"The Shape of Water" from Guillermo Del Toro premieres to raves at Venice

Variety

"Amelie and Creature from the Black Lagoon."

Splash II?

I loved it

Did you see it R3?

It looks corny.

Octavia Spencer is also getting talk for a supporting nomination.

If del Toro wins Best Director -- then a Mexican will have won that award for the fourth time in five years. Not bad, three amigos

I think it looks interesting. At least it's not a remake or a comic book movie.

What's not to like? Featuring character actor, Richard Jenkins, in another gay role...

She's mute in it? That has been done to death. (Marlee, Holly Hunter, Jane Wyman, Miss Patty Duke)

Enough. Learn your lines.

It just won the Golden Lion. Surefire Oscar contender now.

Guillermo is the first Mexican filmmaker to win the prize.

Red band trailer.

I saw it. It's great and NOT Amelie twee at all. There are stunning moments of gothic brutality. A bit easier to take than Pan's Labyrinth ... but still a beautiful hybrid of a movie.

Hawkins and Spencer are fucking superb.

R13 I so hope Hawkins get the Oscar for this. She's such an antidote to the Lawrences of this world.

*gets

Everybody's so uniformly excellent in this: Hawking, Jenkins, Spencer, Stuhlbarg. Michael Shannon plays such an odious character that it's easy to overlook how good he is, too.

Hawkins^^, not Hawking.

Why are women so often paired with animal love interests in movies?

Looking forward to it. I thought Hellboy was underrated.

Guillermo Del Toro loves children death, incest, now bestiality.

THE SPIRAL STARICASE meets CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON.

Patty Duke said "Wa-wa".

Big loser at Spirit Award nominations. What happened? I still remember the near-deafening hype when this opened at film festivals.

Give her a Golden Globe first so she can give another batshit-crazy speech and blow her Oscar chances again.

Michael Shannon plays an odious character? Groundbreaking. I still haven’t recovered from his terrifying Off-Broadway performance as the Narrator In Our Town. It was like he used Jeffrey Dahmer for inspiration in this classic piece of Americana. Talk about a choice!

Video review by Alonso Duralde, Ben Mankiewicz and Christy Lemire. Stunning, emotional, multi-quadrant movie. Has every shade of green you can think of.

I had no idea Stuhlbarg was in this movie as well.

Can this director ever fail or lay an egg?

R27 Crimson Peak wasn't that good and The Strain was pretty awful.

I wasnt crazy about his remake of Dont Be Afraid Of The Dark.

I'm one of the (I assume) very few who did not like Pan's Labyrinth. I didn't think the brutality was "earned" and I didn't think he got into the mind of a child, as many said he did. I'm interested in the new one in part because I think Hawkins is great.

I saw this tonight and was absolutely blown away. It’s honestly one of the best moviegoing experiences I’ve had in years. I could easily see it being nominated for 10 Oscars: Picture, Director, Actress, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor (Jenkins), Screenplay, Editing, Cinematography, Makeup, and Score. This is one people will be watching for years to come.

Does she have to have sex with the monster because she is a kind of monster because she is skinny, plain and mute?

I didn't like Pan's Labyrinth and all I can remember is that I didn't like it and there was something gross about it and it was not aesthetically pleasing.

R28 Crimson Peak was just dreadful, I agree.

I liked Pan's Labyrinth at the time, but I don't think it's held up that well. I saw the Devil's Backbone a couple of years ago and liked it enough. I can't put my finger on why, but The Shape of Water looks different from the other films of his that I've seen. I'm intrigued by it.

People have begun referring to Octavia as "The Black M." Which is horribly, horribly, HORRIBLY insulting to Octavia's talent.

Sounds interesting just need to know one thing: is it gory? I love suspense but I hate brutality and gore.

I heard the creature eats cats. I assume this is supposed to be quirky and cute, so I’ll miss this one.

Not quite, r37. Actually, the creature is a huge fan of “Cats” the musical. Which is admittedly rather disgusting in its own way.

Cannot wait to see it I am a sucker for romance combined with fantasy.

"The creature eats cats?" How original.

It looks fascinating.

OH GOD, I HADNT BEEN SO EXCITED TO SEE A MOVIE FOR AGES- SO excited from the trailer, to see this. Even though I agree with R30 and R33 COMPLETELY about PAN but.....

THIS MOVIE IS FOR CHILDREN- WHAT A PIECE OF SHIT! I'M SO SICK OF SURFACE AND NO SUBSTANCE. WHAT THE FUCK? HOW OLD ARE THESE CREATIVES? 10? CANT THEY CRAFT SOMETHING WITH DEPTH AND SOME DEGREE OF CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT? AND CANT I STOP USING CAPS?? NO, I CANT. I AM SO PISSED AT HOLLYWOOD RIGHT NOW FOR GLIDING ON THE SURFACE WHEN THERE COULD HAVE BEEN REAL DIALOGUE ABOUT THESE 2 WORLDS MEETING.

CRAP-CRAP-CRAP- LONG LONG BORING AMATEURISH SLOP. NO WONDER IT DIDNT WIN SCREENPLAY FROM LA CRITICS. WHO'S WATCHING OVER THESE EXPENSIVE PIECES OF DRIVEL??? WHAT A WASTE OF A GREAT IDEA AND AS R33 SAID, NOT AESTHETICALLY PLEASING .

THE LAST TIME I HAD SO MUCH FUN WAS WATCHING HAMILTON ON STAGE FEELING EVERY BIT AS DUPED TO BE THERE AS I WAS HERE. DONT GO! I WARN YOU. WAIT FOR NETFLIX AND FAST FORWARD TO THE DANCE SEQUENCE

R42 is wrong about Hamilton and wrong about The Shape of Water, which is a beautiful, exhilarating film.

That is what I expected it to be, R42. Good comments. I saw another ad for it today and I thought: I am not going to that.

The Square is kind of fun. Have you seen it?

R42 Well, that's disappointing to hear. However, Kyle Smith is trash and your opinion is kinda invalidated by linking to that ridiculous website on a homosexual message board.

Sorry R45-I'm not homosexual and just happened to find that review while looking up others who didnt like it either. I dont know that website yet feel NO ONE is invalidated for their opinions. NO ONE.

NOT EVEN HOMOSEXUALS

;)

And thank you R44 for that. Looks good!

Lol love an all caps review from the National Review!

With some tweaks this could have been the creature from the black lagoon installment of the dark universe. But no, they seem to be determined to make the dark universe pictures soulless, extremely loud and cgi laden shitfests.

R46, you don’t know what the National Review is?

Close your mouth, dear—you’ll attract flies.

does she fuck the beast? could be a bigger scandale than armie plowing timmy

Does the monsters pussy stink?

R48-

I didnt check the website nor the reviewer.

I just listened to his words.

if you need externals to judge someone/thing as valid or not, good luck with that.

But I'm from a mindset that doesnt believe in labels of good or bad-nor give much credence to such things

You get more from people that way and have more to offer a discussion than your unrelated comments.

I saw it for a second time tonight, and it confirmed that for me this is the best movie I've seen this year (though I haven't seen The Post or Phantom Thread yet).

Hated Pan's Labyrinth, in part due to the brutality.

Love Sally Hawkins.

Are cats hurt in this?

What to do!?

I'm not into superhero movies and fantasy is not usually my thing but this looks good, maybe it's the love story that's appealing to me.

Does Del Toro make films without fantastical creatures in them?

[quote]Why are women so often paired with animal love interests in movies?

My thought exactly. It's so fucking weird.

[quote]Are cats hurt in this?

Yes.

Thanks. That, and the memory of the cruelty in PL, settles it.

but its a quick scene and you dont develop any attachment to the cat beforehand

But I thought I'd LOVE this movie.

I was SO wrong.

SO empty.

Kept looking at my watch wanting to leave!

"But I'm from a mindset that doesnt believe in labels of good or bad-nor give much credence to such things"

And Datalounge welcomes you: another amoral sociopath.

I was the reverse r59, when I went into this movie I wasn't expecting to like it that much, and it blew me away. Fantastic achievement in film.

can you explain why?

From that awesome National Review, um, review:

"...it falls to the gay best friend to step up and read out del Toro’s thesis like a waiter announcing the specials of the day: The creature is the normal one. It’s [italic]we humans[/italic] who are weird. It’s such a deep thought, I look forward to seeing it again in book form, in the closing pages of [italic]50 Shades of Scaly[/italic]."

Btw, what's so bad about that National Review site?

Pretend that I don't slavishly follow American politics (since I don't).

I really wanted to like it, but it just didn't work for me. I still can't understand why this creature wasn't guarded 24/7.

The mute woman has to have sex with the ugly monster. We are sick of the Harvey Weinstein story!

Nice, R66

I thought the movie was very pretty to look at (set designs, art direction, cinematography, etc...), but the story is incredibly dull and predictable, and every single character is a cliché. I agree with the reviewer upthread who said that the gay character literally spells out the thesis of the whole film like a waiter reading the specials of the day. There is not an ounce of subtlety or psychological complexity in the script. Every character is either perfectly good or irremediably bad, without any hint of nuance.

best movie of the year

highly recommend

thrilling.

totally agree with R68

Written by a simple mind for a simple audience

Well i saw it and didn’t get it.

☺️☺️

good god, im surrounded by aliens with no brains....

we all came long long ago from the ocean..... think about that one.

Also agree with R68. Visually lovely, and I fully appreciate del Toro's ability to get original, non-franchise, non-comic book films made in today's Hollywood, but when it ended I sat there thinking, "That's IT?!" Horrible script, shallow characters, and all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. I can't believe the praise this film is getting.

I think people are in such a stupor from a constant diet of comic book movies that no one can recognize quality anymore.

R42 sound like a raving loony having a psychotic hissy fit.

Anyway, I saw the movie. It's very nice, but not as thrilling as I hoped it would be.

R68, thank you for nailing down the reasons for why I liked it, but didn't love it. Gorgeous and charming, and I adore Jenkins, Sally, and Olivia.

It has the same ending as SPLASH for goddsakes.

I felt the way you do R74 about THE ARTIST. I couldn't believe people ate up that horrible tripe since, I guess, no one has seen a silent film in 30 years.

I saw it. I thought it was a beautiful film, but I wasn't impressed with it as much as I thought it would be. Here are some of my thoughts and they contain SPOILERS:

The living quarters of every character look like carefully contrived theater sets. Now I know this movie is supposed to be a fantasy, but it still seemed so obviously fake.

The sex in this movie was pretty nasty. The creature bites off two fingers belonging to the over the top villain played by Michael Shannon, but tells someone he still has his "pussy finger. Later his wife, who looks like a stereotypical housewife of the fifties takes his wounded hand, sniffs his "pussy finger" and places it on her bare breast. The scene then cuts to Shannon, his pants pulled down, on top of her in bed, pumping her hard. She seems uncomfortable but he muffles her cries with his hand over her mouth. Sweet little Elisa compulsively masturbates while while soaking in a bathtub, which seems to indicate she liked sex in the water. Of course she does; she later fucks the fish creature. Mercifully, there's no graphic sex scene between them, but all I could think was "she's getting fucked with a fish penis? How could THAT be pleasurable?" I know it's a fantasy, but it just seems gross to me, not romantic.

The fish creature, not knowing any better, eats one of the gay guy's cats. That seems to be a given in horror movies these days: the death of a nice little animal. I find it tiresome and disgusting.

The ending was predictable. I think for me that was the biggest disappointment. I was hoping the ending would be more original than that.

Just read the synopsis on themoviespoiler. It sounds like a dark-hearted Splash.

I could never love a person who is not in the Rapture from this artful soulfull film

Well smell you r80.

R78, I hated that cat scene also, and the gay character is so non chalant and hardly broken up over the event, referring to the amphibian: "He's an animal, that's what they do."

R82, we’re not all weeping Marys. I would have reacted the same way.

I was hoping the cat eating creature, compulsively masturbating Elisa, the sassy black negro stereotype, and the annoying as hell gay guy would ALL end up at the bottom of the ocean.

I watched it last night, and it was kind of a chore to get through. It wasn’t bad, but it was meh.

r74 nailed it. When the movie was over, I felt it had been way over-hyped.

R75-" It's very nice, but not as thrilling as I hoped it would be. "

Are you a woman?

And just for your benefit, as a gift for the New Year R75-

when people attack other posters like that it because they do not have the strength of their own convictions,

and need to attack others to gain some

What?

bark wobble can enough seven

for R89 R90-

Someones been drinking past the New Year and it aint me. Get a glass of water)

Just saw it. It was good, but weeeeeeird. I was surprised at a couple of the hideously violent moments - not because I don't like violence, just because it was not where I first thought this movie would go. I loved it, though - and I loved the ending.

3rd act got horribly bloody with Russian espionage gone truly bad, and bad cat scene.

I saw it tonight. I enjoyed it, but it wasnt what I was expecting. The cinematography was great....especially the beginning and the end with the underwater scenes.

this was atmospheric and romantic and loved all the music and colours. we loved it.

Loved it like and like r92 I was shocked at a couple of violent moments and sex scene w Shannon!

‘Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water’ Insight Editions Book Is a Gorgeous Must-Own

The Shape of Water (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Alexandre Desplat

A Princess Without A Voice

Sally Hawkins on how 'The Shape Of Water' is 'beyond words'

Textless poster

My favorite part is when she lays down to go to sleep and thinks to herself.....no, wait, let me climb into the bathtub naked and fuck this ugly thing. And pull the shower curtain as well.

[quote]sassy black negro stereotype

This.

Screener is available on torrents

Oscars 2018: 'The Shape of Water' could make history with a record 15 nominations

I hope it sweeps the Academy Awards.

Michael Shannon gives one of his best performances in this film

I like Sally Hawkins, but I do not think this film would appeal to women at all. Quite the opposite.

^ because of the violent scenes?

I cant believe this movie has only made 26 million to date. For some reason I thought it was much more popular.

R93, I'd heard something about that. I found Pan's Labyrinth hard to watch because of the brutality. I think del Toro's sensibility is not compatible with mine. Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast is wonderful.

I would think this movie would appeal to women very much. It's a love story, a lonely woman finding love with an otherworldly creature. Women love stuff like that.

I think most women can handle the “violence”.

Its not that violent. I saw it, and based on the way people talk, I expected a bloody mess.

I just saw it. I am a woman and thought it was just OK, not great. I don't think it deserves all the hype.

Since this is DL I will contribute some pointless bitchery - I am glad that Sally Hawkins had her ginormous veneers redone to something natural looking.

Before:

After:

What women wouldn't like is the yuck factor of the woman expected to have sex with a monster and it is supposed to be a wonderful love story. That is the impression the trailer gives. On top of it she is only fit for this being mute and mousy. Reading that they have her masturbating and there is violence sounds even grosser. It sounds like a Weinstein conception.

R116, if you saw Pan's Labyrinth, what did you think of it?

I was a bit disappointed by this. I found it very simplistic. There were no real nuances to the characters, although I thought Hawkins, Shannon and Stuhlbarg all tried to present deeper layers to their characters.

I also thought the romance between Hawkins and the creature very rushed and del Toro kept telling us we had to believe in this connection without really establishing that connection. I thought too much time was spent on side stories. Some poor character development. Like Octavia's husband in the film. We only meet him in one scene and we're supposed to be affected by Octavia standing up to him.

The score and acting were very strong.

agree on all points R121

What is it with these directors who spend all the time and attention on the window dressing??!!

So excited to see this-

So upset for taking that rare trip out to the theater!

The cat thing was just awful and unnecessary

Octavia Spencer: "For me, the The Shape of Water is a giant heart."

Shannon sex scene shocked me it was out of nowhere

Most of the sex scenes, including bestiality, are sick.

I hated it. Turned it off after 30 mins. Reminded me of Son of the Fly.

I know.

I was uncomfortably reminds of an old horror film "Humanoids From The Deep (produced by Roger Corman) " where these these fish/men creatures attack and rape women. It was gross. I thought the sex between the fishman and Elisa is just as gross.

His movies are artless and grotesque and we are supposed to think they are magical.

Stupid.

Agreed R130-what I thought of Pan's L.

BIG letdown.

Empty.

I just saw it. This film is nothing to crow about. Every year, though, the publicity machine gets behind one or two mediocre films and pushes them for all it is worth. This year is no different,

God, this movie was SO BAD.

Sure, it’s got excellent actors who manage to make sure it doesn’t look amateurish...but lord, the story is Beauty and the Beast meets Splash sprinkled with E.T. and Even La La Land.

It borders on insulting.

YES, R132 - artless, grotesque and EMPTY.

Yes, they are insulting.

Pans labyrinth was fantastic when considered in the context of the Spanish Civil War. The Devils Backbone was much in the same vein.

The Shape of Water missed any sort of context entirely. Didn't do anything for me, and the further away I get from watching it, the less I like it. CMBYN had the complete opposite effect.

I dont know much about The Spanish Civil War-will check on that- but I COMPLETELY agree about Shape and CMBYN.

And the songs were perfect for setting a tone and atmosphere.

Just watch this for how transcendentally beautiful this is.

It's interesting how the creature is supposed to be the focal point of this film yet I barely remember him. I wonder if it was a budgetary issue. It felt like del Toro threw in so many creature-less scenes and put too much focus on Shannon and Sthulbarg. I didn't find the creature that interesting because he was so poorly developed.

R129, I recall that film, and the amphibians' penises were plainly evident. At least in "Shape' Eliza (Sally Hawkins) explained via hand signals that the creature, seemingly flat down there, had a "trap down" down there that revealed a sex organ...theory would also work for the Creature From the Black Lagoon's obscene intentions toward Kay (Julie Adams).

I think he would have been better off basing the creature on "Abe" from Hellboy........they look the same, and at least Abe could speak......they both even liked boiled eggs. (Im sure its based on him, but I mean the "character".

[quote]I could never love a person who is not in the Rapture from this artful soulfull film

I am just fine with being Left Behind.

I saw this with husbear just before our wedding and it was lovely.

yes, lovely like a fairytale for children is lovely.

But a wasted opportunity as far as adult fare goes IMO.

I loved this film

This is R140, I meant "trap door".

The ramifications of Eliza getting infections or pregnant (!) after contact with this creature are grotesque.

It's a fantasy, so Eliza would never get any infections or injuries from sex with man/fish. After he brings himself and her back to life and gives her gills to breath with underwater (he's a God, so he can do anything) they presumably go to live happily ever after in the depts. of the sea. But wouldn't her skin rot by being constantly under water? How would they live? In an underwater cave somewhere? What would she eat? Raw animal protein like he does? You think about all these things, but since it's a fantasy there's no point to it. This is a very silly fairytale movie, but with graphic sex and violence.

The supporting characters were just so cliche: the lonely elder gay with a crush on the bigot, the sassy black friend in a worn down marriage, the square jawed 50s family man whose respectable veneer hides his sadism, the conflicted spy who sacrifices himself.

The actors did their best, but these types were just so paper thin. The likeability of the performers (save Shannon) can only get us so far.

I thought it was a drama, with some fantasy elements.

Well the clues about Eliza- found by the water as an infant, the 3 gill scars, mute, must take daily baths with sea salt-all point that she was meant to be in the water. Sally had a backstory for her that she was actually a mermaid, which makes sense.

[quote]The supporting characters were just so cliche: the lonely elder gay with a crush on the bigot,

Well, cliché if you say so I guess, but poignant and on-the-money all the same.

r151....the salt water was for the creature......the scars were from an injury which caused her to be mute.

"Cliché" is a noun; the adjective is "clichéd."

Answer 7 Questions And We'll Tell You Which Character From "The Shape Of Water" You Are

[quote]The scene then cuts to Shannon, his pants pulled down, on top of her in bed, pumping her hard. She seems uncomfortable but he muffles her cries with his hand over her mouth.

This movie sounds stupid as fuck, but the description of that scene actually sounds really hot, and I like Shannon's look in this movie.

By the way, what exactly is it with Del Toro and hot, domineering daddies? Is that the only villain he can come up with? Of course, the only movie I've seen by him is Pan's Labyrinth, which although beautiful to look at and entertaining, was ultimately forgettable and hollow, much like this movie probably is.

YES R156 you are right about everything!

Empty movie. Stock characters.

FAKE FAKE PHONY FAKE

r153- the first bath she takes, she puts salt water in it. And that is what the story is about her muteness and scars, but no one really knows, since she was an orphan:

R158, So she's a terribly abused female, as was the young girl in PL. I've heard Del Toro interviewed and he's eloquent about his quirks, but to my taste he hasn't transmuted them in the way that the great and nutsy Hitchcock did.

PERFECTLY PUT R159!

The romance between Sally and the creature was so cringey. Del Toro can't write a shit. Overrated movie.

For Hawkins fans: "Happy Go Lucky," a film she did about 10 years ago with Mike Leigh. Stunning.

sally

Sally Hawkins should be winning just as many awards as Frances McDormand. A love letter to #TheShapeOfWater's Princess Without Voice

I think her body deserves half of those awards.

They HAD to make her attractive to a male audience it seems.

5 minutes in and shes completely naked.

Can you imagine them doing that with a male lead???

Even the monster's you never see.

No monster cock?

No, the monster's cock is hidden behind a cunning little trap door in his body. Convenient, isn't it?

NADDA

No dong, no go

Doug Jones was better than Gary Oldman

I didn't catch that "she's a mermaid theory". Why she didn't tramsform at the end of the movie then?

R151 . Sally had a backstory for her that she was actually a mermaid, which makes sense.

Where did you read that? I think Sally was talking about the story she was writing not The Shape of Water

[quote]I got the call about 18 months before, when there wasn’t even a script. It was all a little vague, and it may or may not have happened, but what was most remarkable about it was my agent said, “It’s about a woman who falls in love with a merman.” At the time of receiving that call, [bold]I was literally writing some notes on a story that was about a woman who didn’t know she was a mermaid.[/bold] It gave me chills, and I felt something else must have been going on here. You want to believe in the magic.

Sally Hawkins Found Strength And Soul In Guillermo Del Toro’s ‘The Shape Of Water’

A huge congratulations to #TheShapeofWater team on their ​13​ #OscarNoms from @TheAcademy! #Oscars2018

Sally Hawkins reaction to Best Actress nomination for @shapeofwater #oscars

The Rape of Schattner

i was enjoying this movie until she fucked this thing. it was beyond absurd.

For all the possibilities, it had no magic nor danger to me.

And it felt dirty

[quote]Sally Hawkins should be winning just as many awards as Frances McDormand.

I completely agree.

That's the problem with Sally performing in Hollywood movies though. The movie execs might be happy about hiring British talent because they are quality for less, but the academy tends to favor Americans, or at leasty Brits that made the jump over to the USA. Sally acts here sometimes but she lives in the UK.

what other movies has she been in? you know with her looks, she ain't gonna be in typical rom com

She worked on the stage in London at the start of her career. Her early film career was dominated by her work in Mike Leigh movies.

She was in "Vera Drake" as an upper class girl who needs Vera to perform an abortion on her. Then "Happy Go Lucky," a wonderful movie about two lives running in parallel -- Hawkins as Poppy, an entirely atypical bright and optimistic Englishwoman who's a teacher, and a surly and highly anti-social driving instructor she hires to learn to drive.

"Made In Dagenham" is a 60s period piece about female workers striking for equal pay -- it's a hoot, and the period beehives and so on are huge fun. Blue Jasmine I assume we all know, and it's for that film that she received her first Oscar nod. Most recently she was in a strange and lovely little film, "Maudie," about the eccentric, reclusive Canadian folk artist Maud Lewis, the one who lived in that tiny house (see below).

She's been wonderful in everything I've ever seen her in, so I actually seek out her work now.

You forgot "Blue Jasmine."

^Sorry, my mistake.

[quote] What would she eat?

Catfish.

So no one's mentioned the fact that the music and video clips feature gay icons Alice Faye, Betty Grable and CARMEN FUCKING MIRANDA?

Not to mention Mr. Ed, Wilbur, and Maynard G. Krebs!

Oh, and SPOILER ALERT: She's not completely mute throughout the movie.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the dancing scene. Not the one where Eliza does some silly dance steps with her gay friend, but the elaborate dance number with the fishman. I thought it was one of the best parts of the movie.

It strained credibility, even in the fantasy world the movie creates, that she would actually cross species lines and sleep with The Amazonian.

The gill man had the same idea but the Hays Office had different ideas...

Talk about a big dick face...!

For Sally fans watch Fingersmith two-part BBC mini-series which is an adaptation of Sarah Waters' Man Booker Prize nominated novel.

it stars Sally Hawkins, Imelda Stanton, Elaine Cassidy, Rupert Evans and Charles Dance.

Plot:

The lives of two young women collide in Victorian England when a group of thieves concoct an elaborate scam to defraud a young heiress of her inheritance. The story alternates between the twisting back alleyways of Dickensian London and the cloistered gloom of a Gothic mansion in 1862.

The Phone Call short film starring Sally Hawkins and voice of Jim Broadbent

It won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film

Some girls have all the luck.

[bold]Shiny Shiny Bright New Hole in My Heart[/bold] (2006)

A woman's obsession with shopping leads to devastating consequences in a new drama starring [bold]Sally Hawkins[/bold], Steven Mackintosh and Daniela Nardini.

[bold]Persuasion[/bold] (2007 film)

adaptation of Jane Austen's novel Persuasion. It was directed by Adrian Shergold and the screenplay was written by Simon Burke. Sally Hawkins stars as the protagonist Anne Elliot, while Rupert Penry-Jones plays Frederick Wentworth. Eight years prior to the film's beginning, Anne was persuaded to reject Wentworth's proposal of marriage. Now 27 and unmarried, Anne re-encounters Wentworth, who has made his fortune in the Napoleonic Wars and is looking for a wife—anyone but Anne, whom he has not forgiven for rejecting him all those years ago.

i'm sorry but she's ugly. not gonna watch her.

r188 Richard Carlson? The creature on that poster is better-looking than his wife.

One casting misstep: The loathsome Nick Searcy has a semi-prominent role.

Why this thread is greyed out?

she is good in her small role in Never Let Me Go, a much better film than most of the junk being nominated this year

l

l

Director accused of stealing this idea for his movie--THOUGHTS?

No way.

For a fairy tale/fantasy there is grotesque violence in this film: dismemberment, decapitation, gory gun play, slit throat.

yes, it was stolen.

"yes, it was stolen."

Oh shut up, asshole. Everything is derivative of everything. "Blue Jasmine" was "A Streetcar Named Desire." "My Own Private Idaho" was Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, Part 2, and Henry V, There are plenty of movies that have similarities to other sources. If you don't know that you're pretty stupid.

he stole it plain and simple.

Decapitation? I don't seem to recall that

IIRC the cat was decapitated.

"he stole it plain and simple."

You're an idiot, plain and simple. Actually more simple than plain.

[bold]A Dildo Maker Has Finally Determined What The Shape of Water's Fish Dick Looks Like[/bold]

[quote]The “Jewel of the Amazon” as it’s named, appears to be silicone and glows under UV light. Reviewers on Etsy praised its “wonderful mix of textures to explore” while reassuring potential buyers that “the ridged fins don’t feel as harsh as they look.” Unfortunately, “Jewel of the Amazon” appears to have sold out of its initial production run.

Only 20 more of these will be made before the Oscars so get those orders in quickly, boys!

Yuck!

[bold]Oscars: The Math Predicts a 'The Shape of Water' Best Picture Win[/bold]

[quote]For the past seven years, I have predicted the Oscars using nothing but data and statistics. My method involves determining which factors – such as prior awards shows, which categories a film is nominated in, critic scores, and betting markets – have historically done the best job of predicting each Oscar category. The factors that are more predictive get more heavily weighted when calculating which of this year’s contenders are more likely to come out on top.

[quote]By my model, this is the closest best picture race in at least two decades.

As long as it's not Three Billboards or Lady Bird, I'm fine with it. Even though it's still nothing special.

Congratulations to The Shape of Water! I think this was the first thread about it.

I know.

Director's way fat.

and unfortunately it shows in his movies

Yay movie, sobbing for Sally though.

I didn't see all the nominees, but I saw several of them and this one was my clear favorite. We need more movies like this which tell a bold story and take chances. It makes going to the movies interesting again. So tired of brainless Marvel product and paint-dryingly dull art pics.

Adding this....

(Spoiler alert)

Eliza is drawn to him, and is sexually attracted to him, but [italic]don't people "get" why that is?[/italic]

The same reason she masturbates in the bath tub, and, err, has gills ... ?

I was okay with her fucking the creature because that seemed like part of the character--and because she was obsessed with water and had scars where gills would be, I assumed she was meant to have sex with him.

What I couldn't get over was the Octavia Spencer just taking that news in stride, as if she were thinking, "I guess it takes all kinds to make a world!" That was so anachronistic.

R220. Absolutely. No character discusses the possibility of infections. Or being tested for one.

There's a "tribute" dildo:

Is Guillermo family?

Would explain the film a lot.

No way.

any man who eats that much desires to know male control

The shirtless scenes in Pacific Rim were noticeably gratuitous.

R202, that doesn't surprise me. I saw and loathed Pan's Labyrinth. There was no excuse for the brutality in that. Yes, Grimms tales have brutal events, but they are not lubriciously depicted at length. Because children don't think that way. And del Toro has no idea of how a child ideates fantasy, despite any claims to the contrary. A derivative, bloated "talent."

They are deconstructive fairy tales for adults, moron.

NOTHING in his work is for ADULTS.

And drop the name calling R228.

I agree R227.

"I saw and loathed Pan's Labyrinth. There was no excuse for the brutality in that."

What make you think a film maker has to have "an excuse" to show brutal scenes in a movie? And if you "loathed" Pan's Labyrinth you're in a very small minority.

And for fuck's sake, his movies are NOT fairytales for children. They're movies for adults that contain sex and violence. I have no idea why that silly person at R229 thinks that "NOTHING in his work is for ADULTS." He does NOT make kiddy movies. Why the hell would anyone think that he does?

because R230, his understanding of human dynamics is still at a child's level. Have you SEEN Shape of Water??

This "silly" person likes some degree of maturity in his characters.

The director needs to stop eating and start studying.

Then maybe he can create a movie for and about adults.

I live under a rock and didn't hear about this film until just now. For a minute, I was afraid the creature was Abe Sapien. Thank god it isn't, Abe Sapien was adorable (and imo in the closet) in Hellboy. I'd watch another film with Abe as the star. Not watching this though.

Further to r232, look what I found- an awesome webcomic that uses the action figures from the Hellboy films, and Abe is the star. It's funny, sweet, and very well done.

Oh also Abe is gay in it, and pursued by Karl Kroenen. In more ways than one.

"The director needs to stop eating and start studying.

Then maybe he can create a movie for and about adults."

"The director" has two Oscars. He doesn't need to "stop" anything. I'd say he's doing pretty well doing exactly what he'd doing. And if you think his movies are geared towards children then you have a very skewed perception of what you see onscreen. You're WEIRD.

That creature has blinking eyes. Fish can not blink, except sharks. Maybe it's his half-human side.

"That creature has blinking eyes. Fish can not blink, except sharks. Maybe it's his half-human side."

I suppose so. But I'm sure the creature was given the ability to blink because he looks so adorable when he does that.

Fish don't blink and the sun doesn't spit.

I love Guillermo, when is he doing the much awaited first gay fantasy film?

R236. a half-fish "looks adorable?" Are you feeling all right?

"A half-fish "looks adorable?" Are you feeling all right?"

Have you seen the movie? The fish man has large, gorgeous, blue eyes. And when he blinks them in that innocent way, he is indeed adorable.

Some of us feel he is lacking in his portrayal of the complexity of humanity.

If that makes us "WEIRD" I'll take it!!

Boring empty ass movie.

And I say this as one SO excited to see this and SO disgusted afterwards.

WE'RE NOT FUCKING CHILDREN.

GIVE US SOMETHING WITH FUCKING DEPTH!

R230, no one said said PL was for children, but everyone did say that it captured a child's view of the world and way of fantasizing. It didn't. As for my being in the minority opinion--so what?

As for brutality in films, yes an "excuse" or narrative justification is necessary.

I was with the movie until she fucked the fish, then it stretched credibility just a little too far for my tastes.

the movie was shallow

I see what you did there

I didnt think anyone would get it.

Thanks R245.

I'm sure you aint missing much in life EITHER! ;)

R236--"...because [the fish man] looks so aDORYble."

Did anyone have a different experience watching it at home than in theaters? I saw it at the theatre and thought “Well that was all well and good” but I just watched it on Blu Ray at home and it was ravishingly beautiful. It’s a very intimate film and I think it plays better on home theaters.

The Shape of Water book review: If you liked the film, you’ll love the novel

R247, you're fintastic!

Who's the girl in the illustration at R249? Certainly not the homely Sally Hawkins. And I don't care if it is a fantasy or a "fairy tale"; the idea of having sex with a fish creature seems absolutely repugnant.

The girl is Sally Hawkins.

The girl in the illustration is NOT Sally Hawkins. She's PRETTY. The illustration must have been derived from the image of a pretty model or from the imagination of an illustrator who came up with an imagined pretty version of Hawkins.

A poem is quoted at the end of the film is by Persian poet Hakim Sanai who is mentioned in the end credits.

When I think of her, of Elisa

The only thing that comes to mind is a poem,

whispered by someone in love.

Hundreds of years ago,

Unable to perceive the shape of you,

I find you all around me:

Your presence fills my eyes,

With your love;

You've humbled my heart,

For you are everywhere.

[quote] It’s a very intimate film and I think it plays better on home theaters.

I agree.