Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012, dir. Benh Zeitlin) ****/****

"Beasts of the Southern Wild" is one of the most original, mysterious, and thought-provoking films you will see from 2012.  It takes place in a southern Delta town at the edge of the world called "The Bathtub". It is so original because there is not clear motivation for a lot of the character's actions and a lot of unexpected, unpredictable things occur.  Quvenzhane Wallis plays "Hushpuppy," a little girl who lives in a shack with her father and is curious about the whereabouts of her long departed mother.  It is reminiscent of a Faulkner novel or perhaps Cormac McCarthy in his "Suttree" phase.  It also reminded me of Terrence Malick with the child's voice-over narration.  The film seems to exist in a completely different time and place - it is totally fictional at the same time that it is clearly realistic.  There are floodings, house fires, giant, wild beasts, sickness, and a loving, truthful father-daughter relationship between Hushpuppy and her father.  It is such a mysterious film and will leave a lasting impression on you after it is over.