Cinecity Top 10 Film Poll – 2004 – Sideways

Continuing with our quest for the top 10 films from the last 10 years, Scott takes a look at his favourite 2004 film – Sideways

With the festival looming, CINECITY has announced it build up campaign, and what kind of movie fan Brightonian would I be if I didn’t get involved. But what is it all about? Read on…

CineCity 2012, Brighton Film Festival is approaching, and from 15th November to 2nd December the City will be taken over by films fans attending events in 10 venues including the ever brilliant Duke of York’s Picturehouse. This yearn is a special one as it is the 10th edition. To help with the build up, the boffins behind the festival have asked us fans to come up with our TOP 10 FILMS OF THE LAST 10 YEARS. I have decided to run a series of 10 posts with a feature on my favorite film from the chosen year.

But what would you choose? Why not get involved yourself. All you have to do is tweet, facebook message, or blog your top 10 films of the last 10 years and include the hashtag

The top films will be compiled and the results will be announced during the festival, but do not panic I will report back here to announce the winners to those of your overseas.

But remember to see your fave, get involved!!

2004 for me was a battle of comedies. I really wanted to do a feature and put my vote forward for Shaun of the Dead here, but there is something about SIDEWAYS from Alexander Payne that did it for me, here is my little review to back up my vote…

SIDEWAYS (2004)

Directed by Alexander Payne, Sideways follows his trend for SMART comedies. In 2004 the film was received well by critics and managed to achieve a host of award nominations, including 5 Academy Award Noms including, Best Picture, Best Director, 2x Best Supporting Actress noms and one for Best supporting Actor. The biggest surprise though that Paul Giamatti was snubbed for his role in the film and didn’t get a nod for best Actor.

We follow Jack, played by Thomas Haden Church, who is about to get married and living his life off his previous fame as a soap star. He demands one last weekend before the big day and sets his Best friend and Best man, Miles played by Paul Giamatti,  the challenge to provide it. Miles, who is not without his own problems; a failed marriage and a book that he keeps putting off finishing, take Jake to wine country where Jake sets about trying to seduce a woman called Maya. While helping Jack to keep his upcoming marriage a secret, Miles falls in love with Stephanie. But what will happen when the two ladies find out the truth about this pair?

The Story for the film is very minimal, it is more character driven than it is plot. There are no poop or fart jokes, there are long periods of dialogue and the humour is subtle and delicate. Saying that in SIDEWAYS there are plenty of moments of comic genius — watching Hayden Church’s character fake a car accident to avoid a chick-beating is hilarious.

Sideways is like a glass of fine wine. It is the perfect blend of ingredients and timing that make this a vintage film. It contains the right amount of comedy, fantastic dialogue and inner struggle. Payne is the undisputed King of making characters that are rich in texture and yet incredibly real. Jack is happy-go-lucky and always makes life mistakes, yet he somehow always seem to come up smelling of roses. Where as Miles wallows in his perceived inadequacies and hardly recognizes that he has a lot of strong points. It is Payne’s masterful juxtaposition of these two contrasting characters that makes SIDEWAYS a more realistic experience.

Sideways is an adult comedy for adults. It doesn’t need to fall back on gross out jokes to make us laugh. It is a film made by a true modern-day Auteur that know exactly how to put a cast together and get the very best out of them.

Our previous instalment can be found here -

2002 - Talk to Her

2003 – Mystic River

CINECITY BRIGHTON FILM FESTIVAL WILL RUN FROM 15TH NOVEMBER TO 2ND DECEMBER 2012 FOR MORE INFO VISIT THE HOMEPAGE HERE