In my Top 10 of the year for sure. I was a little dissapointed after all the hype it received, but a great film nonetheless. Paul Giamatti deserved a Best Actor nod at the Oscars, and Virginia and Thomas both rightfully received nominations.

A-

I loved this a lot, surprisingly. Paul Giamatti was robbed of a nomination for Best Actor, he was what made the movie... along with Church. Virginia Madsen was great but there are a few other nominees in the Supporting Actress who were better. Also, the movie was actually funny. For my best of 2004 list, I'd rank this at #4 for now, I'll have to rewatch a lot of my picks when I pick up the DVDs.

- A

A-

A movie that is elevated by an incredible script and two top-notch performances by Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church. 2004 is such a great year for lead actors. Giamatti joined Leo, Eastwood, and Cheadle in my ballot, and considering I still have Ray to see, there basically won't be any space left for any other actors, even though I like to include some more. Church is challenging Clive Owen for the best supporting performance I saw for 2004. Virginia Madsen did fine, but I don't see why her performance got praised so much. For me, her performance is definitely below the ones given by Cate Blanchett in The Aviator and Natalie Portman in Closer. Madsen's only memorable scene is when they were on the porch, and she was talking about how wine is similar to life.

After expecting this film to be very overrated (I thought I'd give it a 6/10 or C+), I have to say I loved Sideways, and thought it was brilliant. I'm not sure who I want to win Best Supporting Actress, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, or Virginia Madsen. I'll be happy if any of them wins, but I'm not completely sure who I really want to win, all three performances were amazing, I think it's going to be close!

9/10 (A-)

Sideways is the funniest movie of the year, only to Anchorman. But the humor is different - it's that poignant kind of humor, the kind that lives after the initial viewing and produces a similar reaction every time it's revisited. That is, unless, a little scene that's quite revealing turns you off (well, not that it turns ME on...fourty year old guys don't do it for me). Anyways, Sideways is certaintly Payne's best effort yet. The relationship between Miles and Jack is so well-captured and portrayed, that, at times, you think you're watching a James Brooks film with men instead of women. Watching the situations between the four main characters is like having four good friends on screen; it's that effective. No portrait between two men has ever been as utmost honest as Sideways. The jazzy score is a nice touch, too. HIGHLY recommended. A

So many A's here....

Seeing it on Thursday

So, what'd you think? What was your favorite part?

I loved the "Are you chewing gum, Jack!?" line.

My favorite part? Hmm, there are so many good ones. I think my favorite was the conversation in the car before Miles had to get the wallet

So your overall grade?

Check your Sideways thread

SIDEWAYS


I have to say that I was really surprised by this movie. Frankly, the only reasons I saw it were the praises on it that I read on here and the Best Picture nomination. Personally, to me the movie has never looked really interesting. I think it has to do with the age group the movie is actually targeting and that was not mine. Well, after having seen the movie I stand by my opinion that the movie is rather for older age groups than mine...Nonetheless, I enjoyed the flick immensly, to my surprise. Admittedly, I think if I was about 10 years older, I would have probably loved it even more, but as of now, I think it's already a great movie and it entered my TOP 10 of 2004.

First of all, I need to say that the movie is hilarious. I'd go as far as saying that it is the funniest movie to ever be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The dialogue is ingenious, obviously thankfully to the masterful screenplay which I hope will win the Oscar. I found that this year good screenplays are rather rare. The weakest aspect of two other Best Picture nominees I have seen, Ray and The Aviator, was their screenplay, unlike Sideways. The already great dialogue is spported by the great interplay between Paul Giamatti as Miles and Thosmas Haden Church as Jack. I think that Giamatti was absolutely undeservingly snubbed for a Best Actor nomination this year. The dynamics between the two were the best that I have seen between two characters in a movie in a very long time. Both fit their roles perfectly, Giamatti as a sympathetic loser, Church as an open-minded womanizer. Giamatti was really good, but it was Church who got most of my atetntion. As most have already said, he was by far and away the most interesting character in the movie. I have never heard of this actor before this movie (no, I don't watch Wings ), but he was a pure revelation in it. It was a joy watching him on the screen and after having already seen two amazing Best Supporting Actor performances this year (Owen and Church) and I couldn't decide who of them deserves the award more and I haven't even seen Freeman yet... I disagreed with the stuff that Church's Jack has done in the movie, the whole chating aspect. It made seem as if his character would rather belong in Closer than Sideways at times, but nonetheless, there is no denying the fact that Thomas Haden Church has played the role masterfully and deserves all the accolades he gets for it.

I was let down by Virginia Madsen, though. After all the praise and awards, I must say zthat her role didn't stick out in my opinion at all. All her scenes were decent, but none stood out. I thought that Sandra Oh was no worse than Madsen and I don't think Madsen deserved an Oscar nomination, especially considering Giamatti didn't get one. As the entire ensemble the movie worked perfectly, though and the SAG Best Ensemble win was well-deserved. There was great chemistry between all of them and it was a joy to see them on the screen, but as I said, most of my praise goes to Church and Giamatti. Their comedic timing is great and so was the character development in the movie.

I was a bit let down by the way the movie has ended. The whole Thomas Haden Church/Sandra Oh thing seemed a bit rushed as well as the ending with the wedding. I was left with a slight feeling as if something wasn't unresolved. Maybe that was because the movie made me care about all characters a lot.

All in all, I enjoyed this movie a lot and after having seen three Best Picture nominees so far, this one was definitely the best. I have yet to see Finding Neverland and Million Dollar Baby, but as of now, Sideways is the only Best Picture nominee this year that made it into my TOP 10 of the year. The movie is just a sheer joy to watch on the screen and it was really hilarious. Especially the dialogue between Miles and Jack in the car before Miles has to get the wallet and the whole scene of getting the wallet stood out. The movie made me laugh more than Team America and that says a lot.

I say, go and see it, whatever age group. You won't regret it!



A-

Sideways takes the WGA! I think the Adapted Screenplay Oscar is there for the taking.

Sideways is a great comedy. There are some excellent performances by Paul Giamatti (who was, indeed, robbed of the nomination), Church, and the rest of the cast. Definently some excellent interactions between the four characters. I think the main problem I had with Sideways is that when I heard it was "the funniest movie of the year", I actually had hoped for the funniest of the year. Instead, I got a funny movie, but it was another type of comedy. It might have been a comedy that was above me. While I did laugh (especially at the wallet scene), I didn't laugh all that much. Overall, Sideways was an enjoyable movie, but not memorable.

B+

Sideways

A Breath of Fresh Air

Finally, a comedy that is both truly funny and heartwarming. Hillarious by its own making, not due to crude sight gigs or scenes spoofed from other, superior films. Heartwarming and engrossing, the performances from the four main characters are all superb. Excellent writing abounds and a marvelous finale is certainly one of the best elements. Easily one of the best of 2004, and one of the best comedies ever.

8.2/10 (A-)

Finally got around to seeing Sideways today, just sneaking it in before the oscars so that I have now seen all 5 best picture nominees. I really liked the movie. A real slow-burn type that eases you into these characters and earns its laughs and emotional moments.

A

Sideways has been unfairly advertisted in some aspects. While it is comedic, it's not exactly a comedy, so those "funniest movie of the year!" ads are a little misleading. If you ask me, the movie works better as a touching drama than a side-splitting comedy, although there are a number of hilarious scenes (the wallet, Jack and Miles on the golf course, "I am not drinking any fucking MERLOT!").

For instance, the scene between between Miles and Maya on Stephanie's porch is quite possibly one of the best scenes in a movie in the last 20 years. That's just what I think.

99.99% of critics agree with you about that scene.

VIVA LA SIDEWAYS

Didn't liked it as much as others did, but I enjoyed it. There was some pretty good dialogue and every now and then some laughs. It wasn't as deep as I expected it to be. Gimatti was great, though. B+

One of the most overrated films ever!

6/10 (C+) and that's fairly generous!

Considering the films you've given A's to lately, I'm surprised something like Sideways would have even appealed to you.

What was your favorite part? Least favorite? Did you like the ending?

I thought that Thomas Haden Church was great and the rest of the cast did a good job, but the film itself just didn't appeal that much to me. I really liked the part where they went out to dinner though, and thought Paul Giamatti's obsession with wine was kind of amusing. I personally found the wine speech by Virginia Madsen to be very overrated. It just seemed as if she was reading off a teleprompter IMO. And I did like the ending. But overall I think that everyone involved has done better work, especially Alexander Payne. The main reason I even went to see it was because I loved ELECTION (10/10 or A+) and ABOUT SCHMIDT (9/10 or A-). This one just disappointed me.

I enjoyed Election but not About Schmidt. I think Sideways is Payne's strongest work.

Everyone seems to think that and I respect their opinions, but this one just didn't click with me.

I agree with you about the wine speech. Pretty overrated.

I thought that this was best ffilm of the year and Giammati gave the best male performance of the year. I laughed in all the right spots and felt sorrow for both of the male leads...for different reasons. Tthe script is absolute perfection and it was a worthy winner of the oscar. I really hope anyone who has not seen this gem, does so when it comes out on DVD.