Pretty Good

not as good as all the hype

Better Late Then Never

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

This is just a terrific movie. I rented it for my daughter when she was much younger. We watched it twice when she was around the age of 4 or so. Thoroughly enjoyed it then. I mentioned it to her recently and she didn't really remember it. Consequently, we watched it again a short while ago (she is now 11). She really enjoyed it and I did too. I almost never watch movies more than once. This one I have seen three times and enjoyed it each time. Highly recommended.

What a wonderful way to highlight the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the families, the competitors, and the schools behind them. There aren't many films that highlight and accentuate the problems of an eleven year old girl, growing up, while the world falls apart around them. Regardless of color, this film is the epitome of an underdog clawing her way through mediocrity to the top. "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others"-Marianne Williamson. Her thoughts echo throughout the movie and resonate within us all. How wonderful to be able to cheer on a strong, sensitive, brilliant young girl who isn't vying for the hand of a prince, courtesy of Disney, or who isn't pressured into a lifestyle that so many others fall to. The only problem I had with the movie was the stereotype of the Asian, "Tiger Mother" and the physical abuse of the father of the adversary, Dylan Chu. There really wasn't a med to show the father striking his son. We all know the pressure placed on children, by their parents, to excel in these competitions. We all know that pressure weighs heavily, not only on the child, but on the family too. Overall, a wonderful film, directed at a difficult to pin down target audience. I wish there were more like this one. Well written, well acted, P.E.R.F.E.C.T.

OK, let me say right off the bat that I really enjoyed the movie. It was a lovely story and well told BUT it is incredibly predictable and clichéd. It really feels like a Hallmark special or a midday movie, made for TV type film. It is somewhat reminiscent of Spellbound and has some of the charm but although it makes you feel like it may be based on a true story it just doesn't quite ring true. The clichés - 1. the poor, working class, unappreciated but intelligent minority girl who triumphs over all odds, 2. the hard-working tough-exterior single mum who wants Akeelah to get her head out of the clouds but is eventually won over 3. The brother getting into trouble hooking up with the wrong crowd 4. the brilliant but irascible professorial type who is carrying his own baggage but learns to come to grips with his challenges through the medium of the bright young courageous heroine 5. the cold, heartless driven Asian types who must win at all costs (BTW - a bit racist that) Is there room to squeeze in just one more cliché...??? Well, yes there is - the young, single mum older sister, the geekiness of the other spellers, the early failure only to be saved at the last minute by the disqualification of a cheat... If you took the clichés out of this movie there's be nothing left. I thought Javier was great, Akeelah was stunning, Larabee played a great role, and it was good to see Booger back on the screens - that college education really paid off for him going on to be a school principal.

I found this movie rich, inspiring, powerful. It's loaded with strong values, strong characters, powerful ideas. This tight, well-directed and well-acted story captured me as it presents natural acts of courage and community-building and friendship. Let me not forget the individual and collective struggles with external and internal obstacles! The layers of courage and friendship and support cross racial, ethnic, age, class, family, and gender boundaries. Mostly, it's a story about extending oneself to others. Thank you to all involved in creating this amazing and beautiful (pulchritudinous) story! See this powerful movie! Watch this with your kids! Dare to be powerful!