The Shape of Water

First of all "The Shape of Water" is beautiful and magical, a fairytale that is easy to enjoy and fall in love with. That much does not need you to look any further - an enchanting lovestory if ever I saw one, plain as day.

On second glance however it's small, humble scenery, this intimate dream we are invited to share, aims at something much, much more important. Something that may not even be about romance.

We all have, or at least had, ideals. Until we give up, or realize them. Thereby lofty ideals become firmly rooted in reality. Alas! more often than not high ideals become nothing but a facade in the process, a rallying banner used to pretend we'd still know what is what, how to be good, how to do the right thing, or why we became who we are to begin with.

For some the banner is "christianity", others advocate "tolerance" or one of a million other names we've given. What does that even mean? Perhaps we shouldn't swear? Perhaps it requires great strength? Perhaps there's the book telling right from wrong? Almost everybody genuinely tries to do the right thing, and so do this film's characters. Down to the overdrawn bad guy, each in his own fashion.

If you are open to it I am sure you'll feel what it is, what allows this wonderful film's protagonist to humbly walk that path. A path that all others use so much more power, knowledge and discipline to find and follow, yet fail.

"When he looks at me - the way he looks at me. He does not know what I lack or how I am incomplete. He sees me for what I am, as I am."

This film was strange, yet haunting. Disturbing, yet poetic. I loved the cinematography, the music, and the moral behind this film. Love is not judgemental, and this film leaves you with an ache in your chest.

It's a time when being different was discouraged, by how you looked, by how you hooked, by how you foraged, in a world of prejudice, the overwhelming emphasis, was to align, to toe the line, to be acknowledged. Elisa's mute, but she still has things to say, using Zelda as a surrogate airway, together they both clean, where there's things that go unseen, behind one doorway there's a place she likes to stay. In this place something's imprisoned and interned, Elisa shows it love, the tides begin to turn, a connection has been made, it's time to escape and evade, logistically that causes some concern.

Sally Hawkins is as spectacular as ever in an imaginative tale that reflects a world of the past, but not forgotten or disappeared (sadly).

One of the most impressive parts of The Shape of Water will probably go unstated by many, because it is easy to overlook. It is stunning how much chemistry a woman who never talks and a fish monster can have. The energy between them radiates, and I had to keep stopping myself to consciously think about what a feat that truly is. As a direct result to how great the writing, directing, and performances are, this relationship between a woman and a monster never feels strange. If done by lesser talent, this could have come across as very weird or wrong. But del Toro crafts this film in such a way that it never comes across in this manner. In fact, in feels only natural, and that is applause-worthy on his part. That is the single biggest thing that Del Toro needed to pull off flawlessly, and he rises to meet the challenge. As with every Guillermo del Toro movie, the production elements are all spectacular. Del Toro really has a great understanding of mise-en-scène, something I'm continuously taken aback by every time I watch a movie of his. His cinematography isn't usually something that lunges out at you and calls attention to itself; rather, it works to very subtly draw you into the film. I do very much like cinematography that stands out and pops, but there is also something to be said for more the subtle kind of shooting a film. Del Toro has a strong hold on his production design. From the set design to the costume design to the color palette, every del Toro movie has a clear direction that is unique to its own story, and this film is no exception...

This film was extremely imaginative and gorgeously shot. At the heart of it, the film is about a girl who falls in love with a fish. But it adds so many gorgeous elements to it to make it feel like you are watching an epic. The acting is phenominal, especially Sally Hawkins and Richard Jenkins. Worth checking out!