Tag: Richard Linklater

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Everybody Wants Some!!

by MCDave

Richard Linklater is a bit of a chameleon director. His filmography boasts an assortment of movies which, on the surface, appear to have no link whatsoever. Yet, when you dig deeper into the content of films such as Boyhood, Dazed and Confused and the Before Sunrise trilogy, they all share a common theme of self discovery. And the same can be said for Linklater’s latest comedic endeavor, Everybody Wants Some!!.

Set throughout a Texas college in 1980, the film follows a new class of freshman baseball recruits who arrive to campus and meet their rowdy elder teammates a few days before classes begin. Pitching prospect, Jake (Blake Jenner), and his meat-head catcher, Plummer (Temple Baker), blindly follow the wisdom of their upperclassman teammate, Finn (Glen Powell), as they come face to face with newfound freedoms and adult responsibilities.

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One of Richard Linklater’s finest qualities as a filmmaker is his ability to capture moments. Much liked his influential cult classic, Dazed and Confused, this 80s centric comedy beautifully ushers its characters from uninhibited youthful independence to the early seeds of adulthood. Everybody Wants Some!! succeeds on the shoulders of subtly insightful scenes that are peppered with outrageous laughs and tender moments. Lead actor, Blake Jenner, delivers an endearing role that in no way steals the show. Instead, Linklater relies on a spanning cast of animated characters that each contribute key elements to the greater good. Supporting stars Temple Baker, who shines in a debut performance, and Glen Powell each handle their prominent roles with natural ease. An exceptional cast, solid soundtrack and energetic pace help make Everybody Wants Some!! a memorable experience.

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While Richard Linklater’s newest entry will understandably be compared against his beloved title, Dazed and Confused, it’s important to recognize that Everybody Wants Some!! is mildly derivative of the previous work. 22 Jump Street‘s Wyatt Russell serves as a stand-in of sorts for Matthew McConaughey’s classic Wooderson character. The similarities extend far beyond their physical resemblances, mainly Willoughby’s prophetic preaching to ignore society’s rules and to embrace your inner goofball. In addition to the comparable aspects of Linklater’s two films, Everybody Wants Some!! suffers from an aimless story. It’s a bit of a catch 22, but the director’s passion for capturing key moments, in lieu of telling a cohesive story, ultimately weakens the film from a larger scope.

Despite the film’s shortcomings, its appealing vibe and infectious energy are enough to sway the audience. I’m not envisioning a generational classic, but Everybody Wants Some!! is an affable winner in its own right. Considering it’s only April, Linklater’s latest is one of the better options worth enjoying early in 2016.

GRADE: 3.5/5

Check out other reviews and movie lists from MCDAVE at his host site

Go Behind the Scenes in This Boyhood Featurette

by jake108

Anyone who was lucky enough to catch Boyhood in a theater near them isn’t surprised to hear the film come up in Oscar buzz. Linklater was able to craft a film in a truly unorthodox fashion and, whether you liked the film or not, the process of building this world is something to behold.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/722926

Boyhood is available now in theaters and for digital download.

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Boyhood

by MCDave

By now most people have heard the rumblings about Richard Linklater’s spectacular new film, Boyhood. There’s very little I can add to the warranted praises that have flooded radio airwaves and internet websites. Truth be told, Boyhood is a magnificent cinematic feat that required vision and collective patience from its director, cast and crew. And I’m sure almost everyone involved would agree on one simple fact, it was certainly worth the wait.

Boyhood follows its lead character, Mason (played by an evolving Ellar Coltrane), from the ages of 5 to 18 where life experiences uniquely shape his world views. Mason travels around with his mother and older sister from town to town as the matriarch struggles to provide the quintessential family environment for her children. Filmed masterfully in bits and pieces over the course of 12 lingering years, the movie gives a once-in-a-lifetime perspective into a boy’s transition through adolescence.

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It’s difficult to put into words the culminating experience of witnessing a masterpiece such as Boyhood. An unbreakable bond is established immediately as we watch Ellar Coltrane grow before our very eyes. The ride is both a mirror of our own personal ventures into adulthood as well as a reminder that all of us must set an individual path. Be assured that Mason has his own story, filled with complexities and obstacles that continually mold him into the spirited young man we see just before the credits start to roll. Even after a long-winded and nearly three hour endeavor, it’s painful to accept a finale. It almost feels as though any ending would be unjust because, like with our own lives, the story presses on.

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Despite the brilliance and handling of Linklater’s undeniable instant classic, there were a few small hiccups existing throughout. For starters, Boyhood isn’t compromised of many lasting moments like other coming-of-age gems such as Stand By Me and The Sandlot. Instead, the feature serves as a premier example of an instance where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, an overlooked facet that echoes the greatness of Linklater’s achievement. But still, a couple more iconic scenes would have been preferred. Also, throughout a relatively well-paced 164 minute marathon to the finish line, Boyhood unravels with the occasional lull. However, a truly engaging and transformative journey eases the audience past all of the brief uninspiring moments.

Trust me, until you do, you’ve never seen anything like Richard Linklater’s Boyhood. Perhaps more monumental in scope and execution than in substance and flavor, the result is still the same, an impressive feature that breeds innovation and personal connection. Boyhood is one of the year’s finest films and something everyone deserves to witness.

GRADE: 4.5/5

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‘Boyhood’ Chronicles Life Over 12 Years, Watch The Touching Trailer!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: I’d barely heard of Richard Linklater’s Boyhood before today. Then, our fearless leader Jonathan said this:

 

Need I say more? The film looks touching and awe-inspiring, and based solely on the fact that it follows one child from ages 5-18, and the same group of actors for that entire time ,is like nothing that’s ever existed before.

Boyhood hits theatres on July 11th. Take a look at the trailer below, and be sure to let us know what you think.

Richard Linklater’s BOYHOOD — a fictional drama made with the same group of actors over a 12-year period from 2002-2013 — takes a one-of-a-kind trip, at once epic and intimate, through the exhilaration of childhood, the seismic shifts of a modern family and the very passage of time.

 

The film tracks 6 year-old Mason (Ellar Coltrane) over life’s most radically fluctuating decade, through a familiar whirl of family moves, family controversies, faltering marriages, re-marriages, new schools, first loves, lost loves, good times, scary times and a constantly unfolding mix of heartbreak and wonder. But the results are unpredictable, as one moment braids into the next, entwining into a deeply personal experience of the incidents that shape us as we grow up and the ever-changing nature of our lives.

 

As the story begins, dreamy-eyed grade-schooler Mason faces upheaval: his devoted, struggling single mom Olivia (Patricia Arquette) has decided to move him and older sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater) to Houston — just as their long-absent father Mason Sr. (Ethan Hawke) returns from Alaska to re-enter their world. Thus begins life’s non-stop flux. Yet through a tide of parents and stepparents, girls, teachers and bosses, dangers, yearnings and creative passions, Mason emerges to head down his own road.