Beasts of the Southern Wild

Amid a summer full of big budget movies, it's nice to balance it all out with an independent film or two. (I try to do the opposite when it's Oscar season.)

For me, I saw Benh Zeitlin's Beasts of the Southern Wild. It's a bit of a bold film. Its actors are unknowns, it revolves around an event which mirrors that of one that happened not so long ago, and it's told from a child's perspective. Oh, and this is Zeitlin's debut as a director. And yet, everything just falls into place splendidly.

Most independent films have a certain charm to them whether it be from the actors or the story. With Beasts of the Southern Wild, it's both. The way both the characters and the story are played out is just wonderful. I wonder what Zeitlin's influences were for this.

Now onto the actors. Dwight Henry leaves a lasting impression when he's on screen, but it's Quvenzhane Wallis' performance that's indelible. The fact this is a great performance from a child is astonishing. Can you imagine what would happen if she got nominated for an Oscar?

Beasts of the Southern Wild is a fantastic film. The cinematography from Ben Richardson is just stunning, another aspect of this film that should get some awards love. Seriously, go out and see this while it's still in theaters. Seeing it on the big screen adds to its allure.

My Rating: *****