McFarland, USA (2015)

“This is going to come down to which runners can handle the pain.”

I ran 4 years of cross country back in the day, and this was the truest line in the film. In other sports, who wins generally comes down to talent and strategy. In distance running, it comes down to talent and the ability to endure pain and suffering.

Over the last three decades, I’ve pushed through enormous amounts of pain while running. It’s a trait that can help you survive other hardships in life.

This Disney movie based on real life events is a bit uneven and tone deaf, but follows a tried and true formula which satisfies. I also appreciated the positive spotlight it shines on the currently maligned immigrant community. We were so innocent back in 2015, completely unaware of the racist shitshow on the horizon.

Rating: C+

Eighth Grade (2018)

Ugh. Teens are the worst. Especially these new teens with their Snapchat filters and YouTube channels. All their most annoying attributes are amplified 100% more than ours were. This movie would have been easier to watch if nearly everyone in it wasn’t so annoying. Also, most of the film is completely awkward, which I realize was the point, but that doesn’t make it any more enjoyable to watch.

Rating: D

McFarland, USA (2015)

Sure it’s a Disney feel good story, but since I ran cross country in high school, it was fun to reminisce. Extra points for the cross culture subplot.

Rating: C+

Despicable Me 2 (2013)

A mostly deflated version of the original, like most sequels that are churned out to make money.

Rating: D+