A German-language production dubbed into English, filmmaker Alexs Stadermann's charming animated tale centers on Maya (voiced by Coco Jack Gillies), a newborn bee exhibiting great energy, curiosity, and humor—i.e., a real individual who sticks out like a sore thumb in a hive full of conformist workers. Maya quickly antagonizes the grownups around her, especially the queen bee's assistant, Buzzlina von Beena (Jacki Weaver), who banishes Maya from the hive, sending her to a beautiful but dangerous meadow. Here, Maya and her bee friend Willy (Kodi Smit-McPhee) along with jolly grasshopper Flip (Richard Roxburgh) experience a few adventures with dimwitted ants, a dung beetle, moths, a scarecrow, and a colony of hornets falsely accused by Buzzlina of stealing the queen bee's royal jelly. A vibrant and imaginative family film, this is recommended. (T. Keogh)
Maya the Bee Movie
Shout! Factory, 87 min., G, DVD: $14.98, Blu-ray/DVD Combo: $24.98, May 19 Volume 30, Issue 4
Maya the Bee Movie
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