[lit-ideas] Sideways: was "The Day After Yesterday"
- From: Paul Stone <pas@xxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005 14:24:14 -0500
>As it becomes evident, it's not _obvious_ that Miles _did_ mean "today"[else
>he would have titled the novel thus] -- even though it is _analytically_
>*true* that 'the day after yesterday' _is_ 'today'. A case of co-referential
>opacity?
Having seen this movie over the weekend, I am tempted to say "Alas, this is
one of the FEW sparks of the potential for good dialogue in an otherwise
WAY OVERBLOWN movie."
It's rather fitting that THAT line has sparked a post [by JLS] to
lit-ideas. In fact, that was the only exchange in the whole movie that
jumped out at me as an "mmm hmm!" [pondering sound with hand on chin]
moment in what is a talky film with nothing worth talking about -- unless
you are a [pretentious] sommelier.
The last half makes up somewhat for the dragged out first 45 minutes, but
NOT enough to garner a best picture nom. The ending is even better than
expected {although those expectations weren't too high after almost leaving
an hour in}, but even that couldn't erase my memories of the hackneyed
interaction between Church and Giamatti and the somewhat out of place,
relentless wine references earlier in the film. After 60 minutes this movie
was purportedly about two guys on a last fling before a wedding, but it was
really and essentially ONLY about wine.
This is a buddy film between two people who aren't even buddies and never
would be. It's almost as though Alexander Payne (the film's
screenwriter/director) was looking for an excuse to spout his wine
knowledge, but as it is, it exposes sour grapes. In the end I guess this
movie is modern art -- it's a pastiche of disparate items with no
resolution OR resolve to be about anything in particular. It's a series of
uncomfortable circumstances: some funny, some sad, some pathetic, some
boring; but to nominate it for BEST PICTURE? I'll have to ever further
reconsider my support of the movie industry if this thing wins. And... the
title is just plain silly.
groaning and droaning,
paul
##########
Paul Stone
pas@xxxxxxxx
Kingsville, ON, Canada
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