February 2018

The Shape of Water is Guillermo del Toro’s latest fantasy film. It’s about a mute woman who falls in love with a captive undersea creature. The film has charming performances, complex characters and beautiful dreamlike cinematography. At the twenty minute mark, I had the sense that everything was being done right and that feeling never let up. It is Del Toro’s best film by far. The story feels fresh and earnest. It’s a mature fairy tale laced with raw sexuality and placed in a 1960’s setting. I think it’s one of the best films I’ve seen in recent years.

The Shape of Its Characters.

Sally Hawkins plays the love stricken heroine with remarkable charm despite her lack of dialogue. She’s quirky, but her desire for companionship is immediately relatable. All the characters are well balanced and the story takes the time to explore each of them. The entire cast is excellent. Richard Jenkins stands out as the equally lonely best friend. Michael Shannon gives a complex and terrifying performance as the antagonist of the picture. Michael Stuhlbarg impresses in his role as one of the lab scientists and Octavia Spencer lends her comedic talents (go watch Dinner for Schmucks). No character is left untended. I became involved in every one of their stories.

The Themes, Characters & Story Are in Harmony.

The film balances human desires with the proprieties of a 1960’s time period. There’s a focus on being “voiceless”. The merman cannot speak and neither can our heroine. Hidden sexuality, both homosexual and heterosexual is on full display, along with commentary about the African-American experience. It’s never preachy, but just the opposite. It feels whimsical. These characters all share a commonality with the captured creature. They lack a voice in society to express their inner desires. It’s rare that the elements of a film come together to focus on the same idea so throughly. It is the mark of an auteur.

This Director’s Skill Has Matured.

Guillermo del Toro does a masterful job with the direction. He’s finally moved beyond shooting pretty sets and into the soul of the story. It’s a testament to his ability that he is able to marry fantasy elements to such relatable feelings. The camera work and production design are standouts as usual for him. The picture has a playful quality that is not afraid to be adult. The human/”creature from the black lagoon” sexuality may unsettle some viewers, but I went along for the ride. Del Toro has scratched his merman itch before (Hellboy), but his popcorn flicks were clearly warm-ups for this more sentimental work. There’s a dash of Splash and Amelié in there, but this whimsical fantasy-romance makes its own statement. I don’t have a single criticism other than a dip in pacing going from the second to third act. It’s likely Del Toro will win Best Director at the Oscars. Go see this movie!

Year – 2017 | TRT – 2:03 | Directed by – Guillermo del Toro | Written by – Guillermo del Toro (screenplay by), Vanessa Taylor (screenplay by), Guillermo del Toro (story by) | Cast – Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer

I got a MoviePass so I finally took in a showing of Thor: Ragnarok. I dug it. It was a far better ride than the last two Marvel Studios outings (Guardians of the Galaxy and Doctor Strange). I thought it was fun with a retro visual style reminiscent of recent low budget genre mashups like Turbo Kid or Kung Fury. Of course, the big budget here allows every frame to be stuffed to the gills with world building visuals. I’m not sure it’s possible for a film to feel more like a comic book. The action is crisp and fun and the film never bores, but I’ve got an unusual critique to make. It’s too funny.

The Humor is Relentless.

Each one of Ragnarok’s cast of characters is both the butt of jokes and a teller of jokes. I can laugh at Thor’s love of beer over tea, but don’t expect me to buy in when he speaks in snarky millennial phraseology. There is a lot of self-consciously clever dialogue that disappointed me. Thor, Hulk, Banner, Valkyrie – all of them are at times played for humor at the expense of character. I would have preferred something with more restraint. There are pratfalls that are out of left field including one where Bruce Banner jumps from a plane. That moment was a low point for this Hulk fan. The humor has another effect – Tom Hiddleston’s performance as Loki is greatly diminished as he is no longer the one injecting levity. That’s my main gripe with the film. Some moments were so silly they betrayed the characters.

It’s Brazenly Kitschy and Absurd.

Overall, this was a good outing for Marvel. It’s got the same kind of bite sized enjoyment that an issue of the comic might have and it removes the ponderousness of the previous Thor outings. There are big knock-around battles that have the kind of silly gusto you want out of tales of the super-strong. Ragnarok also marries sci-fi with the fantasy stylings of the prior films. This kind of genre bending works for an informed geek, but it can be hit or miss for a general audience. It’s a strength here. This is a sci-fi, fantasy, adventure, gladiator, super-hero comedy that works.

Marvel’s Source Material is Nearly Endless.

Ragnarok manages to adapt several comic titles. The film incorporates Hela (Cate Blanchett) and Skurge (Karl Urban) from the Thor books. Neither character gets much time for development, but both have the acting chops to make their scenes work. There are elements borrowed from the late 90’s “Ragnarok” storyline (Thor #80-85) that feature prominently near the end. However, the middle act of the film is not from Thor at all, but a storyline called “Planet Hulk”. The gladiator backdrop as well as Hulk and a few of the secondary characters are culled from this run. It was previously adapted as a mediocre animated film. Finally, the name of the gladiatorial competition is taken from a limited series called Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions. The only other element borrowed from that series is a single character – Grandmaster – played with electric enthusiasm by Jeff Goldblum.

I’m Excited for More.

Thor ends this entry in a place he has never really been in the comics. The changes to his stats quo have been toyed with in print, but never put forth as a permanent arc. These new elements move the character forward in a way that’s needed to sustain interest. While I think the movie veered off road when Thor was delivering punchlines, the ending was great for him. This third outing is certainly a fresh take on the character. I recommend it heartily to Marvel fans and anyone who enjoys Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots. Thor: Ragnarok is a fun cornball movie that your inner five year old will love.

Year – 2017 | TRT – 2:10 | Directed by – Taika Waititi | Written by – Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost, Stan Lee (based on the comics by), Larry Lieber (based on the comics by), Jack Kirby (based on the comics by) | Cast – Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba

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Month: February 2018

‘The Shape of Water’ is Enchanting