The Shape of Water (1 Viewer)

[ivanmoe]

I naively walked into a theatre today and plonked down $$$ for two tickets. I managed to sit through it, but aplogized to my wife, afterwards, for having done so. In this day of heightened sensitivities about the depiction and treatment of women in the movie industry, I mistakenly assumed that no one would dare alternate scenes of the female lead engaging in solitary vice with ones in which she seeks gratification in the scaly arms of a two-legged amphibian (think "Creature from the Black Lagoon"). I don't recall seeing anything like that before, beastiality in a mainstream movie theatre, I mean. I have to admit finding it hard to feel much sympathy for Harvey Weinstein, but I hope that he gets to see this one. No doubt he'll be more than a bit bemused by a cinema culture that pillories him, but lauds the bucket of bile which is The Shape of Water as some manner of art. The irony will surely kill him.

-Moe

 

[BLReed]

Thanks for the warning. Not on my list as I tend to avoid movies with multiple award nominations
flogged by the Hollywood elite. You really have to watch out these days. Netflix is just as bad
pushing their social engineering fare.

Weinstein! It's always the old ugly fat men.

 

[nysoldiers]

I will be a "good boy" and try not to take the bait here!
Art can push the limits of sensitivity in different places and different times. To some the works of Michelangelo and DaVinci were blasphemous and pornographic. Many viewed Picasso and Van Gough as artistic hacks.
Many are offended by the gratuitous violence in movies and television.

That said, my wife and I were disappointed with the movie which I thought would be a cool science fiction drama. A lonely, handicapped women befriends an intelligent creature and tries to save it from cruel scientists and the military establishment and develops an emotional tie to the creature........the acting is solid and the creature well done (does remind me of the Black Lagoon as well) with good cinematography.
The intimacy scenes were not necessary in my opinion and did push some limits....kind of "Beauty and the Beast" on a very demented level. There was certainly a message here but for many I assume it was led astray by the images.

I'm hoping the "solitary vice" comment was a metaphor or just a clumsy way of describing a very human activity.....if literal then the prisons would be overflowing with the perpetrators!

 

[theBaron]

I saw the trailer and it looked dumb. I won't spend money to see it.

Prost!
Brad

 

[jazzeum]

Not all movies, art or books will appeal to all (and seeing this one doesn't interest me). What some find interesting, others will find boring. However, to explore new ideas or push boundaries is what art is supposed to do.

I saw a recent article about the late Ursula Le Guin, who said

“We don’t know what we’re looking for when we pick up a book, no matter how clear-cut the genre,” she said. “We think we do, but we don’t. Don’t ever give people the thing they expect just because they expect it. Our job is to surprise them, to shake them — to turn their expectations on their heads."​

If we all liked the same thing, life would be rather boring.

 

[BLReed]

Merge.

 

[CanesBart]

Merge.

My Bad, I looked to see if this movie had a thread, but failed to see it.

From the comments, I need to see the theatrical release as it might be different.

Frankly, I would never go to it, based on the trailers. Was just luck I was invited to the screening.

I really wanted to see more of the specimens in that secret Guberment facility. Maybe that would have lessened the creepy, surreal vibe and made it more of a dark Men In Black? Benicio Del Torro probably knows better than me, hes made some pretty good folms ?

 

[Vicknor]

Er, it’s a metaphor.

 

[ivanmoe]

Er, it’s a metaphor.

So was the use of rats in The Eternal Jew.

-Moe

 

[The Military Workshop]

Not on my list. I read somewhere that somebody objected to the female role (deaf mute) being played by an actress who could speak and hear !

 

[Combat]

I didn't watch the tortuous academy award show but this one looks mildly interesting. I not only had not seen any other of the nominated films but had not even heard of them before they were nominated. Maybe that is a good thing. Movie likes/dislikes have a subjective element but the "best" shouldn't always be the most popular but then maybe it also should not be the least popular. I do dislike the trend of measuring award shows by whether there is sufficient diversity among the winners. As though they are not based on artistic merit.

 

[CanesBart]

Surprised it won. I think it was the best movie of the year (was also the only new movie I saw this year).

Del Toro hit on all cylinders. Just so dark, especially for the period (early 60's).

 

[marco55]

I didn't care for The Shape of Water.
Mark

 

[CanesBart]

It was a shoe in for the Oscar, looking back on it. Despite being a gory horror film. Never hit until now, that it was a champion of diversity which seems to carry a lot of weight. The heroes were a gay artist, a mute immigrant, and her black co-worker. I'd like to think the Soviet spy didnt score many points, but....

Each suffered workplace harassment, racism, sexism, and all sorts of other "ism".

The bad guys, lol, were perfect, looking at it through the eyes of Hollywood as well.

Heck, I figured on a backlash over arguments of stereotyped characters. LOL.

Oh well. I enjoyed it for its atmosphere and story, and the acting. Didnt seem like it was meant to showcase diversity and such. Just happened that way, nostly because the story dictated it. (change the hero from a victimized outcast, to a Mary Sue , and it becomes Wonder Woman or Aliens)

That said, it was just too dark for me to see it again. LOL

 

[jazzeum]

I didn't watch the tortuous academy award show but this one looks mildly interesting. I not only had not seen any other of the nominated films but had not even heard of them before they were nominated. Maybe that is a good thing. Movie likes/dislikes have a subjective element but the "best" shouldn't always be the most popular but then maybe it also should not be the least popular. I do dislike the trend of measuring award shows by whether there is sufficient diversity among the winners. As though they are not based on artistic merit.

Viewership for the Academy Awards was down by 20% from last year, which follows a trend for live award shows.

 

[Warrior]

Viewership for the Academy Awards was down by 20% from last year, which follows a trend for live award shows.

I heard it was the worst rated Academy Awards show ever, on the heels of the Grammy Awards being in the ratings toilet too.

Bottom line is people are tuning out of these shows as they don't want to hear the sanctimonious rants.

Stick to singing and acting; no one cares about your opinions on world affairs.

 

[Desertkiwi]

I heard it was the worst rated Academy Awards show ever, on the heels of the Grammy Awards being in the ratings toilet too.

Bottom line is people are tuning out of these shows as they don't want to hear the sanctimonious rants.

Stick to singing and acting; no one cares about your opinions on world affairs.

Great post mate!

The grand-standing in some of these shows now-a-days is excruciating viewing and just turns folks off......

 

[jazzeum]

The Academy instructed the actors to tone it down and, for the most part, they did. Ratings for live events, as a whole, are down across the board.

 

[The Military Workshop]

Bring back Ricky Gervais !

 

[Vicknor]

I’m one of those ‘Dip-in-dip-out’ viewers who will watch quite large chunks, but decided I couldn’t be arsed with the tumult of political views and back-biting this year.

I’m awaiting the next historical drama with an ‘Inclusion rider’ in it.