La forma dell'acqua - The Shape of Water

The Shape of Water (2017):

I would say this is the kind of film that's more of an experience rather than a movie. Walking out of it, it feels like you just had a really beautiful, odd and emotional dream.

Now I'm gonna warn you right away, this isn't a movie for everyone, but I think if you're the right kind of person for it, you already know that you'll like it. It's very art-house, it's very Guillermo Del Toro, it's very weird.

Overall I really enjoyed "The Shape of Water", it leaves you with a good fuzzy feeling in your heart. I loved seeing every frame of it since Guillermo has a very distinctive and stylized look and tone. He manages to create a real world but with a dash of magic and fairy tale to it. The cinematography was absolutely astonishing (especially the colours), set design/costumes/etc were fantastic, the creature was really cool and pleasant to the eye (good mix of practical and CGI), the acting was good (even though the Russian was iffy).

My only problem with the movie was the fact that it felt a little too long, I think a couple of tiny things could've been cut here and there and the movie would've been just as good. There's also a couple of things that felt unaddressed but as the viewer you let it slide and forget about them since you're focused on the main story.

Basically, if you knew about this movie and you were interested in seeing it, see it. If you don't know anything about it or the works of Del Torro, probably don't.

If I had to boil it down (egg joke) to a score it would be somewhere around 7.5/10

P/S

Do NOT see it with kids unless you want to have some VERY awkward moments.

Sally Hawkins puts in a lovely, sweet, almost sympathetic performance as the central character, it's her delicacy balanced against the harshness of the amphibious man that makes it so interesting.

It's not a film I'd sit through several times over, but I have seen it twice, and was as impressed with my second viewing as the first. It is a beautiful film, with the most glorious soundtrack, a feast for the eyes and ears alike.

I'm sure there was a social message here, it was perhaps over my head, what I saw was a good old fashioned love story, one with a difference, and a load of eggs.

It's sad, moving, funny, it's definitely very, very weird, but if you've seen any of his other movies, then you'll realise the inevitability of that.

It's a unique watch, and a rewarding one, 8/10.

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!

First off, I will say, this movie is not for kids. There are some sex and violence scenes that surprised me, but did add to the story. I found the story enthralling and endearing, along the lines of ET. You'll love some of the characters and absolutely despise others (specifically one). It's a story of innocence and of love. I highly recommend it.

I must admit that I was surprised to learn that this film won 4 Oscars, though I'm just as surprised by the many negative 1 and 2 star reviews that it has received. In terms of ideas and creativity, 'The Shape of Water' is as good as any film I've seen in the last few years. With a storyline as inventive and unique as this one, it makes for a fascinating couple of hours of viewing and, if you like films that take risks and dare to be different, there is a lot to enjoy about it.

For all its ideas and creativity, however, 'The Shape of Water' is lacking in some areas and can make for frustrating viewing at times. The storyline is underdeveloped in areas, particularly towards the end where there are many unanswered questions and the ending itself is a little underwhelming. That said, 'The Shape of Water' deserves credit for injecting fresh ideas into the fantasy romance genre. It might not be worth 4 Oscars, but 'The Shape of Water' is a unique and captivating film.