'Boyhood': Why its recent wins may not mean what you think for the Oscars
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Molly Driscoll Staff writer
鈥淏oyhood鈥� is admired by film critics, and that may at least guarantee it a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars 鈥� will it also receive the big prize?聽
The movie 鈥淏oyhood" follows a boy (Ellar Coltrane) and his family (his parents are portrayed by 鈥淭he Purge鈥� actor Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette of 鈥淏oardwalk Empire鈥�) to adulthood. The film, directed by Richard Linklater, was filmed over 12 years, following Coltrane鈥檚 character Mason from the age of 6 to 18.
鈥淏oyhood鈥� has received the from the and the , both seen as possible previews of what movies will receive Best Picture nods at the Oscars. Their choices, however, especially those by the LAFCA, don鈥檛 always match up with the eventual Academy Award Best Picture. Last year the NYFCC chose the 2013 film 鈥淎merican Hustle鈥� as Best Picture (鈥�12 Years a Slave鈥� would eventually win), though the NYFCC Best Picture has lined up with the Oscar Best Picture other years, as when it selected 2011鈥檚 鈥�The Artist,鈥� 2009鈥檚 鈥淭he Hurt Locker,鈥� and 2007鈥檚 鈥淣o Country for Old Men.鈥� The LAFCA鈥檚 Best Picture hasn鈥檛 lined up with the Oscars鈥� movie of the year since 2009, when it also selected 鈥淟ocker.鈥� However, all of the NYFCC's Best Pictures since 2007 have at least received a nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars and the LAFCA's selections have received nods for the past 10 years, so, if history is any indication, the odds are strong that "Boyhood" will be on the list when Best Picture Oscar nominees are announced.
And this does mean that 鈥淏oyhood鈥� is still part of the awards season conversation 鈥� not always a given when a movie is released in July. The LAFCA selected Wes Anderson鈥檚 film 鈥淭he Grand Budapest Hotel鈥� as its runner-up for Best Picture, which may also provide the movie a boost. 鈥淏udapest鈥� was released in March. By contrast, many awards season hopefuls, such as 鈥淯nbroken,鈥� 鈥淚nto the Woods,鈥� 鈥淏ig Eyes,鈥� 鈥淪elma,鈥� and 鈥淎merican Sniper,鈥� have yet to hit theaters.聽
Monitor film critic Peter Rainer awarded 鈥淏oyhood鈥� an A grade and wrote of the film and its director Linklater, 鈥淚 have long maintained that Richard Linklater is the most gifted and audacious director of his generation. His new movie, 鈥楤oyhood鈥欌�� is a stunning reconfirmation.鈥澛�
