North Texas Daily

Preston Barta

Staff Writer

@Barta_NTDaily

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012), 93 minutes
Rated PG-13
Written by Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin

Directed by Benh Zeitlin
Starring: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry and Levy Easterly

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis

Told through the eyes of a 6-year-old, Hushpuppy (Wallis) and her father, Wink (Henry), live on an island off southern Louisiana, locally known as “The Bathtub,” that is not protected by New Orleans’s levee system. After a deadly storm and her father’s mysterious illness, an army of prehistoric creatures are unleashed. Defenseless and alone, Hushpuppy goes in search of her lost mother.

Short review
“Beasts of the Southern Wild,” one of the nine Oscar-nominated films up for Best Picture this year, sends audiences on an enchanting, thought-provoking ride. This small but engrossing film features a phenomenal child actor, Wallis, who has a bright future ahead of her now that she’s been nominated for Best Leading Actress.

One must also mention director Zietlin, who also scored himself a nomination. This first-time filmmaker has a great sense of love and expression. The regular filmgoing audience should keep a close eye on him. Like writer-director Lee Daniels (“Precious”, 2008), you may see more films from him to celebrate and cherish.

While I personally wouldn’t have placed the film in the Best Picture category – there were far more deserving films – it’s very seldom to have ambitious, original films like this, that transport you to another world in such a refreshing way. It gives audiences hope for more promising films out of Hollywood in the future.

Like “Where the Wild Things Are” (2009), but with a much lower budget (1.3 million dollars), is a film full of imagination, to sweep viewers away with a vibrant sense of life. The innocent and bewildered mind of Hushpuppy reflects the disorganized story, and in doing so, deepens your fascination and leaves you to swim along with wonder.

Blending together unforgettable performances, a clever script and astounding music, “Beasts of the Southern Wild” is pure poetry and a stroke of genuine magic.

“Beasts of the Southern Wild” is also available on Blu-ray and DVD today.