'The Shape of Water' Review

Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is a mute, cleaning lady who develops a close bond with a mysterious sea creature from the waters of South America. The creature is in danger as government officials look to kill him in use of research. With help from others, Elisa looks to break the creature out, allowing him to live freely.

On paper, a romance film with a mute cleaning lady and a humanoid sea creature as the romantic interests may sound too bizarre to be possible to work. It sounds off-putting and downright weird but in Guillermo Del Toro's latest film, The Shape of Water, it absolutely works. In fact, it works so well that it is the Mexican director's best work within his esteemed filmography.


1960's Baltimore provides a perfect setting for this forbidden romance as it takes us back to a time littered with strife over many different issues like segregation and homophobia that are highlighted in the film. Throw in power-hungry government officials and Russian spies amid The Cold War and you have a boiling pot of tension that looks certain to spill over. Each of these parts plays a huge role in building characters and the situations that our innocent protagonists find themselves caught in. Del Toro alongside co-writer Vanessa Taylor has packed a lot of detail into the film's script with each aspect having a point, leaving no loose ends or wasted plot lines.


Del Toro's films have been known for their beauty, both in the story and in production values. From Pan's Labyrinth to Crimson's Peek, Del Toro has shown that he has an incredible eye for detail as each shot he sets up is as meticulous as the rest. From the lighting to set designs, Del Toro makes genuine art with his films as he creates visually stunning set pieces. For this film, the camera is mainly in motion and is rarely stagnant which helps the film feel vibrant and constantly moving forward. Again, this helps in adding as much detail possible to every shot.


The Shape of Water's romance focuses undoubtedly on acceptance and loving others for who they truly are. Neither Sally Hawkins' character Elisa or the sea creature can communicate vocally with others which is the basic building block for this relationship to develop and flourish as the film goes on. This oddball romance undoubtedly is strange - with side characters questioning that - but it is one that is truly beautiful and displays the message of acceptance and embracing those for who they truly are and how they make you feel. It's deeply moving and touching as this pure love is infectious and enviable allowing the audience to become caught up in all of the drama. The film ends perfectly summing up the love from the film and the love we should aspire to receive/give with the poetic lines

"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".

As Richard Jenkins reads out those final lines and Alexandre Desplat's gorgeous score plays out, you will be sat in an emotional state of happiness whilst in awe of the beauty you just experienced.


Sally Hawkins is the star of the film in what is an Oscar-worthy performance as the mute Elisa Esposito. Despite being unable to vocally express her thoughts and feelings, Hawkins provides a powerful performance, showcasing an impressive range. Unlike many contenders during award season, Hawkins doesn't have to shout or deliver long monologues to leave a lasting and memorable impression. Her expressions and mannerisms perfectly capture how she is feeling, whether positive or negative and she makes the love between her and Doug Jones' creature feel genuine. If Hawkins role isn't believable, the film simply fails. Luckily, this is one of the best performances we've ever seen.


Hawkins is supported by a truly fantastic ensemble diverse cast, with each character having their own individual problems and wants that factor into the main story. Richard Jenkins and Octavia Spencer play Giles and Zelda, Elisa's closest companions. The two provide an excellent contrast to Hawkins, both being very chatty against Elisa's silence. The characters are incredibly likable and add a perfect amount of humour without overdoing it whilst maintaining the seriousness of the film's situations and settings. In what could've been an incredibly cartoony villain role is the ever-intense Michael Shannon. Shannon borderlines at times on being over the top but it cannot be denied that he is constantly one to be feared throughout the entirety of the film. His unpredictability and short temper create a vast amount of tension and a genuinely frightening villain. Huge credit again must go out to Del Toro's frequent collaborator Doug Jones who plays his non-human role perfectly yet again.

Del Toro has created a genuine masterpiece that is equally narratively and visually stunning. Everything comes together perfectly to create an emotional rollercoaster of a film that will leave you feeling incredibly satisfied by the time the credits roll. Del Toro has crafted something truly special with this film and is one that I will never forget. Emotional and beautiful, The Shape of Water delivers on all levels.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

'Nocturnal Animals' Review

Tom Ford has finally returned to directing a feature length film after 7 years. His last film, 'A Single Man', earned great critical claim as well as a nomination for it's leading actor Colin Firth at the Academy Awards. Despite almost a decade going by, Ford has created another fantastic feature that may have the same result for some its cast members.

Susan (Amy Adams) is a successful LA art gallery owner, who seems to have a perfect life with a handsome young husband (Armie Hammer). However, not everything is perfect as people do not see what truly bothers her. When her husband is away, she is sent a manuscript from her ex-husband Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal). The script features a dark tale of a family vacation going very wrong. As Susan continues to read, she is forced to confront her past and some dark truths.

'Nocturnal Animals' is by far one of the most interesting films in terms of style this year. Director Tom Ford uses his background as a fashion designer to create a beautiful, sleek looking movie that is a pleasure to view. Ford's creation can only be defined as art as he creates something truly remarkable. Ford's use of parallels work beautifully within the story as Edward's novel reflects Susan's current life situation in a way that words could not. It's Nicolas Winding Refn like at times as there is minimal dialogue during certain scenes as the visuals tell the story on their own. Each scene is perfectly crafted with a key eye for detail clearly overlooking it. Ford does a fantastic job with this film and I wouldn't be surprised to see his name mentioned during award season.

Ford manages to make this an emotional rollercoaster but not in a way that you would particularly like. The film is horrifying and heartbreaking as the film demands your attention. You are gripped into this film and are taken on a thrill ride with unexpected twists and turns that will make you feel everything from fear to anger to relief.

The plot has Amy Adams' character Susan reading the manuscript of her ex-husband with that story being brought to life in the film at the same time. This was very intriguing and unique to see in a sort of fictional inception with stories happening within stories. It seems to be a very risky technique that Ford went with as you run the risk of their being one story that completely overshadows the other. However, the stories are both very interesting which keeps you glued to the screen. I won't lie and say that I didn't prefer one to the other but it cannot be denied that both aspects are equally as intriguing. Both parts could even feature alone in their own movie but together, they create a masterpiece.

The story that Tony sends Susan seems to resonate deeply with Susan as she notices a pattern in some of the events. Tony dedicates his brutal, revenge-driven tale to his ex-wife with moments of the novel reflecting the relationship the two previously had. In many ways, this is Tony's revenge on his ex-wife who betrayed him in a time of struggle that is shown in some great flashbacks. This is made even more evident in the very effective finale which I won't go into too much detail about. The book creates a reflective period for Susan as she looks at past actions, making her feel guilty, as her life seems to be getting worse as the film progresses.

As award season gets closer and closer, I'd be very disappointed if none of the talented actors/actresses starring in this film is not nominated. Amy Adams is a contender with her performance as the emotionally effected Susan who seems to have a great life, but deep inside is hurting. It's another great performance from Adams which just seems to be expected nowadays. The biggest contender has to be Jake Gyllenhaal who plays two characters in the film; the real life Edward and the protagonist of the manuscript Tony. Gyllenhaal is marvellous yet again as the two characters, especially as Tony where he shows great range and excelling with the emotional moments. It's about time that he is recognised for his work in recent years after being snubbed when it was more than deserved *cough* 'Nightcrawler' *cough*. 

One of the strongest parts of the film comes in the performance from Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Taylor-Johnson usually plays a likeable character that you root for but he completely transforms in this role. I couldn't believe that this was the same guy from 'Kick-Ass' as he was so relentlessly evil as Ray. He plays a huge role in the manuscript side of the story as his actions in the story really grip you and make you want to know more immediately. This performance surprised me so much as I did not expect to see him as this sort of character but he nailed it. This is a performance where you don't see an actor but a real person. One of the most effective performances in a film this year as he was so despicable. Fantastic work and I hope that it is recognised with some nominations.

Michael Shannon almost guarantees a solid performance and he delivers yet again. As the sheriff who helps out Gyllenhaal's Tony, he is a perfect contrast to the character. Shannon is brutally honest with a tough demeanour as he looks to help the broken Tony. Both are suffering in different ways and reacting to those circumstances differently, with Shannon's character not letting his sickness get in the way of his job. Laura Linney also appears as Susan's mother and her class is ever as evident. She is only in a handful of scenes but her presence is well known as her and Adams knock it out of the park. This works very effectively further on in the film as we see Susan reflect her mother, despite her wishing for that to never end up happening to her.

Patience is a key factor in this film as it really doesn't rush to make its point. This is evident throughout the whole film but most effective in the first part of Susan reading the manuscript. As the story shows Tony and Ray's first encounter, you expect that something bad is going to happen and the film tricks you a few times into expecting it. This adds an incredible amount of tension to the film as it slowly builds up and then delivers an incredible outcome which makes you want more. This is a key feature in the film and is very effective throughout the runtime.

Overall, 'Nocturnal Animals' is one of the best films that you will see this year. This film is intense, gripping and shocking creating a fantastic viewing. I can't recommend this film enough as it showcases everything great about cinema. Tom Ford deserves huge credit as does his talented cast, whom hopefully will be snooping around during awards season.

Final Verdict = 

So have you seen 'Nocturnal Animals'? If so, what did you think of it? I hope that this review was useful for if you were planning on seeing this film, which I cannot recommend enough. Once again, thank you for taking the time to read my review, it is much appreciated!

By Angus McGregor

Midnight Special Review

'Midnight Special' is the latest sci fi film to reach the big screen and features a rather impressive cast. Due to my recent trips to the cinema, I have seen this trailer so many times and it really got me excited for seeing this film. Between the story and cast, I couldn't wait for this one to come out! But would 'Midnight Special' be worth the wait or a disappointment?

 Roy (Michael Shannon) finds himself on the run from the government and religious fanatics due to his son Alton's (Jaeden Lieberher) supernatural abilities. He is accompanied by childhood friend Lucas (Joel Edgerton) as they need to get Alton to a certain location by May 16th. Working to try and find them is the government and Paul Sevier (Adam Driver) who look to capture Roy and find out the secrets behind Alton's abilities.

Now I was really looking forward to this film. The cast alone got me so excited. I have really enjoyed the recent work from Joel Edgerton and Adam Driver which made it a certainty for me to see this film. I have also enjoyed Michael Shannon in many movies so the cast alone had sold me. Then seeing the trailers and that it looked to be a sci fi thriller with a little boy with unique powers. Man, this film had me sold. I never thought that I would of left the screening that evening disappointed. 

The trailer had set this up to be a gripping and intense story but that is definitely not what you get in 'Midnight Special'. The film is so slow and just mainly uneventful to the point where a lot of it is just boring. Whenever you have so many scenes where the dialogue isn't really that interesting and isn't tension filled combined with a dark and gloomy atmosphere, it makes it really hard to keep focus on the film. But it doesn't grab a hold of you or demands your attention.

There are moments in this that showed potential to have made the film much more interesting. For example at the start when Joel Edgerton's character is confronted by a policeman. If the film had continued from there, it would of been a much better film. The film seemed to be setting up a cat and mouse chase kind of film- similar to the likes of No Country For Old Men- but there isn't really much interaction from the characters involved. In fact the first proper conflict  between the government and those on the run comes when there is only half an hour left in the film! There aren't really any close encounters to keep you excited either. Maybe my expectation and way I seen the movie going played a crucial role in it heavily disappointing me.

It also doesn't help that there are so many confusing things going on throughout the film that at times you just have no clue whatsoever is happening. This is most evident in the last half an hour which I am still trying to comprehend what exactly happened. Very odd to say the least but it was far too confusing as you were too busy wondering what was going on to actually fully enjoy the film. The ending will make you feel like you have taken some weird substance for sure.

I would also say that the cast was most definitely under-utilised especially Adam Driver. Driver was not in this film nearly enough although when he was on screen, he was magnificent. So much more could have been done with him but they failed to do so. Michael Shannon didn't change from looking aggressive and talking quietly with long gaps in between sentences for the whole film. Even when in despair we didn't get to see his true acting capabilities. Joel Edgerton was my favourite performance as he is one of the most relatable characters I have seen in recent movies as a lot of the time, he didn't know what was going on either. No but to be fair, he did produce a solid performance to add to his recent good run of form. The child actor who played Alton did very well as well reacting to everything going on around him.

The under-utilised Adam Driver

The cinematography in this film deserves a lot of praise. The cinematography is truly beautiful throughout the whole film. The dark settings all look incredible throughout and cinematographer Adam Stone deserves a lot of credit for his work in this film. A scene that really stood out to me that looked just incredible was when there was some sort of meteor shower cause by Alton at a gas station. This scene looked incredible and was one of the highlights of the film. Unfortunately with my experience of the film, it is only one of the few I can give it.

Final Verdict = C

A huge disappointment for me as I feel I seen a different film to a lot of critics who are calling it a masterpiece. A dark boring and confusing film that really failed to entertain me throughout its 1 hour and 50 minutes runtime.

So if you have seen 'Midnight Special' what did you think of it? I hope that you enjoyed it more than I did. Once again thank you for reading my review, it is much appreciated!

By Angus McGregor