I finally went to see Beasts of the Southern Wild, after several months of wanting to. It was an amazing movie. I completely understand why it’s nominated for four Academy Awards.
The movie tells the story of the Bathtub, a low-lying area of the bayou threatened by flooding and devastation. The main character is Hushpuppy, a six-year-old girl dealing with the impending threat to her community in addition to her father’s failing health, which basically sums up the ‘tangible’ plot of the film. But alongside that sequence is a magical world involving great beasts rushing across the planet to the bayou, dream-like sequences, and ancient folk lore.
I would argue that at it’s heart it was a father-daughter story, for which I am a sucker. Needless to say I cried A LOT, but that’s only because I have a lot of feelings. The movie was sweet and heartbreaking, funny and visually stunning. It was such a creative film that actually trusted the audience to watch and make it’s own opinions about what exactly was happening.
The acting was brilliant. I just found out that the actor who played the father (Dwight Henry) was just a guy working at the bakery across the street from the casting agency and went out for the role on a whim. He almost didn’t accept the role because he was so dedicated to his business, but the producers really, really wanted him, and for good reason. He was perfect for the part. The passion and intensity was beautiful to watch. Then, of course, there was that little girl Quvenzhané Wallis. She just blew me away. Hushpuppy was such a strong, vibrant character; utterly fearless. That little girl is going places and that’s the truth.
It’s a good movie, and I really, really enjoyed it. Go check it out if you’ve got the time.
alittlejstillz 