Or rent. Or buy the soundtrack. Or watch illegally online. Whatever your preferred method, get your hands on this film in some way!
'Beasts of the Southern Wild' has been hailed as one of the year's best films, 'miraculous', 'strikingly beautiful and haunting', and 'startlingly original.' It's quite a bit different (and better!) than your typical post-apocalyptic film; it also, with its simplicity and scope, puts most Hollywood-produced films to shame.
The story begins with a little girl, Hushpuppy, living with her half-drunk and dying father in an abandoned, water-soaked dump called the Bathtub. This takes place in the tangible future, when sea levels have risen and water covers most of the southern United States. The few inhabitants of the Bathtub survive off scraps but live intimately with the land, refusing to leave it though they are constantly in danger of waking up one day and finding themselves underwater. As the ice caps continue to melt, ancient frozen monsters called 'aurochs' are waking up and moving towards the Bathtub. Little Hushpuppy tries desperately to make the world right as her father's health worsens and the universe falls apart around her. (Watch the trailer here.)
This film is proof that low-budget independent films can be far better than those churned out of the Hollywood machine. The 6-year old star, Quvenzhane Wallis, has been called a 'force of nature' and 100% carries the film. This young actress, in her first ever acting job, is absolutely superior to the majority of Hollywood actors out there. Her raw talent and reflective narration, through the wisdom of a child, will touch your mind and soul. Dwight Henry, who plays Wallis' father, is also a first-time actor (he's actually a New Orleans cafe owner) and is outstanding. This is director Benh Zeitlin's first feature film. And yet, with all these firsts, 'Beasts' is hands-down one of the best and most moving films I've ever seen. There are so many ways that it breaks apart and pieces back together your heart, but the most striking for me was the film's transformation of humanity's relationship with nature into the simplified and breathtaking interaction of little Hushpuppy and the aurochs. It is stunning, humbling, and inspiring. Despite all the forces that toss our little, fragile human bodies around in this great, powerful world, we are still so strong and unique and irreplaceable. In the words of Hushpuppy, 'I see that I'm a little piece of a big, big universe and that makes things right.'
As you can probably tell, I could go on forever... but I have just a couple more points. This film is (in my interpretation) one of the best and most moving allegories for global climate change that I've ever seen. That's my opinion, and you can interpret the movie as you see fit. But I saw a humbling and inspiring metaphor for human causes of environmental disaster, the need for people to realize that they are a part of the environment too, and the promise of harmony between man and nature. Last point: as I mentioned above, the soundtrack is worth your investment too. One of the best ever. Listen to 'Once There Was a Hushpuppy' and you'll be heartbroken or inspired (or both) before you even see the film.
'Beasts' is going to be available on DVD and Blu-Ray tomorrow, December 4, on iTunes, Walmart, Barnes & Noble, and the like. MUST SEE!!!
