Boyhood’s acclaim only represents the death of American cinema. If something THIS bad can be regarded as one of the best films of the 2010s, then the bar has really been lowered. If Boyhood came out in 1994 it would have ruined Linklater’s career. But since this sudden turn in the last few years of him being declared this great auteur, film criticism has really nosedived where any cheap gimmick gets you instant acclaim, regardless of actual quality. This movie is what happens if George Lucas decided to make an even more boring Star Wars prequel.