The Shape of Water - Review

This movie is not for everybody. I will tell you that right now. If you are more of a mainstream movie goer who doesn't normally venture out of the action or comedy genres, or somebody who only really enjoys movies that are grounded in reality like a war film or a good old-fashioned drama, then one particular scene in this movie will make you hate this film. However, if you are an artsy person who doesn't like the capitalistic approach of Hollywood movies and enjoys more indie movies or if you are an extremely liberal person, then that same scene that turned off "the masses" will make you love this movie. The artsy, or as some call themselves "the people of higher intelligence" will call that scene "pure love". The mainstream will refer to it as the scene where a mute woman f***'s a fish. You all know about this scene, and yes, it made me extremely uncomfortable. There was a man in crutches in the theatre who yelled out, "I didn't know this was a damn porno movie!" while stumbling down the stairs in crutches as he left the theatre. Yes, I'm not that up, this really happened. As for the movie itself, it's a well made movie. The production design looks neat, the acting is really good and the story is serviceable enough, but best picture worthy? Now here is where I get a bit political with you guys and I apologize in advance. Hollywood is going through some changes right now and the United States are going through a bit of a culture crisis at the moment. With Trump in the White House and all this talk about how he is racist and sexist and the White House is intolerant of other religions other than their own (Christianity). Not to mention tons of actors are being almost kicked out of Hollywood for sexual misconduct. Add on top of that the "Oscars So White" movement that happened a couple years ago and you have a pot full of controversy. Now let me get this straight, I don't care if you are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, White, Black, Hispanic, Man, Woman, Gay, Straight, Transgender, etc. If you are nice to me, then I am nice to you. However, I really think that this Oscar win was just compensating. It's a movie about an outcast falling in love with another outcast (just so happens that it is a creature, not another human being) and both of them being helped by a black woman (who I think was rather stereotyped but whatever), a gay man and a Russian scientist. All of whom are being pursued by an evil white man in a suit. Oh, did I also mention that he hates when women speak, he hates black people, he's a murderer, a potential rapist, a Christian, a terrible father to his children, and on top of that, washes his hands before he pees? (Yeah I don't get that part). I am all for making a movie about outcasts falling in love and I don't really care if the leads are black or a woman or gay or any supposedly suppressed group in this country, but not when you make the villain the most cliched evil white man there is. It just seems very cheap. The movie itself was somewhat entertaining when you don't think about that stuff I listed earlier, but I'm sorry guys, it was really distracting. And yes, that fish sex scene is rather unsettling. I don't see it as love because they barely shared any screen time together before this! And it's a fish... If that makes me a racist, or a misongynst or a homophobe, then be my guess and tell me. If you are an indie film lover and thinks that this will interest you, be my guest. Just know that I will respectfully decline any invitation to watch this movie again.