Spellbound

Rating:
Summary: Hugely enjoyable documentary...A MUST SEE!
Review: SPELLBOUND is a highly entertaining documentary. My young daughter, and some of her friends, were introduced to the idea of a "documentary" with this film.

It follows eight children who are all headed to the National Spelling Bee in Washington DC. We meet kids from all places (Texas, California, Florida, DC, Pennsylvania, etc.) and backgrounds (children of poor Mexican immigrants, children of wealth in New Haven, etc.) and genders, of course. They are a delightful range of children, and getting to spend a little time with each is a blast. We meet all eight during the first half of the film, and naturally, everyone will be rooting for their favorites and "placing bets" on who will win.

The second half follows their grueling time at the finals. We've seen these kids at their most relaxed, and now we get to see them at their most stressed. We feel for them and sometimes, if we're lucky enough to know how to spell the word, we try to "feed" them the spelling.

It feels like a TV-reality show without the annoying host and without the artificiality of those shows. This is real and this is objective. Either the word is spelled right or it isn't. No "immunity challenges" or eating gross things or letting the audience vote. These young kids (11 to 14 years old, mostly) are totally on their own. We've seen them training and studying (some to amazing extremes) but in the end, it's just them against the word.

The filmmakers found a great slice of children to work with. Emily comes from priviledge in New Haven, CT, and she's bouncy, speaks like an adult, has lots of interests and is both annoying and endearing at once. Nick comes from a seemingly well-to-do Indian or Pakistani background, and his father is driving him to succeed. His dad puts nearly as much time into the prep as Nick does...and he's hired tutors and language experts. You're never sure if Nick is all that interested in winning, but Dad sure is. On the other side, there's Angela, whose Hispanic parents don't even speak English. She lives in a small time and has to be her own motivator. She is doing it FOR her parents, to show them their sacrifices were worthwhile, but she seems more like a "regular" kid her age. Then there's Harry, a manic 12 year old who can't stop talking and bouncing around and making faces. Here's a kid who probably always had a hard time making friends. It looks like he only has a mother on the scene, so no doubt he is troubled on many levels. This bee seems to be a way to keep pouring enough stimulus into his active mind to keep him even slightly calm!

Anyway, as with the best documentaries, we know that things will NOT turn out neat and tidy like in a fictional film. We hope things will go a certain way, but alas, they rarely do. How things DO turnout is another matter, and it's what makes the film fun. In the end, we find that we don't really "care" who wins all that much...we just feel for the kids, and take pride in their achievements and feel bad for their disappointments. And we feel good about the "next generation." These kids, quirky as many are, can be seen as a little slice of what is around the corner for our country...and the weirdnesses of Harry aside, things look pretty good. These are DECENT kids, and capable and joyful and good. It's a shame they can't all win the contest, but they are certainly all winners.

I highly recommend this G-rated film for EVERYONE. I can't imagine one single viewer not being highly entertained and involved in this outstanding movie.

PS: The DVD doesn't have loads of extras, but it does have a "where are they now" section that is WELL worth taking a look at after the film. It just affirms all the good things we feel about these kids.

Rating:
Summary: Hilarious, honest, and immensely moving - instant classic!
Review: What a wonderful thing it is to see documentaries take their place in the pantheon of public entertainment. Before, the occasional Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse or Harlan County, U.S.A. would take audiences by storm, but you never really saw multiple documentaries receive showers of praise AND rake in money...until this past year. After the enormous success of Bowling For Columbine, two movies in contention with that film, Spellbound and Winged Migration, enjoyed moderate box-office success and then the docu-to-beat for this year's Academy Awards, Capturing the Friedmans, became the most talked-about movie in art-house circles. Friedmans may be the chilling exposee that looks crucially at the nature of justice and sexual hysteria, but looking at Spellbound for a still-rewarding third viewing, I realize this little movie about eight competitors at the 1999 Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee may be one of the most quintessential American films ever made.

I can clearly remember describing this movie to a friend over dinner one night: "Well, it basically is a documentary that follows eight kids around as they get ready for the National Spelling Bee, and you meet their parents and learn about their lives and then watch them compete." The response I wasn't expecting: "And that's interesting how?" Well, to say that filmmaker Jeff Blitz's documentary is interesting is a gross understatement. In 90 minutes, he covers so much territory with eight quirky kids, it's necessary to remind yourself to breathe at times. Spellbound begins with a simple structure: a brief look into the lives of each of the eight kids. We meet Angela Arenivar, an hispanic teenager whose immigrant father dreams of success and happiness for his family. Or Ted Brigham, a shy, awkward kid who gets annoyed because, "There are only four or five really smart kids in my grade." And then there's Harry Altman. Ahh, Harry. Ritalin has found its poster-child, America.

What you might notice about the film as it unassumingly unfolds is that it somewhat resembles a Christopher Guest movie. The owners of the Arenivar farm recall a much older Fred and Ethel Mertz. The mother of teen April DeGideo sits and chats while the family dog affectionately licks her leg (getting no reaction from her). Competitor Neal Kadakia's father has (unintentionally) comically promised to feed 5,000 hungry Indians if his son wins. The beautiful catch: these are all real people, and it makes for a constantly funny, intriguing experience. And then there are those moments early on in Spellbound that smack you like a ton of bricks: Ashley White, a young black girl that proclaims herself a "prayer warrior" as she bows at the dinner table; or April's dad, who sums up the 'success story' of his life by saying, "I went from one side of the tracks to the other," (he's speaking literally). While Harry Altman screeches "DOES this SOUND like a MU-SI-CAL RO-BOT?", we are also left with deeply resonant moments that can't find words to describe them.

Just like in a fictional Christopher Guest movie, it all comes down to the big event for which everyone has been waiting, and Blitz doesn't disappoint in the culminating tautly edited but fluidly sustained National Spelling Bee section of the film. The mark of a great storyteller is that they can make anything interesting, and Blitz cuts the film so that each and every word for each and every one of those eight kids takes on the suspenseful quality of that final game of a sports movie. What I liked the most about the marvelous second half of the film, all leading up to one of the eight kids that becomes the winner, is how it takes time to look back at the contestants before that possibly deadly word is spelled. Often, as the spellers stand deliberating, time freezes and we'll see earlier footage of maybe that child's parents proclaiming how proud they are of their kid, discussing their idea of the American dream, or their little brother saying, "If I had blood pressure, it would have been high sky." It is in these quaint moments of frozen time that Spellbound gains the depth of a classic - it's not about the elimination of each kid until a winner emerges, but about how each child is some fragment of America, and how that Spelling Bee means more to our culture and our nation than many people realize.

I hate to make Spellbound sound like some lofty, artsy experience - because it's not. It's accessible, entertaining, and absolutely hilarious. The fact that Blitz can add such suspense and such meaning to this film makes it such a pivotal documentary for the art form. If you're like me, you might just laugh your head off the first time you see the movie. A second viewing might have you, like me, moved beyond words. Either way, you're in for something special. The bottom line: Spellbound is so good it gives me chills. GRADE: A

Rating:
Summary: Kan Ewe Spel As Gud As Thees Keds?
Review: A giant stage. A microphone. A man with excellent pronounication. And over two hundred nervous spellers. This is the setting for the new documentary just released on DVD, "Spellbound". And the results are almost as perfect as winner of that year's National Spelling Bee.

In this documentary, we trace the lives of eight spellers from around the United States. What's presented to us is a great cross section of America, as seen through the eyes of some of our best and brighest students. What's remarkable about each of these kids is that they are totally ordinary kids, and come across as such in the film. A girl from Spanish speaking parents, another girl from Washington DC, a boy who has a world of tutors at his beckoning, all of them prove compelling. Yet you find yourself rooting for your favorites during the Spelling Bee.

What amazes me, and I didn't learn this until watching this DVD with the commentary track, is this is a first time film for the film maker, Jeffrey Blitz. It seems like a perfect marriage of material and film maker. You would not have guessed that after watching this brilliant film!

What transpires over the course of this documentary is that you realize you aren't just watching a Spelling Bee, but you are witnessing the best part of the country we call America; that anyone, with hard work and determination, can pull themselves up to the highest point and soar with the eagles. And by the end of the film, it simply doesn't matter who win the bee, because by then, you are cheering for ALL the kids.

Don't miss this gem.

Rating:
Summary: Under P-R-E-S-S-U-R-E
Review: At the risk of sounding like a nerd, I am enthusiastically recommending a documentary about a spelling bee. Of course, it isn't really about spelling or being a brainiac, it's about competition. Overblown, corporate-sponsored, American-style competition. I loved it.

It's impossible not to start choosing which kids you want to win and following the story like it's the ice-skating competition at the Winter Olympics. We get the up-close-and-personal interviews with the kids, their parents, and their teachers. We see them at the local spelling bees, then on to the national contest. The final rounds of the national competition are broadcast on ESPN, just in case there isn't enough pressure on these kids already. One of the parents even muses that this level of competition and pressure may be a form of child abuse. It's hard to contradict her.

In some ways, Spellbound is like Michael Apted's series of documentaries that started with 7-Up. In other ways, Spellbound is like watching the Pillsbury Bake-Off. In any case, it is a riveting movie.

Rating:
Summary: Wow! Great family fare and perfect for wordaholics, too!
Review: A film focusing on kids who are trying to make it to the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. - doesn't exactly sound like anything exciting, does it?
But when I took it out of the DVD case and put it in our player, my son walked into the room, sat down for a second and didn't move for the rest of the movie. He was more riveted by this film than most of the action movies and flicks aimed at kids..and I think I know why. This movie features real kids from various parts of the United States, all trying to become the winner of the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. They aren't practiced actors and yet (surprise, surprise) they are totally engaging. You can't help but root for them although you may find yourself (as my son and I did) with a particular favorite or two that you hope makes it to the winner's circle.
The kids featured here come from all walks of life and quite different parts of the United States...and they all have various systems and techniques for learning their spelling words. Their parents run the range,too, from bemused to straightforward and disciplined.
Who'd have thought this would make the stuff of high drama, excitment and suspense? Kudos to the filmmakers for figuring it out - and producing such a wonderful result!
Special features:Information about what the students are doing now, an interactive Hangman game, info about the makers of the film, more.

Rating:
Summary: Enlightening and Fun Look at Spelling Bee Subculture.
Review: Each year, 249 young competitors come together in Washington, D.C. to participate in Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee. About a dozen rounds of competition over the course of two days eventually produces a champion speller who walks away with $10,000 and the peculiar honor of being the best young speller of the English language. In "Spellbound", director Jeffrey Blitz follows the preparations of 8 spellers who aspired to win the National Spelling Bee in 1999. We are taken into the homes of these 7th and 8th graders for whom spelling words most of us haven't even heard of has become a preoccupation. We meet their families and listen to the kids talk about their goals, study habits, and motivations. This diverse group of young people represent various ethnic groups, classes, and interests but share a near-obsession with words and a desire to win: Angela's father is a Texan cattle farmer who speaks no English. Nupur's parents are Indian immigrants, and this will be her second trip to the Nationals. Ted is from rural Missouri where his family raises peacocks. Emily is the daughter of affluent parents in Connecticut who wants to be the best at spelling because she isn't the best at her other interests. This will be her third trip to the nationals. Ashley is from the inner city in Washington, D.C. Neil is the son of ambitious Indian parents who have hired coaches to help him study. His sister before him placed well at the Nationals. April has the most philosophical perspective on the whole thing, as well as the most obsessive study habits: 8 hours of spelling per day during the summer. Harry is a geeky garrulous boy from New Jersey who just seems to be enjoying himself. They all competed in the 72nd Annual Scripps Howard Spelling Bee. And "Spellbound" has the drama. The Bee is surprisingly suspenseful once it reaches the second day of competition. It could actually be called spellbinding. Jeffrey Blitz has produced an enlightening and fun look at this spelling bee subculture we have in America and the kids who become its dramatis personae every year. "Spellbound" not only engages its audience in the competition. This film and its young heroes remind us what a colorful and delightful language English is and inspires us to use some of the more eccentric words that inhabit our dictionaries.

The DVD: Bonus features include introductions to each speller, a "where they are now" for each speller, and bios for the film's director, producers, and editor, all in text. There is also some bonus footage, a theatrical trailer, and some features on DVD-ROM. There is an audio commentary by 4 of the filmmakers, including director Jeffrey Blitz, which discusses the project's genesis, its problems, successes and the reasons for the decisions that the filmmakers made as the project progressed. The commentary might be interesting for anyone considering making a documentary film. Otherwise, I recommend taking a look at the "where they are now" section. Dubbing and subtitles are available in French.

Rating:
Summary: The Buzz of Competition
Review: Directed by Jeff Blitz, this documentary focuses on eight participants in the 1999 Scripps Howard National Spelling contest. Although their names will mean nothing to you until after you have seen the film, you may wish to have the information for future reference: Harry Altman (New Jersey), Angela Arenivar (Texas), Ted Brigham (Missouri), April DeGideo (Pennsylvania), Neil Kadakia (California), Nupur Lala (Florida), Emily Stagg (Connecticut), and Ashley White (Washington, DC). Annually, about 9-million schoolchildren participate in first-round competition. Eventually, 249 regional champions travel to Washington (DC) for the national championship. That seems like an unwieldy number until you observe how quickly a contestant can be eliminated by one incorrect letter. The tension builds rapidly and compellingly as each of the aforementioned is eliminated until....

Frankly, although I had read some favorable reviews of this film, I did not anticipate how engaging the contestants would prove to be, how amusing the film sometimes is but also how poignant and even (almost) painful, and how effectively this film illustrates cultural, racial, and socio-economic diversity in the United States. For me, the production values have a certain innocence (if that's the correct word) which is so appropriate to the contestants as they courageously step forth and do their best. True, only one national champion emerges but as I observed the emergence of that champion, I was reminded of all the hours I have spent in years past as a volunteer in various Special Olympics track and field competitions. Neither the adults nor the participants ever thought in terms of "winners" and "losers." Nor should those who see this film. Truth may not always be stranger than fiction but, as this film clearly demonstrates, it has more credibility.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: JEFF Blitz's astonishing documentary follows eight children in their early teens as they prepare for, and take part in the National Spelling Bee. As they progress from their regional competitions to the televised finals in D.C., they are shown researching and testing themselves, romping through well-thumbed dictionaries and running the spellcheck gauntlet.
Had this been the sum of it, this would have made a mildly interesting film about competitive children. But Spellbound explores the family background of each child, stealthily revealing the roots of their obsession. The result is a powerful, moving and often very funny exploration of what it is to be an American.
Widely differing in social class, ethnic origin and levels of wealth, the families show support for their children in many different ways. Angela's story is particularly extraordinary. A pale teenage girl with a mouthful of braces and a ready smile, she is the daughter of Mexican illegal immigrants, neither of whom speaks a word of English. Her self-taught English is impeccable and she devises methods of word-association with graphs and maps that would credit an etymology scholar. Watching her pore over her handmade charts while her ranch-hand father rounds up the cows is unbearably moving.
Equally touching is the story of Ashley, the oldest daughter of a black single mother living in the projects. With two uncles " incarcerated", Ashley calmly reveals that she prays to God to assist her in overcoming the many obstacles of her underprivileged position.
Then there is the hyperactive Harry and the hulking Ted, an isolated giant with a near-genius IQ and serial killer's eyes, who lives in a trailer with his parents and a brother who "loves guns".
Blitz chances upon several moments that serious documentary-makers would die for. A sign put up by the community to cheer on their local champion, a young Asian girl, reads "Congradulations Nupur". During the tense finals, the heavily pressurised Neil, a serious East Indian boy whose parents are the nightmare aspect of the American Dream, has to spell "Darjeeling" - a word entirely unknown to him.

Rating:
Summary: cannot say ENOUGH
Review: How can ANYONE not completely love this movie? I saw it alone at an "off the beaten path" theatre and counted the months until it would be released to DVD to share it with my family! It's adorable, hilarious, uplifting and amazing to see such dedicated kids and their exciting journey to the National Spelling Bee. Please see this one even if you think you'd hate it!

Rating:
Summary: A fascinating subculture
Review: This movie was way more interesting than one might think a documentary about spelling bees would be.

This documentary covers 8 young spelling champs who are competing at the spelling nationals. The director has filmed this in such a way that the viewer is given insight and background into these children's lives and family relations.
The most interesting aspect of this film, to me, was the different strategies and family dynamics that went into each of these 8 competitors. Some came from well-to-do families that gave the child drive and focus, while others came from average American homes and received support but no pressure (not in all cases). These children seemed to be driven for different reasons than the others. Another interesting aspect was the influence of religion in some of the children's lives. The director was direct and honest in presenting this important element.

I found this a very interesting movie that was well filmed and edited. I especially enjoyed the DVD feature that let the viewer know where these kids are today, I found this gave a bit more closure than just seeing them win or lose.