It’s surprising how long this excellent film managed to stay off my radar. It's one of those situations where the promotional material doesn’t really do justice to what the movie is actually like, so you end up questioning if it will hold your attention. I’d had a copy for quite a while, mostly because I try to collect everything Disney-related, but I didn't really understand how good it was until my son and I dec…

The production values are high and the performances are solid; it’s an agreeable experience overall. *McFarland, USA* represents another entry in Disney's seemingly endless series of sports dramas based on actual events, but they clearly possess a knack for crafting films that feel both sincere and uplifting within the genre, even if familiar tropes appear. This one follows suit, and it is quite good. Kevin Cos…

It seems like the central question is about a person discovering where they belong. It’s fair to say this feels familiar, similar to 'Spare Parts,' but addressing an entirely different topic. It’s a biographical sports movie centered on a cross-country running team comprised of seven high school students from McFarland, one of America's less affluent communities. The story starts with Jim White, the coach, who rel…