ten bangers that prove January is no “dumping month” • Journal • A Magazine • , Life in canada

This year’s Presence isn’t Soderbergh’s first time in the fray of January, which finds itself in good company with 2012’s action-heavy spy thriller Haywire. With a marketing campaign that made ample use of its attractive ensemble cast—Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Antonio Banderas and breakthrough martial artist Gina Carano as the lead—Haywire was modestly successful, earning more than its budget back and garnering plenty of praise from critics in the process.

Despite the initial acclaim and warm reception from audiences, Haywire remains an often overlooked entry in Soderbergh’s, admittedly illustrious, career. It remains his only proper action film, outside of the energetic heist sequences in Ocean’s Eleven and its sequels, while still maintaining his peerless ability to engage with actors. It’s a real showstopper for the filmmaker, who also served as cinematographer and editor, and is ripe for reappraisal in the context of his new foray into genre filmmaking with Presence this month. Both are big formal and narrative swings from a director who remains one of the best working today. Editor of Little White Lies, and member, David Jenkins, even compares it to a Johnie To movie, which is, in my opinion, the highest of praise.