Connection
Akeelah and the Bee is a american film of genre Drama released in USA on 28 april 2006 with Keke Palmer
Akeelah and the Bee (2006)
If you like this film, let us know!
Add to a movie listAkeelah and the Bee is a 2006 American drama film written and directed by Doug Atchison. It tells the story of Akeelah Anderson (Keke Palmer), an 11-year-old girl who participates in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, her mother (Angela Bassett), her schoolmates, and her coach, Dr. Joshua Larabee (Laurence Fishburne). The cast also features Curtis Armstrong, J.R. Villarreal, Sean Michael Afable, Erica Hubbard, Lee Thompson Young, Julito McCullum, Sahara Garey, Eddie Steeples, and Tzi Ma.
The film was developed over a period of 10 years by Atchison, who came up with the initial concept after seeing the 1994 Scripps National Spelling Bee and noting that a majority of the competitors came from good socioeconomic backgrounds. After completing the script in 1999, Atchison won one of the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting in 2000, which attracted producers Sid Ganis and Nancy Hult Ganis. After an initial inability to secure funding, the project got a second wind as a result of the success of the 2002 documentary film Spellbound. Lionsgate Films undertook the production in 2004 and in the following year it was filmed in South Los Angeles on a budget of over $6 million.
Deemed an inspirational film, Atchison remarked that his theme for the film was about overcoming obstacles despite difficult challenges along the way. He also said that he wanted to portray African Americans in a manner that was not stereotypical and tried to show how African American children incorporate some stereotypes. The film alludes to the importance of community as well as to problems black communities face. It also deals with esteem and stigma in school while criticizes the public school system. Cast members said that although the film was aimed at children, they considered it had important lessons for the parents as well.
Released in the United States on April 28, 2006, Akeelah and the Bee was positively received by critics and audiences. Reviewers praised its storyline and cast, lauding Palmer's performance, although a few critics panned the story as familiar and formulaic, and were critical of the portrayal of Asian-American characters. The film grossed almost $18 million, and received a number of awards and nominations, including the Black Reel Awards and the NAACP Image Awards. Film critics highly praised it for avoiding African-American stereotypes common in Hollywood films, while scholars were less favorable, even saying it reinforces some clichés.
Synopsis
Akeelah Anderson, an 11-year-old spelling enthusiast, attends Crenshaw Middle School, a predominantly black school in South Los Angeles. She lives with her widowed mother, Tanya, her older sister Kiana, her older brothers Devon and Terrence, and her infant niece. Her principal, Mr. Welch suggests that she sign up for the Crenshaw Schoolwide Spelling Bee. She follows his advice and ends up winning. Soon after, Dr. Joshua Larabee, a visiting English professor and Mr. Welch's friend from college, tests Akeelah and decides that she is good enough to compete in the National Spelling Bee. Nevertheless, Dr. Larabee declines to coach her because she is rude to him. As a result, Akeelah studies on her own to prepare for the district spelling bee. Although Akeelah misspells her word during the final round of the bee, she qualifies for the regional bee when her sister Kiana catches the other finalist cheating. She also meets and befriends Javier Mendez, a 12-year-old Mexican American boy and fellow speller. Javier invites her to join the spelling club at his Woodland Hills middle school.Actors
Keke Palmer
(Akeelah Anderson)
Laurence Fishburne
(Dr. Larabee)
Angela Bassett
(Tanya Anderson)
Curtis Armstrong
(Mr. Welch)
Lee Thompson Young
(Devon)
Comments
Leave comment :
Suggestions of similar film to Akeelah and the Bee
There are 139 films with the same actors, 60556 with the same cinematographic genres, 874 films with the same themes, to have finally 70 suggestions of similar films.If you liked Akeelah and the Bee, you will probably like those similar films :
Music of the Heart (1999)
, 1h58Directed by Wes Craven
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Musical
Themes Films about education, Films about music and musicians, Films about classical music and musicians, Musical films, Violon
Actors Meryl Streep, Angela Bassett, Aidan Quinn, Gloria Estefan, Cloris Leachman, Michael Angarano
Rating67%
The film opens with violinist Roberta Guaspari having been deserted by her US Navy husband and feeling devastated, almost suicidal. Encouraged by her mother, she attempts to rebuild her life and a friend from student days recommends her to the head teacher of a school in the tough New York area of East Harlem. Despite a degree in music education, she has little experience in actual music teaching, but she's taken on as a substitute violin teacher. With a combination of toughness and determination, she inspires a group of kids, and their initially skeptical parents. The program slowly develops and attracts publicity.
Lord Love a Duck (1966)
, 1h45Directed by George Axelrod
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy
Themes Films about education
Actors Roddy McDowall, Tuesday Weld, Lola Albright, Ruth Gordon, Harvey Korman, Max Showalter
Rating62%
From his prison cell, Alan Musgrave dictates his experiences of the previous year, which he dedicated to fulfilling the unending wishes and ambitions of high school senior Barbara Ann Greene. The daughter of Marie, a cocktail waitress sinking unhappily into her forties, Barbara wants every kind of success and for everyone to love her. Signing a pact with Alan in wet cement, Barbara soon has the 12 cashmere sweaters needed to join an exclusive girls' club. She drops out of school to become the principal's new secretary and gets involved in church activities run by strait-laced but hyper-hormonal Bob Bernard. When Barbara Ann decides she wants Bob for her husband, Alan facilitates by keeping Bob's eccentric mother Stella, who disapproves of Barbara Ann, perpetually plastered. Then Barbara meets schlock producer T. Harrison Belmont, the King of Beach Party movies, and decides to become the biggest star that ever was. Bob refuses, however, to allow his wife to have a Hollywood screen test, so Barbara Ann decides she wants a divorce. Since Bob's mother frowns upon divorce, Alan takes matters into his own hands to kill Bob. Although Bob proves to be almost indestructible, by graduation time Alan has him in a wheelchair. At the graduation ceremony, Alan pursues Bob with a tractor, humorously killing him and everyone else on the speakers' platform. Barbara Ann goes on to Hollywood fame in her debut film "Bikini Widow", while Alan is sent to prison.
Behavior (2014)
, 1h48Origin Cuba
Genres Drama
Themes Films about education, Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Alina Rodríguez
Rating74%
Chala, jeune cubain, malin et débrouillard, est livré à lui-même. Elevé par une mère défaillante qui lui témoigne peu d’amour, il prend soin d’elle et assume le foyer. Il rapporte de l’argent en élevant des chiens de combat. Ce serait un voyou des rues sans la protection de Carmela, son institutrice, et ses sentiments naissants pour sa camarade Yeni...
Christine (1983)
, 1h51Directed by John Carpenter
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Fantastic, Horror, Crime
Themes L'adolescence, Films about education, Films about children, Transport films, Films about automobiles, L'enfance marginalisée, Road movies, Films about school violence, Teen movie
Actors Keith Gordon, Robert Prosky, John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul, Harry Dean Stanton, Roberts Blossom
Rating68%
In the beginning, a red/white '58 Plymouth Fury is built at its assembly line. While a worker begins to investigate the engine for any mistakes, the car surprisingly closes its hood on his hand, injuring him. Surprisingly, after the injured man is taken away, and during closing time, another worker is killed in the Fury, supposedly died of inhaling fumes 'in' the car.
Twice Upon a Time (2012)
, 1h36Directed by Jean-Paul Rouve
Origin France
Genres Drama, Comedy-drama
Themes Films about education, Films about children
Actors Jean-Paul Rouve, Benoît Poelvoorde, Arly Jover, Miou-Miou, Xavier Beauvois, Claude Brasseur
Rating61%
Mathias est un paysagiste de quarante ans. Lors d'une croisière avec son épouse il aperçoit un enfant qui lui ressemble lorsqu'il avait dix ans. Intrigué, il tente de retrouver l'enfant et découvre que celui-ci porte le même nom que lui, que ses parents portent le même nom que les siens et que cette famille est point pour point la sienne trente ans en arrière.
High School Confidential! (1958)
, 1h25Directed by Jack Arnold
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Crime
Themes Films about education
Actors Mamie Van Doren, Russ Tamblyn, Jan Sterling, John Drew Barrymore, Jackie Coogan, Diane Jergens
Rating60%
Tony Baker, un adolescent rebelle au casier judiciaire chargé, arrive dans un lycée et y devient le chef d'une bande organisé. Racket, violence et menace à l'arme blanche sont au programme du jeune délinquant. Coleridge, un de ses camarades, revend de la marijuana à l'intérieur de l'établissement. Tony ne tarde pas à entrer en relation avec son fournisseur et se lance dans le trafic de drogue...
Mon ami Pierrot (2013)
Directed by Orso Miret
Genres Drama
Themes L'adolescence, Films about education, Films about children, Films about school violence
Actors Olivier Rabourdin, Yann Trégouët, Arly Jover, Nina Meurisse, Brice Fournier, Éric Soubelet
Rating62%
Pierrot est un adolescent de 13 ans, discret et renfermé, qui vit seul avec son père depuis le décès de sa mère, survenu dix ans plus tôt. Bien que perturbé par cette tragédie, le garçon ne garde aucun souvenir conscient de la défunte. Un jour, Pierrot est témoin d'une humiliation ordinaire infligée à son père sur la voie publique. Il reste profondément marqué par ce dramatique épisode, qui résonne douloureusement en lui et ne tarde pas à produire des réactions en chaîne. Cet événement, pourtant tristement banal, révèle dès lors la grande fragilité de Pierrot, qui bascule dangereusement dans la folie...
Soorya Gayathri (1992)
, 1h50Directed by P. Anil
Genres Drama, Musical
Themes Films about education, Musical films, Films about school violence
Actors Mohanlal, Urvashi, Parvathy, Nedumudi Venu, Sukumari, Sundarrajan
Rating64%
Married at 17 and widowed at 20, Dr. Balasubrahmaniam (Mohanlal) lives with his teenage son. Son does not want to follow his father into medicine and joins an engineering college. He is killed accidentally by some seniors during ragging. The upset father tries to get revenge on his son's killers.
Who, If Not Us (1998)
, 1h29Directed by Valery Priomykhov
Origin Russie
Genres Drama, Comedy-drama
Themes Films about education, Films about children, L'enfance marginalisée
Actors Artur Smolyaninov, Valery Priomykhov, Albert Filozov, Ekaterina Vassilieva, Tatiana Dogileva, Ivan Okhlobystine
Rating64%
Ce film raconte l'histoire de deux garçons qui veulent devenir millionnaires et essayent de braquer un magasin. Le plus âgé est envoyé en maison de correction alors que le second est placé dans une école spéciale pour enfants difficiles.
Blackbird (2012)
, 1h43Origin Canada
Genres Drama
Themes L'adolescence, Films about education, Films about children, L'enfance marginalisée, Films about school violence
Actors Connor Jessup, Alexia Fast, Bill Carr
Rating69%
Sean Randall (Connor Jessup), a goth teenager, is a friend of classmate Deanna (Alexia Fast), with whom he rides the bus every day. Her boyfriend plays in an ice hockey team and she is friends with the team's other members. Sean's father has a gun collection, and Sean sometimes joins him when he goes hunting. Sean films his father shooting a deer and show the footage to his schoolmates, which (when combined with his goth fashion sense) makes them think that he is creepy. The members of the hockey team bully Sean for being weird and for being friends with Deanna, which angers Sean.