Una parola per un sogno

The commercial made me smile. It made me think 'That looks like a good kids movie', but at the same time it made me think 'It kind of looks stupid...' Boy, I was wrong. Akeelah and the Bee is an inspirational movie, and is definitely great for those who share an interest in spelling bees.

I went to the movies with my friends for her birthday, expecting little about the bee at all and more about a love relationship between Akeelah and her newfound friend, Javier. Surprisingly enough, very little of the content was anything to do with romance, and thank goodness.

The acting, oh my goodness. It was wonderful. Especially Keke Palmer's performance. Her face told the story, really. Facial acting was wonderful, no doubt. Keke's performance perfectly matches up to her being as good as young Dakota Fanning, without her having to bawl out crying in any scenes. And the rest of the cast was great, too. The ending is very sweet, but I certainly won't spoil it for anyone.

Overall, a very inspirational movie. 10/10

Akeelah and the Bee is a great movie for the family. It's long overdue to see a movie about the African-American community that does not center around pimps, rapping or drugs in any way. I don't say this without reservation. As a African American aspiring actor, I realize that those are the parts that are written about and for us. That what makes this movie special, it shows that we as a people can rally behind a good cause. I can only hope that I will one day have the opportunity to showcase my talent in a feature such as this. The young actress portraying the title character is a great find. I can see she will be around for quite a while. Lawrence Fishborne did a wonderful job with this film. He became more than just a talent, but a wonderful producer as well. Be sure to catch this on DVD!!!

A Must see for all!!!!!

I'm not black and don't care this was a great movie. To me it was not a movie about a black kid but a kid who just happened to be black. A kid in a bad neighborhood and school compliments of my generation. I hope that the movie can overcome being in the shadow of MI3. Because it deserves it. This movie has heart. It had great acting, a real plot and it has a point. People were cheering and laughing applauding and crying in the theater. Way to go keep it up. Give us some more please. There are some fresh new faces in this move and I hope to see more of them. If you knew me you would know I don't get excited very easily. When I see a movie like this I feel that maybe there is hope for the movie industry. GO SEE IT. You'll feel better for it. Take the kids. Call your friends.

In 'Akeelah and the Bee' Keke Palmer plays Akeelah Anderson, a bright 11 year old who just wants to fit in. Despite her intelligence, she is not a good student. She is unmotivated and often misses class. Since the death of her father five years ago, she only seems content when she imagines playing Scrabble with him. Nevertheless, her talent for spelling gives her an opportunity to shine.

This is on of the better movies I have seen this year. This heart-warming and inspirational story is about a girl who, despite all the hardships at home, finds a way to utilize her skill at Scrabble. With a little help from her coach (Laurence Fishburne) she not only learns a lot about language, but she learns how to appreciate the environment around her. She finds out that she is rich in ways she did not realize.

It is very difficult to find fault with this movie, there is something in it for everyone (even a few surprises). Both Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne are awesome. I was particularly impressed with Keke Palmer. I would compare it to 'The Karate Kid' meets 'Finding Forrester'.

Just saw a packed screening at the Pan African Film Festival. There were so many people there that some had to be turned away. The best parts were the interactions between the characters of Akeelah and Javier, a young Mexican boy who comes from an affluent family. Their friendship and team work in helping each other do their best in the Spelling Bee is a great example for young black and browns here in Los Angeles, especially with all the racial fighting in the schools and prisons.

It's a good movie for everyone to see, especially if you're a word freak like me.