Decker

Just saw this and LOVED it. Election was my favorite film of it's year (1998?) and this is my favorite of 2004. I was sorta disappointed in About Schmitt, which I felt was too slow, but this worked despite a leasurely pace. Absolutely amazing screenplay. Since I know the area very well, I'll also point out that it was very authentic and respectful of it's locations. It was the rare movie that on so many levels felt like real life. Wonderful, wonderful stuff!

QuikSilver

I finally got to see this film the other day and thought it was just ok. I wanted to see what the buzz was all about because all the critics groups are calling this the best film of the year and a guarantee lock for a best picture oscar nomination along with Million Dollar Baby and the Aviator. Having this in mind, there was nothing spectacular about this movie and overrated. Thomas Hayden Church did great but the movie started to drag at the end. Maybe because I can't relate to the characters, i'm 24, is the reason I wasn't really satisfied. I give the film a B+.

Anyways, do you guys know that the director, Alexander Payne, is married to Sandra Oh, who plays Stephanie in the film.

Rivero

Didn't know that. Must be weird directing your wife in a graphic sex scene. Anyways, finally saw the movie last night. It's terrific. I don't know about movie of the year but it deserves all the good notices. At times it was a bit too much like About Schmidt which I still prefer. Guy goes on a road trip, has a midlife crisis, ends up at a wedding, shortly after seems to hit rock bottom when suddenly he receives a message. Music stops, cut to black for an ambiguous ending. Payne seems to have a thing for filming ugly people naked. I really hope Giamatti is nominated for Actor. Thus ends my random post.

SpaceBoy

Just finally checked this at out my local small theatre.. Thought it was a fantastic movie and prob about 12 years younger then the characters. I agree there was a little bit of downtime, that could have possibly been cut out to put it more around the 1:40 minute mark but thought it was stil a great pickup. Reminded me a lot of The Cooler for some reason.. just the feel of it or something.

Groucho

Just caught this myself. Excellent film, I really enjoyed it (went in already a fan of Payne). What I really liked is that, unlike just about every other film out there, there's no coincidence. Everything happens as a direct result of the behavior of the characters, who have real control over their own destinies. It was refreshing to see.

smirnoff

I saw this 2 or 3 days ago. It was good, I can't say anything that hasn't allready been said though so....

bsktballDude1

I just saw this movie again last night, and I loved the just as much on my second viewing. It remains right up there with The Aviator as the best of 2004. It really is too bad Paul Giamatti did not receive that Oscar nod, but there really was many great performances this year worth mentioning.

HistoryProf

Here's the original thread on this....can a mod please merge them?

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=355919

Tommy_Harn

Just saw it last night, about a day after finishing the Rex Pickett novel that it is based on. It stayed very true to the book, which I appreciated. Aside from a few parts they skipped over (including some hilarious one-liners), the two main differences were:

1. The ending:

2. Miles is much more likable in the film version than in book form.

RockStrongo

I saw it this weekend. Decent movie. Enjoyable. Good performances.

IMO, I think there were a couple other movies that should have been nominated before this one (Eternal Sunshine is one). Though, Paul G should have been nominated over Leo D for best actor.

Ive seen all 5 best picture nominees and still think Million Dollar Baby is the best of the group.

ivelostr2

i think that would have changed the entire movie for me. What i liked about the whole movie was

ivelostr2

I have seen the too and I agree, I think MDB is by far the best, but i think Sideways was the most enjoyable of the five

Tommy_Harn

Yeah, I definitely liked the movie ending better.

Trigger

I must be alone in thinking it was awful. The characters were unlikeable for me and had nothing redeemable about them. And as a last big bachelor fling they decide to go up to wine country and taste wine and play golf for a week? *snore* And I saw no reason for those two to even be friends in the first place.

Maybe you have to like and/or appreciate wine... I don't. I think it tastes awful. Three of the most boring things I can think of would be wine tasting, golf, and a church wedding.

Miles was such a pompous wine snob ass that I couldn't like him... on top of that, he was a complete loser in life and couldn't get over his brief(?) marriage that ended 2 years earlier and wrote a 3000 page book that nobody will read. Reminded me of Wonderboys (another one I didn't like much). I don't know - he was just annoying. I didn't find anything special about the acting either and can't figure out why people are going so crazy over Lowell's performance.

Fok

I enjoyed the movie, but don't think I could watch it again.

slop101

To me, good characterization is not about being "likable". It's more about characters being interesting - this comes with how characters are presented and developed, and how real and believable they are - and ultimately it is their behavior which makes them interesting. For example, the characters in Oz are completely reprehensible. But it is a great show and completely fascinating because the characters are also very interesting. Same thing with Sideways - I know these people and I understand their motivations. It's deeply resonate, therefore, successful.

I agree with you there. Being college roomates is one thing, but for two people, so different, to remain close friends for so long, with so little in common, reeks of writer convenience.

Trigger

it's not just that they aren't likeable... I enjoy many shows and movies without likeable characters. The show Nip/Tuck for example (I don't watch OZ) has nothing but characters that are deeply awful to the core of their being, and I can't get enough of it. But with Sideways, it's not that the characters were so horrible - they just were dull for me. I almost started to like Lowell because he was being such an ass, but then he hit on and boned that fat chick and when he explained himself to Miles, he was empty behind his eyes. There was nothing there. Miles was just worthless though and in spite of him breaking into a house and flipping out at the wine tasting and going to that chick's house - he really didn't have any growth as a person I don't think. So then what was the point of the journey? This film just didn't have anything for me. Maybe I just didn't identify with them... maybe it's different if you like wine or golf. I don't know.

mookyman

Just saw it and liked it. It didn't quite live up to the hype, but I was still glad that I saw it. Even if the characters didn't learn any big life lessons (am I reading that correctly as the main complaint?), the film was filled with smaller, biting truths, and it was dryly hilarious. I have a feeling it will get better with repeat viewings (I resisted the urge to say "get better with age" - does anyone else feel a little uncomfortable with all of the wine euphemisms critics have been lavishing on a film about an alcoholic)?

Trigger

them not learning any life lessons was only one of my complaints, but yeah - that was one of em.

treszoks

I didn't like the music.

slop101

Trig, how old are you? I ask because I don't think this movie will have anything for anyone under 26 to identify with. And I'm not talking about wine and golf. I hate golf and am indifferent to wine - this movie went far beyond that and it requires certain life experiences on the part of the viewer in order to understand and identify with what the characters are going through. I, myself, am 33 and have been "around the block" a few times, and though I'm not anything like these characters, I've known many, many people like them. And the level that this film understands these very real people is almost frightening. It's sorta like a Cassavetes film in it's presentation and treatment of these people, but not nearly as oppressive. And it is nothing like the paper-thin people seen in 99% of hollywood films, including most "acclaimed" films.

Trigger

I'm 31... I got it... I still thought it was a bad movie.

slop101

Sorry to break it to you, but, no you didn't. We all like to think that we are above such things and that we "get" everything, but the simple fact of the matter is that we don't and you didn't. Now, this is in no way a reflection of your intelligence or sophistication. I know plenty of very smart, world weary people who just don't understand certain films (among other things). I can't describe it, but it has nothing to do with their intelligence - they just don't get it - some admit to it, and some don't. Inversely, there are plenty of ignorant idiots out there that completely understand even such esoteric works from people like Bunuel and Antonioni. It's art, and subjectivity aside, it's okay if you don't understand what it's going for. But making broad statement about it being bad and awful are unwarranted when you obviously didn't understand it.

Trigger

Sorry to break it to you, but just because someone doesn't like something doesn't mean they didn't 'get it'. There are plenty things I don't get and admit to them freely. I don't have some fear that someone will think I'm dumb if I didn't 'get' Sideways... the simple fact is that I did get it. I outlined the many of the reasons why I didn't like the film and my saying it's 'awful' simply stems from my reaction to it being unversally accepted as brilliant. Frankly, you don't know me well enough to determine whether I understand something or not. Your first assessment of me to reconcile in your mind why I didn't like it was that I must be too young... now you assume I just didn't understand it. No - you're wrong on both counts. All you have to do is look at the reasons I stated why I didn't like the film to see... the reasons why. No need to speculate about me as a person.

If you want to stick with your idea that I just didn't understand it, you're welcome to explain it to me and I'll tell you if you're right. But again - understanding something doesn't mean you like it, and just because you don't like something doesn't mean you didn't understand it.

Groucho

I loved Sideways, and I think Trigger has reasonably explained why he did not.

The whole "if you didn't like the film you didn't understand it" debate wore out it's welcome here in all our Magnolia discussions.