Flags, Films, and Brisket: A Texas-Sized Finale

In the final stop of our Made Across America series, we head south to Sherman, Texas, home to Presco, where American manufacturing and Texas pride run deep.

Since 1942, Presco has been crafting high-visibility flagging, barricade tapes, and marking flags used across construction, utility, and safety industries. What sets Sherman apart is its vertical integration, as it is also home to an Engineered Films division, where our research and development lab oversees the specific formulations that create the materials used for our marking products.

Inside the plant, team members share what “protecting what powers our everyday lives” means to them, from supporting the military and medical fields to ensuring everyday workers and families stay safe.

And no Texas visit would be complete without a stop at Buc-ee’s, the state’s shrine of brisket, beaver nuggets, and road-trip culture.

The episode ends with the crew swapping favorite Texas movies and reflecting on the state’s outsized role in shaping American culture.

Lights, Camera, Caution Tape!

Once you start noticing safety products in movies, it can quickly become a habit (apologies to my wife who has to deal with me constantly hitting pause and pointing to the television).

Barricade tape and caution tape are practically Hollywood extras, but with a sharp eye, you might also catch marking flags or marker posts tucked into construction scenes, roadside shots, or even oilfield sequences.

Speaking of movies, all this talk about films, rolls, and tapes has me thinking about some of my favorite films and roles* in Texas cinema.

6 of my favorite Texas flicks

According to Wikipedia, roughly 514 movies have been set in Texas. Here are six of my favorites.

No Country for Old Men (2007)

When I saw this is theaters as a high schooler, it was more tense than any horror or scary movie I had ever seen. Fun fact: this movie has essentially no soundtrack throughout it, using only ambient sounds and silence to build extreme tension.

Based on a Cormac McCarthy novel, this Coen brothers’ Oscar-winning thriller, set along the West Texas border, is a haunting meditation on fate, morality, and violence. Javier Bardem’s chilling (and Oscar-winning) portrayal of Anton Chigurh is arguably one of the best villain performances in movie history.

Dazed and Confused (1993)

Want my personal review of this movie? I’d say its “Alright, alright, alriiiiiight!”

Richard Linklater’s nostalgic look at 1970s Austin captures the freedom and confusion of youth on the last day of school. Its a quotable classic with a killer soundtrack.

The Rookie (2002)

Easily one of my favorite sports movies and a perfect pick for family movie night.

Based on the true story of Jim Morris, a Texas high school coach who gets a second chance to play Major League Baseball. Its a heartwarming reminder that it’s never too late to chase your dreams.

Miss Congeniality (2000)

I’m not too proud to admit I love me a light-hearted romcom! Plus, I grew up with an older sister and this is her favorite movie so I was subjected to watching it countless times.

Set in San Antonio, this comedy blends FBI antics with pageant glitz. Sandra Bullock is at the top of her game as agent Gracie Heart, and the film is filled with memorable one-liners.

Friday Night Lights (2004)

As a former high school football player, this movie always gets me right in the feels. It has fantastic acting and a moving score, not to mention some very realistic (and not corny!) football action sequences.

Set in Odessa, it’s more than a sports movies, it’s a portrait of community, pressure, and the pursuit of glory under those bright Friday night lights.

Secondhand Lions (2003)

Filmed in Central Texas, this coming-of-age story is about a shy boy spending the summer with his eccentric uncles, played by movie legends Michael Caine and Robert Duval. You can tell how much fun they had making this movie, as their performances emit a sense of joy through the screen.

It’s funny, touching, and timeless. It celebrates storytelling, courage, and the kind of quiet heroism that feels right at home in Texas.