Gia Coppola's Palo Alto Strikes a Nerve

First, some Coppola family tree.  Gia was named after her father Gian-Carlo, who died in boating accident before she was born.  His sister is Sofia Coppola, both offspring of Francis Ford Coppola, famous director (God Father, Apocalypse Now). Val Kilmer has a bit role in the film, but his son Jack Kilmer stars.  Emma Roberts also stars, her aunt is Julia Roberts. Nepotism serves this film well.

This is a hyper-realistic film about teenage angst against a background of drinking, weed, and girls resorting to fellatio as a bonding tool, set amidst suburban ennui.

The film coincides with alarming suicide rates in Palo Alto's Gunn School, which is currently embroiled in a pedophilia case.  It is based on James Franco's book Palo Alto.

In one scene a chainsaw is usede to fell a tall tree.  Palo Alto means "tall tree."

Boyhood is a Stunt, and a Very Successful One

This simple film requires very little thinking.  Not much happens.  As John Lennon said "Life is what happens while you're busy making plans."  Richard Linklater filmed the characters, beginning in 2002, for a week every year for 12 years.  The result is profound.  And hard to walk away from.  It is a time-lapse study of Mason (Ellar Coltrane) from toddler to awkward teen to handsome man.  And he is indeed so awkward.  This film is cinematic realism at its best.  It is a Bildungsroman for modern cinema.

I have two observations: the parents all seem to feel sorry for themselves and there is a scene featuring a successful Olivia (Patricia Arquette) as college professor teaching B.F. Skinner and John Bowlby who espouses that human survival depends on falling in love.   Now that's cool.