Eighth Grade 8 months l8r

Where's my saucy boy Gabe?

I honestly can't tell you how much I love this movie, I mean I'm gonna do it anyway, but still. I saw Eighth Grade for the first time, by myself, the night it opened in Charlotte. I literally went to the theater 45 minutes early like a goddam psycho because I wanted to make sure it wouldn't get sold out. I was kind of worried going into the movie because of all the hype that had building around its release, and I was worried it would be another Ladybird situation (please visit my 1st post for an explanation), but for some reason all the attention didn't bother me because I was so in love with everything about this film that I didn't care how popular it was. Background for those who don't know about my pop culture habits: I am an asshole/snob, and I hate when things get to popular or bandwagony to the point where I haven't seen films because too many other people have seen them already (please judge me, I thrive off of it). If you haven't already seen Eighth Grade, then I must ask, What in the actual fuck is wrong with you? Go watch it now. pleaseeeeeeeeeee!!!! watch!!!!!!!!!!! it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm getting second hand embarrassment just from looking at this

Now for our plot analysis... Eighth Grade is about Kayla (our Queen, Elsie Fisher) and her last week of 8th grade. The movie opens with a montage through her school day, there's kids stacking markers, kids snapchatting, kids knuckle deep up their nose... all things I think we've all been fortunate enough to witness in middle school. We then go to her school's superlative ceremony where Kayla wins "Most Quiet". I'm sorry but what school would give out a "Most Quiet", this was my only issue with the movie, sorry Bo. The rest of the film bounces from the world's most uncomfortable pool party, to an educational scene with a banana, to touring around her future high school, which brings us to the mall... During her time at the high school, Kayla shaddows Emily (a goddam ball of sunshine and rainbows). After she gets home Emily invites her to hangout at the mall with her and her friends. Her trip to the mall features a hot topic debates on naming school 5k's after dead students, asking Kayla whether she got sent nudes in 5th grade, and Josh getting caught spying on Kayla from the floor above the food court. After the mall, she gets driven home by one of Emily's friends, and let's just say this kid is a full on piece of shite. Total dick. We hate him. I mean he is also sort of really handsome, but that's not the point. She get's home and has a full on heart to heart with her dad, when I tell you I crieddddd (we'll get to this later). The film ends with Kayla confronting the mean girls from her class, and then heading over to Gabe's house for their first "friend hangout". Gabe's character might just be the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I love this kid, and I love him even more because he gives Kayla the love and respect she deserves. Vive le Gabe!!!!!!

gabeeeeeeee, sighhhhhhhhhhh

I just recently saw this for the 3rd or 4th time at my school's theater. I happened to be seeing it on my own, again (which I reccomend), and Bitch when I tell you I cried for the whole last half of the movie, I mean it. Part of that was because of Kayla and her dad talking it out , with Josh telling her how important she is and how he thinks she's "the coolest girl in the world". The other tears came from getting to watch this with a bunch of other kids my age who had the same middle school experience as both Kayla and I. Getting to hear people scream shit at the screen during the car scene, crying at Kayla and her dad, and laughing at Gabe and all of his Gabeness. Also shoutout to the chick in front of me who legit brough a roll of TP becuase she knew she was gonna cry. Mad respect to that.

I don't know how Bo did it, but he, a 30(?) ish year old guy, managed to write one of the most realistic films I've ever seen. And he was robbbbeeeeedddd of that Oscar. For me, Eighth Grade was my Ladybird. I remember watching Ladybird when it came out and being like "omg, this is the greatest, most relatable thing ever, like, I am Ladybird, omg". And I really do relate to Ladybird, but after seeing Eighth Grade I had trouble feeling like Ladybird because of the generational divide. I feel like I related to Ladybird on an experience level, we were both the same age and going through the same thing, but with this film I had the same exact middle school experience as Kayla. For the most part we shared the same pop culture trends, dressed the same way, had the same attitude. I'm really quiet when I'm around my peers, and not to get too sappy, but I'd never seen a character just like me in the way that Kayla was and seeing her was really important for me. There's one part in the film where Kayla's recording a video and she talks about how "I might be quiet when you first meet me, but once you get to know me i'm actually really cool and funny" and I can't tell you how many times I've had to tell people that. When she makes the list of how to be more talkative and make more friends was something I went over with myself in my head everyday of middle and high school.

I'm not crying, you are!

I know I'm getting a little too gross and serious, but I really just love this movie that much. I want to thank Bo for making the most important film I've ever seen, and for letting people know it's okay to be the way that you are. I wish this movie had come out when I was still in school, because I needed it like crazy. I don't think I'll ever come across a character like Kayla, and I want to just watch this movie for the rest of my life so I can see myself on screen and know that she's the coolest girl in the world. Lol, anyways, love you Bo, ygg!

Now for the fun stuff...

I follow A24 on ig (I know, I hate myself for it too), and when they were doing promotion for the film they put a post together of a bunch of Hollywood elites (random celebs) talking about their time in 8th grade. It was basically just a bunch of questions like "what was your favorite song" and other shit like that, so w/o further ado, here are my favorite things.

Favorite Song: "Wonderwall" (please don't mock, it was a really dark time for me) and also "Black" from Pearljam because I was feeeeeling the angst.

Favortie Movie: Brokeback, end of story. (honorable mention to American Beauty for making me want a creep ass boyfriend to film me from the bushes and cry over plastic bags)

Favorite TV Show: Dexter, I'm not like other girls, I like serial killers.

Favorite Article of Clothing: My mom's striped shirt from Gap that I wore so much we had to buy another so we could each have our own.

Future Dream Job: Diplomat/UN person. We on that Caroline Kennedy shit!!

School Lunch: Some variation of apple slices, colby jack cheese, oikos key lime greek yogurt, and cheezits/pretzels (fun fact, one time I accidentaly swallowed a semi-whole cheezit and though I was going to die in the middle of the AG cafeteria)

Favorite Book: Catcher in the Rye ( I hate myself)

Boy's we were into: This kid Banks from my heath class who was dreamy, and also this kid Jack from my homeroom. Though the Jack thing ended after he cracked his head on his locker, which was above mine, and got blood on my shoes. Eff u Jack and your head blood!

Eighth Grade obviously gets 5/5 oks

Guccccciiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!