The Shape of Water

POSTED BY: SHINYGOODGUY
UPDATED: Friday, February 2, 2018 07:39
VIEWED: 6690
PAGE 2 of 2

Maybe I said that wrong. I'm not saying that she wasn't good throughout her career, I'm just saying that her role choices have gotten better since her Oscar win for The Help. Of course, she's been good, the Academy just caught up.


SGG

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Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:

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Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Yes, she's been picking some good roles ever since The Help.

SGG

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Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
3 winners for Octavia Spencer this year?
Hidden Figures.
Gifted.
The Shape of Water.
I already recommend the first 2.

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I'm not sure. I enjoyed her in A Time To Kill, Dollhouse, ER. But her role selection seems to maintain an eclectic arc. I do expect she has better choices now, tho.

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Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:

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Originally posted by Brenda:

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Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:

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Originally posted by Brenda:
I've heard of it. David Hewlett is involved as well. If you mentioned him, sorry I just skimmed your review. I hope I can see it.

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Yes, David Hewlett is in it. The cast, all wonderful by the way, was just too numerous to include in the review, but yes, it is a tribute to Del Toro just how truly wonderful the cast is in this film. Plus, not a single frame is wasted. Very well edited as well. Surprisingly funny too.

SGG

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No worries. I follow David on Twitter and he was talking about it. As I said I hope I can see it somehow even if I have to wait until some posts it on YouTube. That was how I saw his last project which was called "Debug" and Jason Momoa was in that. I didn't care for that one but a lot of David's films are an acquired taste, I've found.

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My guess is that he's a character actor, David Hewlett. I haven't heard of him until now, but he was good in TSoW.

SGG

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David was on Stargate: Atlantis, with Jewel Staite. And also Jason Momoa.

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Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
No doubt you've heard of this film:

1- Guillermo Del Toro produced, wrote and directed
2- Sally Hawkins performance
3- Oscar Buzz

Before I get into that, The Shape of Water is a classic love tale, a fable, a love letter to the members of the Lonely Hearts Club. It is an unusual love tale, and almost feels like a classic love story, but it has it's quirks and idiosyncrasies. It is indeed peculiar, but, at the same time, it delivers beauty beyond the delicious set pieces that takes us back to the 60s. Del Toro lavishes the fable with languid and slightly puerile overtones, although subtle. Despite it's childlike charm it delivers some scenes with an acute adult sentiment.

To me it felt like a "once upon a time' there was this woman who could not speak due to a childhood accident kind of fable. An adult bedtime story that proclaimed the truth about true love, destiny and honoring the self. It is about knowing just exactly who you are. Del Toro wrote a beautiful, quirky and seemingly old fashioned homage to the simpler days of a bygone era. One where men were men and women knew their place. But fear not it doesn't get too much into the real world, even when our heroine's world becomes ensnared with that of reality.

Sally Hawkins is Eliza Esposito, a young woman who is mute and works as a cleaning woman in a government facility filled with top secrets, chief among them a new discovery found in the jungles of South America. Michael Shannon is Strickland, a government agent who is in charge of the special creature captured in the jungle.
He is pitch perfect as the villain and teeter-totters on the edge of sanity as he looks to complete his assignment - produce a specimen to send into space in lieu of a human. That is the plot, which made sense to me because this was also Del Toro's homage to Creature from the Black Lagoon. Octavia Spencer plays her best friend Zelda and plays a key role, as does character actor Richard Jenkins, who should get an Oscar nod for supporting actor. He was so good as Eliza's good neighbor Giles.

Let's get to the meat of this film; the fantastically talented Sally Hawkins. Her performance drives this movie as she chews up the screen with her passion and inner beauty. I was transfixed as I watched her command of her body, expressions and just overall bravura. She became Eliza Esposito. It reminded me of the performance by Ernie Borgnine in Marty from the 1950s. This movie is her baby - she gave birth and nurtured it along, fed it, bathed it and taught it how to live life. She breathed life into the film and gave it purpose and meaning. She will definitely get an Oscar nomination - and for my money, she should win for Best Actress.

I'm not sure though about the film's chances, but I think it will get a nomination for Best Film. But I think it will either be Wind River or 3 Billboards. Now, don't get me wrong this is not strictly a love story, there is some action as the film covers the "Cold War" period of the times which involves espionage and intrigue with Russians. But that's just a backdrop to the main part of the story.
It seemed to me that Del Toro was looking to say that not all spies are necessarily bad. But I will not spoil it for anyone here. This is a wonderful movie and worth every penny. Del Toro does it again, although it's not as strong as Pan's Labyrinth, it is still quite good.

SGG

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I finally saw this today. In the back of my mind was Pans Labyrinth. I was struck several times by the juxtaposition of the special effects versus the background score. Not the recorded albums, or the radio play, but the scoring in between. It seemed incongruous and I'm unsure of the reason.
Quirky, but I still can't consider it better than Wind River.
Also has Strickland's wife played by Lauren Lee Smith, who was in Jewel's Orgy movie a few years ago. She might be reviving her career after some explicit unsimulated sex scenes 13 y

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I rate Shape of Water right behind Pan's Labyrinth. Not many that can match the magical storytelling of Del Toro. Hell, not many have his imagination and drive for excellent stories - maybe Spielberg.

But I feel that Jenkins performance is much stronger than Octavia's, but both are pivotal. Love the sprinkling of old movies and the dance sequences, which were inspired moviemaking, and quite daring on the part of Del Toro. In the hands of a lessor director it could have been disastorous. It was both goofy fun and off the wall. A humorous side trip, but fitting the main character's imagination within the context of the film. Brilliantly concieved and illustrated. It showed her happiness and complete contentment with her new found love without slowing the film down with heavy melodramatic dialogue. Genius.

And that's what I noticed too about Del Toro's mastery. He showed us the communication between the two lovers, but also between Jenkin's character and the beast. No words, just sounds (which were made by Del Toro) and the odd gestures. Doug Jones, who played the beast, should get a special Oscar for all the roles he plays underneath tons of make up and prostetics. Hey, if Andy Serkis can do it, why not Jones (he is currently doing his thing in Star Trek Discovery; again under heavy prosthetics).

I may go see it again.


SGG

Quote:

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Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:

Quote:

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Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
No doubt you've heard of this film:

1- Guillermo Del Toro produced, wrote and directed
2- Sally Hawkins performance
3- Oscar Buzz

Before I get into that, The Shape of Water is a classic love tale, a fable, a love letter to the members of the Lonely Hearts Club. It is an unusual love tale, and almost feels like a classic love story, but it has it's quirks and idiosyncrasies. It is indeed peculiar, but, at the same time, it delivers beauty beyond the delicious set pieces that takes us back to the 60s. Del Toro lavishes the fable with languid and slightly puerile overtones, although subtle. Despite it's childlike charm it delivers some scenes with an acute adult sentiment.

To me it felt like a "once upon a time' there was this woman who could not speak due to a childhood accident kind of fable. An adult bedtime story that proclaimed the truth about true love, destiny and honoring the self. It is about knowing just exactly who you are. Del Toro wrote a beautiful, quirky and seemingly old fashioned homage to the simpler days of a bygone era. One where men were men and women knew their place. But fear not it doesn't get too much into the real world, even when our heroine's world becomes ensnared with that of reality.

Sally Hawkins is Eliza Esposito, a young woman who is mute and works as a cleaning woman in a government facility filled with top secrets, chief among them a new discovery found in the jungles of South America. Michael Shannon is Strickland, a government agent who is in charge of the special creature captured in the jungle.
He is pitch perfect as the villain and teeter-totters on the edge of sanity as he looks to complete his assignment - produce a specimen to send into space in lieu of a human. That is the plot, which made sense to me because this was also Del Toro's homage to Creature from the Black Lagoon. Octavia Spencer plays her best friend Zelda and plays a key role, as does character actor Richard Jenkins, who should get an Oscar nod for supporting actor. He was so good as Eliza's good neighbor Giles.

Let's get to the meat of this film; the fantastically talented Sally Hawkins. Her performance drives this movie as she chews up the screen with her passion and inner beauty. I was transfixed as I watched her command of her body, expressions and just overall bravura. She became Eliza Esposito. It reminded me of the performance by Ernie Borgnine in Marty from the 1950s. This movie is her baby - she gave birth and nurtured it along, fed it, bathed it and taught it how to live life. She breathed l

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