Election

Alexander Payne, 1999 (9.0*)
This was the surprise comedic hit for me in 1999. Reese Witherspoon hit her stride as an agressive high schooler who will do just about anything to get elected class president. She's ambitious and knows how to use her femininity to get what she wants. Matthew Broderick is well-cast as a jealous young teacher who puts up a dim-witted opponent but a popular athlete (Chris Klein) against her. Rather than just another sophmoric high school film however, director Alexander Payne (Sideways) gives this film enough bite to make a dark statement about American politics at the same time that he also makes incisive points about the state of relationships and sexuality. One of the best and most overlooked films of that year.

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Sideways

Dir: Alexander Payne, 2004 (8.7*)
Best Comedy Picture (GG)
Indy Spirit Award, Best Picture
This is a small, unassuming romantic comedy, with a brilliant cast and terrific script by director Alexander Payne. The story involves a soap-actor bachelor, Thomas Haden Church (Oscar nominee, Supp Actor), who decides to finally get married, so his friend, Paul Giamatti, decides a "road trip" is in order, and to keep his overly-romantic buddy safe for marriage, thinks a trip to wine-country for some vineyard sampling is a good bet. However, once there they meet Sandra Oh (Payne’s wife and an Emmy nominee for Gray’s Anatomy) at the winery, and Virginia Madsen in a restaurant, in her best role (Oscar nominated for Supp Actress), so there’s plenty of the opposite gender to go around. What bothers struggling writer Giamatti is that faithful guys like himself get no women, while philandering playboys, like Church, get women wherever they go. The story makes excellent and comedic points about commitment, dating, friendship, and sexual mores, and does it in an entertaining and involving film throughout. Won six Indy Spirit Awards, including Picture and Director. Oscar nominations also for director Payne and the movie for Best Picture. One Oscar (Screenplay)

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