‘Command Z’ with Steven Soderbergh

Karaoke, time travel, screen chemistry and art as activism: As his new, satirical time-travel web series Command Z drops (starring an A.I. Michael Cera and a time-travelling tumble-dryer), Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh tells Gemma Gracewood about activist art, why he loves the reality show Below Deck, how he dealt with being bullied as a child, why governments should give tax credits for doing karaoke and watching comedy, why bad ideas travel faster than good, Steven’s “no assholes” policy, how to create better film sets, and the 25th anniversary of Out of Sight. Plus: Gemma shares how Contagion got her through the pandemic, Steven reveals his favorite time-travel devices in movies, the enduring influence of film critic Pauline Kael and the American New Wave, using your juice to help other people, and a debate about which song should be Soderbergh’s karaoke go-to. Watch Command Z online for a small fee — proceeds go to several good causes. Note: This episode contains explicit language (f-bombs and assholes). The interview was recorded during the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike in accordance with the DGA agreement with AMPTP. Sponsor: LG OLED Credits: Hosted by Gemma Gracewood, edited by Slim, production manager Sophie Shin, editorial producer Brian Formo. The Letterboxd Show is a TAPEDECK production. Links: The Letterboxd list of films mentioned; Soderbergh’s Extension 765 merch store; Steven Soderbergh is thanked in the end credits” list; a list of Steven Soderbergh’s Command Z film recommendations. Reviews of Command Z by Josh Lagle, Stephen Gillespie, and Dan Scannan. Books mentioned: The Heat Will Kill You First; Assholes: A Theory; Evil Geniuses.