No, you are not wrong about the day of the week. MOVIE WEEKEND has moved to Wednesday just for today so I can make some Oscar predictions before the nominations are announced tomorrow (Jan. 15, 2015). Of course, my predictions will come as no surprise to those of you who read anything about movies.
This week's movie is Boyhood (2014, Rated R, Available On DVD, Written and Directed by Richard Linklater).
Linklater spent twelve years filming the same cast members as a family to create Boyhood. The story is seen from the point of view of Mason (Ellar Coltrane), who ages from five to eighteen. One might expect that a movie filmed over twelve years would result in a Grand Guignol epic. Although the film is naturalistic, it's a fairly quiet movie that at first seemed a bit boring. Then I became engrossed in the family's life, especially that of "Mom" (Patricia Arquette).
According to the Internet Movie Database, Linklater made ten - fifteen minute short movies each year from 2002 to 2013 and then edited them together to create Boyhood. If he had died, his close friend who plays "Dad" in the movie, Ethan Hawke, would have finished the film.
Here are my Oscar nominee predictions for Boyhood: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress for Arquette, maybe Best Supporting Actor for Hawke, in addition to various and sundry other nominations in smaller categories. The film has a good chance of winning in all the categories I mentioned with the exception of Best Supporting Actor. I wish Ellar Coltrane would be nominated for Best Actor and Lorelai Linklater for Best Supporting Actress as Mason's sister, Samantha (yes, she's Linklater's daughter), but I don't think either will happen.
Through moves and education and alcohol and drugs and quiet moments and arguments and loves gained and lost, Boyhood is a masterpiece. It's an organic whole, but I didn't want it to end, even though it's pretty long at 165 minutes. Boyhood earns The Janie Junebug Seal of . . . what? What's higher than Highest Approval?
Be sure to see this movie before the Academy Awards air on Feb. 22nd.
Happy Viewing!
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
P.S. Don't worry about my lizard stomping and the spillage of guts. I stomped with my tiny foot in a pink slipper. The lizard said, What in the heck? and ran away.
P.P.S. I almost forgot to say that although I don't think the depiction of a certain "deity" in cartoons is wise, as a former journalist, Je suis Charlie.
We'll be looking for it. Pink slippers are great!
ReplyDeleteI'm embarrassed to say I've never heard of Boyhood, but am intrigued.
ReplyDeleteTotally understand your trying to stomp a lizard, some things are just instinct. I confess- I once squished my cousin's hamster- it was running loose and I didn't know and it ran around my feet and without a single thought, I stomped. I still feel bad about it- but who lets their hamster run wild without warning people you don't have a rodent infestation?
I've only heard good things about this movie.
ReplyDeleteHi, Janie Junebug! This is a very exciting concept. As a movie director wannabe, I have often thought about making a film that spans decades and uses natural aging of the actors instead of makeup F-X. Richard Linklater faced many challenges keeping a group of actors committed to the same project over a 12 year period. Mrs. Shady and I both enjoy Patricia Arquette's acting and we will definitely want to see Boyhood.
ReplyDeleteYou wrote:
<< Don't worry about my lizard stomping and the spillage of guts. I stomped with my tiny foot in a pink slipper. >>
I think that's called "killing me softly."
Happy Wednesday to you, dear Janie Junebug!
Got to see Boyhood. Wishing you a correct prediction.
ReplyDeleteI'll be sure to watch for it to show up at our local theaters. Thanks for the tip. I saw that it won some People's Choice last week.
ReplyDeleteI have heard of this movie but haven't seen it don't know if I would since I don't watch a lot of movies
ReplyDeleteI don't remember if I left an earlier comment. This sounds like a winner, Janie! And yes, you did say that too(smile).
ReplyDeleteOh Oh...I saw Boyhood this weekend and I just don;t get it. I mean yes I get the long time he he took to have all these actors play their parts. he had to work around the main actor's schedules. I get the idea of the single mom with 2 kids and the issues that arise between all of them but i don't see all the hoopla surrounding this film. I found it plodding and quite anti climatic. Arquette is good but not stellar and the lead boy got so much on my nerves I had no feeling towards that kid at all. I think the best actor was the sister played by Linklater's daughter. For me , I have seen better made for TV films about marital discord, alcohol abuse and coming of age than this but I am certain it will win many awards much to my chagrin:)
ReplyDeleteI listened to a podcast where the hosts raved about this movie. They loved every bit of it.
ReplyDeleteI believe Boyhood is next on/in my queue!
ReplyDelete>>I almost forgot to say that although I don't think the depiction of a certain "deity" in cartoons is wise, as a former journalist, Je suis Charlie.<<
ReplyDeleteMy feelings exactly. No need to stir the pot unnecessarily, but I defend the right to do so.
This movie was so ambitious an undertaking! I love that it is a hit now.
Sounds like a fascinating movie made over 12 years. I can hardly wait to see it. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm all squeamy just thinking about the lizard under your slipper.
ReplyDeleteI saw Boyhood. I came out kind of meh on it. I thought the concept of filming was interesting and enjoyed it well enough, but I was glad when it finally ended. I had no idea that was the director's daughter!
What a brilliant idea for a movie, so original! Thank you for the heads up.
ReplyDeleteI heard of Boyhood last week, it has me so intrigued! I'm glad you liked it!
ReplyDeleteI am in the middle of listening to an interview with Richard Linklater on the podcast WTF (not an ad). Linklater is an interesting dude. I forget how many movies he has made and how interesting his projects are. Waking Life, the Midnight trilogy, and now this. The ambition and trust he had to have in the actors to pull this off is mesmerizing. That said, haven't seen the movie. I really want to though. I will, I think.
ReplyDelete