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dragonlady7via http://ift.tt/2qY1yBy:
Well! I saw The Shape Of Water, and I have to admit it was really refreshing to be watching a movie not for the fandom of it, and not because of any particular buzz about the actors or whatever, but rather because I’d heard it was a good story. Because, well– it was. It was captivating and sucked me all the way in and I had a great time.
I was glad to have spoiled myself with the trigger warnings. (Someone lovely posted a rundown of the upsetting shit that happens in this movie, because there’s some really brutal stuff.) I was prepared, so it wasn’t so awful. I actually covered my eyes and didn’t watch two particularly gross things, because I’d been warned they’d happen and figured out it was gonna be now, so I’m super glad about that.
spoilery, I suppose, review:
Octavia Spencer was wonderful. She’s so wonderful. She needs to be the heroine in a movie, God, does she. Her voice is so good, her presence is so good, her face is so good, you just– she was great, and I was so stunned and delighted when she Saved The Day.
I really enjoyed Sally Hawkins’ face and hands. Her physicality overall was great, her high-heeled shoes and the way she walked and her little dances and all, but I loved her hands. Something about them– maybe it was because she spoke in sign so you saw them more, but you don’t usually focus so much on a person’s hands, in a film. She also pressed them against glass a lot, I suppose that gave more of a view of them, but I just found them so expressive. I love people’s hands. She was so self-possessed a character, and– I guess, too, her having her big shouting-screaming emotional monologue silently, where she was begging Giles for help, banging her hands together, banging her chest with her hand, hitting him, hitting the wall– it was so powerful, in a way I’d never thought of, to have her so silent.
I also loved how it wasn’t entirely certain whether some things were real or imaginary. I’m still not sure whether she spoke with her mouth or not, at one point. And of course, the ending, how it’s framed as Giles the narrator taking back over, and so you don’t really know whether that’s what actually happened, or whether it’s a made-up story.
The villain of the story, Strickland, Michael Shannon, the “monster”– well, he was flawless. Disturbing and terrifying and extremely, extremely realistic.
My only real disappointment is that I wanted so badly for Dmitri to escape. I thought they’d showed him with the butter knife, like he knew they were going to do him violence and he was going to protect himself, I thought that indicated that he was going to have a plan and escape. I was disappointed that he didn’t. I wanted him to make it.
The scenery, dude points out, was also pretty great– the streetscapes, the interiors, all of it. Grody institutional tile, all in teal, same color as the car– same color as the cleaners’ uniforms– I loved how everything was run-down and antique but actually was contemporary to the era, which I’m not explaining well, but loved.
A lot of it was filmed in Toronto, actually! David Hewlett must have been delighted. It was good to see him, de-McKayified. He’s quite slim, it’s interesting to see him.
I could’ve done without Strickland’s butt, and with more of the monster sex, to be honest! But I guess it’s just as well that was left sort of sweet and fade-to-black, in strict opposition to the gross on-camera slightly icky and monstrous Normie Villain Sex. He was so awful. He was so perfectly awful. I bet I could make you squeak a little. Ugh.
His final words were great though. “Fuck. You are a god.” So resigned.
All in all– enchanting and enthralling, which I haven’t really had as a moviegoing experience in quite some time!!
I might recommend it to my sister, who lives in Baltimore… but I’ll definitely tell her not to take her kids.
(Your picture was not posted)
Well! I saw The Shape Of Water, and I have to admit it was really refreshing to be watching a movie not for the fandom of it, and not because of any particular buzz about the actors or whatever, but rather because I’d heard it was a good story. Because, well– it was. It was captivating and sucked me all the way in and I had a great time.
I was glad to have spoiled myself with the trigger warnings. (Someone lovely posted a rundown of the upsetting shit that happens in this movie, because there’s some really brutal stuff.) I was prepared, so it wasn’t so awful. I actually covered my eyes and didn’t watch two particularly gross things, because I’d been warned they’d happen and figured out it was gonna be now, so I’m super glad about that.
spoilery, I suppose, review:
Octavia Spencer was wonderful. She’s so wonderful. She needs to be the heroine in a movie, God, does she. Her voice is so good, her presence is so good, her face is so good, you just– she was great, and I was so stunned and delighted when she Saved The Day.
I really enjoyed Sally Hawkins’ face and hands. Her physicality overall was great, her high-heeled shoes and the way she walked and her little dances and all, but I loved her hands. Something about them– maybe it was because she spoke in sign so you saw them more, but you don’t usually focus so much on a person’s hands, in a film. She also pressed them against glass a lot, I suppose that gave more of a view of them, but I just found them so expressive. I love people’s hands. She was so self-possessed a character, and– I guess, too, her having her big shouting-screaming emotional monologue silently, where she was begging Giles for help, banging her hands together, banging her chest with her hand, hitting him, hitting the wall– it was so powerful, in a way I’d never thought of, to have her so silent.
I also loved how it wasn’t entirely certain whether some things were real or imaginary. I’m still not sure whether she spoke with her mouth or not, at one point. And of course, the ending, how it’s framed as Giles the narrator taking back over, and so you don’t really know whether that’s what actually happened, or whether it’s a made-up story.
The villain of the story, Strickland, Michael Shannon, the “monster”– well, he was flawless. Disturbing and terrifying and extremely, extremely realistic.
My only real disappointment is that I wanted so badly for Dmitri to escape. I thought they’d showed him with the butter knife, like he knew they were going to do him violence and he was going to protect himself, I thought that indicated that he was going to have a plan and escape. I was disappointed that he didn’t. I wanted him to make it.
The scenery, dude points out, was also pretty great– the streetscapes, the interiors, all of it. Grody institutional tile, all in teal, same color as the car– same color as the cleaners’ uniforms– I loved how everything was run-down and antique but actually was contemporary to the era, which I’m not explaining well, but loved.
A lot of it was filmed in Toronto, actually! David Hewlett must have been delighted. It was good to see him, de-McKayified. He’s quite slim, it’s interesting to see him.
I could’ve done without Strickland’s butt, and with more of the monster sex, to be honest! But I guess it’s just as well that was left sort of sweet and fade-to-black, in strict opposition to the gross on-camera slightly icky and monstrous Normie Villain Sex. He was so awful. He was so perfectly awful. I bet I could make you squeak a little. Ugh.
His final words were great though. “Fuck. You are a god.” So resigned.
All in all– enchanting and enthralling, which I haven’t really had as a moviegoing experience in quite some time!!
I might recommend it to my sister, who lives in Baltimore… but I’ll definitely tell her not to take her kids.
(Your picture was not posted)
