Beasts of the Southern Wild

Every once in awhile there comes an independent film that is completely stunning. They remind people that good movies can be made without stars. Beasts of the Southern Wild is one of those films. It is set in a place called The Bathtub, south of the levee in Louisiana. The residents of The Bathtub are poor, happy, and strong.

Hushpuppy, a young girl who lives with her father, is an incredibly strong character played by the prodigal Quvenzhané Wallis. As her home is lost, she ponders the universe and fights to keep her father and herself safe. Her father, played by Dwight Henry, is aggressive, but does everything to insure Hushpuppy's safety.

This film is filled with images of beautiful destruction. Even covered with detritus, the Louisiana landscape is still beautiful. Not pretty, but beautiful.

This film is inspirational on a few levels. Hushpuppy inspires me to do whatever it takes to protect the things that matter. Quvenzhané Wallis is inspiring as a young actress that is more believable than some Hollywood stars (please, God, don't let show business ruin her life). The film itself is an inspiration to all amateur filmmakers.

This film is about what it takes to survive in this world. As humans, that's something we all must do, and that makes Beasts of the Southern Wild universally appealing.