Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

           One of the most critically-renowned films of 2012 (and one of my own personal favorites) is Beasts of the Southern Wild. Quvenzhané Wallis stars as Hushpuppy, a caring and resourceful six-year old living in an offshore bayou community called “the Bathtub.” When her father, Wink (Dwight Henry) becomes mysteriously ill, Hushpuppy’s already less-than-stable home life takes a confusing turn. Hushpuppy and her neighbors prepare to cope with the imminent flooding of the Bathtub, and she learns to grow in courage and independence, while facing a future filled with uncertainty.

           To say that Wallis shines as Hushpuppy would be an understatement. The girl radiates love and charm. Wallis is 100% adorable, 100% of the time. But she brings to life a much wider range of emotions than one would expect: fear, shame, worry, immaturity. After deliberately starting a fire to spite her father, Hushpuppy actually believes that he might kill her. Yet there is a complexity to Hushpuppy that is rarely seen in characters her age. She feels responsible for her mother having left her, and carries a great deal of guilt because of it. Hushpuppy is concerned about things that are beyond her control, and considers the entire universe and the way it fits together. Yet even when she is trying to be serious, her youth slips out. Near the beginning of the film, she fiercely states to her father, "I hope you die. And after you die I'm gonna go to your grave and eat birthday cake, all by myself."
           Wink often behaves in ways that are abusive and frightening, but there is never a doubt that he loves Hushpuppy. When she throws a tantrum, he jumps right in there and starts throwing things with her. But he doesn’t allow her to be the little kid she is. Wink has awful tact, but his effort to have a relationship with his daughter is apparent. And she loves him like only a child can. After Wink suddenly disappears, leaving her alone overnight, he returns wearing a hospital bracelet and gown. Hushpuppy rushes to greet him, exclaiming, “I learned lots of things while you were gone!” The portrayal of such a complex relationship is all the more impressive, considering Beasts of the Southern Wild is the first film in which either Wallis or Henry had ever acted.
           The location of the Bathtub is very much a character in itself. Here, nature is untamable and free-spirited (much like Hushpuppy). While dirty and rough, there's something appealing about it, too. It’s a real community, where its residents don’t need a reason to celebrate – they’re just excited to be alive. The Bathtub is a neighborhood that thrives on love, where everyone knows and respects each other.  The spiritual connection that Hushpuppy feels towards her home is almost as charmingly mythical as the aurochs that reside in her imagination.
           Beasts of the Southern Wild was shot on 16mm film stock, which, due to advancements in digital alternatives, is becoming more and more of a novelty.  For this story, director Benh Zeitlin and director of photography Ben Richardson made the perfect choice. The soft, grainy quality of shooting on film contributes to the feel of a world that is gritty and imperfect, yet full of love. The shallow depth of field visually underscores Hushpuppy’s mindset by representing her childlike inability to truly focus on more than one thing at a time. Cinematographically, one scene in particular stands out. When Hushpuppy and three other young girls are picked up by a floating brothel, the prostitutes fawn over them. Hushpuppy slow-dances with a woman who reminds her of her mother, and states, “This is my favorite thing.” The sequence is shot in close-up, with tinsel and out-of-focus lights glittering in the background: the perfect picture of intimacy. 
           Another immersive element of Beasts of the Southern Wild is the film’s score. Music by Zeitlin and composer Dan Romer weaves childlike innocence with a hint that something much bigger is coming. It's sad yet comforting, and the one component that simultaneously accentuates all the others. 
           Beasts of the Southern Wild explores several engaging themes. Ideas of resilience against forces of nature, the complexity of a meaningful father/daughter relationship, and discovery of self-sufficiency all play an integral role in telling Hushpuppy’s story. “The whole universe depends on everything fitting together just right,” she says. Zeitlin takes that thoughtfulness and enthusiasm for life and applies it to Beasts of the Southern Wild, creating a memorable film wherein all the elements fits together just right.  

Zero Dark Thirty (2013)

One of the year’s top contenders for Academy Award Best Picture is Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty. The film follows CIA agent Maya (Jessica Chastain) in her nearly ten-year endeavor to track down terrorist leader Osama bin Laden. Beginning with the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attacks, it documents this objective through bin Laden’s eventual capture by a United States special forces unit on May 2, 2011.

            Bigelow’s female perspective contributes to a great sense of sincerity in the character of Maya, and the way she is perceived by her male colleagues. They are well-aware that she is female, but it’s her confidence rather than her gender that sets her apart. She doesn’t allow others to doubt her. Bigelow was not honored with a 2013 Academy Award nomination earlier this week (regardless of the fact that she won the Oscar just three years ago for The Hurt Locker, making me question whether the Academy disregarded her so as not to appear to play favorites… with women, at least.) Yet the final shot in the film is a prime example of why she is deserving of the recognition. So much emotional information is conveyed in that moment, with not a word of dialogue.
            For her part, Chastain portrays the strongest and most likeable female lead of the year. Maya is hardly verbose, but when she speaks, her words have meaning. She is not romantically involved and her career is her life. She is sharp, blunt, and doesn’t take shit from anyone. Whether she’s interrogating detainees, threatening her superiors, or indulging in a brief bit of girl talk, Maya is completely captivating. (Not to mention that her hair is always ravishing – more on that later.)    

Director of Photography Greig Fraser makes excellent use of low lighting and silhouettes. While I generally prefer the look of a work shot on film over that of digital capture, Fraser utilizes the range and sharpness of the Arri Alexa camera to its greatest advantage, producing a film rife with gorgeous cinematography. I believe Zero Dark Thirty looked every bit as good as Roger Deakins’ much talked-about work on Skyfall, also shot on Alexa. (And I swear, Fraser and his key lighting technician developed some magic formula to make Chastain’s hair consistently look the perfect tone of fiery gold).

            As should be expected from any film recounting terrorist events, Zero Dark Thirty is intense. Yet the violence is never glamorized or exaggerated. At just over two and a half hours, the film runs a little long, but that can be attributed to the extensive attention to detail which makes Zero Dark Thirty feel so truthful. This film isn’t overtly political, or full of ethical questions. At its core, it’s a simple story about a woman and her unwavering drive to get the job done. Considering its flawless direction, performances (most notably that of Chastain), and cinematography, Zero Dark Thirty is by far one of the most thought-provoking and technically impressive films of the year.