Film & TV

Eighth Grade, the Movie.

250

Eighth Grade’s Kayla Day — played by the excellent Elsie Fisher — is the heroine I wish I’d been for myself when I was 13. When we first meet her, in comedian Bo Burnham’s directorial debut, she’s making one of her YouTube videos, a series of “tips” and self-help advice dished out to an audience of 1 or sometimes none, following a model that’s seemingly worked for others. She dolls out advice on “how to get out there” or “how to have confidence,” – after all giving advice is the best way to boost one’s social standing online. Most of the time, though, Kayla is making these videos based on what she needs to tell herself, but under the guise of having everything together and her life all under control.

But being 13 is a time when nothing is under control. I couldn’t imagine going through that time now, in this era of Instagram, Twitter, and other social media that threaten to dismantle even the strongest of self-esteems with incomprehensible algorithms and attention-devouring posts. Lest I sound really old, but I grew up with posts of the other kind. Letters, delivered by the postman or handed to each other across desks. Boys sending pieces of scrap paper with “will you be my girlfriend?” and a box for yes/no/maybe written on them. Friends capturing the latest news that happened over the weekend we just spent hanging out together. Spaces to grow up in that weren’t being shared for the world – or a large part of it – to see.

In Eighth Grade, we follow Kayla as she tries to navigate it all. It’s a difficult rite of passage, no matter the era in which it takes place or however technology has developed. Under Burnham’s hand, it’s a funny, poignant journey. Her relationship with her father, a single parent. Her longing for friends who get her. How she tries to impress the boy with the best eyes in school. Parts of the film are raw and funny and awkward, but it’s always earnest and sincere. We see Kayla start to realise she doesn’t need to make videos to know that she already knows who she is, what she will and won’t stand for. Why she wants the things she does. “To be brave you have to first be scared,” she tells her imaginary video audience. Oh to be so wise at that age! It’s one thing to know what to do; any grown up will tell you it’s quite entirely another to actually do it. How Kayla arrives at this understanding – in her own way – is the heart of this film. A gem for the ages.

250 comments

  3. I needed to put you the very little observation to finally thank you very much as before just for the extraordinary
    tips you have documented on this website. This has
    been simply shockingly generous with you to provide openly what
    exactly a few people would’ve advertised as an electronic book to help with making some profit for
    themselves, certainly considering that you could have tried it in case you considered
    necessary. The pointers likewise served to become a fantastic
    way to understand that other people online have a similar zeal the same
    as mine to figure out more regarding this
    matter. I’m sure there are a lot more pleasurable opportunities in the future for many who
    examine your blog post.

    my web page; mpc-install.com

  6. I just wanted to thank you once more for this amazing site you
    have developed here. It really is full of ideas for those who are really interested in this
    kind of subject, particularly this very post. Your all really
    sweet along with thoughtful of others and
    also reading your website posts is a wonderful delight with me.
    And what a generous surprise! Mary and I are going
    to have excitement making use of your points in what we need
    to do next week. Our collection of ideas is a distance long and tips will
    certainly be put to great use.

    Here is my blog – http://frun-test.sakura.ne.jp/userinfo.php?uid=101252

  9. If some one wants expert view regarding running a blog afterward i recommend him/her to pay a quick
    visit this web site, Keep up the fastidious job.

    Have a look at my web-site … kebe.top

  12. Whats up are using WordPress for your blog platform?

    I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and
    create my own. Do you require any html coding knowledge to make your own blog?
    Any help would be really appreciated!

    My website: kebe.top

  15. Heya i’m for the first time here. I found
    this board and I find It really useful & it helped me out much.
    I hope to give something back and help others like you helped me.

    my web blog … lubertsi.net

  25. hello there and thank you for your info ? I have definitely picked up
    something new from right here. I did however expertise
    some technical issues using this web site, since I experienced to reload the site lots of times previous to I could get it to load properly.
    I had been wondering if your web host is OK?
    Not that I’m complaining, but slow loading instances times will sometimes affect your placement
    in google and can damage your quality score if
    ads and marketing with Adwords. Well I?m adding this RSS to my
    email and could look out for much more of your respective interesting content.

    Ensure that you update this again very soon..

    my web blog; frun-test.sakura.ne.jp

  27. Wow, superb weblog structure! How lengthy have you been blogging for?
    you make running a blog glance easy. The overall look of your web site is wonderful, let alone the content![X-N-E-W-L-I-N-S-P-I-N-X]I simply could not go
    away your web site prior to suggesting that I extremely loved the standard info an individual
    supply in your guests? Is gonna be back regularly in order to investigate cross-check
    new posts.

    Here is my page … http://frun-test.sakura.ne.jp/

  28. Hello! Do you know if they make any plugins to help
    with Search Engine Optimization? I’m trying to get my blog to
    rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good gains.
    If you know of any please share. Appreciate it!

    My web page MetaboFix Review

  36. Расстановки. Глубинные системные расстановки Системные перестановки.
    Глубинные системные расстановки.
    Новые семейные расстановки. Системные-расстановки.

    Метод семейных расстановок по Берту
    Хеллингеру.

  39. Битва экстрасенсов смотрите в прямом эфире в
    онлайн битва экстрасенсов все серии битва экстрасенсов лучшее смотреть бесплатно

  40. новые танцы тнт смотреть тнт новые танцы 2021 смотреть онлайн
    новые танцы 8 выпуск новые танцы в хорошем качестве новые танцы онлайн

  41. Вот одинадцать новых сериалов для ценителей
    драмы. Чики смотреть онлайн новый сезон.

    Размещайте по году выхода,
    Сериалы в HD. Дополнительно
    наш проект готова предоставить список различных каналов Канал Disney, HD 2х2, 4K НТН, прямой эфир
    Дом кино, трансляция UA:Перший.

  50. Pingback: simpson sex games

  103. Your writing is perfect and complete. 크레이지슬롯 However, I think it will be more wonderful if your post includes additional topics that I am thinking of. I have a lot of posts on my site similar to your topic. Would you like to visit once?

  120. Нові сучасні фільми дивитися українською мовою онлайн в хорошій якості HD link

  167. Howdy very cool blog!! Man .. Beautiful .. Superb .. I will bookmark your
    site and take the feeds also? I’m happy to search out so many helpful information right
    here in the publish, we want work out extra strategies in this regard, thank you for
    sharing. . . . . .

  168. Hi there, I want to subscribe for this website
    to obtain latest updates, so where can i do it please help.

  170. Admiring the time and energy you put into your website and detailed information you provide.
    It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same outdated rehashed information. Wonderful read!
    I’ve saved your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.

  171. This website was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something
    that helped me. Thank you!

  172. I have read so many articles concerning the blogger lovers however this post is truly a good
    post, keep it up.

  173. Wow that was strange. I just wrote an extremely long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t
    appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Regardless, just wanted to say excellent blog!

  175. I’m gone to tell my little brother, that he should also pay a quick visit this web site on regular basis to
    get updated from most recent reports.

  178. Hi i am kavin, its my first time to commenting anyplace, when i read this post i thought i could also create comment due to
    this good post.

  179. Good day! Do you know if they make any plugins
    to safeguard against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any tips?

  180. Spot on with this write-up, I seriously think this web site needs a great deal more
    attention. I’ll probably be returning to see more,
    thanks for the info!

  181. Hey there! Do you know if they make any plugins to protect against hackers?
    I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked
    hard on. Any tips?

  187. Pretty great post. I just stumbled upon your blog
    and wished to mention that I have really enjoyed surfing around your weblog
    posts. After all I’ll be subscribing in your rss feed
    and I hope you write again soon!

  192. When some one searches for his required thing, so he/she wishes
    to be available that in detail, so that thing is maintained over
    here.

  195. For hottest news you have to pay a quick visit world wide web and
    on internet I found this site as a best web page for
    hottest updates.

  196. You need to be a part of a contest for one of the finest sites on the internet.
    I will recommend this site!

  198. obviously like your web-site however you need to take a look at the
    spelling on quite a few of your posts. A number of them are rife
    with spelling problems and I in finding it very
    troublesome to inform the truth then again I will definitely come again again.

  200. I’ve been exploring for a bit for any high-quality articles or blog posts on this kind of house .
    Exploring in Yahoo I eventually stumbled upon this website.

    Studying this info So i am glad to show that I’ve a very excellent uncanny
    feeling I found out just what I needed. I so much no doubt will make
    certain to don?t forget this site and give it a look on a relentless basis.

  202. Hello! I know this is somewhat off-topic however I needed
    to ask. Does building a well-established blog like yours require a massive amount work?
    I’m completely new to writing a blog however I do write in my journal everyday.
    I’d like to start a blog so I can easily share my experience
    and thoughts online. Please let me know if you have any kind
    of recommendations or tips for new aspiring blog owners. Thankyou!

  204. What’s up, constantly i used to check webpage posts here early in the dawn, for the reason that i love to
    learn more and more.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.