Beasts of the Southern Wild

Last night my wife and I went to view a screening of a movie called Beasts of the Southern Wild,  Caméra d'Or winner from the  2012 Cannes Film Festival. The film is based on the Louisiana community found on the Isle de Jean Charles, an island of 25 families that lies south of the 72 mile levee designed to protect the coast from erosion.  The movie is not a documentary but rather a poetic almost magical story of a father and daughter and their fight for survival against the elements, the father's struggle with a fatal illness, as well as the fight for the survival of a unique culture and way of life.

I found this movie inspiring, sad, and comical all at the same time. Any film that makes you laugh, cry, and wonder what is real and what is not in about 90 minutes is highly recommended in my book.

The screening was part of the Southern Screen film festival here in Lafayette. Read more about the festival here. 

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow 

Between the crosses row on row, 

That mark our place; and in the sky 

The larks, still bravely singing, fly 

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago 

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, 

Loved and were loved, and now we lie 

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: 

To you from failing hands we throw 

The torch; be yours to hold it high. 

If ye break faith with us who die 

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 

In Flanders fields.

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)       

      Canadian Army

end in trouble and start with a grin

If I was going to recommend one single song off of this playlist/mix, it would be two of them:

1. Down In the Valley by The Head and the Heart

2. Hey Love by Miner

And let me tell you something. There are some really other good songs on here so those links above are money. I turn 37 this weekend. "So I wish I was a slave to an age-old trade,  Lord have mercy on my rough and rowdy ways." Enjoy.

1. Down In the Valley  §  The Head and the Heart

2. Call Off Your Horses  §  Hallelujah the Hills

3. Top Yourself  §  The Raconteurs

4. Late July  §  Shakey Graves

5. Hey Love  §  Miner

6. Heartbroken, In Disrepair  §  Dan Auerbach

7. Over Jordan  §  Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons

8. Some Like It Dread  §  Big Youth

9. Thinkin Bout You  §  Frank Ocean

10. Zero G  §  The Kingsbury Manx

11. Fade Away  §  Rob Baird

12. Cigarette Thin (The Age of Asparagus)  §  Jim Bryson & Jeremy Fisher

13. When I'm Asleep  §  Jesca Hoop

14. Psychotic Girl  §  The Black Keys

15. Speed of Sound (EP Remix)  §  Communist Daughter

16. Old Mythologies  §  The Barr Brothers

17. Good Fight  §  American Aquarium

18. Jasper  §  Aidan Knight

19. My Girl  §  Yukon Blonde

20. Lost In the Light  §  Bahamas

21. Tacatà (Radio Edit)  §  Tacabro

And you know what, just because it is a special weekend, I'll post this video to the Miner song above. And if you are not singing along by 2:40, stamping your foot and wanting to go to a concert for these guys, check your pulse.