An original work, “Boyhood” directed by Richard Linklater is a masterpiece. It’s funny and sad, it’s about life, and it’s entirely accessible to people of all ages. Young, old, in between can appreciate it at different levels. And of course, you’ve read that Linklater filmed it over the course of 12 years, tracing the lives of a fictional family he created. The trick is, you feel like you’ve lived their life and vice versa.

Last night the film premiered at the Museum of Modern Art (which Ethan Hawke excitedly called the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art) to massive ovations and applause. The director and cast were there, as well as lots of real “New York actors” like Bob Dishy, Dana Ivey, Tovah Feldshuh, Lois Smith, Joel Grey, and Rutanya Alda.

Over the moon was “Orange is the New Black” star Taylor Schilling, a major contender for an Emmy award next month.

Everyone sat through the two and half hour film rather spellbound. Linklater has taken a simple, elegant original idea and created magic. There isn’t exactly a plot to “Boyhood.” In fact, you know the plot. A young couple get pregnant, marry, have a second child and break up. The husband is a Peter Pan  who is likeable. The wife wants more for her life and her kids, a boy and a girl who are about 6 and 8. And so we follow them over 12 years, from the boy’s first grade to high school graduation.

There are no kidnappings, murders, random acts of violence or super heroes in capes.

Linklater simply captures the nuances of life as it rushes by, in linear order. The idea is to live in the moment and try not to forget what’s happening to you, or what’s happened. But time flies, for the audience and the viewer. You think of your own life constantly while watching “Boyhood.”

The real and the fictional are so entwined that later, at the party, we quizzed Arquette about what she thought might have happened to a character who drops out of the story never to be seen again. We were all very happy to see the young actress who played the character turned up. Of course, it’s not real. But you like the people in “Boyhood” so much, from the beginning you want nothing bad to happen to them.

I’m going to tell you more about “Boyhood” this week.  It opens in New York and LA on Friday, then goes wide the following week. “Boyhood” joins “Foxcatcher,” “Whiplash,” “Begin Again,” and “Grand Budapest Hotel” on the early Oscar list.  If this were 1975, Pauline Kael would be raving about Linklater in The New Yorker. Smart people would be lined up around the block to see it. I hope by some miracle that happens now.

I am thrilled to report that John Carney’s “Begin Again” had a huge holiday weekend. The estimated take for the five days is $1.7 million, with a theater average of $9,680. That’s big, big, big.

Now we have to get Interscope to release and promote Adam Levine singing “Lost Stars.” Otherwise, it will be a lost opportunity. “Lost Stars” should be the song of the summer. The problem, Interscope is worried that it will conflict with Maroon 5’s “Maps” single. I don’t think so. “Maps” isn’t very good. “Lost Stars” can only help Maroon 5 this fall.

When you see “Begin Again” look for the great scenes in the record companies. Rob Morrow and Mos Def play execs, and they get it straight on. And make sure to wait through the final scenes that run with the closing credits. There’s a plot twist that’s all too contemporary in the record business.

Friday’s box office proves that the only Fourth of July fireworks were in the sky, not theaters. Melissa McCarthy’s poorly reviewed “Tammy” did about $6.5 million, bringing its three day total to $18.1 million. It’s not bad considering the movie wasn’t particularly expensive at $20-$30 million. But it’s a disappointment considering McCarthy’s TV audience and recent movie appearances should have generated more heat.

“Transformers” just keeps rolling along at number 1. Paramount has made around $420 million worldwide so far. They’ll easily hit the half billion dollar mark. I keep thinking of Mary Hartman stumbling on a Nielsen “family” in a mental hospital. Who else could be going to see this thing?

Meantime, everyone says to me, “There are no movies to see.” There are: “Begin Again” and “Chef” are jus two. And don’t miss “Jersey Boys” if you’re an adult. You will love it.