DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Beasts of the Southern Wild
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© Fox Searchlight, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Thanks for the lively discussion yesterday re: Django Unchained. Your interaction is refreshing.

Today, we’re back on BEASTS. I blogged about Beasts of the Southern Wild when it was first released. Recently, I was asked about it again with respect to my recent film reviews. So, here’s an updated review.

In light of the Newtown, CT shootings of twenty children, numerous 6 and 7 year olds, I am so proud of the performance that Quvenzhané Wallis (pictured above) gave as a 6-year old. The innocence of the little ones lost is forever captured on screen through this brave, new actress.

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

It’s a looonnnngggg shot (based on the Academy Award® voting block described by the LA Times as 94% Caucasian, 77% male, 62 median age), but the award-winning fantasy drama, Beasts of the Southern Wild, could be this year’s Oscar® underdog.

Film critic Roger Ebert writes “Sometimes miraculous films come into being, made by people you’ve never heard of, starring unknown faces, blindsiding you with creative genius. Beasts of the Southern Wild is one of the year’s best films.”

Fox Searchlight describes its Rocky-esque contender with the following:
“Benh Zeitlin’s BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD whisks you to a surreal realm, where little girls and mythical animals coexist in a bayou called The Bathtub, all intertwined in the cosmic mesh of the universe. Hushpuppy (stunning newcomer Quvenzhané Wallis) relentlessly explores her world for answers, to satisfy her curiosity, and to make her budding mark on a world she’s only beginning to comprehend.”

1ST TIME ACTORS

Quvenzhané Wallis portrays Hushpuppy. When she auditioned, she was only 5 years old and could barely read. She had never acted before, yet she landed the role over 4,000 little actresses who auditioned. Quvenzhané filmed the movie when she was 6, just turned 9, and recently won the first major trophy of the Oscar® season: Hollywood Film Award’s New Hollywood Award. Past recipients of this ‘new talent’ award have been Robert Pattinson (Twilight), Gabourey Sidibe (Precious), and Jennifer Lawrence (Hunger Games).

Quvenzhané isn’t the only new actor. The other star of the film, Dwight Henry (who portrays her onscreen father Wink), also had never acted before this film. He’s the Hurricane Katrina survivor who owned the bakery across from Beast’s casting office in Louisiana. He even turned down the role of Wink several times before the writer/director’s persistence persuaded him to do it. He’s now filming a new movie with Brad Pitt.

1ST TIME WRITER/DIRECTOR

That writer/director who wouldn’t take “NO” for an answer from his leading man is Ben Zeitlin. This is his very first full-length feature film, or that’s the story that is being released. Ben didn’t have lots of money where he could hire lots of professional crew. He used friends and family.

He told Oprah, “I want to fill my life and my films with wild, brave, goodhearted people, and whatever amount of chaos and disaster that leads too, it doesn’t matter because you’re going through it with the people you love and in the end, no matter what, the movies come out wild, brave and good hearted.”

WOW!
1st time lead actor and actress.
1st time writer/director.
1st time filmmakers/crew.
And its a fantasy story well told with a message of courage and heart. Wow!

One Caution, Maybe Two

Beasts of the Southern Wild is Rated PG-13 for “thematic material including child imperilment, some disturbing images, language and brief sensuality”.

Please note, before you rent the newly released DVD or Blue Ray disc, that the language is rough for children, even though the film stars a 6-year old. Don’t sit your little Sharon or Khalil on the couch and get mad when Wink starts cursing everybody out, OK?

Also, the underlying message is more naturalistic than monotheistic. In other words, Hushpuppy learns that all of nature is connected as one – humans, animals, water, fire, etc. That’s naturalism. Biblically-speaking, I can’t back that up. While I appreciate nature as God’s creation, I am not one with nature.

Genesis 1-3 clearly describes how God created nature, then He created man in His image and instructed man to subdue nature. As are result of sin and the curse, man will “return to the ground because from it you were taken; For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” 3:19

Death and our current earthly bodies returning to dust comes as a direct result of sin. But each one of us lives eternally. There is life beyond earthly death. We can choose to spend that eternity in paradise with God when we accept His Son Jesus as Lord, or choose to spend that eternity disconnected from God in a world of perpetual pain and suffering. Our choice. But either way, while we’re on this earth, we are made in God’s image redeeming a fallen world, not made as one with His trees or oceans or chickens. Does that make sense?

The film doesn’t explicitly address these theological paths, but I noticed a recurring theme of Hushpuppy’s oneness with her surroundings, and I feel responsible to create dialogue about elements that agree and disagree with the Christian worldview.

FANTASIES COME TRUE

When you get a chance, get lost in this fantasy. It’s a tear-jerker. And for many involved in the film, it’s a fantasy-come-true. We cheer for the underdogs during the film and we’re cheering for the underdogs who made the film.

And I’m definitely cheering for little Quvenzhané, who at 6 years old, held her own on that big screen. I cheer as she walks the red carpet and pray that more doors open for her to hone her craft and carve a career with roles that bring truth and hope in our world.

Onward & Upward,
Naima

Have you seen the film?What did you think?
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My Recent Blog Reviews:
Django Unchained: Blame Game?
Denzel Washington’s “Flight” Takes Off
Les Misérables: Best Musical, Full of Faith
ARGO: Political Thriller, Dose of Fun
Silver Linings Playbook: Funny Spin on Illness
Rise of the Guardians: Two Thumbs Up
Middle of Nowhere: My Friends’ Film

© 2012 Naima Lett. All Rights Reserved