GLASSJAW Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 (edited) The review will come, but since I know GJ is waiting on pins and needles, I thought I'd mention that I watched the film today. By watching this movie, I completed what I am patenting as the Berkeley Triple Crown (Three different movie theatres within the week). did it feel like i was there with you, sitting beside you. sharing your popped buttery corns i think, though, the berkeley triple crown is attending 3 protests on 3 different causes in a 3 hour time frame, but you can change that if you wish Edited November 14, 2014 by GLASSJAW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down by the River Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 (edited) Boyhood: 10/10 Before I get to why I liked the movie so much, I have to set the context. I've put it in spoilers in case nobody cares and just wants to see the review I'm doing my PhD, and we study the development of offending over time. So, we are not interested in finding out what is going on with one offender at one time period and comparing their circumstance to the circumstance of another person. What we look at is within-individual change over time. So, we examine the offender across their life course (currently we have info on offenders from when they were 12 up through their early thirties. So, for me, understanding how individuals and their circumstances change over time is something that I am incredibly interested in, and passionate about. Boyhood captures this concept/perspective perfectly. The concept of the film alone was enough for me to rate the movie a solid 8 or 9 out of 10. Basically all that Linklater had to do was tell a not-atrocious story and the film would have been a massive success in my eyes. The story, for me, was perfect. I like shows and films where not a lot happens. Just tell a story of how life can be, but tell it beautifully. Don't create artificial drama simply because you don't have the writing skills to make mundane magnificent. I don't need car accidents or cancer or rape or natural disaster, I just want perspective on a character or characters. This is what this movie is. The only thing exceptional about the story was the way it was told. I can't talk much about why I liked the film, because it would ruin it for those who haven't seen it.This story focuses on three characters primarily, a boy, his father, and his mother. The within-individual change that we get to see across time for the three characters is terrific. The maturation of an aloof father, the persistent struggling, but for different reasons, of an independent mother, and the transition for curiosity to introspection and a bit of cynicism within the main character Mason. By telling the story over time, you get to understand why things are happening the way they are and not just that they are happening. The subtlties also got me, like the transition through puberty for Mason and the change in the deepness of his voice. I also really liked early on how his sister was singing a Britney Spears song. If the film was meant to be a period piece, but shot over the span of a few months, the audience would have laughed and thought the director was giving the audience a wink and a nudge, like 'hey, remember how popular this song was and now look at Spears?'. But, in this context, it was simply what a six year old would sing at that time. There wasn't the intention to have some coy meaning, it was just part of the story, part of life. Sounds like a small detail, but it was just this type of subtlety throughout the movie that really got me. I also really enjoyed how the film was shot. One scene I felt was a throwback to Dazed and Confused. I don't know much about camera lenses/effects, but I feel like this scene, that starts with the pumping of a keg, was shot in a way that was intended to make the viewer nostalgic. I just thought it was cool, can't really explain why. I remember where I was when Crosby scored in OT in 2010, where I first met my GF, and where I was when I saw this film. It was that good. Oh yeah, and Ethan Hawke doesn't age. Not that he looks particularly good, just that he doesn't look older. Oh yeah part two, Patricia Arquette was terrific. Edited November 14, 2014 by Down by the River Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down by the River Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 did it feel like i was there with you, sitting beside you. sharing your popped buttery corns i think, though, the berkeley triple crown is attending 3 protests on 3 different causes in a 3 hour time frame, but you can change that if you wish Haha you might be right about that. This was this first time I had ever gone to the movies alone, though it didn't feel that way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLASSJAW Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLASSJAW Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 The concept of the film alone was enough for me to rate the movie a solid 8 or 9 out of 10. Basically all that Linklater had to do was tell a not-atrocious story and the film would have been a massive success in my eyes. The story, for me, was perfect. I like shows and films where not a lot happens. Just tell a story of how life can be, but tell it beautifully. Don't create artificial drama simply because you don't have the writing skills to make mundane magnificent. I don't need car accidents or cancer or rape or natural disaster, I just want perspective on a character or characters. This is what this movie is. The only thing exceptional about the story was the way it was told. did you notice how some scenes kind of had the feel like something bad was going to happen, but nothing does? like there was one part where i felt a car accident would happen, or when the kids were screwing around that night--i don't remember what they were doing--i felt like one was going to get hurt), etc. that's one thing i liked about it. totally played with and challenged expectations. especially with the end, too. wasn't exactly a nice ribbon, but wasn't a dramatic stop, either. although i thought the poor mother's final scenes were very depressing, really wished she had better closure. haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLASSJAW Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 one thing I wonder about Boyhood is this: is it a white person movie? is it a North American movie? could audiences in eastern europe, asia, south america, etc. watch it and feel the connection that we do? i aint gonna front, i cried like a little b*tch through most of it, and i think it was because i saw so much of my own life in there, and that is a really strange feeling. but what happens if the feeling of representation isn't there? i wonder if the movie is as engaging for the viewer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down by the River Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 did you notice how some scenes kind of had the feel like something bad was going to happen, but nothing does? like there was one part where i felt a car accident would happen, or when the kids were screwing around that night--i don't remember what they were doing--i felt like one was going to get hurt), etc. that's one thing i liked about it. totally played with and challenged expectations. especially with the end, too. wasn't exactly a nice ribbon, but wasn't a dramatic stop, either. although i thought the poor mother's final scenes were very depressing, really wished she had better closure. haha completely agree. There was faux-foreshadowing where Mason Jr is told to drive safe and not use his cell phone while driving him and his girlfriend to see his sister's dorm. His girlfriend hands him over her phone and he spends a good second or two looking at the photo. I thought, oh no, here it comes. And then it didn't. No accident to give the movie a chance to show triumph over catastrophe or anything like that. And yes, the mom stuff actually got me teary-eyed. It was just the culmination of life events and the lack of satisfaction of it all. Nothing that could be done to rectify any of it. Just a worn-out woman who had passed her peak without feeling accomplished. Also, that birthday gift.... http://www.buzzfeed.com/ethanhawke/boyhood-the-black-album Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bookie Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Boyhood: (...) I also really enjoyed how the film was shot. One scene I felt was a throwback to Dazed and Confused. I don't know much about camera lenses/effects, but I feel like this scene, that starts with the pumping of a keg, was shot in a way that was intended to make the viewer nostalgic. I just thought it was cool, can't really explain why. edited for brevity, but yeah it seemed like there were a number of throwback scenes. In particular the one that got a cheer from me was when the kids go into the liquor store to cash a cheque for the drunk stepdad, the clerk is the same actor who sells beer to underaged Mitch in Dazed & Confused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 SOOOO tempted to read spoilers. MUST RESIST! Can't wait to watch it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FramingDragon Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 one thing I wonder about Boyhood is this: is it a white person movie? is it a North American movie? could audiences in eastern europe, asia, south america, etc. watch it and feel the connection that we do? i aint gonna front, i cried like a little b*tch through most of it, and i think it was because i saw so much of my own life in there, and that is a really strange feeling. but what happens if the feeling of representation isn't there? i wonder if the movie is as engaging for the viewer Probably, I rolled my eyes throughout the trailer and expect to be scoffing while watching it if I ever do Read the spoilers between you and DBTR and felt underwhelmed. My brown immigrant female derriere is going to sit this one out fellas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLASSJAW Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 (edited) I dunno, I sorta take back my question. It's far more a class movie than it is a ethnicity movie. Of course in many places ethnicity and class go hand in hand, but whatever. The only people (off CDC) i know who have seen the movie are women and they all seem to love it, even the non-whites! But if you grew up outside of that low-middle class suburban life... I dunno. Speaking of race, though... I do find it kinda disappointing how there are TWO jazz biopics being released this winter, and BOTH are about white people. Isn't that sorta... weird? Jazz, the genre of music perfected and performed primarily by black people, as a result of black culture, in black dominated areas... is being represented by two white dudes. Eastwood, of all people, already made a biopic about Charlie Parker, but it seems weird how that whole jazz field seems like an unmined territory in cinema, despite it being super super interesting, and full of death, addiction, sex, and tragedy edit: whiplash isn't a biopic, nm. Edited November 14, 2014 by GLASSJAW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 (edited) Can honestly say I will never watch Boyhood. I've only seen 5 Linklater films, only two of which he wrote: - Dazed and Confused - Suburbia - School of Rock - Bad News Bears - Bernie Just no desire to see it. Edited November 14, 2014 by Monty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangelos Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Interstellar - 7/10 Went into this movie not knowing anything but that it is a space movie. I thought it was going to be a gravity ripoff and even though it wasn't I kind of wish it was. The whole lost in space is such a fascinating concept to me that I was kind of looking forward to another film on the same subject. The story was odd yet intriguing but there was nothing very original about the space scenes like with gravity. All and all I thought it was an original movie and I enjoyed it I had some issues with the film though (Spoilers). - The whole supernatural aspect with the "ghost" kind of put me off - the "power of love" monologue (which I guess was also one of the themes?) by Anne Hathaway sounded like it came straight from a Care Bears episode - way too much "epic music". Not surprised since it's a Chris Nolan film but man some of those scenes went on for 5 minutes of nothing but epic music even though the scene itself was nothing special. - "dead wife "trope - "random hero gets saved but turns out to be the villain" trope 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Godzilla (2014) - 7.5/10 Not going to be a long review. I love a decent monster film. For the most part, this was a lot of fun. Some disappointing parts, which people have already mentioned. Otherwise, a lot of fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soshified Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Interstellar 8/10 Very interesting and mind blowing plot, great visual effects, realistic sounds in space, and overal a great movie to experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLASSJAW Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 put spoilers in spoiler tags or edit your post, homie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLASSJAW Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 St. Vincent: 7/10 cute movie, completely unoriginal though. solid performances for the most part, especially that little kid. naiomi watts was in it. bill murray playing bill murray as generic as it was, and even though it sorta just concluded without addressing pretty major concerns, i enjoyed it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soshified Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 put spoilers in spoiler tags or edit your post, homie. On mobile, dont know how Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLASSJAW Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 On mobile, dont know how then don't post spoilers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FramingDragon Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Interstellar 6/10 I am at a loss for this crap. The only thing that has it over a 5 is the technical aspect. The story made so many logical leaps just to keep going in order to only hint at ambitious half formed ideas that its almost unfair to pick it out bit by bit. Long story short, this was the result of a self fellating session in which Nolan thought he could get away with an incoherent plot line as long as big words like "quantum","humanity" and "gravity" are there to impress the audience who are already in love with him. I had low expectations going in and it didn't even meet that. This is Nolan's Prometheus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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