Sideways

Pros: Story, direction, script, acting (especially Giamatti), complex and delicious humor.

Cons: Fairly derivative (of Dave Brubeck) jazz score adds little life to the film.

The Bottom Line: More required reviewing from one of the great American directors of our time, Alexander Payne. Something for the loser in all of us.

Review: How incredibly refreshing it is to see an Alexander Payne film. A director of hilarious, intelligent, and often equally poignant comedies, Payne has trained his camera on the places, and more incisively, the people of America that somehow exemplify the ...

Pros: Payne's Directing, Script, Score, Look, Production, & Cast.

Cons: Nothing I Can Think Of.

The Bottom Line: "Sideways" is Thoughtful, Funny Masterpiece from Alexander Payne w/ Great Performances from Giamatti, Church, Madsen, & Oh.

Review: Since his 1996 feature film debut for the abortion comedy Citizen Ruth, Nebraska filmmaker Alexander Payne brought a mix of Americana and irreverent offbeat humor to many of films often based on books that he and longtime co-writer Jim Taylor ...

Pros: Superb acting all round; a perfectly nuanced and balanced script; laidback, finesse directing

Cons: Might be too raunchy for some

The Bottom Line: Alexander Payne returns with SIDEWAYS, another cinematic gem full of stellar acting and lovely moments that confirms his status as one of the best directors working in film

Review: One of the piquant pleasures of experiencing an Alexander Payne film is the refreshing way with which the director expresses ordinary human behavior. Who can forget the uproarious scene in Payne's underrated masterpiece "Election"--as close a model of ...

Pros: Great, nuanced performances by ALL the principles, and another directing triumph for Payne!

Cons: A bit coarse in places---

The Bottom Line: See it for the wine country cinematography, and hilarious sexual hijinx with an updated Odd Couple!

Review: It's a life filled with disappointments for Miles (Paul Giamatti), in Alexander Payne's movie, "Sideways." A broken marriage, rejected manuscripts, and other common indignities, have not prevented him from being a good, honest, and moral man with ...

Pros: Oscar worthy performances from all four leads

Cons: Virginia Madsen didn't get the Oscar

The Bottom Line: Sideways has an Oscar winning screenplay with brilliant direction and fabulous performances from all four leads. This is certainly one of the best movies of the year.

Review: Sideways has an Oscar winning screenplay with brilliant direction and fabulous performances from all four leads. This is certainly one of the best movies of the year... ...

Pros: Giamatti and Madsen shine. Payne weaves it all together effortlessly.

Cons: You've heard this before...the book is better.

The Bottom Line: A definite must-see. There's a reason why the film is on everyone's "A List". Expect that it's impact will grow on you for days after you've seen it.

Review: Is this the best film of the year? Probably not. Is this the best one I've seen so far? Most certainly; and I look forward to "The Aviator", "Hotel Rwanda" and "Million Dollar Baby" to displace it in the next couple of weeks. But here's what ...

Pros: Acting, script, comedy

Cons: Really, I can't think of any. I enjoyed the hell out of this film.

The Bottom Line: One of last year's best movies and one of the best buddy comedies ever made.

Review: If every year has its own independent film success story-its own Little Movie That Could-then last year was no exception. Alexander Payne’s Sideways was an underestimated little comedy that ended up earning more than $70 million domestically. Despite the ...

Pros: Fantastic ensemble cast, exceptional script, and a great sense of humor

Cons: Lengthy for a movie of its subject matter

The Bottom Line: Payne has created his most mature effort to date, topping even the fantastic About Schmidt. I've seen it three times now, and I anxiously await its release on DVD.

Review: If you've been following my recent reviews (doubtful) and enjoying what you've read (wishful thinking), you may have noticed a trend. Not only do I exert masterful control of the English language (ha!), but I also tend to give a lot of five star reviews. ...

Pros: Great script, acting, story, everything.

Cons: None.

The Bottom Line: Sideways is a great film that tells us a story about the way life can really be.

Review: I heard of this film after it had already blown by. I became interested in the awkward period between theater and video. It sounded interesting, and I’m a big fan of both Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, (Wings representing!) Anyway, ...

Pros: Terrific acting, Great story

Cons: A little too slow moving for Joe Movie Goer

The Bottom Line: Sideways is a powerful film worth finding in your neck of the woods.

Review: What makes a movie like Sideways so brilliant? It’s deceptive simplicity? The solid performances by the entire cast? These two factors certainly contribute, but would be nothing if you needed to suspend disbelief. Thankfully, that is not necessary ...