Sideways

[Pozer]

For being as ugly as she is, Sandra Oh exudes a very sexy confidence that I found very appealing.

yeah, i was enjoying your review until this line.

[samsong]

For being as ugly as she is, Sandra Oh exudes a very sexy confidence that I found very appealing.

yeah, i was enjoying your review until this line.

well, it's gone now.

[El Duderino]

i cannot stress how great this movie is. sure, i walked in with high expectations, but i can confidently say that it easily met them. the movie surely belongs to Church, hopefully he'll get a supporting actor nod.

[RegularKarate]

It's really good, but not as good as everyone here is blowing it up to be.

About Schmidt was better.

PG is incredibly talented, I'm glad he's starting to get some bigger roles.  Church was better than average, but not oscar worthy, just better than average worthy (which often does mean Oscar worthy now days unfortunately).

[godardian]

I just caught this today and really enjoyed it. I'm pretty sure I agree with RK that it's not quite up to About Schmidt, but it's not that there's anything wrong with it, really. Very nice, loose, character-based storytelling, and plenty of laughs big and small.

[modage]

It's really good, but not as good as everyone here is blowing it up to be.  About Schmidt was better.

yeah.

[Pozer]

I saw this last night, then wined and dined afterwards. My best night at the movies in a long while. Which makes this, for I, the best of the year.
I cannot articulate how please I am with this film.

[pete]

spoiler

that foreshadowing about the ending via talking about the book thing was already in before sunset this year!

[ono]

Friday night I saw this film.  Possible spoilers.  This is one of the best films of the year, and it's even better than About Schmidt.  It has more staying power, more poignancy, and a universality that Schmidt didn't quite get only because Schmidt was an older man, so not everyone could relate to what he was going through.  Surely one can think hard enough and put himself in Schmidt's shoes, but that's not a task everyone is willing to undertake.  This is not a knock on Schmidt, because I loved that movie very much.  It just seems that Payne gets better and better at conveying the bittersweetness of life, and I can't wait for Nebraska.

Virginia Madsen and Paul Giamatti should be nominated for Oscars for acting, Payne for adapted screenplay and directing, and this film for best picture.  I'm on the fence about Church.  While most people remember Church from Wings, I remember him from Ned and Stacey, and his character here is much more reminiscent of his character from that great show.  A lot of what he does is culled from Ned and Stacey - just him playing a cad.  But when he breaks down after losing his wallet, that really made his character complete, and made him deserving of any accolades he may receive.

Unlike Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, people will remember this one since it's been shown late in the year, and it has the perk that Sunshine doesn't have that it doesn't use technology as a crutch or distraction.  One of the criticisms of Sunshine is that it created a cold feeling because of all of the special effects going on.  It caused the viewer to become detached and not get too involved with the film.  I can see where that criticism comes from, and I both do and don't agree with it.  But in this film, there is none of that coldness, none of that detachment.  Sunshine and this film both have truth on their side, and that's what makes them work so very well.  Truth, in life, in relationships, and in how these things really are, and not in manufacturings and machinations of plot.

This film really took time to build its characters.  One of the complaints I can't really fathom is that a movie is too long.  Since when is a movie that's barely over 2 hrs. too long?  Especially a movie as fun to watch as this one.  I wanted to spend even more time with these people.  The scenes people will talk about most are the scenes where Jack does something crazy, and the scenes at Stephanie's home where Miles and Maya get closer.  Their monologues about wine and grapes are beautiful, even if they feel like they've been a bit scripted.

"Saturday" in this film came way too soon, and the ending scenes elevated this film from just another comedy by Payne to something truly special.  From Miles' bittersweet encounter with Victoria at the wedding, to his lonely lunch in the fast food restaurant, to the beautiful answering machine message and the knock on the door, I'll play all these scenes over in my head until I can see them again.

I already want to see this film on DVD, and I would love to see Criterion release it.  It just has that sensibility about it, what with the poster, the leisurely pace of the film itself, the scenic photography, and the quality of the overall craft.

[modage]

sunshine is also non-linear and somewhat experimental.  sideways is a completely straightforward narrative.

[Ravi]

Paul Giamatti's performance as the unsatisfied middle school English teacher is sad and poignant.  This is the go-to-guy for loser roles.  It was interesting how the trajectory of the film was just like Virginia Madsen's description of the life of a wine.  The grapes have to be cared for tenderly, and once the wine is bottled, it tastes different each day, and it finally gets better and better until it peaks and starts its inevitable decline.  Beautiful film.

[ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ]

This movie was awesome to me... I'm really growing fond of Alexander Payne.

Some great jokes here... Very well acted... I could say more, but I've just been thinking about since the viewing, so I need to collect my thoughts on it...

[Finn]

It's a really terrific movie, almost as good as About Schmidt. Paul Giamatti is awesome and the screenplay is really authentic. I kinda guessed the ending ahead of time, but it probably didn't need to end any other way.

[Pwaybloe]

I just got back from "Sideways" and really, really enjoyed it.  Yeah, and let me tell you, "Sideways" is a little loose.  I mean we just started making out, and the next thing I notice is that "Sideways" has got my pants off!  Needless to say, we're going out again next week.  

I thought it was funny that the audience I saw it with were all (and I mean all) above middle age.  I think they still liked it, though.  Where did they hear about this movie?  In wine tasting mags?  It has definately not been advertised on tv here.  

They did sometimes seem to be on "laugh-o-pilot" when some of them giggled during the sadder scenes.  I get that more and more when you go into a comedy and the audience laughs at everything, like the way the character pours their coffee.  Ha ha, cream or sugar!

[ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ]

When I saw this, it was mostly middle aged people, too.  Here's the weirdest part: the room was full.  The show was practically sold out.  I was extremely confused.  I saw Huckabees there twice and save for a couple of other people, I'd be the only one there.  This theater really sells with big name movies, and I was really impressed to see such a turn out.

The downside was I was sitting next to some old guy who fell asleep and snored quite a bit in the beginning and it was pretty annoying.  Didn't ruin the movie going experience too much, but just enough to irritate me.