From a distance, Beasts of the Southern Wild bears zero resemblance to the typical Oscar contender. It's neither an adaptation of a literary bestseller nor a biopic about an iconic yet misunderstood historical figure. It doesn't hearken back with nostalgic affection to Hollywood's Golden Era, nor does it have a single thing to say about World War II or the Holocaust. Its director has no recognizable credits to his name, and its stars, if you can call them that, give new meaning to the term "unknowns." One works as a baker in New Orleans; the other is years away from finishing grade school.