FREE FOR MEMBERS: Bee Movie

According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a film about a bee suing humanity for the exploitation of his kind should work. Faced with the scary prospect of life post graduation (same), Barry B. Benson decides to become a daring pollen collector, who ventures out into the world to collect the all-important pollen to keep the hive alive. Outside, he meets Vanessa, who shows him that in reality, life for bees isn't as sweet as he thought. The humans are selling their honey and do the bees get to see any of the profits? Of course not! Instead, their habitats are being destroyed. So, Barry does what any respectable bee would do in this situation – sue mankind. In the midst of the current climate crisis, perhaps its message is more pertinent than ever - Save the bees! (And maybe even dump your boyfriend for one). What better way to unwind before the looming pressure of academia hits?

Sophie Cooper

It’s something I think a lot of us will, or can, empathise with: You graduate from uni and then all of a sudden think, my God, what am I going to do with the rest of my life? Well, apparently this is a little different for members of the bee world, as Barry B. Benson, voiced by the comedic genius that is Jerry Seinfeld, shows. Indeed, for Barry the sad truth is that there is only one career path, and it’s coated head to toe in honey.

Out of all the prospects available to Bee college graduates, Barry picks what looks like the most exciting, and joins the flying squadron that collects pollen. On his journeys he encounters all sorts of situations, but then he buzzes into Vanessa (voiced by Zellweger), a beautiful florist who is the first human he comes across that does not try to kill him. And so, admittedly somewhat bizarrely, romance blossoms, and before you know it they are doing things that normal couples do, like grocery shopping. That’s when Barry discovers that humans have been stealing honey from his kind, and so begins the quest of suing man for exploiting the bee world.

This film is probably one of the funniest you’ll see this year, as it’s clearly been put together with so much fun and enjoyment. Seinfeld has involved so many familiar friendly faces/voices, including the super cool Chris Rock as Mooseblood the Mosquito, John Goodman, and even Sting (how apt is that!), adding so much richness to the unique plot and approach to the film. Don’t bee put off that there are more jokes playing on the word ‘bee’ than you can shake a stick at! Seinfeld’s individual style of humour shines through the script, making this another one of those fantastic animations that can target an older audience just as well as ticking all the right boxes for younger viewers.

There is a clear message throughout the film targeting man’s greedy and exploitative tendencies, but this is mixed fantastically with the comedy, and is guaranteed to have you buzzing your way out of L3 with laughter.

Laura Sparshot