Akeelah and the Bee

Akeelah and the Bee
by Doug Atchison

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DVD details

Actor: Angela Bassett, Curtis Armstrong, J.R. Villarreal, Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne
Director: Doug Atchison
Cinematographer: M. David Mullen
Editor: Glenn Farr
Producer: Michael Burns
Producer: Marc Butan
Producer: Mark Cuban
Producer: Tom Ortenberg
Producer: Michael Paseornek
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 112 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-08-29
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Lionsgate

DVD Reviews of Akeelah and the Bee

DVD Review: How do you spell Pollyannaish?
Summary: 3 Stars

There are two ways to look at this movie. It's better as a Disneyesque sugar-coated inspirational family movie, as long as the parents and kids watching it don't get too serious or go too deep analyzing it. There is one worthwhile lesson that can be gleaned: it takes hard work and dedicated study, even for the talented, to become a "champion."

But even that lesson is tainted by the focus on super champion status, as all of the main characters finish in the top 5 nationally. Wow! How many of us can hope to be in the top 5 of anything, even in our own city, county, or state, let alone at the national level? How realistic is that, and ultimately, how inspirational? I wonder why so many so-called inspirational movies seem to imply that "winners" are those who finish at or near the very top?

Another failing of these inspirational movies is that the winners often have a special (almost magical) gift or huge amount of talent. Akeelah apparently possesses a photographic memory for words, which enables her, in the span of a couple of months, to learn enough words to beat hundreds of talented nationally-ranked contestants who have studied for years. I might marvel at such abilities and talents, but how can I feel inspired by them? Shall I feel inspired that Mozart began writing piano pieces at age five?

This movie takes place in an almost Pollyannaish ghetto in notorious South Central LA. Even the gangbangers and drug dealers are decent people (they write poetry and help Akeelah practice spelling!). Akeelah's mom and dad are smart, loving, married parents (again, not typical in a ghetto), but when Akeelah was six her Scrabble-loving dad was shot dead by a gangbanger and so mom has been raising the kids alone for five years. The mom works as a nurse at a hospital and no, we don't know why she hasn't moved her family out of the ghetto. Neither do we know why she hasn't remarried in five years, after all, she is a beautiful, smart woman (Angela Bassett).

The role of the mom is a little confusing. Does she work nights and weekends or does she have more than one job? It doesn't make sense that the neighborhood Akeelah lives in can turn out to be so supportive over one girl in a spelling bee and not supportive in other ways. Akeelah's mom gets more upset about Akeelah taking a bus to the rich kids' neighborhood to practice spelling than about her not doing half of her school homework. And Akeelah's dad was killed by a gangbanger, but it's okay for Akeelah to practice her spelling with the gangbangers? Really?!

The principal of Akeelah's school is a white man who seems more concerned about Akeelah winning the spelling bee than with problems with drugs and gangs. Of course, since this is a Pollyannaish movie we don't hear about the drugs, gangs, and violence at the school. Akeelah's only complaint about the school is that it is boring and there are no doors on the bathroom stalls. The principal tells Akeelah that if she wins the spelling bee the school might get the money it needs for doors. So that's how it works? If one kid at an inner-city school wins the national spelling bee, or the national math competition, or the national science test, it will get money? But the school gets nothing if the kid places 5th, or 10th, nationally? How inspirational!

The value of devoting so much time and effort to learning how to spell so many thousands of strange words is never questioned. Do national spelling champions do better in life, and are they happier? We are told that Akeelah spells words partly because she used to play Scrabble with her dad and partly because the distraction of rote memorization helps her cope with the loss of her dad. So Akeelah has an "excuse" for what may seem to be a weird hobby. But I wonder what all those kids could accomplish if they devoted those thousands of hours to something else besides memorizing word spellings? How many books could they read or how many languages could they learn to speak?

One other point: Akeelah seems to be the only black child in all of the spelling bee competitions. Is that supposed to be a reflection of reality, or is it for dramatic effect?

Crenshaw High School is a real school and is better known for its basketball than for its spelling bees. It is the scene for several movies and TV shows, including Boyz N The Hood.

DVD Review: Surprisingly well done!
Summary: 5 Stars

I had avoided this movie! Particularly because Starbucks had it all over the place and they talked up how it was such a family film, etc. Usually, I find such films pretty smarmy when the advertising makes a great effort to get that point across.

I finally saw it and have to say I am impressed with the film. It actually drew me in and I found myself hoping for Akeelah to win.

Overall, the story is pretty well crafted. Akeelah has a talent for words and yet she is ashamed to use it. Her environment frowns on success and as she states she will get picked on. Eventually, she decides to try the spelling contests after the Principle and her friend talk her into it.

One thing she will need is a tutor. Enter Laurence Fishburne. I have liked him for awhile and he does not disappoint as the Professor of English who came up from the ghetto. He is hard on her as he impress' on her that he will not take anything but a serious effort to learn. In time their relationship grows as they end help helping each other. Some would argue a cliche but I found it done well as I didn't feel the need to "roll my eyes."

There are references to life's issues such the dead father and the brother trying to join a gang. However, they don't distract from the movie as they are to add to the story rather then create sub stories to fill movie time. Through all this Akeelah seems to keep the desire and rises above it all. Some would argue Cliches and they do exist but as I mentioned; I did not find them over blown as it happens so many times these days.

The final bee was well done as I never thought I would find myself getting slightly tense over as the words were offered. There is even a creative way for the films villain to find redemption.

Even though I find the phrase trite, I will say the film is indeed a "feel good" film.

DVD Review: Beautiful Movie i love it very much
Summary: 5 Stars

Akeelah and the Bee a very beautiful movie, inspirational, moving, uplifting and positive. Show that one can achieve anything they work towards. With hard work success will come. Just believe in your dreams and work hard. I was motivated to get the movie and see it by Oprah Winfrey after watching her publicize this movie in one of her show. Oprah i must say this movie is best of all time.Oprah you are my inspiration and role model who always give me positive advice on your show. Thank Oprah for this wonderful endorsement of the the movie. It the best of all time beautiful played Lawrence Fishbourne, Angela Basset and Ake Palmer. Love it 10 stars. Every one please go out there and purchase this movie a must have and see. Magnificent every changing, fantastic, touching, positive.

DVD Review: Akeehal and the Bee
Summary: 5 Stars

I just loved this movie when I saw it on Tv so I purchased it right away. It is amusing, down to earth, yet serious. All ages will enjoy it.

Lawrence Fishborne is outstanding in his role as tutor.

DVD Review: Perfect for adolescents
Summary: 5 Stars

I bought two copies of Akeelah, one for my library and one for home. This is an excellent film for adults as well as adolescents, and the film to show any precocious preteen with an attitude that prevents achievement.

Description of Akeelah and the Bee

An inspirational drama, Akeelah and the Bee is the story of Akeelah Anderson (Keke Palmer), a precocious eleven-year-old girl from south Los Angeles with a gift for words. Despite the objections of her mother Tanya (Angela Bassett), Akeelah enters various spelling contests, for which she is tutored by the forthright Dr. Larabee (Laurence Fishburne); her principal Mr. Welch (Curtis Armstrong) and the proud residents of her neighborhood. Akeelah's aptitude earns her an opportunity to compete for a spot in the Scripps National Spelling Bee and in turn unites her neighborhood who witness the courage and inspiration of one amazing little girl.

There aren't enough superlatives in the dictionary to describe the excellence of Akeelah and the Bee. Superbly written and directed by Doug Atchison, this PG-rated family drama covers the same dramatic territory as the acclaimed 2002 documentary Spellbound and the 2005 drama Bee Season, but the fictional story of 11-year-old Akeelah Anderson (Keke Palmer) is, if anything, even more entertaining, inspiring, and full of hope for the potential of children everywhere. Although reluctant at first (and fearful of being labeled a "brainiac" by classmates at her under-funded middle school in South Central Los Angeles), Akeelah grows determined to win the district, regional, and ultimately the Scripps National Spelling Bee, aided by the able coaching of an English professor (Laurence Fishburne) who, like Akeelah's overworked single mother (Angela Bassett) is slowly recovering from a devastating personal loss. Structured like a conventional sports drama, Akeelah and the Bee rises above its generic trappings to become an uplifting and deeply moving study of friendship, pride, fair play, and above all, the value of self-confidence and realization that there's more to life than winning. As played by the young Palmer in an award-worthy performance, Akeelah is a winner in the best sense of the word, and so is this wonderfully positive movie. --Jeff Shannon

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