Sideways

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I guess we gotta start rebuilding this room.

Dunno if this was discussed earlier but saw it recently and finally, and liked it ... a lot.

I dunno about youse, but I'd suspect a lot of you have a friend who's almost exactly like Giamatti's friend; and at least some of us have probably been (or know someone) who's been destroyed by love in your 30s.

Hit me square in the crotch, this one did. And I don't even drink wine.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

I loved this film.

BTW, we're going to a party tonight, and we're bringing a bottle of the Sanford Pinot Noir as a gift for our hosts. That was the good wine discussed in the movie.

Meanwhile, I know that Edgy and Cha remember my story of being at a wine tasting a month or so ago, and one vinyard was advertising how they were featured in the movie Sideways. The problem is that this was the winery featured at the end, which wasn't portrayed in a positive light. We were all chuckling about why a vinyard would bother pointing that out to an audience of people who were presumably familiar with the film.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I've read where this film was like, devastating to whatever wine it is that the guy said sucked and that it was a boon to the styles he liked (as evidenced by your purchase).

But, I didn;t see it that way at all. To me, the film may as well have been about baseball fans roadtripping to go see minor league games, or Scrabble enthusiasts going to a tournament, or sex fiends visiting porno sets, or whetever.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

The Mrs. and I enjoyed Sideways when we rented the video this spring. It's difficult to describe, but while I enjoyed the movie and have recommended it to others, I was mildly disappointed in the end. I guess, after all the hype Sideways received as one of the absolutely best movies of the year, I somehow expected a little more from it.

[Vic Sage]

The missus and I watched it on dvd last month. i didn't really expect to like it much, but i did. It wasn't earth-shattering, but it was a good, little movie. Funny, touching, sad. great performances.

[metirish]

I had the same expectations as Vic and was pleasently surprised, it was on HBO Saturday night.I enjoyed it a lot.

[metirish]

Who knew Paul Giamatti's Dad was the late Bart Giamatti,I just found that out watching Howard Stern on Larry King Live.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

I knew that.

In fact, you know the scene where Giamatti's character is taking money from his mom's bedroom, and he's looking at family pictures in the room? Those are actual pictures of Paul with his dad, the late Commissioner.

[metirish]

WOW, you slueth, I have to watch it again.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

It holds up to repeat viewings, thanks to the magnificent acting.

Giamatti was screwed over by the Academy, who failed to nominate him for Best Actor last year. I think they're going to make it up to him this year with a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Cinderella Man, in which he was also fabulous.

[Guest Edgy DC]

The idea that the movie has spawne new throngs of would-be wine sonnoisseurs seems to suggest to me a vast misreading of the themes of the film.

Unless I'm vastly misreading. Which wouldn't be the first time.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

The film's ability to raise awareness and interest in wine is independent of its overall themes, IMO.

[Willets Point]

Watched this last night. A lot sadder than I'd been lead to believe but a good movie with fine acting.