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The Shape of Water (2017)

Unicron

Additional Pylon
Moderator
My brother and I are planning on seeing this tomorrow, and the reviews so far seem pretty favorable.

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Elisa is a mute, isolated woman who works as a cleaning lady in a hidden, high-security government laboratory in 1962 Baltimore. Her life changes forever when she discovers the lab's classified secret -- a mysterious, scaled creature from South America that lives in a water tank. As Elisa develops a unique bond with her new friend, she soon learns that its fate and very survival lies in the hands of a hostile government agent and a marine biologist.
 
I too might see this tomorrow. I've heard good things, especially coming from Michael Shannon. I heard this was his best performance since Take Shelter, and I really liked Take Shelter.
 
I've also heard that Sally Hawkins (Elisa) has received many accolades for her performance as the protagonist. Del Toro has done some great movies in the past, so that's a plus in my experience.
 
We'll probably wait for the home cinema release, somehow I get the feeling this will be far more enjoyable at home, without a lot of other people around.
 
Just curious...but could this movie have fit in with Universals attempted monster universe?
Or an approach they should have considered?
 
Just curious...but could this movie have fit in with Universals attempted monster universe?
Or an approach they should have considered?

It's obviously influenced by The Creature from the Black Lagoon, but, no, I'd say it's much better as a standalone movie intended for adults, than trying to force the movie into any "cinematic universe," which would inevitably be intended for teenagers.

Great movie, by the way. I saw it a couple weeks ago and really enjoyed it.
 
We had a lot of fun. :) It's a strange movie in many ways, but those ways are good. The cast is very good and it's a very nice production. It's rated R for some sexuality and nudity, but it's generally fairly light hearted. Del Toro provided all of the creature's vocalizations, and in interviews said that the design process for the costume took 3 years. It looks very impressive onscreen, so I'd say time well spent.
 
If the sex seems mild it's also rated R because you have a guy who has a finger that's severed, reattached, and slowly rots with gangrene, and said guy sticks his hand into an open gunshot wound, a cat that gets its head ripped off, etc...

So that's your "fairly light hearted" for you circa 2017.
 
Wow. Writer, producer and director. That's one way to ensure quality.

This sure looks like something very different, and possibly quite original, which is soooo rare.

I don't go to the theater anymore, but I can see buying this on blu-ray when it drops.
 
So... either no one cares about the first sci-fi Best Picture win, or there's another The Shape of Water thread I'm not seeing because I have the OP on ignore (a weird board particularity I don't know how to solve)? :p

Myself, I haven't yet seen it, but I guess I'll have to now...
 
So... either no one cares about the first sci-fi Best Picture win, or there's another The Shape of Water thread I'm not seeing because I have the OP on ignore (a weird board particularity I don't know how to solve)? :p

Myself, I haven't yet seen it, but I guess I'll have to now...

If you thought winning an Oscar, even for Best Picture™ ever meant anything, this should change your mind. It's never been any sort of impetus for me to see a film.

And it literally just came out. How does it even qualify for the Oscars, let alone win?

How is it doing at the box office?
 
I saw it, thought it was decent enough. But, about a half-hour too long. My wife loved it.
 
I loved it. I loved the entire "world" it created...a balance between fantasy and the grimy reality. It had a sweetness in its spirit, set in horrible world.
 
My local theater only had this for a week or so last month. Only showings were at 10:30pm. Except one extra afternoon showing on $5 Tuesdays. I never had a chance to see it.
 
If you thought winning an Oscar, even for Best Picture™ ever meant anything, this should change your mind. It's never been any sort of impetus for me to see a film.

And it literally just came out. How does it even qualify for the Oscars, let alone win?

How is it doing at the box office?

Literally all questions that could be answered with a 30 second Google. Welcome to the 21st century.
 
If you thought winning an Oscar, even for Best Picture™ ever meant anything, this should change your mind. It's never been any sort of impetus for me to see a film.
The hell does your personal motivation to see a Best Picture winner have to do with whether a win "ever meant anything"?
 
The hell does your personal motivation to see a Best Picture winner have to do with whether a win "ever meant anything"?

It means I'm not impressed with awards. Lots of bad movies win Oscars and lots of great ones don't even get nominated. It's more fucking political than anything to do with merit.
 
I saw it on Sunday (coincidentally before the awards). I enjoyed it, liked it enough... but it didn't bowl me over with anything. There was nothing in there I haven't seen before a hundred times in various SF/F movies and TV shows.

Michael Shannon was good as "angry Michael Shannon"... I don't know, erm... Abe Sapien falling in love.... erm... ET with a fish man instead of an alien.... erm... the cars looked nice....

If hadn't been so overhyped beforehand I may have thought more of it. I personally just didn't get what was so amazing about it. Don't know if I'd even watch it again tbh. Again, didn't dislike it, just I was kinda "ok... alright..."
 
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