Spellbound
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Movie Reviews of Spellbound
Movie Review: Perfect title for this wonderful documentary
Summary: 5 Stars
"Spellbound" is exactly how this film leaves you. I've rarely been so focused on a group of people we get to know early on as they prepare for the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. in 1999. Coming from all walks of life and from different economic classes, they have at least one thing in common...intensity.
The first half of "Spellbound" is dedicated to being introduced to the eight kids on which the film is based...their families, friends and teachers all provide a loving (and often nail biting) bond with these present and future competitors. But it is the second half where everything comes together. There's more drama here than in most action movies and it is a winner of a film on many different levels.
I highly recommend "Spellbound". It's a timeless wonder... warm, sometimes funny, occasionally heartbreaking but always satisfying. These kids and their families teach us a good deal about love, learning, and competition. You'll be spellbound.
Movie Review: Spells out a great movie!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Ask someone if they want to see a documentary about the spelling bee, and you will probably be greeted by something along the lines of "YUKK!" However, SPELLBOUND is an exception, and the title was a good description of how I felt afterwards.The movie follows 8 contestants in the National Spelling Bee, starting at their local competitions. The kids are about as similar to each other as elephants are to octopi (a completely unrelated comparison, but oh well). They range from a poor African American girl to am affluent Indian boy whose family owns two houses in California.
The movie takes you right into the life of the kids, and it's almost painful to watch them agonize over the words they are given. You watch a girl's face fall as she is given "chateubriand," and another light up as she correctly spells "apocape" (pronounce ah-pah-kah-pee). And the end, which I won't reveal, shows you don't have to study obsessively to do well.
Movie Review: Real Life Drama
Summary: 5 Stars
Watching a movie about 250 junior high students attempting to spell words most of us have never heard of sounds crazy, but Spellbound does just what a good documentary should do - it perfectly captures the drama, tension, and emotions of these contestants and their families. As a parent of a three-time contestant in the National Spelling Bee, I can assure you that this movie really does capture the intensity of the event. From competing in local, regional, and the National Bees, it shows it all. "I won the school bee last year. What if I goof and fail?" "I won the regional bee last year. Everyone expects me to repeat. What if I get a word I don't know?" "Now that I made it to Washington, will I do better than last year?" The trememdous pressure on the spellers, both internal and external, shows through in this film. You will find yourself cheering for each speller as the field is whittled down from 250 to only one winner.
Movie Review: How do you spell banns?
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently rented this wonderful documentary and it blew me away. Who knew that a spelling bee could be so entertaining. The kids are all pretty likeable(except for one, who is so obnoxious that I predict many wedgies in his future) and you will have a hard time choosing who to root for. They all seem pretty much like normal, well adjusted kids who just want to win.
There are some great and hilarious moments as well. Like when the son of Indian immigrants has a hard time spelling Darjeeling, the one contestant's mother who resembles Edith Bunker so much I keep waiting for her to shriek "Archieeeee", the weird kid's impression of a musical robot, etc.
The kids who were featured in this documentary are a very diverse lot, both racially and economically. So what you get is a nice slice of Americana. This is the documentary that should have won the Oscar.
Movie Review: Eye opening ;-)
Summary: 5 Stars
Spellbound was fantastic. It really showed Spelling Bee's in a different light. It showed kids from varied backgrounds competing for the 1999 Nationals. It showed the pressures they face from their families (but not like the little girl pagents where the moms are totally heavy handed) and the pressure they place upon themselves. You feel their pain when they incorrectly spell a word and you feel their joy when they are right. It's an interesting look at a phenomenon that we all think is nerdy (and to some degree it is), but in reality, these kids are amazing. Most of them are totally composed and mature and they come from normal backgrounds and loving families. This is a good documentary that will hook you in. I really enjoyed it more than I thought.