Eighth Grade
First screened in July 2018 / Most recently screened in January 2019
Director: Bo Burnham. Cast: Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton, Luke Prael, Emily Robinson, Daniel Zolghadri, Imani Lewis, Catherine Oliviere, Nora Mullins, Missy Yager. Screenplay: Kimberly Reed and Jay Arthur Sterrenberg.

 Twitter Capsule: Less interested in plot than in conjuring awkward, nascent, poignant subjectivity. Fisher, Hamilton both spectacular.

Second Capsule: Unexpected in tone and structure. Fisher, Hamilton couldn't be better. Thoughtful about screens, in form and theme.

Third Capsule: As I rewatched I thought lots about Jim Hodge's and @bazintastic's writing on primary and second identification in relation to screen media.

VOR: ④  Without quite aiming to reinvent its genre, finds several fresh perspectives and techniques to illuminate a young woman's affects and headspace.


Photo © 2018 A24

Not yet reviewed in full. Grade: A–

(in July 2018: B+)
Golden Globe Nominations:
Best Actress (Musical/Comedy): Elsie Fisher

Other Awards:
Directors Guild of America: Best First Feature
Writers Guild of America: Best Original Screenplay
New York Film Critics Circle: Best First Film
Boston Society of Film Critics: Best New Filmmaker (Burnham)
National Board of Review: Best Directorial Debut
Chicago Film Critics Association: Breakthrough Performance (Fisher)
Independent Spirit Awards: Best First Screenplay
Gotham Awards: Breakthrough Actor (Fisher); Breakthrough Director
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