Maya the Bee Movie (2014) Online

No violence whatsoever, an uplifting message (hatred comes from fear and fear comes from lack of understanding), an intelligent story, beautiful pictures and animation, humor adjusted to the level of small kids. I found not a single flaw in this movie. My 3 and a half year old daughter was delighted.

Of course, and this results from the above, adults should prepare themselves for an hour and a half nap. This is not "Shrek", people. But this is no reason to lower the rating of a movie that is clearly directed at preschoolers.

Some people complain that they did not find it as amusing as the original Maya series 30 years ago. Of course they didn't! They were 4 years old back then and now they are 30+. So how could they feel the same emotions?

My rating: 10/10

Maya is one of the most delightful and sparkling characters to come out of a kids film in a long time. In a way reminiscent of Miyazaki's youngest heroine's this little bee stands up to authority and keeps just asking questions.

The movie is spectacularly beautiful. There is a rich meadow world that comes alive. My two girls were spellbound for the whole film. The 4 year old can get scared easily in films (the poster of The Boxtrolls was enough to scare her) but she was happily cheering Maya on. The whole bug world comes alive in song and dance that is so charming - the girls were singing all afternoon.

There was enough humour for grownups too. There are a couple of ants (voiced by the Umbilical Bros) that really steal the show. Jackie Weaver as evil Buzzlina had just the right amount of scare and fun in her portrayal. The other voices, Richard Roxburgh and Noah Taylor, etc. did such a great job.

Take your kids, it's a great time at the movies.

I was lucky enough to attend the Australian premiere of Maya the Bee Movie and cannot express how much my kids (aged 7 and 4 years old) and I ADORED this movie.

It's a beautiful story about a feisty little bee called Maya who doesn't fit in with the other bees in the hive. Maya goes on a journey of self- discovery, meeting lots of insect friends along the way. The main message of the movie is the importance of BEE-ing yourself: something which is important for kids to see from a strong female character who is neither a princess or a wizard (thank goodness!).

My little ones were fully captivated for 80 minutes straight (shock horror) and talked about their favourite scenes and characters in the car on the way home. The filmmakers did a superb job making the film colourful and appealing with gorgeous CG animation, and the story is really something special that everyone can relate to.

I strongly urge all parents who have little ones to go see Maya the Bee Movie - the 'buzz' surrounding the film is well deserved!

I went and saw Maya the Bee movie the other day and I loved it.

It has a great storyline, characters, animation, message for kids and kept me entertained.

There's a perfect balance of action & events as Maya discovers her place in the world and how to make friends along the way. I loved the dung beetle, thought he was hilarious and cannot believe that was Jacki Weaver's voice as Buzzlina. She was unrecognisable! I was also happy to see the Umbilical Brothers in their element as a duo bouncing off one-another.

I was brought into Maya's world with the great animation and the message "Bee yourself" isn't lost on me as an adult either.

Two thumbs up, Maya!

I loved this film. The story was great, the characters were lovable and I thought the message of the film (be yourself and just because someone is different from you doesn't mean you can't be friends) was a great one for little kids. It never resorted to being too corny either which I appreciated. The voice actors did a great job and the whole cinema was laughing out loud in parts (the ant soldiers played by the umbilical brothers were particularly great). I even got a little teary near the end! A movie that is enjoyable for both kids and parents a like.

I think the crew and the director did a fantastic job and I would recommend this to anyone with little ones in their life. Maya the bee is this year's Finding Nemo!

My kids LOVED IT! By kids I mean my Niece and Nephew. They've been recently introduced to Maya the Bee through the TV show, and we were lucky enough to score some tickets to the premiere in Sydney and it was a brilliant day for us. My Niece is 5 and wanted me to find the song on YouTube which we did and she was singing it all the way home in the car - very catchy! This movie is 80 minutes long (I think) and they sat through it with great excitement and really connected to the characters.They loved the ants - won't go into any spoilers but it was a really funny movie and I could hear some cackle from all the grown ups. They went up to the front to dance to the song, although it was too short! The sad moments were quite sad, but needed to form an engaging story. I have German friends who tell me she is their Mickey Mouse and I think she's definitely a character they're growing attached to! So proud this was made in Australia - bring on the Aussie talent!

'Maya the Bee' Movie is a lovely and very sweet film for children (and children at heart) of all ages.

We are introduced to the uber colourful world of a sweet little bee called Maya. She is trying to find her way in the world, asking anyone and everyone she meets questions such as, "who am I?" and "where do I fit in?"; much the same questions as I'd imagine my 2 y.o. daughter will start asking sooner than I'd like!

Inquisitive little Maya just can't seem to stay out of trouble! Along the way, she meets all sorts of creatures in the meadow outside the hive, including Flip (voiced by the very handsome Aussie actor, Richard Roxburgh; check out the TV show 'Rake' all you mums out there ;) ), as well as an assortment of other cute, vibrant, and hilarious creatures and insects (loved the crazy-eyed ant soldiers, and the dung beetle- so funny).

I just loved this film. It's a really sweet, innocent, feel-good story, and what a treat to watch; the animation is just second to none- it really blew me away! You find yourself really immersed in the whole world that's been so deftly created and in Maya's quest to 'find herself'.

I highly recommend this film to any parents out there struggling to find movies for their kids to watch that are more than just the same-old wham-bam violent rubbish that I keep seeing around nowadays.

Go, Maya!!

A remarkably well paced beautifully animated whimsical feature with superb story progression and impeccable comedy timing, perfect for youngsters and adults alike.

I've caught snippets of the Maya TV show when my children were watching and thought it was rather sweet, but never paid much attention. Then along comes the movie. My perception of TV shows turned into feature length film's are less than stellar, often feeling like a padded out and an overly long TV episode. Maya the Bee movie firmly avoids this pitfall and feels like a stand alone tale anyone can enjoy. I frequently found myself mesmerized as though I was watching a top of their game Disney production, and I'm a 37 year old action movie loving dad!

Story: I won't dwell on it here, the IMDb covers it amply. Other than to say, though many of the topics have been covered before, it is refreshingly arranged and never feels rehashed or tiresome. There are also plenty of novel ideas making Maya a somewhat original tale.

Humour: The comedy in Maya is very slapstick and hilarious. I heard many younger and older kids in the theatre laughing over and over again (like myself) at many of the characters antics.

Violence: As another reviewer has stated there is absolutely no violence but there is threatened violence and a few mildly spooky scenes. But nothing feels out of place and any scariness is quickly exposed for what it is, misperception. The threatened violence equates to nothing more than a raised stern voice and dissatisfaction with another bug over a conflicting view or their prejudices.

Characterisation: The strong willed beautiful natured Maya. Her latently brave best friend Wily. Flip the Singing, wise, stand up comedian, Jiminy cricket channeling grass hopper. The portly fair Queen Bee. The dastardly treacherous Buzzlina Von Beena. And a slew of support cast some with prominent reoccurring roles.

Do yourself a favour, round up the kids and see this in the theatre. In a world full of violence it's great to see a movie being made which is able to tell a riveting tale of adventure, exploration,friendship, empathy, bullying, righteousness, misguided prejudice and tolerance. And still manages be absolutely riveting. It's utterly refreshing.

Was genuinely pleasantly surprised by this film. "Maya the Bee" is a heartwarming story about a young (bee) girl trying to discover who she is and where she fits in. Obviously the lesson for kids is to be true to yourself and not conform to society, or peer pressure.

Maya manages to not be heavy handed in its delivery of this message, and does a great job of delivering on laughs.

The characters are vibrant and entertaining - the crazy soldier ants stole the show for my kids, and I think for many others around us.

Lots of fun, and definitely recommended to any parents, who will enjoy it as well!

Wow what an amazing little movie! So glad my kids got to watch this, it's exactly what you hope it's going to be - it has singing, dancing and a lovely story about friendship and finding yourself. It's really nicely made in 3D with good voice acting. I can't believe this movie is Aussie? Very proud! The story is centred around a little Bee girl called Maya - who my friends tell me is a very popular character in Europe and is showing here on telly. She is really sweet and outgoing and wants to be friends with everyone and assumes the best of everyone. I won't spoil this for you but it's got good humour and some more modern jokes. The little ones followed it enough to figure out what was going on and stayed focused for a change! Definitely recommend this to all parents looking for something safe & fun - and I also got a few laughs myself.

It's hard for an small animation studio to compete with the likes of Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, Universal and Warner Bros. You can either give your best shot at CG or go back to basics and try to impress with 2D or stop-motion. Director Alexs Stadermann, Studio 100 Animation and Buzz Studios chose the former. Based on a 78-episode TV series they released in 2012, the film's budget is spread between countless characters and locations rather than cinematic detail to make it burst on the big screen. This is cookie cutter stuff. At least it's not bad choice for material, 100 year-old German literature figure Maya the Bee is well known and highly regarded – admittedly not to me until recently – but put to film it invites endless comparisons to the other CG bug movies such as A Bug's Life, Bee Movie, Antz and so on. This is familiar territory, and it's dead territory by now. Though in hindsight, these films were most likely inspired by the original Maya the Bee.

So, we have a precocious little bee called Maya exploring her hive and the outside world for the first time with inquisitive gleeful wonder. Unfortunately, this hive is a totalitarian society of militaristic conformism. Of course, Maya is the antithesis of them and the chosen one to ultimately change the attitudes of everyone simultaneously. Meanwhile, The Queen's adviser is trying to take over the throne by starving the Queen while sparking a turf war between a generations long conflict with bees and hornets. Also Maya befriends another bee eager to make friends and overcome his nerves, and they stumble upon a young hornet who has yet to learn his prejudices through propaganda. Then there are parties in the forest with other insects where they sing a random song about belonging lead by Maya the Bee's own Jiminy Cricket because why not at this point?

It's bloated with subplots and relentless introductions of new characters. It's not difficult to follow, and to writer's credit that despite the very liberal contrivances in the progressions, the story, themes and characters arcs flow fine if simply. The film is just an overload of clichés at a relentless pace. Every peril seems to last 15 seconds before it's overcome and we jump to the next plot line. It covers every cliché in the book without an original thought or personality of its own. All the comedy comes from dopey characters being dopey – or abysmal puns. While the stories do mesh together eventually, none of them have any impact or involvement. They could have benefited with some trimming and focusing. Perhaps The Fox and the Hound-esque one where the young Hornet and Maya learn hate is only taught would have been the most interesting and thoughtful to follow.

At least it is a film – outside of that musical number – that takes itself seriously. But maybe that's too seriously for its target market. Unfortunately, there's no atmosphere in the animation. Yes, bug worlds give a good space for simple shapes and movements to animate. Photorealistic textures aren't 100% essential, A Bug's Life didn't try for it outside of landscapes, but Maya the Bee is so sterile. It's the quality of a video game cut scene – from 10 years ago. Characters talk like they're chewing on tough steak. The voice acting from notable stars such as Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jacki Weaver and Noah Taylor are serviceable and they're definitely just names just to draw attention to the project. You wouldn't know it was them if you hadn't read the credits on the box. Kids will enjoy it and it'll keep their attention for all of its 80 minutes, if not be anything memorable. The brisk pace will make it an easy tune-out viewing for parents inflicted by the film, but most likely Maya the Bee will play better put back on television."

5/10

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Maya the Bee is an excellent role model for little girls and boys because she teaches everyone the importance of tolerance and the fact that it's OK to be different! What a great representation of the kind of soul we all wish to be.

The Australian voices were very well played; it was really nice to hear an Australian accent for the main character. Plus Richard Roxburgh was super charming as the cockney grasshopper Flip. Jacquie Weaver clearly had a lot of fun playing the villain.

Kids will get a kick out of this film and their parents and grandparents will love it too!

I thought this movie was absolutely adorable!

The main character Maya was such a delightful protagonist with so much heart I couldn't help myself falling in love with her! Maya's voice actress Coco and all the voice actors did such an amazing job giving so much life to the characters!

I think both adults and children can enjoy this film for all the witty dialogue and humour. I loved all the scenes with the ant duo and the scenes with the moth babies make me both laugh and cringe!

I think this movie's message came across very strongly and effectively, friendship that can be born out of accepting others for their differences and being yourself.

The animation, back ground and compositing were all beautiful too and I would recommend this film to everybody!

went to the cinema on Melbourne Cup day with my partner and our little girl. We couldn't wait for her to see her first film, especially after seeing Margaret (from David & Margaret) giving it 4 STARs, so dressed bub as a bumble bee we bought tix to Maya the Bee and were entertained 100% from beginning to end! It was a beautiful film, that ALL the viewers there, children AND parents were thrilled by the movie. Lovely story, and great message... but most importantly, the animation was stunningly appealing. So glad an Aussie animation didn't disappoint one bit... it's only a shame that it hasn't been given a good shot at the cinemas. I recommended it to my playgroup, but the cinemas weren't showing it on the days we could all go. WILL BE BUYING THE DVD!!

MAYA THE BEE MOVIE is EXCELLENT!!!

Honestly, I had absolutely NO idea what to expect when coming into this movie. I had never seen the original anime series nor the revamp so I didn't know what it was about or what to expect. The only reason I saw it is because it was on Netflix and I was bored.

What I received was actually a really cute, well thought out, adorable film.

It's nice to see a movie that teaches the lesson that all you need is a positive outlook and you can do anything as well as there being no need for any sort of violence or death of the villain. (i am actually getting very sick of killing off villains as I have come to accept that as taking the lazy way out)

Can the protagonist get a tad annoying with her rhetoric? Yeah, a little, but she later realizes what has been going on in her absence and she actually does have some character growth.

I feel overall that this movie is incredibly underrated and needs more attention than it got. I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would and it's a film that people really need to see if they need a pick me up. Great job guys. 9/10.

I have to say I am a bit disappointed with the outcome of this new Bee Maya movie. As long as the character exists and children love her, she would have deserved a film that could also appeal to grown-ups today who appreciated the little bee when they were kids. However, this is a movie for small kids only I'd say who suck up the action and animation without asking too many questions. I watched the German version, so I cannot really comment on the English-language voice actors, but I was fairly unimpressed with the German voice actors. This looked a bit like a Hagen family project including Eva Maria (as the queen), her daughter rock singer Nina (as the villain, good villain voice, but always the same) and Nina's daughter Cosma Shiva. The only one I liked was rap musician Jan Delay whose voice seemed very fitting for Willi.

Director Alexs Stadermann has mostly worked on animated TV series and sequels to famous Disney movies (Jungle Book, Lion King, Cinderella, Tarzan). His work here unfortunately reflects his body of work. There is nothing really new or impactful about this film. Pure mediocrity and I cannot recommend it. I hope it will not be too long till the next Bee Maya film and this one will be better. Finally, I am not sure if the title was intended as a B-movie wordplay, but if it was, it has been done before and it was not particularly funny there, so stop with these please.

Maia the Bee is one of those characters that the overwhelming majority of people do not remember anymore. In my earliest childhood I still remember her but, for the new generations, drenched in Japanese cartoons with weird eyes like "Dragonball", "Pokemon" and others, it's like talking about Stone Age things.

I will not talk about the script. It's so simple that I'm afraid to end up revealing too much. What I can say is that the story is good, has its pretty side and will please the little ones a lot. I was afraid that it would be a movie so much for the younger that it would displease me, that I am no longer a child... but my fear proved to be unfounded. I liked the movie. It's full of clichés about finding your own place in the world, but that does not stop us from enjoying the movie for what it is: a children's movie.

Problems? The first is the danger of comparisons. It's a relatively low budget film, so it will always lose out compared to similar movies (and we can list many if we think about it) already made by US multi-million dollar studios. The CGI is much more humble, with no desire to appear real and the visuals can really displease those who value the graphic and visual part of the animation; everything is simpler, but it works quite well and, as I value the good quality of the script more than the technical issues, I accepted well the poor CGI used. Another problem with this film is its excessively fast pace. You do not have time to be afraid for that little bee, that is suddenly exposed to the dangers of the world outside the hive... everything happens very quickly and before you realize that she's in danger already she was able to overcome it.

Despite the weaknesses, such as the visual and the speed at which everything happens, this is a kid-friendly movie that is easy to swallow for adults.

Ok so not from the uk but this movie was still outstanding very clever very humorous. the characters are relatable so no wonder its so popular. even thought this is kind of similar to the bee movie its still very different in a original way.

Queen's assistant is not nice, threatens life of queen. Hornets are nasty characters. All the workers should be female, the guards are male. Talking is too fast, visuals too fast. Don't recommend at all, but avoid completely for anyone under 7.

Check out Room on the Broom, Stickman, The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo's Child, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Sarah and Duck, for young children.

I saw this movie with my niece and nephew (2 and 4) and we all loved it! Great strong characters featured throughout although Arnie and Barnie were certainly my favourites getting a laugh out of most of the adults in the theatre. The pink dancing butterflies were a hit with my niece, who is always partial to some singing and dancing in a movie. It was wonderful to see an adventurous, courageous female protagonist with Maya, a great role model for little girls and a strong message for all kids. It was wonderful to hear all the Aussie accents of many well known Australian stars, they really made a solid contribution to the characters. Id recommend this movie for children anywhere from 2-5 yrs and their respective doting aunts :)

According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly.

Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground.

The bee, of course, flies anyway because bees don't care what humans think is impossible.

Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black.

Ooh, black and yellow! Let's shake it up a little.

Barry! Breakfast is ready! Ooming! Hang on a second.

Hello? - Barry? - Adam? - Oan you believe this is happening? - I can't. I'll pick you up.

Looking sharp.

Use the stairs. Your father paid good money for those.

Sorry. I'm excited.

Here's the graduate. We're very proud of you, son.

A perfect report card, all B's.

Very proud.

Ma! I got a thing going here.

• You got lint on your fuzz. - Ow! That's me! - Wave to us! We'll be in row 118,000. - Bye! Barry, I told you, stop flying in the house! - Hey, Adam. - Hey, Barry.

• Is that fuzz gel? - A little. Special day, graduation.

Never thought I'd make it.

Three days grade school, three days high school.

Those were awkward.

Three days college. I'm glad I took a day and hitchhiked around the hive.

You did come back different.

• Hi, Barry. - Artie, growing a mustache? Looks good.

• Hear about Frankie? - Yeah.

• You going to the funeral? - No, I'm not going.

Everybody knows, sting someone, you die.

Don't waste it on a squirrel. Such a hothead.

I guess he could have just gotten out of the way.

I love this incorporating an amusement park into our day.

That's why we don't need vacations.

Boy, quite a bit of pomp... under the circumstances.

• Well, Adam, today we are men. - We are! - Bee-men. - Amen! Hallelujah! Students, faculty, distinguished bees, please welcome Dean Buzzwell.

Welcome, New Hive Oity graduating class of...

...9:15.

That concludes our ceremonies.

And begins your career at Honex Industries! Will we pick our job today? I heard it's just orientation.

Heads up! Here we go.

Keep your hands and antennas inside the tram at all times.

• Wonder what it'll be like? - A little scary.

Welcome to Honex, a division of Honesco and a part of the Hexagon Group.

This is it! Wow.

Wow.

We know that you, as a bee, have worked your whole life to get to the point where you can work for your whole life.

Honey begins when our valiant Pollen Jocks bring the nectar to the hive.

Our top-secret formula is automatically color-corrected, scent- adjusted and bubble- contoured into this soothing sweet syrup with its distinctive golden glow you know as...

Honey! - That girl was hot. - She's my cousin! - She is? - Yes, we're all cousins.

• Right. You're right. - At Honex, we constantly strive to improve every aspect of bee existence.

These bees are stress-testing a new helmet technology.

• What do you think he makes? - Not enough.

Here we have our latest advancement, the Krelman.

• What does that do? - Oatches that little strand of honey that hangs after you pour it. Saves us millions.

Oan anyone work on the Krelman? Of course. Most bee jobs are small ones. But bees know that every small job, if it's done well, means a lot.

But choose carefully because you'll stay in the job you pick for the rest of your life.

The same job the rest of your life? I didn't know that.

What's the difference? You'll be happy to know that bees, as a species, haven't had one day off in 27 million years.

So you'll just work us to death? We'll sure try.

Wow! That blew my mind! "What's the difference?" How can you say that? One job forever? That's an insane choice to have to make.

I'm relieved. Now we only have to make one decision in life.

But, Adam, how could they never have told us that? Why would you question anything? We're bees.

We're the most perfectly functioning society on Earth.

You ever think maybe things work a little too well here? Like what? Give me one example.

I don't know. But you know what I'm talking about.

Please clear the gate. Royal Nectar Force on approach.

Wait a second. Oheck it out.

• Hey, those are Pollen Jocks! - Wow.

is so hard! Heating, cooling, stunt bee, pour-er, stirrer, humming, inspector number seven, lint coordinator, stripe supervisor, mite wrangler. Barry, what do you think I should... Barry? Barry! All right, we've got the sunflower patch in quadrant nine...

What happened to you? Where are you? - I'm going out. - Out? Out where? - Out there. - Oh, no! I have to, before I go to work for the rest of my life.

You're gonna die! You're crazy! Hello? Another call coming in.

If anyone's feeling brave, there's a Korean deli on 83rd that gets their roses today.

Hey, guys.

• Look at that. - Isn't that the kid we saw yesterday? Hold it, son, flight deck's restricted.

If you enjoy comedy mixed with great animation, then you will love Maya the Bee Movie. Maya is unlike other young bees her age. Instead of following orders, Maya has a mind of her own. For example, instead of staying within the safety of the beehive, Maya decides to go off on her own to visit the surrounding meadow wish she became friends with Flip the grasshopper. At some point, Maya's curiosity led to her finding out that the Royal Adviser to the Queen Bee had stolen the Royal jelly saved especially for the Queen Bee which leads to the Royal Adviser's kicking Maya out of the beehive. At this point, Maya has to survive on her own in the meadow and is soon joined by her close friend Willy who fears for her safety and cannot let Maya be by herself in the mysterious meadow. Together, the two bees become friendly with a variety of other insects and other creatures. Eventually, Maya and Willie learn that the Royal Adviser has stolen the Queen's royal jelly because she was seeking to make war with the hornets. By the end of the movie, Maya, Willy, and their other young hornet friend Buzzy stop the Royal Adviser's evil plans and, after recapturing the royal jelly, bring it back to the Queen who then makes a complete recovery. For her efforts, Maya is appointed as the Hive Ambassador by the Queen Bee and she and Willy are made responsible for observing the meadow and reporting new friends that arrive.

My favorite character in the movie is Maya (Coco Jack Gillies). Maya is easy to relate to for me because she is very much a free spirit, unable to sit still, who always wants to be in on the action. I also enjoyed hearing from Flip the grasshopper. Flip is always able to provide Maya with excellent advice such as telling her to always "bee positive." The scenery is also colorful and beautiful and will be enjoyed by everyone.

My favorite part of the movie is when Maya and Willy are together out in the meadow attending the Jitterbug Hollow Musical Festival. There, they hear different insects playing a large number of musical instruments while Flip the grasshopper sings "It Don't Matter What They Say, Be Yourself Every Day."

This film has many positive messages that apply to younger audiences. For me, the most powerful message of the movie s that a person should be himself and does not need to follow in the footsteps of others. The movie also show the strong bonds of loyalty between Maya and Willy who have to work together in order to stop the Royal Advisers' plans. I also enjoyed the lesson that young people can make a huge difference in this world. In the movie, many grown-up bees and grown-up hornets are prepared to fight to see who would gain control of the meadow. In the end, it is too young bees and one young hornet who save everybody from being destroyed. I give Maya the Bee Movie 5 out of 5 stars. It is a great family movie. I recommend it for ages 4 to 9. I'm 9 and I enjoyed watching this movie and very much appreciated its excellent messages and wonderful music. Maya the Bee Move opens in theaters May 1 and is available on DVD on May 18. It is well worth the cost of buying it for a fun- filled night of family entertainment.

Reviewed by Adam C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more reviews by youth, go to kidsfirst dot org.