The State of Cinema

Wifey LOVES movies, like I love Hurricanes football. When she plans a date night, or meeting old friends, her favorite thing to do is see a movie. Sadly, since her bad back has been rearing its ugly head, she has rarely gone over the past couple of years. I don't complain, since I only like SOME movies, and more often than not, I resent the time I waste watching bad ones. Wifey especially likes critically acclaimed movies, or at least she thinks she ought to watch them. So last night, she asked me to watch "Boyhood" with her -- apparently a partial winner at this year's Oscars. It was a lazy Saturday. We had breakfast with D2 at LOL, and then D2 ran/walked 2 miles around our 'hood, as I rode with her on my bike. Later, she and Wifey did some clothing stuff, which I never understand, and then Jonathan came to fetch D2 --they were headed for a double date with D1 and her boyfriend Adam on Miami Beach. So I aceded to Wifey's request, and she started "Boyhood." As I understand it, the movie was a big deal since it took the director Richard Linklater 12 years to make it -- he filmed over that span so he could follow 2 kids from childhood through, in the boy's case, high school graduation. The movie was loooooooong. I watched, and the music and photography was pleasant enough, and as it was an "award winner," I kept waiting for something cool or dramatic to happen. It never did. The Mom divorced a nice enough guy, played by Ethan Hawke, because, as far as I could tell, he took the kids bowling instead of making them do homework. Mom moved to Houston and married her college professor, who had 2 kids, and all seemed well but he was a violent drunk. So Mom ended up with other people, including an implied lesbian relationship with a black woman, but maybe not, as the black woman came onto the Boy after he graduated. Wifey fast forwarded through a few years, but it was still onerous. I had the reaction I have often with bad movies -- they stole hours from my life that I'll never get back. Fortunately, neighbor Pat called and invited me across the street for some vodka and Heat game watching. I attended. The Heat lost, but it was a good game, and then we watched some college basketball, I think Arizona vs. Utah. Now THAT was spending quality time -- because Pat and I talked crucial things -- like Gators and Canes, and the stock market. So I'm done with movies for awhile, as I ought to be. I'll go if it's part of something else -- like going to the Gables Cinema with Deb and Norman, or the Cosford at UM with Mike and Loni. Then there's dinner, and being in great surroundings. But for the movie alone...NAH.