Apr. 20, 2004 - 12:57 pm
i had been working on trying to get ahold of this one for a week or two since it always seemed to be checked out from the library. when i read it on Jill's list of favorite movies and then read about what it was i had to see it. plus Keith and Jill were actually here to watch it with me so that made it that much funnier.
this is a comedic documentary about the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee that takes place every year. it follows 8 of the top spellers as they prepare themselves for the competition and then as they work their way through the competition itself. the filmmakers follow around with some of the let's say "more interesting" kids in the competition. luckily they even end up telling the story of the eventual winner of the bee.
i'm not sure what exactly to comment on about this one since it's a documentary. it has the usual format, almost exactly like a mockumentary by Christopher Guest. actually it reminded me a lot of his films i guess because one of the girls that we see in the film looks and acts a lot like Parker Posey, complete with braces.
we also laughed a lot at a certain little boy who was a complete hyperactive freak. he makes up these little songs and sings them for no reason and tells terrible jokes to the camera and then cracks up at them. at one point he starts talking like a nut and then says...(i'll try to mimic how he's changing the scale of notes in his voice by typing strangely)..."doeS THis sound LIKE a MUsicAL roBOT?" ok, i don't know if that made any sense, but i tried.
anyway, i think you should watch the movie if you get the chance and laugh hysterically at the freaks which we all love to do. i asked Jill if she had seen another documentary like this one called American Movie (1999). she said she hadn't, so i may have to go grab that one soon.