Soderbergh's "Bubble" in January (1 Viewer)

[Elijah Sullivan]

This is something that's been talked about pretty widely, recently: Soderbergh releasing low-budget films simultaneously in theaters, pay-per-view and DVD.

The first in this series (I think it's something like a five-film contract) is called Bubble and it comes out on January 31st.

Some people call this the end of the movie theater and the start of a revolution. I'm more in the boat of this being the death of what cinema means and the first major battle won on the side of movies as mass-consumption product.

Opinions?

 

[PaulP]

I'll pick up the DVD.

 

[Jake Johnson]

No cover art on the bits. Any reason? Is this still due in January?

 

[PaulP]

Amazon has the cover.

 

[Jon Martin]

It is on DVD next week, in theatres this Friday (although not many theatres).

I think this whole theatrical/DVD thing is getting a bit overblown. Even my local news did a story. Yet, BUBBLE, a 73 minute, shot on video, with no name actors Steven Soderbergh experiment, never would have played local theatres, most likely. So, anyone who wants to see it would have to wait for video in the first place.

Ebert and Roeper both called the film "a masterpiece" so I will be looking forward to seeing it, on DVD.

 

[Rob M.]

Just set my Tivo to record it on HDNet Movies Friday night. I'm a big Soderbergh fan, so I'm really looking forward to it.

 

[Jason Seaver]

If your local theaters are owned by Landmark, it sure as heck would, since Mark Cuban is doing the whole vertical integration thing with this. Even if Bubble wouldn't have played near you, Soderbergh is on a five-picture deal with HDNet/Magnolia/2929/Landmark, and I'll bet at least one of those pictures is higher-profile than Bubble.

 

[Ted Todorov]

I saw Bubble last year, and the acting (by local non-actors) is amazing -- it is hard to believe that you aren't watching a documentary. The downside is that the story isn't all the interesting, and the dialog is banal (as it turns out -- by design: all of it is improvised. During the post screening Q&A Sodderbergh said that the one thing that instantly ruins performances by non-actors is having them memorize lines).

If you enjoyed Full Frontal and his version of Solaris by all means check Bubble out. If you are expecting a conventional Hollywood film -- don't.

Ted

 

[Mark Lucas]

Why doesn't Sodderberg make films I want to see anymore?

 

[Jon Martin]

There are none in my area.

From reading about the theatrical release though, they will be all digital projections of the film in theatres. I guess all Landmark theatres would be equipped with it. That would be better than a DVD.

I was afraid it would be the whole, rather unwatchable at times digital to film transfer.

 

[Rich Malloy]

Jon, there's a Landmark theater in Cambridge MA (but I'll be watching it on HD-Net/Movienet).

 

[Jason Seaver]

And another in Waltham, but if Jon's in Worcester/Springfield/Western MA, it's a hike.

 

[Shawn.F]

A friend of mine had mentioned that the DVD on sale at Landmark is going to be in the $35-40 range and its just the film only, no extras.

Anyone else heard this? Seems a bit steep.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Yeah, I think a lot of the press mentioned that the DVD would initially have a premium price - and I imagine that Landmark will be charging the full SRP. Still, I think that'll mean $30 for Bubble, as opposed to $40.

 

[JohnAP]

Soderbergh was on NPR today talking about the picture and the release strategy.

A small film like this would probably not be in the local theater for a lot of people anyway so I can see the logic here with something like this rather than a big studio picture. Soderbergh's reasoning though was more that pirates have the dvd on the street the day it's out anyway so why not try releasing it officially.

 

[Jon Martin]

Yes, I'm in the Springfield area. The Hartford / Springfield market doesn't have one. Wish it did though.

And one other thing, I was reading in Mark Cuban's blog how the theatres that showed ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM (another Magnolia film) when it played a few months back would be getting a cut from the DVD sales since it came out last week.

Haven't read it elsewhere and he didn't go into further details about it.

 

[Jon Martin]

Just got the DVD today from Netflix.

Very good film, and the transfer looks terrific.

Some great extras, especially a documentary on the casting. Two commentary tracks. One with Soderbergh, the other with the cast.

Worth at least a rental (the DVD is a bit overpriced right now, although it is on sale at Target of all places).

 

[David_Blackwell]

I saw the DVD at WalMart yesterday. I'll probably skip the movie becauseIi liked Solaris and hated Full Frontal.

 

[The Drifter]

Recently re-watched Soderbergh's underrated Bubble (2006) for the first time in a while. I first saw this in early 2006, and remember renting it from the now-defunct Hollywood Video.

Great film. I typically like low-budget, independent movies like this - but only if they're well-done (as this was).

This is a very simple story set in a depressed, somewhat rural area & has a definite "documentary" vibe/tone. The actors/actresses were obviously all non-professionals, and definitely didn't go on to become "big names" in Hollywood; going along with this, I got the strong impression that were all playing themselves - to some extent.

Spoiler: SPOILER

Though this may sound cruel (LOL), I really didn't feel that sorry for the girl that got strangled by the older woman in a fit of rage/jealousy. She didn't deserve what happened to her, but at the same time was a thief - as seen in the previous scene when she went through her date's clothes drawers & stole some of his money.