Such a Joe Moore Film

I know this is beyond late but...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Yes, 306 is awesome and very classy. Are we good? Moving on!

Every year or so a movie comes out that really speaks to me. A few years ago The Perks of Being a Wallflower was one such film, and a year after that Frances Ha completely blew me away. As per my buddy Joshua, both of these films are "Joe Moore films". Nailed it! 

I love coming-of-age stories. Usually the lead character is stuck in a rut in life and needs a boost in the right direction. I completely understand that feeling. For the past couple of years, I've realized I'm tired of going through the motions with my job. Don't get me wrong. I still love performing. It's one thing I do very well, and I'm blessed to have a full-time job where I can have fun. However, it's about time I move on with my life. I'm just not sure where to go next. These films make me feel better about where I am in life. They remind me that no matter the age, most everyone feels like this at one point or another.

You've probably seen the picture above somewhere around the interwebz for the past few months. It is from Richard Linklater's masterpiece, Boyhood. Linklater is the man behind such great films as Dazed and Confused, the Before trilogy (Sunrise, Sunset, and Midnight), and the decidedly mainstream but still very good School of Rock. 

Boyhood blew my mind. Linklater is a genius, and I hate him. He created the ultimate coming-of-age story. The film follows the life of the same kid from ages 6-18. Linklater shot with the same cast a little bit every year or so starting all the way back in 2002. What a wonderful use of the medium! I wish I had thought of that. Though in 2002 I was still a teenager. There was no way I would've even imagined making a film for the next 12 years or so. So good for you, Linklater. Jeez.

The great thing about the film is not a whole lot happens. Nothing life-changing. There aren't serious dramatic moments showcasing the actors' talents. (I will say Patricia Arquette totally deserves all the praise she's getting for her role as the boy's mother. What an amazing performance!) The scariest thing that happens is a vignette early on about an abusive, alcohlic stepfather. Other than that, the film remains pretty low-key yet manages to enthrall you during its nearly 3-hour runtime.

Even if the above paragraphs don't pique your interest, I urge every one of you to see this amazing film. It's on Blu-Ray/DVD so you can go rent it from Redbox, throw it on when you get home, and start doing other things. Though I guarantee you it will grab you, and in a few minutes you will be sitting on your couch (or at least cuddled up with your pet) wondering what happens next in the life of this boy and his family. I wouldn't mind if in 20 years a film entitled Manhood came out with the same cast shot in the same way. I wanna know what happens to these people!

Oh! I didn't mention the soundtrack. What's great about the soundtrack is it has hits from every couple of years as the story goes on. So in the first few scenes there's songs from Coldplay and White Stripes while later in the film some Gotye plays. The screenplay I'm currently writing is set in 2004, so I've been listening to some turn of the century alternative music to inspire me. I'm sure my roommate loves me oh so much. Love you too, Anderson!

Yes, Boyhood definitely inspired me continue working on my coming-of-age script. So if you see me at work, and I'm buried face-deep in a notebook with my earbuds in, I'm not being antisocial. I'm just working on my passion project. 

In 10 years or so, my film will come out, and people who know me will be like "that's such a Joe Moore film". Then they will see my name in the credits and freak out. Because it will be awesome. Not Boyhood awesome. Just Joe Moore awesome. And that's good enough.