In the beginning was the image...

The sound. The setting. The character.

A moving montage that reels you in, ready to transport you to the director's vision, another reality.

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This weekend, out of nowhere, I started to think about my favourite movie openings and what it is about them that makes them stand out (for me, personally). 

Manhattan (1979) dir. Woody Allen

"New York was his town. And it always would be."
The city of New York will always work in your favour. And alongside Gerswhin? Oooof.
Even Allen's neurosis jus feels right- it captures that 'New Yorker' vibe; but it knows when to stop- to savour that last visual orgasm.

Raging Bull (1980) dir. Martin Scorcese

Simple yet powerful. Scorcese's got style.
I'm da boss. I'm da boss.

Trainspotting (1996) dir. Danny Boyle

How does that saying go- Live fast, die young?

Or Choose life?

2001: A Space Oddyssey (1968) dir. Stanley Kubrick

Kukrick in general always made excellent classical music choices. This is just one of the most memorable ones.

Blue Danube and zero gravity, amirite?

Pulp Fiction (1994) dir. Quentin Tarantino

(because you have to hear Miserlou after that...)
Bad. Ass.

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) dir. Blake Edwards

Henry Mancini's nostalgic 'Moon River' + 5th Ave + Audrey Hepburn in a LBD

There's a nice anecdote about this scene: the day of the shoot, production was worried about having to stave off passersby and hold up the expected 5th Avenue commotion; to their surprise, 5th Ave was as calm as they wished it would be.

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Boyhood (And The Comeback of the Ish-Reviews)

Let's begin by asking what we've all been thinking (and by we, I mean me):

How is this the first film to do this?!

Followed by: 

How exactly does one tackle and take on an ambitious project?

To be honest, I wasn't very into it when it began. The concept? Yes. Big fan of that, but the beginning felt a little slow and imprecise in a "where is this going?" kind of way. 20 minutes later - after considering I had made a mistake choosing to watch it- I was taken in.

I may be a little biased because I'm a Linklater fan; and once the boy began talking and forming opinions of his own about the world, it was obvious it was a Linklater classic.
He has this way of tackling the ordinary day to day alike and revel in these deep philosophical questions we all ask ourselves about life at one point or another. There is enough and the equal amount of truth/reality and storytelling to keep one entertained and connected to the story and characters.

"You know how everyone's always saying seize the moment? I don't know, I'm kind of thinking it's the other way around, you know, like the moment seizes us."

A lot of things can happen and change in 10 years, that much is clear. But watching a little boy grow up to be a young man, a mother making a living and divorcing twice, a father getting his shit together and settling down later in life, a young girl facing and going through with a choice she made at a young age*, etc... It's as if you come to know these people.

The music, the key events in (now) history and the generational gaps enriched it all.

I remember hearing a song and being taken back to that time in my life; it was like a walk down memory lane for me, too. 

*sigh* My, how time flies.

"Everything? What's the point? I mean, I sure as shit don't know. Neither does anybody else, okay? We're all just winging it, you know? The good news is you're feeling stuff. And you've to hold on to that."

It's also refreshing to see a woman age naturally. Kudos to Patricia Arquette, not only for a great performance, but for being and keepin' it real. 

And to be shallow and fangirly, shout out to hottie Ethan Hawke as a father. He's got the charismatic and forever youthful character down. Grrr.

It was sort of like watching Jessie and Celine pre- Before Sunrise.

It is also like every actor's dream work scenario, I think. Working with the same people- who become your family- every year for a short period of time.
I'd be up for that, without a question.

And to answer my opening questions:

I'm sure many have thought it, but only the true adventurers follow it through.

You just do. And hope to God that the crew and cast are visionaries like you and don't give up.

Hey, that's kind of like life.

Have you seen it? What did you think about it?

* Apparently Lorelei Linklater regretted taking on the role as she got older, which is pretty apparent in the change of character and enthusiasm. Either way, it worked out.

"Take This Waltz"

Why I am looking forward to this movie: