"Sideways" coincidence

I watched Alexander Payne's film Sideways immediately before viewing La Dolce Vita, which proved to be an interesting prelude because of the unknown-to-me coincidence of Payne having recorded an introduction to Fellini's film on the DVD. One of those synchronistic moments in life that make you want to believe in higher powers.

Sideways is a very entertaining film. There are some really lovely shots of California wine country and I liked the direction in general. It includes several very funny moments thanks in large part to the wonderful chemistry between the actors (Paul Giamatti and Thomas Hayden Church) that extends to the commentaries they recorded as an extra feature on the DVD.

I can see where Payne was influenced by Fellini in some ways. There are some very superficial similarities between the two films (the two lead characters are a serial womanizer and a frustrated writer; the confusion of love and sex; the difficulties of having lasting relationships) but it obviously doesn't have the depth of La Dolce Vita.