Spellbound

Running time: N/A

Heroes come from unlikely places. You could look to political figures, except these days it's probably better not to. Professional athletes get arrested daily and squabble over million-dollar salaries. Maybe a titan of industry would do-if you can find one that's not on trial. These heroes come from Rolla, Missouri; the plains of the Texas Panhandle; upscale Connecticut suburbs; and even the mansions of Yorba Linda. From all over America, they come to take part in the National Spelling Bee, a mammoth contest that packs a ton of excitement in a high-stakes gamble in which there is only one winner. They mirror the American experience: many are children of first-generation immigrants. Some barely study to prepare, while others, like precocious racehorses, train for hours on end with hired coaches. Banns. "Lampyrid." "Psephology." The words keep coming, and the full onslaught of the English language makes gripping drama and a lot of comedy. With all the tension of Hoop Dreams and the drama of a baseball movie in the ninth inning, Jeff Blitz' entrancing Spellbound will make you C-H-E-E-R. - Brian Benston. Preceded by: Freak (Aristomenis Tsirbas, 6 min. United States) He's happy. He's different. He's in big trouble! A 3D animated world you won't forget.