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Beasts of the Southern Wild

Play trailer Poster for Beasts of the Southern Wild PG-13 Released Jun 27, 2012 1h 33m Drama Adventure Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
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87% Tomatometer 208 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Six-year-old Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) lives with her father, Wink (Dwight Henry), in a remote Delta community. Wink is a stern taskmaster, but he is preparing his young daughter for the end of the world. When Wink falls mysteriously ill, nature seems to fall ill with him. Temperatures rise, the ice caps melt and fearsome prehistoric beasts called aurochs run loose. Rising waters threaten to engulf their community, sending Hushpuppy in search of her long-lost mother.
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Beasts of the Southern Wild

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Critics Consensus

Beasts of the Southern Wild is a fantastical, emotionally powerful journey and a strong case of filmmaking that values imagination over money.

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Critics Reviews

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Anne Thompson indieWire The brilliant, original four-hankie dystopian family drama from New Orleans newcomer Benh Zeitlin far surpassed any expectations for a scruffy $1.5 million effort from an unknown film collective... Mar 31, 2020 Full Review J. Hoberman ARTINFO.com The movie's mad gusto is truly infectious. Feb 22, 2019 Full Review Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online It will not only stir your soul, but also open your mind to the possibility of a real-life Promised Land. Rated: A Sep 8, 2017 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Overall, Beasts of the Southern Wild contains undeniable vision and ambition, even if the emotional clarity feels perhaps too certain for a child in the abstract world on display. Rated: 2.5/4 Sep 20, 2022 Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies “Beasts” grabbed me and carried me through the full gamut of emotions so effectively that even when I was being manipulated I just didn’t care. There is so much heart and feeling that saturates this film. Rated: 5/5 Aug 19, 2022 Full Review Dan Bayer Next Best Picture "Beasts of the Southern Wild" is a vibrant, moving testament to the world's interconnectedness. It is also one of cinema's most difficult, hardest-won coming-of-age stories, which makes that even more impressive. Rated: 9/10 Jun 2, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

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Gabriele S One of my favorite movies ever. A truly astonishing achievement. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/02/24 Full Review Ricardo W De esto se trata el cine independiente norteamericano: de contar historias complejas y dramas reales que los grandes estudios evitarían, y de hacerlo sin edulcorantes, ni giros inesperados, ni finales complacientes, ni fórmulas cinematográficas gastadas. Al no apuntar a un público masivo, se puede explorar la profundidad emocional de ciertos temas desde un punto de vista meramente contemplativo, sin la odiosa pretensión hollywoodense tradicional de ofrecer soluciones, de hacer crítica social, o desbordarse en sentimentalismo barato. Ni siquiera es necesario ceñirse a los conceptos esquemáticos de cómo debe narrarse una historia, y en este punto la película puede volverse algo tediosa para quienes están buscando una narrativa conservadora, con principio, cuerpo y fin. Si bien es cierto que algunos espectadores sienten la necesidad de ver historias conocidas con las que se puedan identificar, el planteamiento de este film es exactamente opuesto: llevarnos a recorrer una realidad que la mayoría ni siquiera imagina, desde un punto de vista para la mayoría olvidado. El resultado es un boleto de vuelta a nuestras más remotas ansiedades infantiles, cuando intentábamos darle sentido al desconocido mundo que nos rodeaba. Las circunstancias son absolutamente distintas (como lo son para todos), pero la composición de nuestra lógica interpretativa a esa edad es bastante similar. Es necesario abordar la importancia del rol que jugó Quvenzhané Wallis en el logro de la intensidad del film, aunque pueda resultar repetitivo dada la atención que ha recibido esta niña tanto de la crítica como del público. Si bien pudiésemos admitir que no se trata de una "actuación" en su sentido más estricto, su ingenuidad y pureza son el catalizador de toda la energía emocional subyacente en la historia, y si el director quería arrastrarnos hasta el punto de vista infantil ante ciertas preguntas, verdades y conflictos existenciales, hay que admitir que no lo hubiese logrado de manera tan eficiente de no ser por ella. Aunque algunos puedan verlo como sobrevaluado, este film es una excelente opción para quienes disfrutan este tipo de cine. Altamente recomendable. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/06/24 Full Review James D That this movie is on my mind all of these years later is a pretty good index of its qualities. Virtually unique in US cinema in showing the desperate lives of impoverished, "left behind", Americans and the astonishing courage and resiliency they show in the face of the situation our society has contrived for them. The child heroine is nothing less than a miracle. The supporting (largely amateur) cast true and brilliant. If I had the power to mandate much-watch movies for advancing the rescue of the US, this would be way up toward the top of my assignments. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/03/24 Full Review Sai M If you like movies with heartwarming sequences that showcase the heart and spirit of people undergoing some truly horrible situations simultaneously - along with a child's imaginative way of handling those traumatic situations then this one is for you. I got a similar vibe to Big Fish in some aspects from the fantastical elements and the bayou setting made for an enthralling and saddening exhibition of what life is like for those strong persons who somehow not only exist on the fringes of infrastructure's collapse, but thrive there despite what may be thrown their way. It's a story of resilience unmatched in a little girl who possesses inner strength, wisdom and a creative side that is sure to carry her through anything. <3 Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/29/24 Full Review Valerie M The movie is so authentic and moving at the same time. Its beautiful, and the main actress I.e the little girl brings so much life into the film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/25/24 Full Review Carlos I A powerful and emotional film that feels soo raw and fantastical at the same time it feels like you're watching a Terry Gilliam fantasy mixed with documentary footage. The young actress is soo moving it's hard not to feel something with this. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/13/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Beasts of the Southern Wild

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Movie Info

Synopsis Six-year-old Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) lives with her father, Wink (Dwight Henry), in a remote Delta community. Wink is a stern taskmaster, but he is preparing his young daughter for the end of the world. When Wink falls mysteriously ill, nature seems to fall ill with him. Temperatures rise, the ice caps melt and fearsome prehistoric beasts called aurochs run loose. Rising waters threaten to engulf their community, sending Hushpuppy in search of her long-lost mother.
Director
Benh Zeitlin
Producer
Michael Gottwald, Dan Janvey, Josh Penn
Screenwriter
Benh Zeitlin, Lucy Alibar
Distributor
Fox Searchlight
Production Co
Court 13 Pictures, Department of Motion Pictures, Cinereach
Rating
PG-13 (Child Imperilment|Brief Sensuality|Language|Some Disturbing Images|Thematic Material)
Genre
Drama, Adventure, Fantasy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 27, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 27, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$12.8M
Runtime
1h 33m
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