The Shape Of Water (2017) ****1/2
I wrote on my second viewing of The Shape Of Water (2017) that it is a film that will stand the test of time with its simple yet complex beauty. After a third time, I still hold that sentiment.
TSOW is a beautiful, at times brutal, adult fairy tale and a good old fashioned romance (with nudity), all directed masterfully and impeccably by that modern movie wizard Guillermo del Toro.
Water most closely resembles the films of Jean-Pierre Jeunet in design, tone, and even parts of the score by Alexandre Desplat, but there's definitely a bit of a Steven Spielberg/Tim Burton vibe too. All the leads are on point—Sally Hawkins as the daydreaming, headstrong mute, Michael Shannon as the imposing, violent force, Richard Jenkins as the vulnerable, relatable loner, Octavia Spencer as the loyal, thankless friend, and Doug Jones as the literal fish out of water, both powerful and tender.
The story certainly follows a formula of sorts and the actors play strong archetypes, but it's all filtered through the unique vision of del Toro. And what a vision—Water was easily the most gorgeous film of 2017 that I saw (giving Blade Runner 2049 a run for its money) and was my third favorite on my Top Films Of 2017 list. It's a marvel of production design, costumes, makeup and visual effects, and a poignant, fantastical tale about the treatment of outsiders and the marginalized.
TSOW is a beautiful, at times brutal, adult fairy tale and a good old fashioned romance (with nudity), all directed masterfully and impeccably by that modern movie wizard Guillermo del Toro.
Water most closely resembles the films of Jean-Pierre Jeunet in design, tone, and even parts of the score by Alexandre Desplat, but there's definitely a bit of a Steven Spielberg/Tim Burton vibe too. All the leads are on point—Sally Hawkins as the daydreaming, headstrong mute, Michael Shannon as the imposing, violent force, Richard Jenkins as the vulnerable, relatable loner, Octavia Spencer as the loyal, thankless friend, and Doug Jones as the literal fish out of water, both powerful and tender.
The story certainly follows a formula of sorts and the actors play strong archetypes, but it's all filtered through the unique vision of del Toro. And what a vision—Water was easily the most gorgeous film of 2017 that I saw (giving Blade Runner 2049 a run for its money) and was my third favorite on my Top Films Of 2017 list. It's a marvel of production design, costumes, makeup and visual effects, and a poignant, fantastical tale about the treatment of outsiders and the marginalized.
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