BLU-RAY REVIEW

Boyhood

Featured In Issue 193, January 2015

Picture3.5
Sound3
WSR Score
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Paramount Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
2039722
(MPAA Rating):
R
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$
(Disc Type):
(Widescreen Edition):
(Full Screen Edition):
(Running Time In Minutes):
164
(Color Type):
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
(Closed Captioned):
(Regional Coding):
(Theatrical Year):
(Theatrical Release):
(Direct-To-Video Release):
(Disc Release Date):
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
(Director):
Richard Linklater
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(Subtitles):

Filmed over the course of 12 years with the same cast, Boyhood is a groundbreaking story of growing up as seen through the eyes of a child named Mason (Coltrane).

Special features include the featurette The 12 Year Project (HD 19:11), a Q&A with Director Richard Linklater and the cast (HD 52:38), and an UltraViolet digital copy.

The 1.85:1 1080p AVC picture, which was photographed over a 12-year period, is a low-budget production with a generally natural color palette, but contrast is inconsistent, with shadow delineation that at times is wanting in delineation. Blacks are generally deep and not crushed. Fleshtones are naturally hued. Resolution is decently detailed during close-ups but otherwise soft. Overall, the visual feel exhibits realism, with some beautiful scenic backgrounds, but not cinematic in scope.

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is basically monaural focused with subtle surround heard in the limited music backgrounds. Dialogue, while slightly out of sync, is always intelligible but spatial integration is wanting. Overall, this is an undistinguished soundtrack, yet sufficiently supports the transitional life experiences.