The Shape Of Water

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Writers: Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor
Stars: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon

*****

In a nutshell, The Shape of Water is a beautifully flowing, yet obtuse love story captures the heart of anyone who felt they don’t fit the ‘conventional’ film romance image. The opening sequence is majestic and immediately transports you into the world which del Toro has created. Every time I think of the film, its characters, its look, its sound, that word that keeps coming back to me - beautiful.

Now don’t get me wrong. This is not a film for everyone. On the surface it’s a monster movie about a romance between a mute cleaning woman and an amphibian man. But, you know, it’s deeper than that. Actually, it’s a heartfelt story about two people who don’t fit in with everyday life but then find solace, happiness, understanding and acceptance from each other in such a sweet and tender way. And really – that’s what we all want from life, right? To be accepted and understood. To make someone happy by just being there. To be loved.

What gives it that depth and texture is the attention to detail of its director. Guillermo del Toro has clearly put his heart and soul into this film. To have the imagination to create this story is one thing but to bring it to life is something else.

I have seen this film twice now and each time something different struck me.

Firstly, it was the set design. You might think this odd if you haven’t seen it, but as soon as you do you will know what I mean. Everything on every shot on every set has a purpose. The posters in the changing rooms, the billboards on her commute, the books in the flat, the pie shop – everything is tying into one another. And it looks spectacular. Plus, all the way through, sometimes without you realising it, there are subtle references to water and how important it is to the entire storyline. Taking baths, boiling eggs, heavy rain, mopping etc. The more you think about it the more you realise it – and this will not be a coincidence. 

On my second viewing the stand out was the soundtrack. Such beautiful (that word again) and clever pieces of music which set the scene, change the tone and - for a film where the lead protagonist doesn’t speak - relay feelings. It felt like the music flowed through the film like a babbling brook, taking you on a journey from scene to scene.

I read somewhere (good referencing Lucy – well done) that del Toro had written around 40 pages for each key character and given it to the actors to give them an idea of where the character had come from and what their motivations were. And honestly, it shows.

So lets talk about the acting. Sally Hawkins plays Elisa Esposito – a cleaner at a government, who lives above a movie theatre next to her friend Giles (the adorable Richard Jenkins), was abandoned as a child and has never spoken. She communicates to those close to her via sign language. This can not be an easy role to play. Sally Hawkins must convey all her feelings through actions and not her voice. And she does this extremely well. She has some great moments – such as telling Michael Shannon’s Strickland exactly how she feels without him understanding a word of it, and when she tells Giles why she is compelled to save the amphibian man.

Supporting her is an ensemble of fantastic actors at the top of their game. Let’s take them in turn.

Octavia Spencer is Zelda Fuller – Elisa’s cleaning partner and friend. Unlike Elisa, Zelda never stays quiet, always moaning about her no-good husband Brewster and the aches and pains in her feet. I genuinely believe that I could happily listen to Octavia Spencer talk all day.

Richard Jenkins, as I have mentioned is Giles, Elisa’s next-door neighbour. They have a close friendship borne out of a love of musicals. The moments between them both are so touching and sweet – you can really feel their friendship and warmth for one another.

Michael Shannon is Richard Strickland, who is in charge of the imprisonment of the amphibian man. He is nasty. He is horrible. He makes your skin crawl at times. Pure genius from Michael Shannon who always looks cross even when he’s happy. The scene where he goes to buy a new car pretty much sums this character up (and it’s a cracking scene!).

And a quick mention for Doug Jones (aka Commander Saru – for all you Trekkies out there) who plays the amphibian man. His role is not as complex as Sally Hawkins’ but he does have to do a dance scene which can not have been easy!

So to summarise, The Shape of Water is a masterpiece – and truly deserving of its Best Picture Oscar, but I guarantee it will split the crowds. Some will get it, some will think it’s ridiculous but I haven’t stopped thinking about it - and for me that’s the mark of a great film. 

Darkest Hour

Director: Joe Wright
Writer: Anthony McCarten
Stars: Gary Oldman, Lily James, Kristin Scott Thomas

Rating: 8/10

Like most human beings, I am a massive fan of Gary Oldman. I have been ever since I watched Leon and heard him say the word ‘everyone’. So, I feel pretty confident in saying that this is the best performance of his career. It’s so good that it is bigger than the film itself. That is not to say the film isn’t good, in fact it’s really good, but Gary Oldman is on another level. 

It is really difficult to say where Winston Churchill begins and Gary Oldman ends. The prosthetics are fantastic, but it is more than that, it’s his stance, his mannerisms and his presence that Oldman gets right. By the time you reach his big speeches you are fully sold that you are watching Churchill and each word feels like another hole in the enemy’s defences. 

So, to the actual film, we join Churchill through one of his toughest of period in office. He is surrounded by enemies – not unlike the British troops stranded at Dunkirk who he is trying to rescue. He is under pressure from all angles; his cabinet, the opposition, the military, the people and the palace. Not an enviable position to be in. And many believe he’s not the man for the job. But what this film does demonstrate is that if Winston had not been in 10 Downing Street in 1940 then the outcome of WWII would have been very different indeed.

And this is the other major part of this film – its historical importance. Generations (like me) who grew up hearing about the war, but not living through it, may not fully comprehend the complexities and scale of it all. Films like these are key to unlocking the key points in time where the future of the world truly hung in the balance. 

But instead of throwing loads of bullets, special effects and front line fighting at us – like many other WWII films - the Darkest Hour is all about subtlety, nuances and the tough decisions that had to be made under intense pressure. But don’t let that fool you to think there isn’t any action, there is, but it comes at you in a different way. The discussions in the War Cabinet are as tense as any other war film and even though you know the outcome, you are still on the edge of your seat. 

This is a very dialogue heavy film and therefore you need good writing to truly convey the tensions and complexities plus keep the audience engaged – because this is entertainment after all. So just like Churchill said himself, words are power. 

I must also mention the fantastic Kristen Scott Thomas. Much more of an understated role than Oldman, but just as significant. When Winston is cornered by those vying for his position, his wife Clemmie (Thomas) is his rock, gently guiding him to be the man she knows he can be and the leader she knows the nation needs. 

Finally this a great looking film. The cinematography is beautiful and shows us just how isolating and lonely Churchill’s tenure was. The clever use of darkness to emphasise the gravity of the situation and light to symbolise the glimmers of hope, make the whole film feel more like a painting than a film. 

So, in summary – go and watch this film. Revel in the superb display from Oldman, absorb the wealth of history, marvel at the cinematography and be proud that this tiny little island came together, stood firm and never surrendered. 

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Director: Martin McDonagh
Writer: Martin McDonagh
Stars: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell 

Rating: 10/10

Quite honestly, this is one of the best films I have seen in a long time. I loved it. It was funny where it shouldn’t be, it was challenging where it should be, and it was so absorbing I never wanted it to end. I wanted to stay with these characters as they continued their lives, have a beer and play pool with them then head off to the gift shop to buy one of those little rabbits for $7. 

Three Billboards (as it’s known to its friends) is set in a small town in southern America and we join them seven months after Mildred’s (Frances McDormand) daughter has been raped and murdered. As I said, this is small town America where everyone knows each other and nothing much happens, so its fair to say the police have drawn a blank. Mildred is not happy about the state of the investigation and hires three billboards questioning the police chief (Woody Harrelson) on the progress of the case. 

This, as you can imagine, causes quite a stir. What ensues is a brilliantly crafted development of all the key characters and how they interact and affect each other’s perceptions and decisions. Each character is as complex as the next, and you really get to know them like you are part of the town. And whether you like or dislike them, they are all human and make right and wrong choices, sometimes on impulse and sometimes calculated. This ensures you never really know what each one is going to do next and when you think you do everything changes. 

Standout performances go to Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell, who I would be surprised if they were not in the running for a little gold statue come March 5th. 

McDormand is as brilliant as she always is. I struggle to think of a film she has been in where she wasn’t the best thing in it. Her ability to remain fiercely composed even in the harshest of scenes, coupled with her jet-black comedy timing, make her one of the greatest actresses of recent years. For me this is up there with Fargo as one of her best – and I don’t say that lightly!

On the other hand, we have Sam Rockwell. He plays Dixon – a racist, hot-headed, small town cop who likes to stroll around Ebbing, Missouri thrusting his authority on anyone who will listen. However, he is more complex than this suggests, and his character arc is one of the most intriguing elements of the film. He has great respect for Chief Willoughby (Harrelson) who, in return, seems to back him even when others wouldn’t. Rockwell plays this brilliantly and you will be hard pushed to find a better supporting actor role this year. 

Pace wise I would set this film as an ‘ebber’ (no pun intended – ok of course the pun was intended!). It ebbs along nicely and doesn’t rush you but also never feels like it is dragging. It is like baby bears porridge – just right.  This is credit to writer and director Martin McDonagh who once again has created a thoroughly absorbing and deeply effective film which will stay with me for some time. 

If I am being critical, there was one small part of the film that didn’t sit right with the rest of the film and that was the obvious age gap between Woody Harrelson’s police chief and his wife Anne (Abbie Cornish). Harrelson is 21 years older than Cornish and that was extremely apparent on screen. I’m not saying it isn’t possible for them to be married with kids - far from it - but it seemed more of a Hollywoody decision (meaning Hollywood execs like to cast younger women in relationships with older men – meaning older female actresses end up playing divorcees, like McDormand in this film, or widows) rather than for plot development or as a reflection of the town they were trying to portray. 

But this is the only blight on what was otherwise a flawless film. The humour is dark and makes you laugh at the awkwardness of everyday life more than gags and punchlines. And it also can shock you at times when you are least expecting it. 

So, hats off to Mr. McDonagh for giving me this masterpiece which goes straight in as my number one for 2018 so far and will be a very tough one to budge.