The Shape of Water: 2017

The last one. Well, the last one until the next Academy Awards. That's what The Shape of Water meant to me--the last film to meet my goal of watching all the Best Picture winners.

When the 2018 Oscar nominations came out, I had mainly heard buzz around Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. I had heard a little about The Shape of Water, but it seemed like the story about a mother seeking justice for her murdered daughter was more the story of 2018. But then the Oscar went to The Shape of Water. 

Going into the film, I didn't know much about it. I had seen the clips on the Oscars, and I knew the film would have elements of science fiction, or so I thought. It turns out that The Shape of Water is a romance at its core, a romance between a water creature and a mute woman--two unlikely characters to put in a romance. Even as I watched the film, I didn't expect just how romantic it would turn. Initially, it seemed like Elisa (played by Sally Hawkins) and the creature would become friends. The first hour or so seem fairly predictable, but then things turned and their friendship turns to love. That turn made me wonder more about the message of the film and less about the story. What does Guillermo del Toro, the writer and director of the film, want me to understand?

As I've been thinking this question over, I've come to a few conclusions. Perhaps the message is love can be in any form. The "love is love" concept is certainly supported through Elisa's relationship with the creature. Or maybe it's that people should learn to be kind. That's seen in multiple cases in the film, most involving Elisa and how she treats others. What really made me think the most was how Elisa felt, being alone in a speaking world. She seems fine, but really she is so alone. Her isolation is emphasized through del Toro's directing and the cinematography, in particular when she's riding the bus. Even when a few other people on the late or early bus with her, Elisa is often shown separate from others, absorbed in her own world or going to sleep. She's alone, but I didn't realize how lonely she was until later in the film. Maybe that's what I need to understand--how differences create isolation. Someone can seem okay but really they're not.

So that's it. That's the end. My last film (until the 2019 Academy Awards). I thought I'd feel a sense of accomplishment, but I don't have that. I guess the best word to describe how I feel is satisfied, like I know more than I did when I started. And there's something to be said for that.

Until the next winner, I'll keep watching and writing. I'm thinking about revisiting years when I didn't like the winner and watching one of the nominees to see if I like that better. But I'd also like to catch up on current films to be ready for awards season. If you have any suggestions for me, leave a comment.