Books, Movies, Music & Entertainment - Really taken away by movie"Sideways."

I know we are really wine lovers and also deeply appreciate the wine country north of Santa Barbara , California. In fact I have toured on my bike the wine coutry on Foxen Creek Road between Santa Maria and Santa Barbara..The location of this film...
It was so familiar to us...Either on bike or in the car...We have done a lot of exploring to find Santa Barbara's best vintner...Love this area...Great biking.
Sorry...Back to the movie...'Sideways'...Story of two former college roomates who get together after one's divorce for the others' pending marriage...The to be newly wed is a cad..The other a depressive from a divorce one year ago...
The characters involved find life's stories and challenges literally in their wine bottles...
The 'wine speech' by Virginia Madsen literally blew me away..
Guess, wine officianadios find lots of meaning in the development of the grape.From the life's history of a bottle of wine to the pathways human life, comes this allegory of human emotions..
I loved this film...Definitely a two movie , movie...In fact I await to buy the CD...I had thought "Finding Neverland" was my movie of the year...THink now, "Sideways."ANyone else see it yet..
Should any find themselves cycling down Foxen Canyon Road, maybe you will recall the mystery of wine as you enjoy this spectular scenery...
Definitely both wine and bike country. And a great back drop for this movie.
For those who like action and don't have the patience for character development, this might not be your movie.

Been considering seeing this movie. Your review makes it a must see.

I saw it with my wife a couple weeks ago. She liked it but I thought it dragged in a few places. It did have some great belly laugh scenes. Any idea on the significance of the title?

I saw it with my wife a couple weeks ago. She liked it but I thought it dragged in a few places. It did have some great belly laugh scenes. Any idea on the significance of the title?
Boyze...That is the reason, I often like to see a movie, that i percieve has a lot to say ,twice..You hear so much you missed the first time around...
Sideways...Seems the book under construction by the main character.Paul, ?, was not there a reference to sideways in his discreption of his novel? Something about life's flow back and forth in conflicts between unresolved problems..?
Next time, I will answer that question...
Some of my being taken aback by this movie...My lugging a bottle of wine on my bike's panniers from our favorite vintner on Foxen Creek Canyon road to our campsite in Solvang...great wine...My riding partners appreciated the quality of the wine at camp, even though traveling through this area added about 25 miles to our journey...Twenty five beautiful miles I might add...
The clincher..Wine snobs...At my vintner, the hostess did not want to sell us this awesome Merlot...Said the rought road would destroy the tannin...We bought it anyway...She had said one store in Solvang sold their wines and buy it there...Imagine that.!

[QUOTE=cyclezealot]Boyze...That is the reason, I often like to see a movie, that i percieve has a lot to say ,twice..You hear so much you missed the first time around...
Sideways...Seems the book under construction by the main character.Paul, ?, was not there a reference to sideways in his discreption of his novel? Something about life's flow back and forth in conflicts between unresolved problems..?
Next time, I will answer that question...
QUOTE]

I agree a second time would be interesting for this movie. This movie did get my wife and myself discussing some of the nuance like the title, the ending, the stealing of his mom's $ .....

I know we are really wine lovers and also deeply appreciate the wine country north of Santa Barbara , California. In fact I have toured on my bike the wine coutry on Foxen Creek Road between Santa Maria and Santa Barbara..The location of this film...
It was so familiar to us...Either on bike or in the car...We have done a lot of exploring to find Santa Barbara's best vintner...Love this area...Great biking.
Sorry...Back to the movie...'Sideways'...Story of two former college roomates who get together after one's divorce for the others' pending marriage...The to be newly wed is a cad..The other a depressive from a divorce one year ago...
The characters involved find life's stories and challenges literally in their wine bottles...
The 'wine speech' by Virginia Madsen literally blew me away..
Guess, wine officianadios find lots of meaning in the development of the grape.From the life's history of a bottle of wine to the pathways human life, comes this allegory of human emotions..
I loved this film...Definitely a two movie , movie...In fact I await to buy the CD...I had thought "Finding Neverland" was my movie of the year...THink now, "Sideways."ANyone else see it yet..
Should any find themselves cycling down Foxen Canyon Road, maybe you will recall the mystery of wine as you enjoy this spectular scenery...
Definitely both wine and bike country. And a great back drop for this movie.
For those who like action and don't have the patience for character development, this might not be your movie.

Going to see it at the local art theatre tonight - not in wide distribution around here.

Going to see it at the local art theatre tonight - not in wide distribution around here.
Skydiver...Just curious...Used to live in Sarasota... Sarasota had a great independent movie following..At least when I lived there..
Where is Lake Mary..Orlando, I think.?..Sure lots of arts thater's there, is so.
Fallbrook like your area...We have to go 20 miles to find that kind of thing..In fact semi rural..Have to go lots of places to find much of anything..But then the biking is good...
Enjoy our great wine/cycling domain...In the movie, I only saw one cyclists in the background..Had the film crews been more representative of the area, there would have been tons of cyclists...Santa Barbara area..Some of the best cyclists area in the whole world..

Skydiver...Just curious...Used to live in Sarasota... Sarasota had a great independent movie following..At least when I lived there..
Where is Lake Mary..Orlando, I think.?..Sure lots of arts thater's there, is so.
Fallbrook like your area...We have to go 20 miles to find that kind of thing..In fact semi rural..Have to go lots of places to find much of anything..But then the biking is good...
Enjoy our great wine/cycling domain...In the movie, I only saw one cyclists in the background..Had the film crews been more representative of the area, there would have been tons of cyclists...Santa Barbara area..Some of the best cyclists area in the whole world..

Lake Mary is a Northern suburb of Orlando. I am in St. Petersburg at the moment, and the local art theatre is the Beach Theatre - that's where we are going. In the Orlando area, the Enzian is a wonderful art theatre (Winter Park) - you sit at tables and can swill wine and beer and dine as you watch the movie.

I saw this last weekend. Overall, I thought it was very good. I say this despite not enjoying it as much as I had hoped to. It just ended up not really being my kind of film. Well done, nonetheless.

I saw this last weekend. Overall, I thought it was very good. I say this despite not enjoying it as much as I had hoped to. It just ended up not really being my kind of film. Well done, nonetheless.

It seems to have blown the crtics away. On my favorite movie site, rottentomatoes.com, it received an incredible 97% of good reviews from the critics.

Siskel and Ebert both really liked it...I get all choked up when I see my bike/wine trail and think of what a great ride it was..Plus wine is like a major interest of ours...For Christmas we will be serving Rancho Sisquoc from the northern end of this district..
Skydiver...Trying to remember..Beach Theater...Did I go there when we lived in Sarasota...? Seems so...
Heah , is the big pink hotel still out there at St. Pete Beach?? ALmost 20 years ago..Stayed there a couple times...
Enzian Theater...Swirling wine at a table...Sounds like Sideways should be seen there.....At times, I found the dialogue so involved...Skydiver...Do you recall the precise scene where Sideways got its name...?thanks....
Also, before we saw "Sideways," we had planned to go up to Solvang to see their Christmas lights before Christmas...Plus a trip out Foxen Creek to get a couple more bottles of Merlot , for Christmas...Two days, dam not taking my bike...

Siskel and Ebert both really liked it...I get all choked up when I see my bike/wine trail and think of what a great ride it was..Plus wine is like a major interest of ours...For Christmas we will be serving Rancho Sisquoc from the northern end of this district..
Skydiver...Trying to remember..Beach Theater...Did I go there when we lived in Sarasota...? Seems so...
Heah , is the big pink hotel still out there at St. Pete Beach?? ALmost 20 years ago..Stayed there a couple times...
Enzian Theater...Swirling wine at a table...Sounds like Sideways should be seen there.....At times, I found the dialogue so involved...Skydiver...Do you recall the precise scene where Sideways got its name...?thanks....
Also, before we saw "Sideways," we had planned to go up to Solvang to see their Christmas lights before Christmas...Plus a trip out Foxen Creek to get a couple more bottles of Merlot , for Christmas...Two days, dam not taking my bike...

Well, its 7 AM, and the movie has us so stimulated, we have been up for about a hour discussing it in the dark rather than getting our sleep! I loved the movie, and will perhaps see it again. I don't recall that scene, and that was one of the areas of discussion. You are alluding to the Don Cezar hotel. We go by there all the time on one of our club rides enroute to Pass-A-Grille.

I'd love to go on, but must get ready for the Saturday morning St. Pete Bike club ride.

Oh, and yes, the Enzian would have been the perfect venue for watching that movie - enjoying a good bottle of wine!! I have always been a wine lover, and my fiance and I have quite a collection.

My best recollection of where the title "Sideways " came from...The novelist's description of his book, before he gave it to her(Virginia Madsen) , for her reading.. Dialogue went something like, Life's sideways paths where conficts don't get resolved, they just go back and forth in flux without resolution...Guess that was the depressives' dilema...He did not want to come out of his morose attitudes..
Glad he came to terms with his conflicts before he had the wedding encounter with his ex...
I too will be riding home soon...AM commute after an all night PM shift...Weather here is great- sunny & 70's...Like to ride in front of the Don Cesar with your club...THose white sand beaches...There you can jump into the Gulf with bike clothes...
Our Pacific is a beautiful blue, but would not hurt to carry a shortie in your back pack..Well, this time of year maybe a long john...But the sun is still bright.

Interesting, and that is about what my analysis led to as the genesis of the title. The more I think about the movie, the more I love it. It worked on multiple levels.

Being a California boy (grew up in Stockton), I am in love with the beautiful Pacific!

yeah, but skydiver...the movie was in the beginning border line manic depressive on the part of the author...But, through trials and tribulations he worked out his depression..Or so it appeared...
Heah, I loved the movie, too...Sort of disappointed by Madsen's role...I thought a women who saw his inner self should react to his comment that he is not his friend...
While not betraying his caddy friend, he certainly showed his disdain....I felt she overreacted to the author's dilema..that was my one disappointment..But , it appeared that was resolved.

yeah, but skydiver...the movie was in the beginning border line manic depressive on the part of the author...But, through trials and tribulations he worked out his depression..Or so it appeared...
Heah, I loved the movie, too...Sort of disappointed by Madsen's role...I thought a women who saw his inner self should react to his comment that he is not his friend...
While not betraying his caddy friend, he certainly showed his disdain....I felt she overreacted to the author's dilema..that was my one disappointment..But , it appeared that was resolved.

Yes, I was struck by that same point which made me surprised that he sought her out - the telephone message notwithstanding. Perhaps that was the point however - he was still following the path to almost certain realtionship failure.

so in the closing scene - did she answer the door or had she moved already as suggested by her message and his hapless life just continued as before :rolleyes:

so in the closing scene - did she answer the door or had she moved already as suggested by her message and his hapless life just continued as before :rolleyes:
Standard rights of the writer...have to draw our own conclusions...We all like happy endings.

so in the closing scene - did she answer the door or had she moved already as suggested by her message and his hapless life just continued as before :rolleyes:

I vote for the hapless life whether or not she ultimately answered the door. I think she answered the door, because had she not, he would undoubtedly have missed having a relationship that would ultimately fail.

He had flaws yes...But, during their time together at her friends home, did you all sense there was some deep chemistry.

He had flaws yes...But, during their time together at her friends home, did you all sense there was some deep chemistry.

I did sense chemistry, but I am not sure if I would describe it as "deep." I guess that is one of the reasons I would like to see the movie again - I would approach it with a different perspective and probably get more out of it. Interestingly, my very literate (Harvard educated) fiance sensed no chemistry, but admits to perhaps having dozed off at one point being on anti-hystimines due to her cold.

It is amazing the discussions this movie inspires. My fiance is a member of a book club, and one of the members called yesterday. I wound up on speaker phone with her having a three way conversation about the movie.

He had flaws yes...But, during their time together at her friends home, did you all sense there was some deep chemistry.

I didn't sense much chemistry. She was his opposite in most respects, which does sometimes conger up attractions, but I don't think so in this case. We're tempted to feel sorry for him but when he stole his mommie's stash to finance a week of wine and fun I lost all respect for the character. Also recall the reason for his failed marriage. Loser. :mad:

Critiquing his book...I felt she was impressed with his soul...Some of us are losers /often life treats us lousy...
I had a lousy half decade, in part why I ran and cycle to this day.
But often novelists are dour, introspective types. He certainly was.... He and his first wife had so much in common..He blew it..She did care for him, so he had a soul...Maybe too much so..
I Just like to believe in new beginnings..
As skydiver said, Madsen's big beef over the nature of his caddy friend was not entirely fair to the novelist...I think he novel would have been good...
Since it was his life's story and Madsen liked it, I think that says something about her feelings for the writer?? And their love of wine..Her 'wine speech' She was a little introspective too...A match made in heaven? Also, the inability to get his life's story published has something to say about life's unfairness,( if it was good) as Madsen stated..Something good can't get published because of corporate marketing...Makes one dour...
So often we move sideways..So the mystery of the title is hereby resolved?
A side issue...On the way home from work, San Diego is truly blessed by an independent radio station that plays four hours of accoustic music each Sunday morning...Great show...DJ knows and teaches music...
But heard a song that should have been on this movie's sound track..Anyone know David Wilcox...Great musician...KPRI played his song "Language of the Heart..." So appropriate to this movie..Should have been playing during this movie's credits...Another CD for my Christmas list...

I assumed that the title of the movie Sideways had to do with the week not being part of the normal progression of their lives, but instead a time-out of sorts -- like a detour or side road on the journey of two lives. However, as I was writing this, I just remembered the logo of the movie: a wine bottle on its side. Perhaps that's the key: that just as wine is best kept on its side, one can best enjoy life if one realizes that as one journeys through life, it's important to not only go straight ahead, but occasionally sideways. You know, I like that! Does anyone else?

I wanted to see this, but now will make a point of it.

Thanks for the review

The review I saw said "Two forty-something guys relive their freshman year of college by getting drunk and chasing women". So, I kinda put of going to see the film.

Finally, based on the fact so many "respected" folks say it is the best film of 2004, I went. The first third of the movie was kinda slow, and kinda boring (to a guy who prefers wine from a box). But, after the two women characters appeared, the movie really took off - the second half was funny/sad/entertaining/appalling.

I saw it in a theatre that was almost full. I was surprised while walking out to discover that I was one of the youngest people in the theatre (although I'm older than dirt...most of the folks leaving were between age sixty and age eighty. I never see many people in that age bracket at the movies, and I am not sure why "Sideways" would be pulling in that age group. Was it the "Wine Appreciation Society" or "AARP Movie Night"?

......

I saw it in a theatre that was almost full. I was surprised while walking out to discover that I was one of the youngest people in the theatre (although I'm older than dirt...most of the folks leaving were between age sixty and age eighty. I never see many people in that age bracket at the movies, and I am not sure why "Sideways" would be pulling in that age group. Was it the "Wine Appreciation Society" or "AARP Movie Night"?


My wife & I are both in our 60s....We finally saw this excellent, really well-cast movie last night....From our "been there, done that" (not exactly, but similar) perspective the primary "Sideways" aspect (of many already mentioned in this thread) is summed up in the adage:...."Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans..."


The most hilarious vehicular sideways scene was when the to-be-further-wrecked car went sideways, missed the tree & ended up stuck in the ditch..... :roflmao:

I loved this movie! It was just straight out funny but also sad and poignant. Some hilarious scenes and also heartbreaking ones as well (scene with his ex). Paul Giamati was excellent.

I have to say I’m confused by the earlier comments about Maya being unfair to the Giamati character. Why she wanted anything to do with this guy is beyond me! All the female characters in the film were far superior to the men in the film, both of whom were pretty dispicable. (Rant: I’m also a little tired of TV/movies showing average looking guys landing these incredibly beautiful women – I mean, get real!)

As for the ending, I didn’t see a future for his relationship with Maya. It seemed that the two characters really only bonded over their interest in wine and being recently divorced. I didn’t sense much chemistry between the characters. The Giamati character is deeply flawed (stealing from his mother, cheating on his wife etc.) and I imagine that a smart and beautiful woman like Maya would do much better for herself. I felt the ending was really just trying to show the Giamati character finally starting to break out of his funk (the 1961 wine, and approaching Maya).

I think it says a lot about the director that he made a great film without any of the male leads being sympathetic.

Saudade...Can't deny Giamati's character was dispicable..Yet, I had hope for Giamati's redemption....His play about himself showed sensitivity..There must have been something romantic going on early in Giamati's first marriage..ie- references to wine escapades, picnic's, etc.s- I just sensed some real chemistry there in the first marriage.
I thought the contents of Giamati's readings from his play showed depth that caught Maya's attention..And her response with her speech...
Did not Maya reply on the phone to Paul before his return to Solvang..? I thought wine was just a vehicle for life's pathways. A symbol not just fascination with wine...
Life can go in phases from awful to good...I had hoped the story was about redemption of basically good, thoughtful people from our more challenged years to sunnier ones.. As my mother once told me, life is trying to smile between the trajedies. No?

Well, that’s the great thing about this kind of movie. Every person will interpret things differently.

I guess I'm a cynic because I didn't see Paul as having many redeeming qualities at all. He may be a great wordsmith but his character is revealed by his actions. He was unfaithful, he participated in his friends lies. A forty-something man stealing from his aging mother?! Paul’s monologue about the Pinot was all about himself (revealing that he is completely self-absorbed and neurotic), whereas Maya’s insight into wine was about how it was an outlet for seeing the world, and how she was fascinated by its evolving nature. It was when they were each talking about wine that I felt that these characters were not compatible. Actually I thought the wine-as-metaphor was a little heavy-handed, I wish they had done this a little more subtly. I certainly didn’t see any redemption for his friend, whose marriage I expect would falter in a few years. The female characters were basically static.

Saud...This is one of those movies' a person should see twice..Maybe We will...Been awhile. Like to reweigh the feelings expressed in the 'wine scene'....

Some folks have pointed out that both of the men in the movie were jerks and cads. And THAT is what I enjoyed about the film. When I was in the army, something like 90% of the guys I served with became jerks and cads when women and booze were available. And, in middle age, far too many men continue to be jerks and cads when women and booze are available.

Scratch the surface of a 57 year old man, and underneath there is a 17 year old fraternity boy. The sad proof of this is seen at a "Gentlemen's Club". Fifty year old men panting over a 15 year old nude dancer who got hired using her 18 year old sister's ID. The male of the species IS a rat, and it was fun to have Hollywood put all-to-typical male behavior in the spotlight for a bit of laugh.

Some folks have pointed out that both of the men in the movie were jerks and cads. And THAT is what I enjoyed about the film. I liked that as well. I saw Vanity Fair a while back and the lead character was definitely made more sympathetic than in Thackeray's novel (not that I read it). I was a little miffed about that. I appreciate that the director of Sideways didn't soften the characters to make them more marketable. Even though the characters were cads, on some level they were likeable and of course the Haden-Church character made me laugh alot so its hard not to like him. I did think that Paul at least acknowledged that he had made mistakes in his life and was aware of his flaws (unlike his friend who has no moral conscience at all).

The other thing I liked about the move was that all the locations were very authentic looking. Paul's mothers, the motel room, Sandra Oh's house...they all looked like homes that people in their situations would have. I get tired of watching tv/movies where the homes and hotel rooms are upscale and look like they came out of architectural digest. That motel room looked like every cheap motel room I've ever stayed in! Anyway, that's one of the little things that I liked about the movie.

I'm definitely renting it when it comes out on DVD, which says a lot because i hardly ever want to watch a movie more than once.

Sure made a nice pitch for the pinot noir grape, Cyclezealot, you should lead cycle tours of the region where filmed, maybe even taste a bit of pinot along the way. I'd come down for that.

I agree, see the film a couple times, if nothing else but to see ass get smacked in the puss.

The nerd is the hero. Hero in the sense that, despite his obvious flaws, he's an interesting, authentic, fundamentally decent human being, something his good-looking, popular buddy never will be. The movie is funny and sad and conflicted and ambiguous, like real life. And in the end, the nerd has a better-than-even chance of getting the neat girl, but only after they're both well on the wrong side of 30 and she's learned something from being crapped on by some guy with good superficials.

That's why I liked it.

Shifty..I'd love to lead a tour of the Santa Barbara wine country..But the distractions...Can't stop at too many wine tastings..There is a hell of a hill between Foxen Canyon and Solvang.. and the kicker..Our favorite Southern California wine comes from this scenic valley...
One might need to throw out your gear to make room for the wine..Usually we end up buying about a case of wine...Guess, we'd need a sag..

Shifty..I'd love to lead a tour of the Santa Barbara wine country..But the distractions...Can't stop at too many wine tastings..There is a hell of a hill between Foxen Canyon and Solvang.. and the kicker..Our favorite Southern California wine comes from this scenic valley...
One might need to throw out your gear to make room for the wine..Usually we end up buying about a case of wine...Guess, we'd need a sag..

Yes my brother, there are hazzards, think two things right now, sag wagon for hills (if you must) and wine, and spit only tastings until after the ride. I'm still with you!

Think if it came to like throwing out our favorite Rancho Sisquoc Pinot Noir or certain bits of camping gear..I would have to think about it..Luckily the wine country is at the end of the tour , about 2 hours from Solvang.

I enjoyed this film very much. Nice direction. The main character was quite believable - that guy's a great actor IMO.

A friend and I do the Wine Country roadtrips to upstate NY a couple times a year. It's lots of fun and is very much like the movie in terms of settings, etc. etc.

Next summer I'm gonna scoot down a hill while drinking a bottle of wine! (sans drama)

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and I liked it a LOT more than either Million $ Baby or The Aviator. While Alexander Payne's (director and co-writer of Sideways) previous film, About Schmidt, is quite well known, his film before that, Election, was not widely seen. However, it's a great film. I highly recommend Election.

Finally saw this movie lastnight. I thought it was great!!! Funny, sad all at the same time. I really recommend this movie. Other then the lady next to me with an really annoying laugh, I would pay to see this movie again.

"Election"..Who had the lead role in that one..... About high school student elections? If so, that was a good one..

I jsut got back from the Solvang area and hit up Foxen Cyn. Road. It was kinda fun seeing the same places from the movie.

I even got a joke from a 70 year old guy who was tasting at Fess Parker's winery (aka Frass Canyon from Sideways). I dumped some funky Syrah in the bucket, and he looked at me and said, "Don't worry, Miles will be back for that later!" I almost fell over laughing... it was classic.

I was talking with one the the pourers in The town of Solvang, and she was telling me that since that movie came out, Pinot Noir sales have been up 800%. Incredible. She had one woman come in, ask for a case of Pinot, never even tasting it. Never even had a Pinot before. Just saw Sideways, and from that decided that Pinot was her wine of choice... crazy.

Santa Barbera even has a "Sideways" Map you can get that takes you around to the different locations fromt he movie.. kinda fun :-)

Jeff

My friend helped make this movie. He said they had no cast party, that the cast was, in general, not fun, and the movie sucked to make. Now, don't ***** at me, but a cast party is a given in his industry. It's a cap to the work. But, he also said that wine makers were, in reality, very much the snobs and hypocritical of eachother.

Of course, he drinks beer, I drink wine.

Any idea on the significance of the title?

In Rex Pickett's novel, they use the term "sideways" several times as another way to say tipsy or drunk.

I like the other descriptions in the thread above, too.... the bottle on its side in the wine rack, taking a side-trip before the wedding, etc.

Oh yeah, the novel has a LOT of differences from the film.... from the beginning at Miles' local wine shop to who Jack hooks up with to the "boar hunter" to the way it all ends.... it's a pretty funny and bittersweet read. Reading it after seeing the movie didn't hurt any because I had all that beautiful scenery in my head to place (most of) the action.

My brother-in-law grows pinot noir grapes in Sonoma County. Asked my sister what he thought of the movie.

"He thought the movie was OK, but he's *really* excited about the results."

The emperor has no clothes! After listening to and reading all the hype about "Sideways" we settled in Saturday night expecting to see a really good movie. We kept waiting for it to get good but it never went beyond a middling sitcom with pretentions.

The characters were so unbelieveable that, even with a conscious effort to grant the film some poetic license, I was constantly embarrassed for them. If Miles were an acquaintance of mine I would have him committed. Granted, the performances were well crafted, the scenes well shot, and the wine country setting lovely. The material just wasn't there.

I did come away from the film with an appreciation for Sandra Oh. The scene where she whipped Jack's ass with her helmet was one of the few delights in the show. Having been on the justifiable end of such a rage I can tell you, she nailed it.