MovieChat Forums > Sideways (2004) Discussion > I like novies that freeze an era in time

I like novies that freeze an era in time

posted 2 years ago by buzzlightbeer (1823)
9 replies | jump to latest

This movie reminds me of where the world was in 2004.

There was no social media yet, no smart phones yet, not even texting....flip phones just for calling and voicemail.

The cars and interior scenes are pure early 2000s, with that lingering 90s looking furniture and the old round screen TVs. (with gw bush and rumsfeld in a news clip no less)

And lots of other stuff.

When i watch this movie it reminds me of my life in the early 2000s, the vibe of that era. Compared to now that era seems slow and unhurried.

[–] SandyR (7564) 2 years ago

Right after 9/11, things weren't so chill. But I understand if you were young at the time, nostalgia will call up only the good things of the era.

[–] jcnyclv (1405) 2 years ago

You're right, it was a very difficult time and it seemed to go on forever! There was a solemn, eeriness in NY for a long time, almost like we were waiting for something else to happen. It took months on end for Ground Zero to be cleaned out and the stench stayed around for a very long time. My husband (retired NYPD) did overtime almost 7 days a week for a few months, as did most other officers during that time. It took a few years until things got back to some semblance of normalcy and we felt sure that nothing else was going to happen. My husband and I are still angry that they didn't put up the twin towers exactly as they stood before the attacks! The whole skyline was changed and it shouldn't have been!

[–] SandyR (7564) 2 years ago

What a different county back then. One attack and we all remembered we're a family in the U.S., even if we don't always agree on everything. Imagine all the finger-pointing that would happen today...

Please thank your husband for doing a job few people have the guts to do.

[–] jcnyclv (1405) 2 years ago

You're right, there was a pride in being American after 9/11 that faded much too quickly. The NYPD were the good guys during that time, not the villains these whackos have made them out be the past few years. I can't imagine what would happen if a catastrophe like 9/11 happened today. The country is unrecognizable to me. I will thank my husband 🙂

[–] jcnyclv (1405) 2 years ago

Even though I don't remember this particular time as lovingly as you do, the movie is excellent and, at this point, rather retro I guess.

[–] Heisenberg (6424) a year ago

1 texting has been around since the nineties, so what the hell are you drinking?

2 the other shit you mentioned has been as relevant as changing your hair color. Which is, pretty much no relevant at all. Social media, smart phones... wow, talk about useless crap for kids.
I doubt any of it would make a difference in this story, with these characters, then or now.

[–] buzzlightbeer (1823) a year ago

1. no, what the hell are YOU drinking?

2. everything i said is on point, and moreover is from my subjective VP. as i said, it reminds ME of the early 2000s vibe.

3. but even so, you're wrong anyway. text was invented in the 90s but it wasn't wide spread until around 2005-6, and my points about smart phones and social media are right too: the whole vibe would've changed in this film had they been texting, messaging on facebook, etc. A freneticness crept into our culture after the advent of these things, this everpresent lingering need to be 'on' at all times, never disconnected. constant alerts, etc. not sure why you don't get this, but hey rock on with yo bad seff.

4. there are many examples in the film for actual verification of my point. i already mentioned the GWB clip. the constant use of pay phones and the hotel room phone. buying magazines instead of surfing online on a phone. etc

5. the real question is how did you miss my point? way off the mark.

cheers.

[–] daveyh (594) a year ago

I got my first mobile phone in 2004 and immediately started texting, mainly because most of my friends had been doing that for a while by then, and it had already become the main form of communicating for people my age and younger. I'm in the UK, and the U.S. is usually a good couple of years ahead it comes to technology, so it's entirely possible that texting had been a common thing in the US since the turn of the millenium. That said, maybe it was very much a youth thing until much later in the decade - guys Miles' and Jack's age would still communicate by phone call. There's an episode of The Wire, set in the spring of 2003, where they realise the criminals are using text messages - it seems to be a whole new concept to the middle aged detectives, but one of them says something to the effect of "my kids are always doing that".
It's also possible that the film is set a few years earlier - do they specify that it is 2004? If so, I found it a bit odd that Miles didn't have a mobile phone by this point. I know Bush is on the TV screen but that could have been during his campaign or earlier in his presidency? Plus I read somewhere that the episode of The Grind on the TV in the room during Miles' "freakout" is from the 1990s. I've not read the book yet so I don't know when that takes place.
Completely agree with the OP though - would have completely changed the course of events in the film - Christine would just be texting Jack rather than bombarding him with calls and ringing the hotel room phone, in fact it's unthinkable nowadays to leave your phone in your hotel room while you're out overnight. Stefanie might have looked up Jack' social's and seen that he was engaged (and he'd probably have to have a strong social media presence to network for his acting career), Jack would also have to worry about any pictures tagged at tourist spots around there in case Christine saw him and Stefanie looking intimate in the background etc.

[–] buzzlightbeer (1823) a year ago

Finally, a proper response!