I've noticed after playing the Wii that it can't sense movement like turning the remote around so it's facing you with the buttons still on top. Maybe it and the sixaxis can and I just haven't seen it used? I know the remote can if you use the sensor bar but I mean without it.
The way I'm thinking of how it works is this: Put a ball in a bowl. If you tilt the bowl, the ball moves. But if you spin it, the ball stays in place unless you spin really fast. I know that's not how the remote works, just additional information on what I mean.