isn't one specific thing, but the whole trailer gives a -I'm so tired my energy levels are just half way- vibe. Just like when you really want to work out hard, go to the gym, and once you're there you realize you're too tired, and can only do half the routine, but still stubbornly finish it. It sounds crazy, but that's my reaction to the trailer. But the truth is that the first trailer for Magic Mike was pretty awful, so I'm keeping some hope on this one.
Disagree with you on Contagion. Think that movie is terrific, and I'm definitely down to see another collaboration between him and this writer.
Wow, 3rtful isn't a nice person.
I like the look of "Side Effects". Thrillers for adults aren't as common as they once were, but with Soderbergh behind it it'll at least be interesting. Surely.
Soderbergh is *always* a YES, dah-ling - just in various degrees of excitement. And since this trailer is pretty awful, I'll wait to see the reviews. I'm not excited about having Jude Law involved, I must say.
This trailer btw is the first starting point of seeing the Roons in EVERYTHING in 2013. She has about five or so projects that are currently in various stages that are due for 2013 so we've already got our big contender for Lady Film Ubiquity of next year. Silver lining is that they're not all high-profile gigs so we'll see how that goes.
Also, I like the other title this film had previously much better than this current one. But yay for the rare sighting of La CZJ. Her classy/steely presence is always appreciated with me.
It's good to watch Vinessa Shaw working with Soderbergh...she deserves more and more A List Directors
This was not on my radar at all, but the trailer definitely has me intrigued. Stellar cast, potentially interesting plot, and Soderbergh is always interesting. That said, if the reviews aren't good, it doesn't feel like I'd be missing much (unless I hear that Channing bares his bum again. That is a sure-fire way to get me to the theater), so I guess I'm a "Maybe So".
I'm only a "Maybe So," but I ditto the comment about Vinessa Shsw, and I certainly hope we get more than a brief glimpse of Kristin Scott Thomas.
i agree on "meh" commentary
Nat: In regards to the yellow, I'll say that ANYTHING beats the Michael Douglas scenes in Traffic. Thank you, Soderbergh. You just gave at least 20% of the paying audience migraines with that aesthetic decision.
It's very 90s, no? Like something Demi Moore or Sharon Stone would've done.
I'm hoping for the best, the trailer was intriguing until the Law-Mara sex subplot.
It DOES look 90's esque. A Sex Thriller!!!! But it is Soderbergh, so I'm a "Yes".
Cant stand Mara, and she will be in every single movie released in 2013