Friday, August 22, 2008

Akeelah and the Bee


If you haven't seen Akeelah and the Bee, you've missed a remarkable little gem of a movie. I'm not sure how it slipped under our radar when it was first released... we only discovered it on DVD quite recently. It's nice to find a movie that is not only enjoyed by the whole family, but has some substance that inspires and challenges us at a deeper level. The final spelling bee, where Akeelah and Dylan face each other... well - that is such a compelling scene that Garry and I both end up in tears - with the kids rolling their eyes at us.
One of the best quotes in the movie comes when Akeelah reads out the following quote from Marianne Williamson:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Tamara
Thanks for this. I will steer Emma to it next time she is here.

Love
Valda

me trying to look philosophical said...

yeah, apparently Laurence Fishburne had something to do with making it and it is obviously a story close to his heart - all performances are remarkable, and there's a 'sweetness' or 'goodness' about it, without it sidestepping the reality of sharp and deep pain that people carry and have to learn to live with and rise above.
5 stars from me

Anonymous said...

Hey! I sobbed to myself during one scene of the movie!

Anyway...I am really looking forward to going to Emma's B'day party!

Love,
Catherine

P.S Look at my blog!

Catherine said...

Hey mum,
I LOVE that movie! It is SO one of the best ever.

Catherine XXX