I was thrilled to see Boyhood win Best Picture and Director and Supporting Actress nods at last night's Golden Globe Awards.
By far, this was my favourite movie (though Grand Budapest would be close behind) and since I watched it it has stayed with me for days afterwards.
I have loved Richard Linklater's movies since Dazed and Confused.
And as I have raved here many times, the "before" movies - Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight are among my favourites for their unforgettable storytelling.
Taking twelve years to tell a story is a risk. It requires the ability to adapt and improvise all while staying true to your artistic vision.
We watched it together as a family, which was interesting, as the boy that the movie is based around is exactly the same age as my son, and his older sister the same age as my daughter.
And so when I tell you that the dialogue, the activities, the way those kids acted was true, I am speaking from a place of knowing intimately.
But even if I didn't have kids that age, I would have loved this movie. Our lives are made up of a million decisions and small moments. Lots of things happen to Mason in the movie, but there are no car chases or aliens or grand moments.
And at the core of the movie is a performance by Patricia Arquette that is so compelling and true it will make you weep.
We hope when we go to the movies that we will learn something, be swept away, be entertained, be enthralled, be moved, see something we haven't seen before. I doubt anyone will try this kind of movie again - it has certainly been touched on in documentaries like 7-up (which Linklater credited with helping plant the seed in his mind) - but it is a joy to watch and a real visionary piece by a really creative guy.
Just as in Grand Budapest I felt I had never seen some of the things I was seeing, I felt that Boyhood is just as wondrous, but in a mundane, every person kind of way. They are fantastic bookends of movie making at its best!
If you haven't seen it, now would be a good time before the Oscars...
have a great day!
xoxo wendy
