Plantiana Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

LouHomey From my favorite movies..

Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Taha Avalos The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

SnoopyStyle This documentary follows eight kids as they compete in the 1999 Scripps National Spelling Bee aiming to be in the finals taking place in Washington, D.C.By 1999, the competition had garnered some popular interest as it gets broadcast on ESPN.There are so many human emotions in these awkward sincere kids. It is beyond charming.There are more unpredictable turns than anything from Hollywood. The Washington rounds are more thrilling than any CGI-filled fights. This is a true life drama of an innocent American tradition.

Syl The film director deserves accolades for taking the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. to different heights. He focuses on eight competitors who are all about in middle school. They come from Amarillo, Texas; Washington D.C.; San Clemente, California; Tampa, Florida; Ambler, Pennsylvania; New Haven, Connecticut; Glen Rock, New Jersey; and Rolla, Missouri.The documentary introduces you first to Angela who is the daughter of Mexican immigrants. She won the Amarillo Regional Spelling bee. There is Ashley who lives in Washington D.C. There is Neil, the son of Bangladeshi immigrants, who lives in Southern California. There is April from Ambler, Pennsylvania. There is Emily from New Haven, Connecticut who plays the violin. Ted comes from Rolla, Missouri. They come from rural, urban, suburban areas. They come from single parents, both parents, and socio-economic backgrounds. They all have one dream to win the National Spelling Bee and you're there for the ride.I would recommend this documentary for middle school students and teachers. They might find this worthwhile.

groening-2 On its surface, "Spellbound" is a modest but engaging documentary about eight regional finalists on their way to Washington D.C. to join 241 others in the National Spelling Bee. Director Jeffrey Blitz keeps the structure simple, spending time with each of the eight in self-contained chapters, then moving to the built-in drama of the competition itself.But what makes "Spellbound" so much more -- and a stellar example of the power of the genre -- is that Blitz has succeeded in giving us eight intimate portraits of American families. Had he set out to probe the scope of socio-economics in this country, and the way education is understood and valued, the roles of race, national origin and region, and the variations in family and parental dynamics, Blitz would not have achieved the insights he presents.The quest for the spelling title -- or is that we each is really hoping for? -- unifies the film, but it also seems to strip away each family's defenses. Parents alternately gush and fret about their children, some push while others deflate expectation. And the children themselves, while perhaps not representative of average 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds, are disarmingly candid about their fears and dreams."Spellbound," with its apparent low-budget approach, should inspire a new generation of documentary makers.

Pepper Anne Spellbound is obviously a short documentary profiling eight spelling bee contestants from across the United States who vie for the championship title in the 1999 Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee. In watching this movie, I couldn't help but laugh at a lot of the seemingly bizarre comments and lifestyles of the young children and their parents on screen, which to me, made real what Christopher Guest's movies (especially Best in Show) parody. John Waters, too, except that his films are plain fictional narratives rather than mockumentaries. These are also just like mirror images of the characters we laughed at in Napoleon Dynamite. We traverse around the United States, going from Texas to Florida, Pennsylvania to New Jersey, Missouri to California, Washington DC to Connecticut to give a fairly even spread of personalities and backgrounds.The brother of the contestant from Texas went on and on about how his parents immigrated from Mexico hoping for a better life. Scenes, which were interspersed with the ranch owner unfortunately, making dreadful racial remarks about Mexicans, among other things.The family from Missouri just seemed to be fascinated with their seemingly alienated middle child, making the odd comment here and there about how the spelling bee will benefit him, showing off their prized peacock farm, and how the older brother will probably wind up in jail.The mother of the girl from Pennsylvania was ecstatic about her daughter going all the way to compete (and ranking in the top four) in the National Bee, proudly referencing every now and again her inspirational stationary with the words 'Bee Happy' coupled with illustrations of bumble bees. There was the particularly badly timed comment the daughter makes while sitting with her parents that they remind her of Archie and Edith Bunker whereby Archie is always insulting Edith for being dumb. This, of course, followed by a shocking expression from the mother and a quick cut to something else.There was the hyperactive kid, Harry Altman, from Jersey, who was annoying to watch. Especially as the crew were interviewing him in his bedroom and, when they asked him how long he studied, he told them in the sound of a musical robot, followed by asking whether the boom mike was edible. And all this after he said that people have told him that he talks a lot.Neal, the kid from California, a very quiet fellow and I believe the oldest of the group (and therefore, in his last competition), seemed like one of those kids who might've enjoyed competing at one time, but was probably sorry he ever got involved once his father became his verbal trainer and thereby, increased the amount of pressure he felt in competing. Even if he did mean well, the father came off as not only very stern, but somewhat more involved with the interview than his son, showing all that his family had acquired and his philosophies on success and so forth.There was the girl from Connecticut with matching parents--they both had almost the same hair cut and identical glasses. They appeared to be the least intrusive parents, outside of the one girl's from Texas who couldn't speak English. But they nonetheless, at least in appearance, seemed so bizarre.There was Asheley White who was right there in Washington, DC. She seemed like a smart girl, and certainly a lot less weird (in that home-schooled way) than the other kids. Her mother raised concerns about the daughter not getting really publicized about her Spelling Bee achievements. As cash strapped as the DC Public School system is here, at least when it comes to schools outside of Northwest DC, it was nice to see a teacher devoting so much time for Ashley. I felt bad that she had always become so nervous when she came to the microphone. I imagine a lot of contestants were just like that.And finally, there was the champ from Tampa, Florida. An amazingly bright girl who, although she seemed to have parents who might've forced more on her academically with her oddly making comments about what life is like in India compared to the United States (presumably based on things she was told by her parents). I like the three boys who she competed with at school who offered some commentary throughout her scenes in the film. They seemed to really be proud of her.There were former Spelling Bee winners who commented on the value of winning the championship, including the first ever winner of a National Spelling Bee in the late 20s. There was an interview with the "pronouncer" of the words, and also some of the ESPN coverage, which only furthered parodies the whole thing. There was even an interview with a kid named Georgie who had almost a military philosophy of life: respect Jesus, honor thy parents, and try your hardest.Spelling Bees are a piece of Americana, but maybe in a more demented sort of way because of the nature of their contestants and worse, their parents. Honestly, I think they all mean well, but the obsession is just so comical. I think Spellbound proves that much.