Rating: 17/20 (Jen: 17/20)
Plot: A girl named Hushpuppy lives with her dad in the Bathtub, one of those areas in the world that Al Gore is trying to destroy. When her father becomes ill, she sets out to look for her mother.
This movie doesn't make a lick of sense. If you put a hushpuppy in the bathtub for any period of time, it will become inedible. You'll eat it anyway, but you definitely won't enjoy it.
Despite forgetting that I watched this movie and not writing about it, I loved this beautiful little movie. It hit me emotionally, and I thought the little girl (Quvenzhane Wallis) and Dwight Henry were brilliant. There's a visual style to this that I really liked, and the unsual setting and colorful characters make this an interesting slice of swamp Americana. I didn't even mind the CGI giant pigs. This is one of those types of movies that quietly makes a statement in a way that seems very loud. Also, oxymoronically, this manages to be both bleak and uplifting, dirty poetry that gets to your bones. What a beautiful movie!
Note: I've seen two of the 2012 best picture nominees out of the twenty or so. What kind of movie blogger am I? Maybe that's why I only have 3 1/2 readers. Anyway, if I had to pick between the two nominated movies for "Best Picture" I would choose both of them. A tie!
2 comments:
It is beautiful in a mystical, lyrical way, and the acting is excellent. It takes you into a whole other world just on the other side of the dam. My biggest issue was the complete lack of supervision of the 6 year-old Hushpuppy. She could have died any number of ways in this wilderness and in fact came very close to burning to death. As art, "Beasts..." is unique and moving. To the father in me, the movie glorifies irresponsibility. A 16.
I've thought about your "biggest issue" but don't think it matters at all. And I'm not sure how it "glorifies irresponsibility" as I doubt a lot of people are going to watch this movie and say to themselves, "Hmm...maybe that's how I should be living." I think the irresponsibility of the father feeds into the themes. It's a big chunk of this little girl's problems.
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