Movie: The Shape of Water
I think this one is just . . . not my thing. But I was more convinced of that when I thought I didn't like Guillermo Del Toro in general - and then I remembered that he did Crimson Peak and I loved that. So I'm vacillating: either this was effective in doing what it set out to do and I'm just not into what it set out to do, or I could have been convinced but was not, at all. There were a lot of elements about this movie that were interesting, but it left me entirely cold and never got me to buy into its world at all. I don't have much patience for this kind of storytelling. That said, the acting was good, and if you like this kind of thing I think you will love this? Helpful, I know.
That said, with all the nominations here, I'd have thought it deserved a Visual Effects nomination. Any Film People reading this want to explain why what I'm thinking of as Visual Effects actually isn't what that category is about, or something?
Availability: It's in pretty much all the theaters right now. Easy to find!
Nominated In:
Best Picture: Nah. It did some interesting things but there were so many better movies this year.
Actor in a Supporting Role: Richard Jenkins was fine but did not particularly strike me as award-worthy. I wouldn't be FURIOUS, but not my choice.
Actress in a Leading Role: Sure. I didn't like everything she was given to do, but Sally Hawkins was amazing here.
Actress in a Supporting Role: Sure...? Definitely not the strongest in this set of nominees, but Octavia Spencer was very good here.
Cinematography: Not particularly striking.
Costume Design: Sure, fine, I guess.
Directing: Uh... well, the directing was very DISTINCTIVE, but it did not win me over to its argument or way of seeing things.
Film Editing: Sure. That was good.
Music (Original Score): I get what it was trying to do (I think) but it didn't work for me - instead of adding to the whole fairy tale/old movie atmosphere I THINK they were going for, it just added to the tweeness for me.
Production Design: Yes! Sure. Everything was so precise and a perfect blend of history with this fantasy element.
Sound Editing: I guess.
Sound Mixing: Yes! This one is deserved.
Writing (Original Screenplay): Noooo. For writing to be effective, I need to not only recognize what it's trying to do, but also actually be convinced or buy in to some extent, and that did not work for me here at all. There was also a bunch of stuff that I felt was extraneous and should have been cut but Del Toro would probably say was an ESSENTIAL PART OF HIS VISION.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
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