The Shape of Water (2017)

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An other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1963. (imdb)

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Directed By: Guillermo del Toro

Written By: Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor

Starring: Richard Jenkins, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer, Doug Jones, Sally Hawkins, David Hewlett, Michael Stuhlbarg, Nick Searcy, Lauren Lee Smith, Martin Roach, Morgan Kelly, Allegra Fulton

Genres: Romance, Drama, Suspense/Thriller, Fantasy

Country: Mexico, USA

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The Shape of Water belongs to 70 collections

1. 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (collaborative: moderated by kozan26 - 239 stars)

2. Oscar: Best Picture (collaborative: moderated by Quicky - 83 stars)

3. boobs (collaborative: moderated by Pickpocket - 53 stars)

4. Academy Award - Oscar - Best Picture and Nominees (collaborative: moderated by smviper00 - 46 stars)

5. Passed the Bechdel Test (collaborative: moderated by geohawk - 32 stars)

6. Full Female Frontal Nudity (Yes, Bush!) (collaborative: moderated by iceblox - 27 stars)

7. AAA: Empire's five star movies (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 25 stars)

8. Female protagonist (collaborative: moderated by djross - 25 stars)

9. Oscar: Best Director (collaborative: moderated by kangadoodoo - 22 stars)

10. Academy Award - Oscar - ALL Best Picture, Directing, Acting & Screenplay Nominees (collaborative - 22 stars)

11. Venice Film Festival: Golden Lion (collaborative: moderated by CCLZA - 15 stars)

12. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 12 stars)

13. 1960s period film (collaborative: moderated by djross - 9 stars)

14. Male Gay Character(s) in a Non Gay-Themed Film (collaborative: moderated by bobyang - 6 stars)

15. Best by different standards (public: sesito71 - 6 stars)

16. Women having sex with monsters (collaborative: moderated by edkrak - 5 stars)

17. Capsules, guest reviews, list candidates... (366weirdmovies) (collaborative: moderated by sesito71 - 5 stars)

18. Top 3000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 5 stars)

19. Oscar: Original Music Score (collaborative: moderated by cagedwisdom - 4 stars)

20. Romance for the Morbidly Sensitive (public: PerryStroika - 3 stars)

21. Top 1000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 3 stars)

22. Mute (collaborative: moderated by mpowell - 2 stars)

23. Solo Genital Stimulation (Female) (collaborative - 2 stars)

24. Golden Globes: Best Director (collaborative - 2 stars)

25. Cold War (collaborative: moderated by iceblox - 2 stars)

26. The Next Picture Show Podcast (collaborative: moderated by trippingly - 2 stars)

27. Cinema Sins (collaborative: moderated by Phantom Nook - 2 stars)

28. Best Original screenplay (collaborative: moderated by Roman_Herbom - 2 stars)

29. Top 2000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 2 stars)

30. Female Bath Scene (collaborative - 1 star)

31. Naked Female Swimming (collaborative - 1 star)

32. Academy Award Winners for Best Picture (collaborative: moderated by gdfthr337 - 1 star)

33. filmekimi 2017 (collaborative: moderated by Johnny Mo - 1 star)

34. Passed the Vito Russo test (collaborative: moderated by tipar - 1 star)

35. Availability: Disney+ and Star Canada (collaborative: moderated by geohawk - 1 star)

36. 2018: Complete Watchlist (public: SageSledge - 1 star)

37. 90th Academy Awards: Nominated (2018) ? (public: 5Z5qjRCfM2 - 1 star)

38. Woman Belting Out A Tune (Solo) (collaborative)

39. National Society of Film Critics: Best Actress (collaborative: moderated by CCLZA)

40. Fox Searchlight Pictures (collaborative: moderated by nauru)

41. Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress (collaborative: moderated by CCLZA)

42. Alexandre Desplat (composer) (collaborative: moderated by djross)

43. Heartfelt Films (collaborative: moderated by BriRam)

44. 90th Academy Reminder List (2017) (collaborative: moderated by cowfrappe)

45. 75th Golden Globe Nominees - 2017 (collaborative: moderated by cowfrappe)

46. 90th Academy Awards Nominations - Best Picture (collaborative: moderated by SageSledge)

47. Dreadit's Top 25 Horror Films of 2017 (collaborative: moderated by justineann)

48. Six Feet Under cast (collaborative: moderated by tipar)

49. Oscar: Best Production Design (collaborative: moderated by Ceekay19)

50. Magical Realism (collaborative: moderated by mynameisdoug)

51. To see (public: pcalado)

52. Ununnilium Top 100 (public: Ununnilium)

53. Curzon Ripon (public: mandy)

54. saw in theater (public: ribcage)

55. My Favourite Films (public: BriRam)

56. Tom's Movies (public: tomwalsh)

57. 2017 Films to Watch (public: kendell)

58. My Movie Collection (public: elhenzo)

59. seen in 2018 (public: sproost)

60. Theatrical Watchlist '18 (public: SageSledge)

61. The Best of 2017 (public: SageSledge)

62. Backyard candidates (public: tomwalsh)

63. Favourites: Year By Year (public: SageSledge)

64. digital (public: ribcage)

65. 2019: Complete Watchlist (public: SageSledge)

66. seen (public: gamzeknc)

67. SEEN IN CINEMA (public: wicked치킨)

68. C-Snacks (public: cantahta)

69. 74th Venice International Film Festival (2017) ~d~ (public: 5Z5qjRCfM2)

70. Blu-ray Collection (public: TripEuphoric)

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All Ratings | With Reviews

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TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
27	gorguts	50 _36th
Finally, a movie for people like me. People who fuck fish.
18	BillyShears	80 _77th
"I bet the Creature from the Black Lagoon is a gentle, wonderful lover" Uhhh okay Guillermo.
14	Leonardis	96 _91st
I'm one of the people who loved this. I thought this was some of Toros best directing and the cinema, story, and score are beautiful, and some of the visual effects. Acting is great all around. Hawkins is compelling, Spencer is funny, Jenkins is charming, Stuhlbarg is surprisingly good, and Shannon is just beyond menacing. I will not be surprised if this takes home a lot of awards. For sure not for everybody, but it is extremely well-made.
12	INDYATMN	71 _27th
Del Toro really is the new Tim Burton: overrated as a result of his choices in production/character design despite threadbare stories filled w/ nothing special characters. This has even more amazing actors elevating yet another fairy tale filled w/ 1-dimensional characters. But this time he also overtly displays love for classic cinema, has an inscrutable title, & makes the kind of "brave" (i.e. bad) Are-you-shtting-me choice that'll turn off half the audience, so this must be Oscar worthy.
10	KasperL	55 _39th
When you can get me to admit that Octavia Spencer is the second-best thing about your film, you are in serious trouble... Hawkins is brilliant, but the rest of the film is generic and semi-lame in about equal measure. By the way, it is perfectly alright to punch anybody who tries to claim that this is superior to 'Pan's Labyrinth' in any way, shape or form.
9	Bown	87 _84th
*SPOILER ALERT* I like when sally hawkins confirms that the creature has a big dick
8	FrederikA	70 _67th
There is a long running tradition of doing "versus" monster movie, but I never for the life of me thought I'd see Amelie VS The Creature From The Black Lagoon. Ultimately, it's sadly not on par with Pan's Labyrinth, but then again you didn't get a Busby Berkeley dance scene in Alien VS Predator, now did you?
8	DavidBlast	45 _36th
A rather stale 'Free Willy' remake.
7	bowfinger	75 _76th
This whole thing should be seen as an allegory of Del Toro's career. Del Toro is the creature, his movies are the mute girl, and Hollywood is Strickland.
7	Ofterdingen	59 _48th
Pretty standard fairy tale added ultra-violence. The Jeunet/Caro-ish production design is better than the story.
7	PerryStroika	70 _85th
The storybook quality of the presentation makes one forget how transgressive a film, essentially about a woman who has a love affair with a fish monster, this is. Perhaps it wouldn't work at all with a lesser lead than the incomparable Sally Hawkins.
7	jlewis	90 _81st
It's like Amelie but in the sea. It's like Beauty and the Beast but with mermaids and pickled eggs. It's like Lost in Translation if everything was green and if Bill Murray had fins. It's like Splash but with communism. It's like Last Tango in Paris, but with seaweed.
7	bakcheia	70 _57th
TSoW is a fastidiously crafted film in terms of visuals, with each scene's attentive details revealing manifold interpretations. Sadly, the aesthetic prowess of TSOW is palpably disrupted by its frustratingly obtuse plot; a plot which seeks to clumsily juxtapose the abjected love between Hawkins and a man-fish against the complex identity politics of the Cold War era. This allegorical collision is haphazardly grafted onto the film at every turn, which left me cold towards this naive fairytale.
6	saudade	55 _71st
Spoiler alert: water is shaped like tits.
6	FoxyRussian	98 _96th
A near perfect, breath taking, adult fairy tale. The romance that is told on screen is impactful and is all helped by a talented cast. Hard to pick out just one stand out from the list. Scenery is beautiful and the very limited use of CGI really helps connect the viewer to the story
6	Pratchett3	5 _19th
there's a fish monster man, it's all gross and retarded, and yes, she fucks it. beautiful movie though, and michael shannon is awesome as always
5	Alex Watkins	3 _38th
It superficially codes as a prestige picture in its era-specific trappings, but don't get it twisted: this is del Toro making an expensive creature feature with a postmodern (in the sense of pastiche) twist. The square-jawed man of action (played with typical brilliant intensity by Michael Shannon) is cast as the villain, and his opponents comprise a disabled woman, a black woman, a gay man, and a Russian. (And, of course, a fish-man.) The trick is that none are perfect; just, well, human.
5	frederic_g54	7 _57th
The story of a horny mute who finally gets her freak on with the Creature from the Clearly Polluted Lagoon. Starring Sally Hawkins as a deaf interpreter and Jared Leto as a fish.
5	constantine	66 _32nd
It's definitely not a bad movie. But I'm dissapointed in Del Toro. From an unconventional director, The Shape of Water comes with an incredibly traditional story-telling. And this is coming from a person who even liked Crimson Peak. It's not exciting and I couldn't feel any kind of connection to the story. Maybe it's time for Toro to swim away from Hollywood's shallow waters to his deep roots.
5	MArkjp	45 _21st
"Le Fabuleux Destin d'fifty shades of fish" sits itself firmly on its tail between all available chairs and continues to flap around like...well...a fish out of water.
5	Jerky	75 _93rd
The only "mute, friggin' herself in a tub" film you'll ever need!
5	NothingsGood	45 _39th
Nostalgia: The Movie. With a Sea Monster. That has regeneration powers. And fucks a mute chick. By Guillermo Del Toro. Also featuring Michael Shannon as Harvey Weinstein.
5	eCitizen	80 _83rd
Sally Hawkins never disappoints. A monster movie that is a little wacky, but in all the right ways. A great adventure for a lowly mute cleanup lady. Michael Shannon played the despicable military man well. Richard Jenkins was also great. I liked the 1960's period setting. The special effects were good. The music was good. I didn't like the spoken Russian with subtitles. The love affair was slightly creepy. It was entertaining to the end, and Hawkins exposed was an unexpected bonus.
5	Paxton	70 _63rd
A most magical and imaginative retelling of one of Led Zepplin's most infamous nights.
5	Lightning17	74 _46th
As strange as you would expect, The Shape of Water is simple and driven by a storybook feel, visuals, and performance rather than good storytelling. Mostly one-dimensional characters and a bland narrative keep it from rising to excellence.
5	SirSass	75 _83rd
No, what I said is that she sleeps with the fishes. You see...
5	backwardsuit	87 _94th
I adore this movie. Del Toro is a rare master of the fairy tale form. He doesn't pollute it with superficial complexities or cheap modernities yet understads poetry & context in these outwardly simplistic emotionally driven fantasies. In contrast to the classically familiar plot the tone is staggeringly weird & rich with layeres of loneliness, austerity, absurdism, perversion & tenderness. A poignant personal vision delivered by sincere direction & performances. Timely & timeless & beautiful.
5	jacobclark12	96 _95th
That this film is touching and impactful as it is already makes it stand out; that it is a spectacular work of filmmaking and acting makes it stellar. Del Toro has poured every bit of himself into every aspect of the film, and his passion shows. Shannon, Hawkins, and Jenkins bring every bit of their ability to the table in their performances, giving us a masterclass in subtlety. On top of that, the beautiful score and cinematography make this one of the best and most original films of the year.
4	Nathan S	4 _74th
Del Toro's visions are always uniquely twisted, but here is an especially unexpected and fearless representation of sexual nonconformity. Each of these characters might be largely defined by their sexual appetites, and the various ways they fail to comply with cultural values. The heroes are empathetic outliers - one disabled, one unfettered and animalistic, another gay, another unhappily married - and the villain is at the very least an abuser, if not an outright rapist.
4	Mentaculus	96 _96th
Atom Age Americana through the lens of magical fable. Here is an unapologetic culmination of a singular artist's themes, yet told with a newfound sense of urgency - at all times, propelled like a musical through the emotions and fantasies of its players. This is needed - it takes an uncanny whimsy to redeem its violent and perverse sexual politics through the strength of sheer beauty and goodwill. As complete a filmed vision as you'll hope to find.
4	Neonman	47 _5th
Laughably bad. The world's least secure and least quarantined research facility is home to the most amazing discovery of life, which of course the villain has to react to with viciousness to lazily generate conflict. Whimsical directing don't cover up the fact this film is flawed at its foundation and requires characters to act dumb or contradict themselves to keep this nonsensical plot moving towards an ending where a certain plot-point about the creature should've been revealed earlier.
4	mwgerb	65 _77th
I really like this movie, and I believe it's Guillermo's best made film yet, which is high praise. The cinematography and score are immaculate, the characters are engrossing and engaging, and the acting is top-notch from all involved. Which makes it all the more disappointing that the mermaid sex is so off-putting and distracting from the film. A near-miss masterpiece.
4	GordonBombay	50 _25th
I really don't get the hype. You take a monsterflick and merge it with a sweet love story. But it's like you merged the leftovers instead of the good parts. No scary monster. No actual romance other than dance. This movie is a reversed mermaid. Head of a fish with the body of a chav girl from Newcastle. Not hot or cute in any way. Only saving graces are Stuhlbarg, Jenkins and Shannon who all does their best to save this Shape of a Turd. It's Splash without John Candy.
4	wicked치킨	40 _11th
The fish-god character is so thinly drawn that this felt like watching Sally Hawkins' character masturbate in her tub for two hours. Felt absolutely nothing about the central romance. Also, shockingly bad dialogue, especially for a Best Picture winner. The general's dressing-down of Michael Shannon was just incomprehensible and bizarre.
4	JSchlansky	80 _77th
Guillermo del Toro did the noises for the fish person himself. Visualizing this brings me much amusement.
4	joel-w-m	9 _92nd
Any shallowness or slight weirdness of the central romance is swept away by the film's superbly engaging storybook feel. Tasteful bits of narration (the ending poem is lovely) bookend a satisfyingly spun (and lovingly scored and shot) fairy tale of charming outsiders (Elisa's the perfect "strong and silent" protagonist-see her "FU" to Strickland) and menacing monsters (the prejudice of the 50s setting adds an effective dramatic element). Whimsical humour and poignant recurring motifs top it off.
4	Corbad	75 _67th
Strong performances, lovely visuals, and unique characters propel the film through its more questionable elements and ultimately contribute to an engaging and compellingly intimate concept film.
3	Moribunny	20 _9th
I don't know if it's supposed to be an adult-oriented "Okja" or a humorless "Splash", but it's mostly an anachronistic and truly awful regurgitation of 19th century romanticism, with Michael Shannon wasted in the role of a stock villain.
3	Kavu	84 _83rd
Beautiful, with great performances, but rather naively written and a bit too simple for its own good. Also, beautiful.
3	evrana	71 _49th
It was just too contrived and superficial as a story to be enjoyable wholly. It feels like an Oscar movie you know, it is not a living story but more like a ice skating score. Also it has some plug and play features (such as the "Monster" being so close to Abe Sapiens in Hellboy, and Shannon's re-enacting of his character in Boardwalk Empire). Visually it was tantalising; but as an overall movie it was like a pale shadow of City of Lost Children. PS: A near perfect probable score :)
3	twincinema	85 _85th
Who knew the a woman making love to a fishman could be so tender?
3	Dean Franz	45 _39th
Who looks at a movie set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1963 and says "I'm going to make this feel FRENCH as FUCK"? The same person who likes to watch a mute woman engage in fishporn, apparently. But hey, if you've been yearning to see "Humanoids from the Deep" dressed up as period piece oscar bait, go right ahead.
3	TheRealJ-Ro	80 _70th
Concept-wise, I was so very down for this, and while I admit that I had precious little idea of what I was really walking into (other than, it's a Guillermo del Toro movie, so I'm going to love it), I have to admit as well that I DON'T love it. This is a good movie, probably very good, with great performances, incredibly sculpted by its director, and I'm hard-pressed to come up with anything about it that I explicitly didn't like. I'm not let down, not by a long shot, but I'm not all in, either.
3	alanstrang	59 _29th
jeunet -amelie- meets jeunet&caro -the city of lost children-. if there is a film category such as allegorical romantic fantasy comedy, del toro is the king of it.
3	sellis	76 _49th
Above all else, I hope this gets Sally Hawkins recognition as one of the finest actresses working today. Her charisma shines through despite being incapable of vocalization. Jenkins is a nice counterbalance - neurotic, romantic, and just as friendly. However, the formulaic nature of its plot mechanisms announces itself after its midpoint escape scene, and into the third act. What we're left with is something pretty standard, and familiar to the extent that it is unaffecting when it counts.
3	Stewball	50 _14th
C'mon, simple-minded, sentimental pap presented as science-fiction art, with more one-sided politics. Think Beauty and the Beast, The Sequel. The music was OK, but they could have found better even from the 40s & 50s.
3	fenixdown	75 _53rd
Absolutely DRIPPING with style.
3	Gideon	2 _59th
Far from Del Toro's best work, but far from bad. TSoW feels like a fairytale, considering it has all the right (and cliched) ingredients. Stellar design throughout.
3	deaddilly	70 _48th
A little spicier than I had imagined, which was nice, I just wish the writing could have been more dynamic/clever. Its a clear homage to his hollywood heroes, and overall was a pleasant viewing.
3	VinegarBob	60 _35th
Beauty & The Beast with a Splash of E.T. It features a hodge-podge of government conspiracies, torture, repressed homosexuality, cold war politics and human on alien sex. This is just chrome though - at it's heart it's still Beauty and The Beast, so don't expect anything too original. It's a handsome film to be sure, and Sally Hawkins gives a fantastic performance, but it still has Marvel sensibilities, the characters are drawn with a broad brush and the plotting is loose to say the least.
3	Velvet Crowe	81 _91st
This is an odd movie for me because it has a lot of tropes I hate, yet somehow there is nuance to it. The choice to make Hawkin's character a mute was brilliant, and lead to some fantastic scenes that wouldn't be the same had she been made to speak. The characters may seem one-dimensional on the surface, but the film handles subtlety so well that its tropey characters have some interesting intricacies to them.The plot and characters can at times be hokey, but this is a well-shot cinematic marvel
3	AAAutin	60 _72nd
Daryl Hannah has not aged well...
3	natebarrios	75 _75th
ajit pai's mouth is shaped like an asshole
3	Gnalkhere	80 _71st
I'd buy the comic book version of this film cuz it'd look exactly the same. A whimsical masterpiece Harry Potter wishes it could be
3	TheEscapist	73 _65th
Cool design and visuals. Props for creative directing. I suppose the film has its heart in the right place, but the plot and characters could have been fleshed out more. The characters are quite clichéd and there are some plot holes. I don't think the ultra-violence and torture were necessary here, it put me off from enjoying this film more. I wish the script was better and more original, if it had been as creative as the rest of the film it would easily have earned a higher score from me.
3	christof	82 _62nd
Strange trappings of Amelie at the start (including self-consciously French-ified soundtrack) eventually dissolve into the heavily stylised magical realism we appreciate in Del Toro films. Sally Hawkins is particularly splendid in this.
3	Groovy_Souls	95 _97th
I gotta say, I think those who find the story off-putting have to remember that this is Del Toro. And probably the finest Del Toro since Pan's Labyrinth. A visual masterpiece, for sure, but beyond that, its cast is exquisite, score is incredible, and the urban fairy tale aspects and cold war setting make this an interesting, compelling, and easy watch. It may turn off some, but this will easily land as one of my favorite films of 2017.
3	anilscn	30 _17th
Fuck off Academy, Fuck off Hollywood, Fuck you the best thief Del Toro. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9eph-UuMZE&t=
2	Filligan	92 _85th
A very personal-feeling film. It's intimate. A film that's becoming harder to find in wide release these days: a vision brought to life without compromise from a talented artist. The characters are endearing, the score lovely, the camerawork gorgeous, the storytelling engaging. This was a treat. I left the theatre in the glow of satisfaction that only well-wrought stories give us.
2	yoohoo	85 _82nd
Think Amelie meets Pan's Labyrinth. A gorgeously shot fairy tail/monster movie - this is what I imagine happens after they captured the Creature From the Black Lagoon.
2	cagedwisdom	75 _65th
A unique, wonderful experience - but it lacks something for me. I can see why a lot of people love it. Wish I was one of them.
2	AFlickering	2 _18th
i was moved by the surprising compassion and understanding with which jenkins reacts to finding his lonely best friend in bed with the gross dude who ate his cat's face, until i remembered he chose his career first and only ended up helping her out because nobody had any use for his shitty art. which, presumably, is the same reason del toro decided to shoehorn these pandering yet disinterested and incoherent real-world analogues into his gloriously(?) goofy fishfucker fantasy.
2	td888	80 _89th
Great movie. That one scene reminded me of Splice though....
2	edkrak	70 _64th
Somewhere in between a Disney fairytale and Roger Corman movie. It's a little bit too sweet for my taste, more sleaze would certainly make it better balanced. With some explicit monster fucking and gore this could've been amazing.
2	Obdurate	90 _91st
While it's a little lesser than his finest hour (Pan's Labyrinth), it's a visually gorgeous buffet of influence (like always, seriously, this dude crafts beautiful stuff) powered by great performances by everyone, especially Hawkins, but Shannon is a great villain too. I felt for this creature; the way he and Hawkins relate and play off one another is splendid storytelling. Fantastic soundtrack as well. Predictable but it's so moving that that weakness is covered.
2	eric-jan	80 _87th
An absolute work of art. It doesn't feel forced, even though it's a fantasy setting you have to 'believe' from the start. Also.. that music score.. I'm in love :)
2	WWallce4prez	80 _73rd
The aesthetic of any del Toro film is worth the admission alone, and the Shape of Water doesn't disappoint in this aspect. Call it Caro/Jeunet light, but it is still a wonderful feeling to get lost in this fairly tale surrounded by such pretty wrapping paper. There are several moments that pierce with an authenticity that is absolutely heartbreaking.
2	letskillrobots	14 _36th
Ohhh so this is what working at Sea World in the 70s was like.
2	Okkervil	83 _88th
My mind kept slipping to thoughts of Troy McLure and then inevitably Richard Gere’s anus every time the fish fucking commenced. That minor distraction aside this is a gorgeous treat; led expertly by the delicate Hawkins and the malignant Shannon.
2	nevejas	43 _14th
This movie is as much otherworldly as having sex with a fish is. Underwater! Also it is about having the green coloured cake substance made of pure sugar fed to you through a drip with the French accordion playing in the background for days unending. Just kidding, at the end of such stylized treatment there is a merman to live happily with ever after because he loves you for what you truly are, a person full of green cake with a very good heart who just deserves to be loved by fishmen forever.
2	dunetails	70 _54th
Considering none of this is actually filmed under water,they've done an incredible job on the budget.It looks more expensive than it should, some nice cinematography. The prosthetics are incredible as usual. Worth a watch for the craft, the story is fine, the acting is good. Probably the best mainstream GDT work to date -I'm counting Crimson Peak and Pacific Rim here though.
2	CarsonWid	82 _90th
Fantastic characters
2	ilglynx	88 _74th
An impossible love story between a girl and an outsider. Beautifully put. Amazing acting, both leading and supporting.
2	PetrosTser	80 _87th
An absolutely stunning film, featuring beautiful photography, excellent production design and a great soundtrack. The entire cast is phenomenal and the story itself is a brilliant piece of screenwriting in terms of themes, characters and plot. It's a wonderfully resonant movie and a completely immersive experience: taut and relaxing, real and surreal, unsettling and sweet, it's the definition of memorable.
2	hellboy76	72 _86th
It's gorgeous and fun and sweet and creepy. Shannon is fucking vicious, Jenkins is at his most Jenkinsy and a mute gets naked and fucks a fish in a flooded bathroom. If there isn't something here for you, you are dead inside.
2	glumpy_99	95 _90th
Beautifully rendered fantasy is a triumph on all levels - the disparate elements of this bizarre tale and characterisations are seamlessly interwoven; the 4 heroes (representing different faces of the social 'outsider') are uniformly superb (even if Spencer wavers close to typecasting). Jones as the creature delivers the most sensitive performance of the movie with mute Hawkins incredibly impressive; while Shannon may present as over-the-top, he is an all to familiar 'real world' archetype.
2	thegreyfox	78 _69th
Well, there are two ways to look at TSOW depending on who you concentrate on. It is either a charming, quirky escapist fantasy of a sexually and emotionally repressed cleaner, or a violent, unpleasant, example of Mans moral bankcrupy and failure to treat anything that is 'different' approaching a humane way. Actually, it is both, and the juxtaposition of the two is a little too jarring to make this work perfectly. Hawkins was terrific, but Shannon too 'inept' a character to be a true baddie.
2	MontyCircus	60 _68th
Deliciously weird (the original trailer was perhaps the strangest I've ever seen) and surprisingly adult and non-commercial. I didn't love it (it's among the best-reviewed of the year, and del Toro won the Golden Globe for Best Director and is favourite for the Oscar), but it was an enjoyable night out!
2	Lady Moe	89 _82nd
The fact that this film works at all is a miracle, but the fact that it is legitimately touching and genuinely charming is an anomaly. A step to the left or right could've made this movie a creepy and/or gross movie because of its concept but del Toro finds the sweet spot where it just...works. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the great performance of Sally Hawkins, who carries the film without the need for words. GdT also, once again, shares his knack for creating despicable villains.
2	damil	75 _81st
It was beautifully shot, the cinematography was gorgeous, the production design was fantastic, the music was great, it's got an awesome cast. The story is fairly predictable, and the themes are quite heavy-handed, but it's fine - it's not trying to be subtle, it's trying to be a B-movie with a twist. The creature design was brilliant, and I enjoyed the flashes of violence. It's not quite something I absolutely love, but I liked it a lot.
2	bof	85 _92nd
Sure, there are flaws in the narrative, but it's a fucking fairytale. And nobody does those like del Toro when he wants to.
2	mkellins	60 _54th
Visually the film was beautiful, and the strong acting made it enjoyable enough to watch. Sadly, this really was the case of style over substance. It was a simple fairy tale for adults. Its revolutionary lesson being, you should not discriminate against pe... creatures, that look different from you.
2	mattorama12	72 _68th
Really great in some ways, including how it melded genres seamlessly and was beautifully shot. Unfortunately it also had some really tropey characters and scenes, as well as too many side stories that didn't really add much. An achievement and nice as something pretty original.
2	Kuroel	65 _68th
Rule 34 brings you this adult fantasy of a mute woman and a fishman.
2	P u l p	65 _61st
"Not only was she the first choice, she was the only choice. I wrote the movie for Sally." - Guillermo del Toro
2	Matija D	81 _78th
Well made fantasy story about life, about prejudices and obsticles that are made by the society around us. Fear of unknown, no matter how amazing it is, is always around us. In many ways its a classic story about society, but with so much more around it with Del Toro's touch that is recoginzable in great direction and story telling.
2	JackRyan2014	75 _86th
Beauty and the Beast for adults. While the movie romanticises the fairytale relationship it doesn't shy away from the more animalistic traits of the Merman. In general the cast were all believable in their roles and felt fleshed out as characters with special mention to Michael Shannon who is scarily convincing as the main antagonist. The film is well directed, looks great, has a good score and the costume for the Merman is really impressive.
2	Armilio	70 _63rd
Ameliè meets The Beauty and The Beast. Water is life, and we are all drops of it. It's love, life, needing each other in this big ocean, against people that use other people like tools. This is Del Toro 3000%, maybe visually speaking his best work, never his fairytale spirit and poetic was so well merged with the aesthetics of one of his film. But still, it's first and foremost a fairy tale love -- and sex, it's for adult -- story that never really make the jump into something more.
2	kuzronk	50 _25th
I was forgetting what was going on while watching since it just started to drone on with little substance to make me care. It's the 2017's The Artist and hopefully it will be reevaluated as such in the future. It's not as Oscar Bait as something like a holocaust drama but being a genre film that isn't superhero junk that fills the cinemas doesn't make it great. The biggest disappointment I watched in years.
2	feublo	75 _41st
I felt this delicate, creature romance was carried by the design and cinematography. Definitely glad I caught this in theater as I'm not sure if I would've enjoyed it as much at home. A few holes throughout the plot that don't make it great, even some unnecessary scenes. However, was refreshing to enjoy such a film.
2	Jasongirl67	70 _48th
A strange and yet beautiful fairytale love story
1	SlrSoapbox	90 _92nd
Like Splash for an adult audience. Beautifully acted & lovely, unique story. The score, cinematography and makeup were all incredible.
1	AgentSnipe	90 _97th
Weird, beautiful, funny & sad. All about outsiders & has a nice message about tolerance & acceptance that isn't too on-the-nose. Because the two main characters are mute, this movie accomplishes a lot by saying very little. The performances are fantastic. The only weak spot for me is the creature. I found him to be too enigmatic. Sally Hawkins really sells her affection for him, but it's hard to understand why when the Creature doesn't have a strong sense of personality or underlying human
1	MadMan	98 _93rd
Beautiful, lovely movie.
1	Voltaire53	77 _70th
Lovely to watch, powerfully acted (though a lot of the characterisation was quite obvious) and a beautiful movie creation but everything is really too predictable and too many of the plot points are taken from other films or fables to make it the massive awards winner it has been in my personal opinion. Despite its faults I was really glad I got to enjoy it on the big screen... just sit back and be entranced by the magic it weaves
1	nuotio	66 _85th
Mixed on this: well directed, visually stunning; and I admire Del Toro's passion to provide quality genre films. Still, this felt more like a Jeunet film and almost calculated for these times with it's black and white characters and message of embracing diversity. It makes it clear from the start that it is a fairy tale, but it feels like a lazy way to justify the huge plot holes and plausibility issues - while it's strict on (period) details and brutal and realistic portrayal of violence.
1	TheDiceman	65 _73rd
Strange.
1	Ytadel	7 _83rd
A charming cinematic fairy tale, mixing Beauty and the Beast and Creature from the Black Lagoon and Splash with beautiful cinematography and whimsical music and a Mad Men setting/vibe and a peppering of a gothic horror vibe and romance aplenty. While it may not be my favorite of 2017 I do appreciate it as one of the least "Oscar bait"-y Best Picture winners in some time. I also appreciated the naked female ass and titties featured throughout the film's runtime.
1	timmo	95 _88th
Del Toro has reached that tier of auteur filmmaking that allows him to turn his power into essentially perfect movies you know are his within a minute of watching them. Emotionally, SHAPE is a roller coaster. Artistically, it's a tour de force.
1	driscarpin	94 _93rd
O Del Toro mesmo quando faz filmes medianos é muito além do que se vê no cinema comercial contemporâneo e este particularmente é um desbunde e, sim, ele é melhor do que O Labirinto do Fauno. Mais do que uma história de amor e aqui pensamos n'A Bela e a Fera do Cocteau, A Forma da Água é uma ode ao cinema dos anos 30, 40 e 50 com especial ênfase n'O Monstro da Lagoa Negra como o visual de um dos protagonistas deixa claro se as tomadas embaixo d'água já não o façam. Deslumbrante.
1	cowfrappe	77 _81st
Remarkable craftsmanship and top-notch acting in an overly-violent romance/thriller combo.
1	Mojo_Jojo	70 _87th
Even with the paper thin characterisation of the bad guy, this is just strange and wonderful
1	angrypierre	85 _85th
Probably not for everyone, but I thought it was wonderful. A suspenseful romance about two misfits finding eachother in a harsh and unforgiving world.
1	Bojangles	55 _50th
You've got a perfectly good Michael Shannon who's ready and willing to power fuck you, and you elect to go with the hermaphroditic fish guy. Women make NO sense.
1	msprague	90 _96th
Excellent story. Excellent cast.
1	Duder	70 _75th
Well directed and crafted fairy tale. Have to underline that, a fairy tale and a good one at that. Fitting del Toro's style but losing its grip at times.
1	vespera23	92 _94th
Never thought I'd see someone pull off a whimsical anti normative cold-war era love story between a mute woman and a fish man but, I mean, Del Toro, right?
1	janus	75 _64th
Draws surprisingly heavily from The Iron Giant. Its political jabs get tedious but in other aspects it is refreshingly unafraid to get a little weird. Didn't buy the romance at all but that's part of its appeal too, in a way.
1	Kalmah7	77 _56th
Beautiful movie with wonderful performances, but I think Del Toro is an artist with a truly terrible sense of morality.
1	Hadleyreis	79 _73rd
I've looked at a can of tuna in the same way
1	Kortee	77 _86th
This story is an actual adaptation of Amelie suited for the age we're living in now.
1	walkearth	65 _72nd
Imagery straight from visionary Guillermo Del Toro's mind with immediately recognisable style, palpable and solid atmosphere, coupled with solid pacing and great performances. The archetypal villain in Shannon's personification, the stable as usual screen presence of Jenkins, and an unbearably cute, sexy, real and heartbreaking - also very well cast - Sally Hawkins. Alas, the sporadic symptoms of the nowadays very modern emphasis on societal polarisation and victimisation drag it down a little.
1	CosmicMonkey	78 _58th
Really nothing special (Except the production design, Jesus, literally every single shot in this film is pretty!) I hate writing reviews this short, but I really don't know what else to say: it's... fine, serviceable, okay. Sally Hawkins is great, and the story is unpredictable enough to keep me interested until the end, but from a story-telling and film-making perspective did it say or do anything new or different? Not really.
1	astrakhan	80 _74th
An exceptional film to look at, particularly for its production design, sets, costumes, palette and cinematography. In other key areas, perhaps not so exceptional, just good enough. The characters and acting were fine, it's just the story was not all that original and only operated on a basic level. Its amount of awards and nominations is a bit surprising. A feast for the eyes but only an entree for the brain.
1	omgfridge	6 _53rd
A little let down in the end. It's good but I feel the second half, it gets a bit lost. There are some wonderfully directed moments which really shine and Hawkins is just mesmerizing as usual.
1	mandy	9 _98th
Fabulous, inventive and enchanting story telling. Sally Hawkins is mesmeric and Michael Shannon, as always plays a great villain.
1	SpaceEcho	60 _43rd
Aggressively mediocre.
1	stuie299	75 _47th
Reminds me of a video game. A sort of cross between ABZÛ and L.A. Noire (make of that what you will). Visually impressive. The art design is clearly the star of the movie, but from del Toro that's more or less expected. IMO the story was obvious, and the characterizations were all time period stereotypes. It also tries a little too hard to be quirky in a way reminiscent of Amélie. That said the humour was good in spots and it doesn't shy away from being more adult when called for.
1	Ununnilium	91 _91st
The intense emotional honesty of this movie is what makes it work, makes it so good. It knows what it wants to say - that human beings have been chopped apart by conniving miniature tyrants as they desperately grasp for control, and that the only way to reclaim ourselves and each other is to leap boldly over the barriers they've placed around us and bravely, passionately love. And it does this with a real honest monster and real honest love. Wonderful, and deserving of all plaudits.
1	auhasarderik	6 _40th
Lavish-Moronic.
1	BeautyBliss	80 _61st
It is charming and endearing that the shy, introverted woman falls in love with a sea monster. But it is also a bit strange.
1	guy piranha	65 _53rd
Guillermo shooting for the undisputed masterclass. Now if this gets enough oscars, they just might give him the aquaman movie.
1	ericambler	78 _72nd
THE SHAPE OF WATER is a testament to the cult of the movie director. A lesser filmmaker would've lost audiences with the bizarre conceit, but the movie is beautifully crafted on every level, with Del Toro's attentive vision evident in each frame. It's not the most watertight script--at times, the story feels like a maze of non-sequiturs--but a meaningful theme of alienation eventually develops from it, emphasizing the commonalities among its fraternity of outcasts.
1	Seethruskin	5 _80th
Was I the only one that didn't know Sally Hawkins has an ass?
1	bita	80 _47th
"Unable to perceive the shape of You, I find You all around me. Your presence fills my eyes with Your love, It humbles my heart, For You are everywhere.." girl made me remember Amelie..and the whole story make me feel like i`m watching Big Fish!So imagine that you are watching mix of those plus lots of new stories in a new world.
1	chmul_cr0n	47 _14th
Starts out so promising. Then becomes totally childish and stupid halfway through. Pretty much when they very easily pull off the heist without any serious obstacles or consequences. I think it would have worked much better, if they kept the heist as a setpiece for the end, and all the other stuff happened in the facility. Would've been much more interesting than fish dude in a tub. The musical scene and the ending were right out of a ZAZ movie. Laughed preeeeettty hard at those.
1	Calabria	74 _26th
Monochrome in so many ways
1	noisebloom	88 _88th
A familiar story is told through the lens of extremely detailed and alluring fantasy, and nearly every creative decision made fits together with perfection. The Shape of Water excels at how it tells its story, rather than what story it tells. The result is a beautiful, other-worldly tale of love and realization that emotionally resonates.
1	Barraoc	80 _85th
Guillermo del Toro shows us the softer side of Cthulhu Mythos. Surprisingly sweet.
1	The Pirate	84 _76th
Visually beautiful and featuring amazing music, this movie feels very much like a childhood dream realized (which of course it was). It can be boring at times and sometimes you have to let your suspension of disbelief get away with more than it's used to, but del Toro proves he still knows how to craft a work of quality and substance.
1	hotsake	60 _51st
Saw it and... Not sure what all the hype was about. If you liked/loved Amelie or Delicatessen you'll love this as this film is as least as odd, quirky and French as either of those. These kinds of films don't resonate with me so all I'm left with is good music, a couple a fun set pieces, great cinematography and nothing more. It's decent but I'll most likely never watch it again.
1	Goldbluming	72 _44th
Disappointed by the simplistic narrative style here. Yes, the sets and customs are beautiful and the initial premise is catching. But I left the theater feeling like there should have been more to this movie. It feels beautiful but empty.
1	magdabag	96 _97th
This movie deserved every award it won. Guillermo del Toro is a mastermind. Everything he makes is perfect. I'm just happy she found her Nemo.
1	Ritteh	40 _18th
I have no idea how these boring movies get nominated for (Update: win) Golden Globes and Academy Awards. I generally love Octavia Spencer, but her character had no depth what-so-ever, which was a shame. Actually, none of the characters had any depth. Very one-dimensional. Another movie with too much wasted talent. If you like sex with fish, or if you grew up in the 50s watching the Creature From the Black Lagoon, this might be the perfect movie for you. PS. My parents loved it.
1	PUNQ	70 _96th
A highly enjoyable creation from Guillermo del Toro, but too clearly 'fish and bait' for critical acclaim. The scenes were too obviously proposing to those that love film, with a lot of nostalgia, and a 1930s black and white musical number topping off the ass-kissing. But that aside, it really was a pleasant experience. Cool 60s frame, with outsiders in nicely captured atmosphere. Drives more on the sweet nature of these creatures than the suspense of the nasty beast Michael Shannon.
1	90sCoffee	73 _43rd
Uniquely derivative
1	rezasalimi	78 _59th
Good job mr. del toro , GOOD JOB !
1	DyanneThorne	25 _9th
(With apologies to FrederikA) What in the actual ass, Del Toro? How did you manage to take such a banal story and mess it up so badly? We have an intro which the music is telling me should be charming and quirky, but every shot is out of a horror movie. We have a plot consisting of the characters playing catch with the Idiot Ball. And we have a murderer, torturer, rapist, who is mean to his wife and have unsanitary bathroom habits. The heist was fun, though; I'm a sucker for a good heist.
1	maborosi	40 _30th
FANTOM FRED WUZ RAWBED
1	KenMeisters	74 _69th
A quite beautiful love story about a woman and a fish (yes.). Great performances, a nice setting and the typical Guillermo del Toro touch make this movie as enjoyable as otherworldly.
1	BJHudson	90 _93rd
GUILLERMO DEL TORO KNOWS WHAT I WANT
1	Temptershell	85 _88th
I waited for this film for a very long time. Not necessarily for this title but in this form because Tim Burton's latest productions did not delight as much as any del Toro project and that's why The Shape of Water is a production for me. Honestly, I was hoping for something darker but the convention of delicate urban fantasy also appealed to me.
1	hte624	100 _98th
Another Del Toro triumph. Beautifully directed, beautifully poised, with a wonderful soundtrack and a truly heart-warming story. Loved it.
1	Yiannos	50 _26th
Del Toro's fidelity to history is literally all in the details: Hawkins' hairy nether regions are prioritized over the actual socio-historical backdrop, which is completely meaningless. He never gives us any plausible reason why the mute and mutant get together other than 'just because outsiders'. The style also leans too heavily on old Jeunet-Caro, right down to the contrived whimsy. It has its moments, but it's a pretentious comic book that highlights the real decline in critical standards.
1	mooper	75 _67th
Guillermo really loves french movies.
1	pickypicnic	35 _76th
guillermo del toro is a real fucking coward for not showing the fish man's dick
1	Ric	85 _82nd
I thought it was a poetic piece of fantasy. But it looks like most of the criticism is centered on some people just not buying into the story. So I guess, this one come down to a simple matter of taste
1	le mami	30 _21st
huge disappointment
1	KeyUtkan	86 _96th
This movie is twisted version of Beauty & The Beast. But del Toro making this very detaily orientated. Great acting, near perfect cinematography and screenplay. Yeah there was some disturbances in the story and the scenes but ı think that disturbance is needed for audience to get the core idea of what love and animalistic desires are. It was a solid interesting movie. There was some unnecessary scenes (such as sex scenes) but it was a solid, uniquely executed old monster story.
1	Ippei	85 _94th
This film is practically perfect in the classic, "this is why movies were invented" kinda way. It's beautiful both in execution and storytelling, and the performances are all amazingly subtle and very affecting. It has all the elements of what a "good film" should have. Even the offbeat scenes are able to find its place here. It's a credit to Guillermo del Toro that a story like this can be so beautiful and emotional.
1	The Beast	8 _90th
A fun and clean little film, with a focused story line and meaningful dialogue. The satisfyingly complete characters are made no less interesting to follow by their simplicity and clarity of motive. A thoroughly refreshing movie. Rock-solid supporting cast, a joyous disregard for the audiences disbelief, and effortlessly captivates you with a world you leave realizing you never knew much about at all. One of del Toro's finest.
1	tuerda	58 _49th
This is was well executed, but the concept is obvious. It also expects you to cheer on a human who abuses her situation to rape a helpless fish-human hybrid, because of true love or something . . . I guess . . .
1	Snufkin88	68 _29th
Style × 3 + negative substance = unremarkable Oscar winner. It's made with love, I'll give him that, but seriously, just watch Splash, it's far more enjoyable.
1	Xenophule	8 _50th
Probably the only other del Toro movie I like besides Pan's Lab.
1	vgnpwrz	74 _80th
I found this movie to be so by the book, yet with a monster of the black lagoon as the romantic lead, it becomes interesting. The generic story with overhanded message that held it back was balanced with feelz, acting (Sally Hawkins!), and a certain genuineness. For a film with a deaf protag, the lack of subtleties was disappointing. But it was artistically pleasant and I enjoyed the monster having a second chance at love.
1	Arberwaticus	87 _44th
A fun quirky take on the romance genre. With a bit of cold war thrown in for good measure.
1	peyrin	75 _69th
A swooning fairy tale romance wrapped in a sci-fi conceit wrapped in a Cold War spy setting - it's downright impressive how del Toro takes a film packed with so many clashing ideas and makes the whole thing feel so elegant and natural.
1	themacsays	90 _89th
P - Very enjoyable B-Movie. Monsters, Russian spies, and a love story. Great performances all round, but especially from Michael Shannon. This is the most Michael Shannon he has ever Michael Shannoned. What could be more Michael Shannon? None. None more Michael Shannon. (This is genuine praise.) Nice to see a Boardwalk Empire reunion, of sorts, with Michael Stuhlbarg as well.
1	ATiM2	79 _69th
"The Shape of Water" falls into the trap of being such a strange, weird movie, that it ends up being profoundly predictable.
1	Rexlito	89 _91st
Fantastic film,1% away from being a masterpiece but just no there.
1	baseballs	75 _55th
Really well paced and enjoyable. Was quite surprised how little focus the central relationship received, it's just one of several plot threads jostling for attention and maybe a couple of them could have been trimmed. Still had fun overall.
1	goldenstate5	90 _75th
Lovely fairy tale, beautifully shot with terrific characters. Refuses to take itself too seriously and has Michael Shannon as a terrifying and perfectly timely villain. Totally worth the fish fucking scenes.

Average Percentile 52.16% from 3791 Ratings