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aurora_cat
Reviews
Eighth Grade (2018)
Devastating, anxiety-riddled, raw, and amazing
I don't know what's worse, my actual eighth grade or this one.
Bo Burnham created such a palpable discomfort through the use of music and inarticulate monologue in his first movie. The way the protagonist (as well as her peers) struggles to verbally express herself reminds you how difficult it is to be 13 years old, full of thoughts and feelings you don't have words for. Experiences that never meet expectation. An outward facade that never reflects the inner world. The literal horror of going to a pool party. The use of music throughout the film heightens those feelings of anxiety.
The character's experiences with boys is definitely enough to turn your stomach. The way Burnham portrayed a girl having enough sense of self to say "No" but the fear and insecurity and self-blame that follows is devastating.
Your feeling by the end that things will improve after eighth grade is tempered by the fact that every high school boy character you've met is garbage, so she has a lot more hurdles ahead of her. The only way out is through.
Half Magic (2018)
Nice concept but poor execution
I love a story of female empowerment and friendship and witchcraft, but this whole experience was weird. It's full of great comedy actors but they barely had a chance to shine. The dialogue was weak, music wasn't good, scenes felt disconnected and chopped together, the whole thing needed to be fleshed out a lot more. You want to root for these women but they were written like naive little girls. And it fails every Bechdel test. I really want to see quality films of and by women but we have to reach a higher caliber. Maybe the budget wasn't there. I will say I loved Stephanie Beatriz, she was very endearing. And Tom Lennon is always great.