Beasts of the Southern Wild (Jo*****)

What a marvelous little film this turned out to be. Released smack - dab in the middle of the year, here is another shining example of the power of cinema and the creativity of films. Despite the numerous rereleases, sequels, and remakes Hollywood is pumping out, Beasts of the Southern Wild is a nearly flawless example of all that is right with cinema today. No recognizable actors, filmmakers, or plot devices, yet here is a movie that is truly a work of art.

Set in an almost apocalyptic New Orleans, a small group of people live in the 'Bathtub,' a makeshift town barricaded from civilization by levees. Here, a community is developed, and we meet Wink and his daughter Hushpuppy. We are not watching this film to follow a story, rather to drink up a setting so vividly captured through film that it virtually tangible. The Bathtub is just a collection of broken down shacks and tents, but to Hushpuppy, her entire world is filled by it. She is not your typical child for a film, with her head full of daydreams of a better world. She is fierce, determined, and molded by her oftentimes brute father. He may not be nurturing in the way we expect of a single parent, but through him, she learns all that is necessary to survive.

The story is difficult to explain, so perhaps it's best to watch it, instead. I can talk about the marvels of the film itself, though- so beautifully filmed and scored, this is a movie with so many rivets and intricacies they could definitely go overlooked. The smallest details of a father teaching his daughter how to fish with her hand, to the preparations Bathtub goes through to prepare for a storm, or Hushpuppy attempting to document her life through cardboard drawings...

And then to the cast, itself. All newcomers to film, the two leads are simply unparalleled in their acting abilities. Dwight Henry as Wink brings such a strong presence to the screen, that even in scenes he is absent from he is never far from the forefront of the story. And Quvenzhane Wallis, the 5 year-old Hushpuppy. Simply put, this girl is a force of nature. Easily one of the strongest child performances I have ever seen and one of the most honest portrayals I have seen all year. Can the Academy bring themselves to nominate a Kindergartner for Leading Actress? It would be a momentous occasion, but how fulfilling a nomination it would be.

I can't fully describe my feelings about Beasts of the Southern Wild. Perhaps there were minor aspects that threw me off or perhaps dwindled too long. All I know is that here is a movie so complete in its concept and so full of passion, that any flaws simply disappear by the time the credits begin to role.

(Awards potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Wallis), Best Supporting Actor (Henry), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score)