Eighth Grade

First Hit: Outstanding acting and script gives us an insightful view of what it is like to be in the Eighth Grade today.

I cannot express the wonderful way Elsie Fisher (Kayla) expressed the insecurity and desire to be a confident eighth grader.

The film drops in on Kayla while she makes videos that give the audience the belief that she’s confident and very secure in herself. The fact is that her videos represents what she wants to be, not who she is.

She lives with her dad Mark Day (Josh Hamilton). He’s trying to be both mother and father to Kayla and he does the best he can. Their interaction is very genuine in that there is an awkwardness that it palpable, and also ensconced in love.

When Kayla unexpectedly gets invited to a pool party at the most popular girl’s house, her awkwardness and vulnerability were perfectly expressed. Loved her interaction with Gabe (Jake Ryan) and her dream love Riley (Daniel Zolghadri).

Her eighth-grade class goes to high school to spend a day with a shadow high schooler. She prays in bed the night before that she really wants the day to go well. Her prayers are answered, she’s linked with Olivia (Emily Robinson). Olivia likes her and shows her genuine friendship. For the first time, it seems as though she has a real friend that sees and accepts her as she is.

There is a wonderfully sweet scene with her father as she burns a box of memories in the back yard. There is a corresponding sweet scene as she makes a box of memories for her future self.

Fisher is absolutely amazing. She was the perfect confused, self-questioning, eighth grader. Hamilton is wonderful as her dad. He’s appropriately unsure of how to respond and guide an eighth-grade girl. Zolghadri is very strong as the cute guy in the class who expects girls to like him. Ryan is very funny as the awkward young man who has some interest in Kayla. Robinson is great as the girl who was maybe once like Kayla but, in high-school, found her group. Bo Burnham wrote and directed this film. His ability to write this dialogue for a girl is to be commended. His direction was spot on and provided a glimpse into today’s young girls.

Overall: This was a wonderfully developed and executed film.

MacFarland USA

First Hit:  Predictable yet an engaging and inspirational film.

Jim White (Kevin Costner) is a coach that has strong beliefs and he wants all the kids he coaches to have the determination, dedication, and drive to excel in high school sports. When they don’t, he gets upset and is reactionary.

He lost his previous three jobs through his reactionary ways and now the only job he can get is in MacFarland, CA. MacFarland is a farming community in central California and inhabited by Latinos who survive by picking produce in the fields. Most the kids are picking next to their family members before and after school - it's a family affair.

White, his wife Cheryl (Maria Bello), and his daughters Julie and Jamie (Morgan Saylor and Elsie Fisher respectively) are out of place in this community. Initially they hate it but, as you know, they begin to love it as they learn the culture and people. White decides that these high school kids can run after watching them run to and from work. He then challenges them  and attempts to recruit them for his newly formed cross-country team.

As you might expect he gets laughed at by the kids and the adults, but after recruiting the minimum 7 kids, this story becomes all inspiration. The story line is written in the history of MacFarland High School Cougars 9 all state titles in 14 years.

Costner is good as the guy who has lessons to learn and makes the right choices. Bello is very good as the supportive loving wife. Saylor and Fisher are both wonderful and effective as kids who learn to see the love in their community. Ramiro Rodriguez, Carlos Pratts, Johnny Ortiz, Rafael Martinez, Hector Duran, Sergio Avelar, and Michael Aguero were all outstanding as the Cougars Cross-Country team. I loved their distinct personalities. Christopher Cleveland wrote this predictable and inspired script. Niki Caro captured the feel of the community effectively with her direction.

Overall:  This is a feel good movie and it works for that reason.