Beasts of the Southern Wild made me cry buckets. I ended up leaving the theater with mascara streaks down my cheeks and was mortified to have left my sunglasses in the car. This would have been really embarrassing had not every other person exiting the theater also been crying. The guy behind me spent a third of the movie making dry heaving sounds. I don't often cry in movies, but this was a complete tear jerker., hitting a lot of personally sensitive areas.

It was also probably the best movie that I have seen so far in 2012. It's a completely unique drama with fantasy elements. The movie has a magical quality. I absolutely loved the little girl who played Hushpuppy. She managed to drive the entire movie and create a completely believable character. I wanted to reach through the screen and give her character a big hug or adopt her. She's also adorable.

This movie has so many themes. At it's core, it's about nature and humans being a part of the chain. The world that Hushpuppy lives in is deeply rooted in the land and all of the people in her life are just like any other animal. They are all beasts. It's about all animals needing to teach their young to survive and be strong. It's a story about community and helping those in need. I thought that it was interesting that much of the movie the humans act like beasts and it's only in certain moments that they let down their guard and allow their humanity to show. The characters live in a harsh environment. As a theater goer, I had many cringe worthy moments and often heard others gasp.

I noticed in the credits that the movie is based on a stage play. I love theatrical adaptations, because usually the writing is so strong, as in this movie. I would love to see a stage production.

This is a fantastic movie with beautiful storytelling and a great alternative to much of the summer crap. It also begs to be seen on the big screen, go see it!