This is not from the Nomad, this post comes from Eric.
There was a point in my life, around 2009 that I had a cinema membership where I could watch any movie I wanted as many times as I wanted as long as it was available in the movie theater... all of that for around 250 dolars a year. Awesome right? 2009 was the year I decided along with my brother that we would write, direct and produce a movie at some point in our lives and that dream hasn´t vanished a little from our minds, every day it passes is another day we are getting closer to achieving this goal.
We watch movies together, rewatch them, analyze the script, the camera work, the sound, the timing, the directors style, the acting style and a lot more stuff you´d be bored with. The thing is, I´ve never been confident enough to post my veredicts but now, I decided that if I want to get on the next level, I have to do it.
My movie reviews and critiques won´t be techincal - altough if someone wants to discuss techincalities I´m always open for that in the comment section - but more about the appeal of the movie and the general work the director and the actors did.
The shape of water
One thing about Guillermo del Toro, this marvelous Mexican director, is that all of his movies have a certain vibe that makes you recognize them even if you don´t know who is directing them and The shape of water is no exception but, at the same time, they don´t seem like the same movie, or become tedious or repetitive or even a copy of each other. At first, watching this movie feels watching a re-run of Pan´s Labyrinth</b<, a movie set in Francisco Franco´s Spain.
From the very first few minutes you start feeling nostalgia; about what? Who knows, but the well prepared setting and scenarios make you wish you were born in that time, to have listened to the music and to have eaten in a dinner like the ones portrayed here. It´s that kind of nostalgia that only a movie set in decades ago but also a bit of intrigue that only a science fiction can make you feel. But, what else is Del Toro going to do? This is his genre and he knows it greatly. As the scenes go by, you start wondering how is he able to portray something so mundane, as so beautiful. Someone making a sandwich, or perhaps drawing a painting, or maybe even waking down a corridor, becomes artistic.
The Official soundtrack is out of this world, every song is chosen perfectly and with a basis so correct that it makes every scene go hand in hand with the background music. After reading more about this subject it makes sense; on an interview it was said that 9 months were invested in selecting each song for the movie. One thing that also stands out is the timimg. A song can fit perfectly with a scene but if the timing is not correct, our subconscious picks up hints of what is going to happen or sometimes, the song arrives too late, but not here, The shape of water handles music perfectly.
Sally Hawkings and Michael Shannon are impecable, they know how to transmit every feeling they need to in the moment they need to and they both carry a rythm - by themselves and while being together - that only Del Toro and a few other directors could manage to pace. Sally Hawkins consolidates a carreer of excelent performances and states firmly she is to be taken seriously and Michael Shannon, who has always been underrated, should´ve been nominated for best actor, even considering that his part is misoginistic and with all the sexual harrasment issues going on right now in Hollywood.
You know how there are movies that have the lead actors steal the movie and the cast is just meh? Well, this is not the case, Doug Jones, Octavia Spencer, Richard Jenkins and Michael Stuhlbarg they are all superb and deserve a big mention!
This kind of movies remind us that acting it´s not always about shouting, screaming, biting or crying to give an excelent performance, a lot of times the achivement lies in feeling the pace of the movie and being able to adapt to it, and also to make the audience get in pace with you, identifying the correct moments and the right intensity, just as the character you are playing merits.
This critique was thought of before the academmy awards but I hadn´t writen it. What I know is that this one was my favorite to get Best Movie and Best Director, and I wasn´t wrong. But hey, I´m posting this after the results, I guess you´ll have to read more of my reviews to see if I know what I´m talking about.
I thought the movie was quite good. It was an interesting take on the monster movie genre.
The overall theme of the movie seemed to be about privilege and oppression and how these concepts relate to today's society. Each of the main characters represented a different demographic that is largely oppressed in some way, in our current society. Among the oppressed were a person of color, a person with a disability, and a gay man.
The monster himself symbolically represented the societal oppression that all of these individuals face in our actual society. This was portrayed by the film's antagonist's anger being directed towards the monster.
Not surprisingly, the villain in this case was a heterosexual, white male who in our North American society tends to be the most privileged.
It was an interesting and well put together movie that clearly had a relevant social justice message for society.
I watched that movie and I loved every moment of it, the director really did a good job in telling. I heard that he particularly insisted on getting Doug Jones, who is a seasoned actor for masked creatures.
It was a very enjoyable movie for me, the ending particularly resonated with me. even long after the movie ended, I continued to imagine what happened to the lady and how her life would continue.
That was amazing, it's good for one to pursue his/her career
@anomadsoul, i had been seeing the movie title but I had not considered it to be worth my time but after your review, I am so getting it. When I am done, I will return with my thoughts. I will be right back.
I have not watched this movie. however, I became interested to watch it. thank you for giving us a movie reference for us to watch.
this is an interesting movie story let alone my hollywood movies reminded me that it was not wrong in 1988 I really like the action of hollywood movie
interesting reviews. movies are not necessarily with screams and horror. romantic scene is very touching
i will vote and comment you please back me only one times plsssssssss
Oh man,
Why do I feel no one else sees these things.
This could get you flagged @sawon123
Pienso que para emprender en algo que se conoce, debemos conocer lo básico y buscar que te apasione amigo, porque allí es donde vas a tener buenos resultados, espero que puedas lograr todo esto y que te ganes un premio en tu primer año, como la mejor producción cinematográfica.
I loved loved loved Pan's Labyrinth. Then I think I got so excited about watching the next Del Toro film, that the Shape of Water came as a bit of a disappointment. I feel pan's labyrinth had more creative fantasy, was a bit more wild and magical - which I enjoyed a lot. Maybe I was just over anticipating ;)
That is great. I will love to see your movie bro. I'm sure it will be great
Love Guillermo’s movies. I’ve been busy lately and need to make more time for movies. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I’d be interested in watching your movie.. keep us posted!
Hola Eric aunque me encanta ir al cine esta no la he podido ver, por lo tanto no tengo ningún comentario para emitir al respecto, pero es un pendiente que tengo. Oye tienes sueños ambiciosos jejeje, te deseo que los logres, Escribir un libro o una película. Woo! eso sería magnífico! Estaré atenta te voy a seguir los pasos para ver ese gran estreno.😉
Enjoy Guillermo del Toro's films. Pushes the barriers and bringing life to era
I haven't watched this movie but your review makes me feel like I am missing out too much! That's a good thing and I like movies that gives a nostalgia feel because that means it is home-y and is on my waitlist to be in my list of all-time favorite movies! So yeah, gonna watch it @anomadsoul because you said so hahaha
I watched this movie too. I was a bit skeptic after seeing the chained monster for the first time, coming out of the water. He looked very fake and I almost wanted to turn off the television. But because I liked the beginning, I decided to continue. I also liked the movie because Octavia Spencer played in the movie. She is always funny to look at and plays very good in movies. She just has very good facial expressions. Later on, I liked the monster because he was nice to her(Elisa). I thought it/he would eat her at the end...
I told you at the time, is an Oscar Winning movie.. But MAYBE not best movie. Academy Awards are so.. Idk. It's a great, I correct.. GREAT movie, the OST (of course is another Alexandre Desplat's masterpiece), the photography, visual settings, THE COLOR PALETTE!! Everything has Del Toro's signature on it. BUT I still think that by the times that we're living, the Best Movie winner must have been Call Me By Your Name or Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.. Just to reach these matters more directly.
Anyway, the movie is so full of emotions. Nostalgia overcomes all you're absolutely right. I felt full of anxiety as i was watching it. Also.. what a touch of Del Toro to introduce the social differences into the movie huh!
Haha I am just watching this movie! I will get back to this once I've finished it haha!
I haven't actually seen the movie yet, but it's certainly on my to-watch list, especially now after I've read this review. Your comment about acting not being only about high intensity made me think and I think I'm really in the mood for a better paced and more subtle performance and this movie seems like a good choice for that.
Not the best film by Guillermo del Toro ... But the film is about who is human and what is humanity, about the opposition of good and evil, that monsters inside us are much more terrible than those whom we call monsters .. Bravo to the French film composer Alexander Desplat, for the soundtrack to the film, which gave the film a depth and mystery. No matter how beautiful the idea, I did not like the film ...
good picture