Every once in a while, you can witness something that hits you at your very core. I've felt this very few times in my film loving career. I gazed in awe at the sight of dinosaurs in Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park, marveled witnessing the birth of the universe in Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life, and now, I sit in sheer admiration and respect at the magic that is Richard Linklater's Boyhood. Nothing you have read, heard, or seen about the film will prepare you for the experience that is this cinematic rarity. Filmed over twelve years, Boyhood tells the story of Mason, who we follow from ages 5 to 18.

Starring Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, and Lorelei Linklater, Boyhood assembles the finest cast of 2014 so far. Each player, dedicating themselves to the greater cause, allows themselves to evolve. Fully realized, and oozed with every rich element of movie making, Linklater writes the most authentic characters to grace the screens in years. Ready for more hyperbolic thoughts? Doesn't make it less true but get ready. Boyhood, potentially, could be one of the best films ever made. Last year, I referred to his third installment of the Before series, "a masterpiece." I stand by that even today. Boyhood however, is something that is a once in a lifetime endeavor that will be studied, criticized, admired, and bring all the discussions about film to the forefront. I feel blessed just to have watched it.

Ellar Coltrane is simply stupendous. As you watch his transformation before your eyes, his subtle and restrained performance will floor you, scene after scene, year after year. It's astounding how Coltrane interprets young Mason as a boy, bringing him through adolescence with grace, and then fully realizes what kind of man he has become. There's an intimacy in which Coltrane decides to finesse Mason upon the audience. He thoroughly cares about him, understanding his confusions, and even more, realizing his flaws. It's one of the year's most outstanding performances and one of the best delivered by any child actor.

Ethan Hawke continues to be one of the more undervalued and underutilized actors working today. Though he has three Oscar nominations to his name, two for co-writing Before Sunset and Before Midnight, and one for Best Supporting Actor in Antoine Fuqua's Training Day, I'm still unsure about how Hollywood and the world perceives his abilities. As Mason's Dad, Hawke takes his character to the brink of sheer brilliance. Showcasing an unrestrained and eager willingness to connect with his children, Dad, as he's only called in the film, is a sensational and intriguing look into fatherhood and being human. Chasing the dreams, and believing you are destined for something greater, Dad allows the audience to relish in his quest to be connected and complacent. Hawke shines once again, involving both mind and spirit, into a man we may know all too well.

As Mom, Patricia Arquette ignites the spirit in a performance that should land her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Headlining a career that has produced impressive work on TV's "Medium," as well as in films like True Romance, Arquette's prowess is her ability to be a fallen character without requiring pity or persuasion from the viewer. She interprets a woman, desperate for a connection to other aspects of her life, and reinvents the foundation of the broken mother. Arquette's beautiful yet exhilarating turn often feels like riding on the edge of a cliff, unsure if we're going in, but even more excited just to be on the ride with her. Pure and raw talent exists in her, and it's been worth the wait to finally witness it all unravel.

Richard Linklater casts his daughter Lorelei Linklater to play Samantha, Mason's older sister. Without even realizing or thinking about it, you secretly and solemnly fall in love with her transformation from girl to woman. She is every bit as brilliant as any person in the cast, delivering on all beats, allowing her awkward yet sweet demeanor to pierce through yet not forgetting her annoyance and overbearing nature in which she came. Honestly, it's a performance destined to be forgotten during the awards year but it's something I will recall for years to come.

There are other supporting players that we meet throughout the journey particularly Marco Perella and Zoe Graham, who completely make their mark during the picture.

Running at 165 minutes, this dramatic, coming-of-age epic had me just yearning for more. I wanted to stay with them, see their journeys continue, and just relish in this dream a bit longer. I walked out secretly (or not so secretly) wishing that Linklater is quietly filming these same characters for the next twelve years, and will not reveal the plans until it's all finished. Talk about the surprise of my life. At 42 years old when and if that happens, I will be excited for the ride.

Shot gorgeously by Lee Daniel and Shane F. Kelly, and edited with clarity and love by Sandra Adair, Boyhood succeeds as a technical marvel just as much as a narrative and performance piece. Linklater's writing, on virtually every level, is the best thing since Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Originality, and taking a fresh perspective on a genre that could feel stale for some, Linklater will make you a believer again. His direction is even more impressive. It's the single best thing that he's ever done and probably ever will do. It's the pinnacle of his career, and is his offering to cinema for all-time.

In essence, Linklater's Boyhood is a must-see film for any lover of the movies. It's the type of film that was imagined when they invented film. With tears in my eyes, I marveled and wept for a creation I still may not fully understand but am anxiously waiting to revisit very soon.

Read more @ The Awards Circuit (http://www.awardscircuit.com)

"Boyhood" is one of the most original films I have seen and when it was over, it left me wanting more--both signs that it was a terrific film. What is so original about it? Instead of making the film during the usual film schedule lasting a few months, this film was made over 11 years! So, instead of having multiple kids playing the same character, here we see the same child actor as he grows from age 7 to 18. Similar sorts of things have been done with the "Up" series, but these are documentary films. Here, it's a fictional snapshot of a boy's life--and it's so unusual that I strongly recommend you see it.

As for the story, I will admit that it will not appeal to everyone. After all, like real life, some parts are slow and not particularly interesting. Additionally, many viewers will be turned off by seeing the realism--showing kids doing illegal or dangerous things, cursing, teenage sexuality and the like. Plus, a few might not like the political or religious messages that come in the film. However, this last point I could easily overlook as politics and religion ARE parts of real life and discussing them is appropriate to heighten the film's realism--even if you don't agree with the orientation. Overall, an exciting sort of picture--one that must be praised for the care and efforts taken to create such a groundbreaking project.

'Boyhood' has a very unique and intriguing concept, in fact there has not been a concept like it (with taking 12 years to make and being encompassed over 12 years as well). But that is not the only selling point of the film, despite what the detractors have unfairly said.

Granted, 'Boyhood' is not for all tastes, although it was almost unanimously praised by critics the IMDb reviews are much more divisive. This reviewer totally understands why people dislike, even flat out hate it, and shares some of their criticisms, and generally hates the incredibly condescending way they have been expressed, nobody who legitimately liked 'Boyhood' for perfectly valid reasons wants to feel that it is a criminal offence to like it, let alone love it.

Does this reviewer think it is quite as good as the hype and critics say? Not quite. Does she think it is a very good, conceptually daring and in some ways misunderstood film, and towards the better end of the films released in 2014? Yes. It does have its problems, it is a case of two inconsistent halves with a great emotion-filled, honest, nostalgic and richly developed first half and a second half where the pace slackens, the story meanders and there are moments of awkwardness.

Ellar Coltrane's performance is also uneven, he is excellent in the first half with a real sense of honesty and integrity, where the protagonist is much more interesting and likable, but rather stilted and not as involved in the second half. The editing is also choppy in places and although a vast majority of the performances are fantastic Lorelei Linklater is somewhat dull as Samantha and would never pass for Mason's sister.

However, aside from the editing 'Boyhood' looks very accomplished with evocative production values and is beautifully filmed. Richard Linklater directs with a real generosity and lightness of touch. The script honest, poignant, thought-provoking and sometimes harrowing, and while not everything about the story works it has a real sense of nostalgia and richly rewarding in its emotional content. Really do not agree that nothing happens, it has a long running time and is deliberate in pacing but this reviewer really loved 'Boyhood's' understatedness, sincerity and subtlety as well as its spontaneity.

Characters are interesting and developed, especially Ethan Hawke's and Patricia Arquette's. Hawke and Arquette are also the standouts in the cast, and deservedly garnered Oscar nominations which Arquette won. Arquette is particularly outstanding, with a genuine fullness of emotion and authority with no sense of over-acting or self-indulgence. Hawke also gives a compelling real performance.

In conclusion, a very intriguing and very good film. Not quite as good as it's hyped to be but it has many more merits than the detractors lead you to believe.

While the criticisms are understandable, this reviewer is having a hard time believing that there are those who cite 'Boyhood' as the worst film they've ever seen, or one of them. There are far worse out there, that are amateurishly made, ineptly directed, terribly acted and written even worse, distinctions that regardless of whether you hate it 'Boyhood belongs nowhere near in any of them. 8/10 Bethany Cox