[BLOG] Beasts of the Southern Wild

[jojojoanne]

We were greeted by a video message of the director who said that we should give a review on the Guardian website to win some stuff, and the reviews that are already there are all gushing like crazy: http://www.guardian.co.uk/beasts-of-the ... RTXT4366I2

5/10

They probably think that if they give a fantastic review, they'll win the goodies!! I was asked to comment on a product years ago and told them exactly what I thought, which wasn't positive at all ... I was surprised to receive a cash voucher for my honesty!!!

[notechal]

I am just back from the film. Have to say that I had been looking forward to this after the trailer a few weeks back, and it did not disappoint. I think that it was making a huge point about the changing world and how we should respect the wild and the past. I shed a few tears along the way.

[The Sparrow]

What a wonderful film this is. All about courage, strength of character and determination. The lead actress played well beyond her tender years.
This will stay in my mind for a long time.
We loved it.

[tsoiboy]

Saw this at Greenwich Picturehouse and to an almost packed screening.

I saw this trailer a few weeks ago and it gave the impression of a mythical journey where the heroine might find a truth along the way.

The first act was good setting up the potential of a gripping story so when the flood comes that is when it should have picked up but to be honest nothing else really happens from then on. The film meanders with no real story further on. There are ecological points made in the film.

The acting was very good between daughter and father and it did look beautiful but this alone does not make a good film.

The critical praise that it had before had raised my expectations and unfortunately I was disappointed. To be honest I just did not get it and it may need a second viewing but dare I spare another 90mins of my life.

6/10

[ejwrank]

Well I was very disappointed with this although husband and son both thought it was good. I thought the story wasn't well told and although there were good performances, I didn't think that was enough.

We were at the posh Belsize Park Everyman which is lovely but some of the people there were so annoying. We had a family in front of us who brought young children, one of whom decided to play games on her phone. I certainly wouldn't have taken under 10s to this film so what these parents were thinking I have no idea. Oh yes I do -- "let's take the kids so we can go to the cinema for free -- who cares if the film isn't suitable for them at least we don't have to get a babysitter." Plus I had two people next to me who decided to chat aloud during most of the film--explaining to each other what they thought was going on. They seemed to think they were in their living room watching TV. So it was a posh cinema but a rubbish audience.

[mlt burger]

I went to see this in Southampton, cinema was about 90% full, with a few kids expecting the fantasy film as described.
The film was ruined for me by the pre-publicity, the equilibrium of the universe being upset by the melting of the polar ice caps releasing the ancient beasts, whilst Hus Puppy lived with her father Tink in a Bathtub!!!!! So I spent the first half of the film waiting for the fantasy to start. Had the film said it was about a community living on the edge of society whose way of life was altered by a flood, then the audience may have stood a chance in understanding what was going on. By the time the audience realised it was not going to be some kind of Narnia type drama it was to late, they were already lost and confused. What an earth possessed the director to describe the film with such twaddle, it's like describing Pride and Prejudice as a Sci-Fi drama. The poor kids thought they were getting Jurrasic Park and ended up with trailer park!

[stuartboy]

That must be one reason I enjoyed it - I hadn't seen any pre-publicity nor seen any trailer. This meant I saw it without any preconception. This shows there are pros and cons to checking it out in advance, although I wouldn't expect to p*y to see a film I knew absolutely nothing about. I would however expect directors or those in charge of publicity to at least be honest in the first place.

[abarthman]

Seen this at the Cameo in Edinburgh yesterday and it wasn't really what I was expecting after reading some very brief synopses.

I enjoyed the film overall, but I don't think there was any need for the fantasy stuff. The beasts (just big boars with extra horns stuck on) didn't really add anything to the film that I could figure out.

It was interesting enough just to see how these people lived, and how they dealt with the storm and its aftermath.

I didn't see any kids in the audience, so it was nice and quiet, as it usually is at the Cameo.

[prettyxcool]

Thanks to Beate, I went to the Studio Canal UK's special screening at Hackney City Farm last night. The setting was perfect and a great idea. We were invited to see all the farm animals first... I loved the lambs best then off we toddle in the dark to the field to have some yummy BBQ, salad and drinks. On everyone's seat was a piece of carrot cake, yum! and a Hackney Picturehouse canvas goody bag (everyone got a badge, sticker and postcards with profound quotes from the film, a Hackney Picturehouse programme - and then alternate bags got either a Lost in London magazine from LWL's or a booklet to do with the environment, apparently, so every couple would get either one but not both). A few people left their goody bags, so I collected a couple for Beate (for the bags, great for shopping, rather than the stuff inside!) I think they overbooked as the place was packed and there were not enough seats to go round that people sat on the floor in front of the screen!

The film was introduced by elevenfiftyfive who organised screening events. We were told the people in the film were not actors, just locals from the area, and the little girl could not even read when they cast her. He told us they tried to get someone famous who had liked the film to introduce the film. He said Obama was otherwise engaged, so we saw a video message from Oprah. We were also treated to a message from the Director, outside the LFF, who hoped we are having fun down on the farm.

I was enthralled at the start, but it did drag a bit towards the end. The 6 year old girl is very endearing. Her relationship with her father, is very touchingly explored and realistically portrayed by both, unable to show their love for each other, but obviously doting on each other. "I hope you die" she shouts at one point,"and after you die I'll go to your grave and eat birthday cake all by myself,” you feel both her childlike pain and her not-so-childlike anger. It is her perceptions of the world we see, the surreal images of wild beasts and melting ice cap is interwoven with learning to survive. Felt slightly like a choreographed documentary, as it feels very vivid and very real, a story of a community living in ramshackle poverty, cut off from civilisation, fishing for food, torn by nature and how they dealt with its aftermath. It is quite bleak, yet beautiful, and well put together I kept thinking, not dissimilar to Bombay Beach, about the daily lives of a very poor community. It was different, but watchable and thoughtful. 7/10

[Beate]

Good to hear you had a great time and thanks for keeping a few bags for me!