Tell us what you thought of 'Beasts of the Southern Wild'
The film continues its expansion this week
Quvenzhané Wallis (left) and Dwight Henry in "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
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It's been a while since I caught Benh Zeitlin's "Beasts of the Southern Wild" at Sundance. I've been aching to give it another look ever since and it's been in limited release the past week, so soon enough, I'll do just that. Today, though, it's expanding a bit farther so more of you will be able to get a look for yourself. The film has won awards at Sundance, Cannes and the LA Film Fest and continues to appear formidable this year. We spoke to Zeitlin about it recently (with another chat with cinematographer Ben Richardson still to come) and also talked up young star Quvenzhané Wallis's awards prospects. If and when you get around to seeing the film, come on back here and let us know what you thought. You can also rate it in the tool above.
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2012-2013 OSCAR PREDICTIONS
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Film Editing
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
Best Original Score
Best Original Song
Best Production Design
Best Sound Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Visual Effects
Best Animated Feature Film
Best Documentary Feature
Best Foreign Language Film
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Comments
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupMatthew Starr
July 6, 2012 at 6:24PM EST Reply to CommentMy favorite so far this year and especially refreshing as a summer release.
HoustonRufus
July 6, 2012 at 8:12PM EST Reply to CommentSill hasn't opened here. Grrrrr . . . .
Mykill yeah, my art house theater said they won't be getting it until August >:^(
July 6, 2012 at 8:44PM ESTHoustonRufus August? Good grief.
July 6, 2012 at 9:23PM ESTNicolas Mancuso It opens next week in Toronto. I can't wait!
July 6, 2012 at 10:41PM ESTBill_the_Bear It only comes to Montréal next Friday.
July 8, 2012 at 3:51PM ESTI hate these staggered releases; for example, we won't get "To Rome With Love" until July 20th. (Of course, sometimes it works in our favour. We've already seen "Cosmopolis," and "The Deep Blue Sea" was here months ago....)
Nicolas Mancuso Bill, you're from Montreal? I lived there my whole life until two years ago... Nice to see you here! :)
July 8, 2012 at 5:39PM ESTjosephrileyland
July 6, 2012 at 10:51PM EST Reply to CommentI was mesmerized... if anyone cares, here's my review... http://kitchensofa.wordpress.com/2012/07/04/beasts-of-the-southern-wild-an-exquisite-journey/
Kevin
July 6, 2012 at 11:06PM EST Reply to CommentUs Aussies get a look at the film in September :(
Chris September!
July 8, 2012 at 9:59PM ESTI understand that sad smiley but you ended your comic with (wouldnt it be great if we could watch it today!?), but up until your comment I was expecting a January/February release.
mynameisntreallychris that you ended your comment with*
July 8, 2012 at 10:01PM ESTWow I messed that up pretty bad.
Kevin @Chris - are you an Aussie too? We always get all the 'Oscar play' films after everyone else...
July 9, 2012 at 1:57AM ESTSquasher88
July 7, 2012 at 12:00AM EST Reply to CommentHere in Jamaica, we will get this film.....umm, never. Really makes me sad. Almost wanna fly somewhere just to see it.
Kristopher Tapley You're in Jamaica. So you already win.
July 7, 2012 at 3:29AM ESTSquasher88 Hahaha, not if you're a cinephile. The most avant-garde film we've had in the past year is "The Descendants".
July 7, 2012 at 11:00AM ESTAris Same here. I live in Venezuela. Movies like this one don't show up around here and if they do it would be like two or three years later.
July 8, 2012 at 11:52AM ESTalex_leonardis
July 7, 2012 at 1:02AM EST Reply to CommentAbsolutely beautiful storytelling. It's not perfect I admit that. But Wallis's performance is staggering. She carries the movie along with Dwight Henry as her father who is also a delight both on screen and off. (Met him at my screening. The guy is a freaking baker with no prior acting experience!) The direction is gorgeously dirty if there was such a thing. Not the best I've seen all year but definitely something that will stick with me. Such an emotional powerhouse.
Evan
July 7, 2012 at 1:27PM EST Reply to CommentLoved it. It reminded me of a more down-to-earth version of The Tree of Life. Favorite of the year so far and will definitely figure in my Top 10.
JLPatt
July 7, 2012 at 6:22PM EST Reply to CommentI was honestly off-and-on with it for most of its run, until the transcendent last 15 minutes or so. The shaky-cam was way too much, often to the point of distraction. The middle section sags and the action grows a little repetitive.
But they had me with the end. I couldn't really tell where the movie was going, and when the mystical/fairytale elements were finally brought together I felt they got it exactly right. The magical realism of the film is what makes it work best, so the stuff with the boat ride and the aurochs drew me in the most.
JLPatt
July 7, 2012 at 6:27PM EST Reply to CommentUh, my post was evidently destroyed. So I'll just have to sum it up:
- Shaky-cam was distracting
- Middle section is a bit repetitious and saggy
- Mystical/magical realism aspects of film work best, so the last 15 minutes in particular, where all the elements are brought together, was transcendent
- And I'll add that Wallis was great, but I expected a bit more. I've seen far better child performances.
JLPatt Wow, don't know what happened. Sorry about that.
July 7, 2012 at 6:42PM ESTJust ONE more thing: how are you not predicting the film for a Best Original Score nomination? It's spectacular, and surely has more of a chance than "Moonrise Kingdom," which is made up of far too much preexisting material to qualify.
Beau
July 7, 2012 at 9:47PM EST Reply to CommentSolid B. fantastic score, excellent perf by Wallis. Fantastical elements didn't blend as well as I would have liked. Dragged a bit throughout. My senses betrayed me in the last five minutes. Hard to deny its impact.
Danny
July 7, 2012 at 11:52PM EST Reply to CommentLoved it. Can easily see it getting all the nominations you suggest (would be deserving) and would add score (which I've downloaded) and wouldn't be surprised if sup. actor and director make it through too. Yes, it's early still and conventional wisdom might teach us to be more cautious, but I have a hunch this film will continue to win people over and become the magical little film that could. It's kinda irresistible, as a film and the story around the film.
AdamA
July 8, 2012 at 5:24AM EST Reply to CommentWould also watch out for Art Direction. In a year with gimmes like Anna Karenina and Gatsby and probably Les Mis, any film with a contemporary setting is gonna have a hard time getting in. But voters occasionally get behind low-budget projects that really nail things like set or effects.
JMC
July 8, 2012 at 10:28AM EST Reply to CommentNo thread on "Savages?" I thought it was great and agree with the section of critics who say it was one of the best of the summer. Very surprised.
JJ1 agree. Can we please have a Tell U What You Thought of 'Savages'? Thanks
July 8, 2012 at 7:34PM ESTJohn-Paul
July 8, 2012 at 4:57PM EST Reply to CommentI think Quvenzhane Wallis has gotten too much publicity and acclaim to not get nominated, honestly. However, due to its early release date and the fact that the film has its detractors, I think its prospects for Picture and Director will depend on how much competition there ends up being. In other words, if a lot of the supposed contenders end up disappointing, then I think it'll have a good shot at nominations in the big 2 categories.
Also, on an unrelated note, I don't think this has been made official yet either way, but I just read that the Weinstein Company is going to campaign Joaquin Phoenix for Best Actor and Philip Seymour Hoffman for Best Supporting Actor for "The Master." I'm assuming that's subject to change depending on how the reviews go, but if the trailers are any indication, I think this seems likely.
JLPatt
July 8, 2012 at 5:24PM EST Reply to Comment*SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS*
Now that I've thought about it more, the very ending is starting to not sit well with me. It's designed so as to make the audience relieved and uplifted, yet why should we be? What should we really be cheering for? That Hushpuppy will continue to go on living in horrendous conditions with no parents? What should have probably been awfully sad is instead turned into something triumphant, and I'm not sure that's earned, or genuine. What do you think?
Danny I think the ending is more ambiguously constructed. What makes it "triumphant" is how Hushpuppy faces (or faces down) the tragedy that has taken away both her immediate family and her way of life. The ending to me was about showing strength of character even as your world is irreparably altered and showing strength in moving on. What awaits Hushpuppy next is unclear. I believe the final sequence shows Hushpuppy and the other orphan children walking away from the Bathtub with the "teacher" woman - somehow they will build a new life, maybe together? - but my husband thought they were walking back toward the Bathtub (however I feel the movie made clear the Bathtub is destroyed beyond repair for this group of people). The ending is sad, but Hushpuppy won't be a mere victim of tragedy, and that is her triumph.
July 8, 2012 at 6:17PM ESTJLPatt I see. I do agree that there's great triumph in her enormous strength and resilience, but I feel it's kind of offset by the simple facts of reality - that nothing will change; that she'll still be impoverished and neglected; that the adult members of the community will be just as drunk and inattentive as ever and the other kids will be just as poor and on their own.
July 8, 2012 at 6:40PM ESTI understand that the "way of life" you speak of is all she has and has ever known, but that doesn't make it right. This is very different than a mere subculture. This is distress and destitution.
Danny I agree with your assessment of the culture. But I'm not sure it is that culture she is returning to. As I said, I believe in the end the group of people she is with (including the relatively functional teacher woman) are leaving the Bathtub for some new destiny, not returning to the Bathtub. I wonder now how ambiguous or how clear the movie is in that final shot as to where they are heading - away or towards the Bathtub?
July 8, 2012 at 7:03PM ESTJLPatt Okay, well that would have actually helped if they made it clearer. I'm still not sure how they would be able to find a new place, but I guess they can venture up through Louisiana.
July 8, 2012 at 7:30PM ESTJJ1
July 13, 2012 at 8:00PM EST Reply to CommentI found it to be a hypnotic experience.
The entire Girls Girls Girls dancing with the mother figures scene had me absolutely entransed. And of course, the crying scene at the end got me.
I think the story is unique. The direction is astute. The choice of shot is very good. I was intrigued with the grimy art direction. The sound during Katrina was great. The score is memorable. And the special effects (of the beasts) were pretty damn terrific.
If I have a problem, it's that for as many fascinating scenes as there are, I was also taken out of the experience, at times. Slow scenes, bizarre scenes, uncomfortable scenes (I know, I know, great films have uncomfortable scenes).
But by breaking down the film's strengths into categories (acting, directing, writing, editing, cinematography, art direction, sound, score, special effects), I realize that what I watched was a good film (B, B+) that I just can't say that I outright loved. I also think that Wallis was excellent for what she was given; her reaction shots are incredible. But I don't think it was a hugely challenging role, either (6 yrs. old or not). I DO get the impression, though, that she can become a stellar actress as she gets older.