The Shape Of Water (4K UHD + Blu-ray) (Hong Kong Version / Chinese subtitled) 忘形水

First of all let me start by stating the obvious. A human DOES fall in love with a creature and DOES have intercourse with him. You don't see it but it's well implied and discussed. Now that we have addressed it, I can move on. I loved this movie because it is an modern fairy tale. Graphic? Yep. But if you think about it...Hansel and Gretel were put in an oven and Beauty and the Beast is just that...a woman falling in love with a beast. Now, one can argue that the Beast was once human so technically she fell in love with a human..but it is implied that Eliza was a fish and the Creature returned her to her original state. This movie takes the marginalized people of society of the 60s and turns them into heroes. It paints the status quo and those who believe they are righteous as flawed and "the bad guys". It is everything a modern fairy tale should be and a social commentary at the same time...that the marginalized of the 60s are still marginalized today. Sad but true. So if reflections of reality in a fantasy bother you or you are too literal to see the metaphor..don't bother. But if you believe everyone has a voice and can feel empathy even for the flawed elitist characters who fall from grace while trying to grip it aggressively and to an violent end then go ahead..take a chance. It's a discussion starter for sure.

I’m torn between 3 and 4 stars! I wanted to see this when it came out, but I can’t go to movie theatres now because I get migraines every time! But I really did like the main story, and it was fun to use my sign language! I thought the main character was well-written, and it was interesting that they didn’t give us any information about why she didn’t/couldn’t speak until we (along with another character) saw scars. And they didn’t stay on that, either. I was impressed by several of the performances, and surprised by certain things that happened (don’t want to spoil it). I know it’s what is done now, but I really didn’t get why there had to be so much swearing, and the sex scene with the guy and his wife…ugh. I think we’d still get that he’s a creep who only thinks of himself without that. I liked the numerous desserts in the fridge—and we then find out why! The best scenes were with the cleaning ladies and between the thing I don’t know what to call and the woman he/it falls in love with. If they can make me forget about all that’s been said about him, and just want to see how their connection gets stronger and wonder if it will—that’s pretty amazing considering that he mostly looks like a giant fish and sometimes eats people. Sorry if that spoiled anything—it had been out for a while when I saw it, so I knew a lot about it but the things I didn’t, I didn’t put here. I didn’t know what to expect from the ending! But I guess I liked it. It was very strange, so watch it when you’re in the mood to see something in that category. It is a love story, though, but not super cheesy.

I'm still floating after watching this magical film!!! There are so many sub-texts and symbolic gestures and sets, etc., I predict this will become an American classic in so-called monster films. The story was terrific. The characters were well developed and fleshed out to perfection. The subplots very engaging on their own. I also predict that this will become a film like Citizen Kane that will be studied in film schools in the future. It would be a terrible oversight if I don't rave about the actors. Mr. del Toro wrote the parts with most all the actors in mind. He also said in an interview that he gave each of the actors a eight page biography of their characters which probably helped. But oh the talent he brought to this production. This is a film I will watch again at least once sometime in the future. It is a beautiful story with magnificent visuals not to be missed.

I'm not sure why this movie is getting so much hate in the reviews. It is a suspenseful love story about how those who are lonely, disenfranchised, and often invisible in this world find meaningful connection and love while also discovering what makes humanity great - altruism. The sex scenes are tastefully implied with nothing beyond an embrace shown with focus more on the emotional intimacy growing between the characters. I love how this movie gave a voice to those that are usually absent in movies (i.e, normal looking everyday working class women, low SES, people of color, disabled, or gay) and would have been particularly invisible during the time period the movie is set in. Loved it!

It's a good movie. I am glad I saw it although I thought to myself, "This is the Best Picture of the Year?" It suffers from elevated expectations. A beautiful film. Colors, costumes, sets, make-up, lighting, it is a technically phenomenal movie. Well acted to boot, although Octavia Spencer seems to be hamming it up a bit. The thing is there's a fair number of plot holes that you try to just roll with, but, by the end add up and are distracting.Great film. As a Guillermo del Toro fan this is up there (Pan's Labyrinth being the number one by far). Just dial back the expectations a bit on the Oscar buzz.Also, Get Out was better. Perhaps not technically (sets, costumes, all that part) but story-wise, by a country mile.

An amazing sci-fi tale that makes deeply profound statements about love, isolation, fear, and prejudice. Ultimately, love prevails. It also challenges our thinking by bringing together greatly divergent ways of viewing our circumstances through individual lenses. Each character exists in their own isolation "tank" of their humanity and, only through love, can we break away to become complete.