A Forma da Água

Um sequel livre de O Monstro da Lagoa Negra amado pro Guillerme, com o desenho de cena delicado retro e um monstro único e literalmente belo. As comparações com o O Labirinto do Fauno estão fora de questão; esse foi mais fantasioso, cruel, triste e menos ao estilo de Hollywood. A Forma da Água é um encantador filme de género americano com uma premissa simples e até previsível, mas com um tratamento de coração com uma tonelada de interlúdios de filme-geek. Beauty and the Beast meets Romeo & Juliet. Um conto de fadas para adultos em que a personagem principal já não lê um livro de fantasia, mas se masturba na banheira. Um conto de fadas que é, sendo um filme de Guillermo, moderado na quantidade de sangue e violência, sem esquecer a mulher negra, o homem homossexual, o general americano de Trump ou o cientista russo secreto com o coração no lugar certo. Tudo decentemente escrito e dirigido, tudo no sítio certo, apenas numa duração ligeiramente exagerada. 100 minutos teria sido o ideal. (27/09/2017)

Carefully, I expected a mysterious fairytale, into which Guillermo del Toro would pour in a smaller amount, in the best case scenario, and a larger amount, in the worst case scenario, of depression, the main character of his Pan's Labyrinth. However, everything is different, and instead, I am getting a retro version of Splash! for eighteen and older narrated by Richard Jenkins. Among the participating actors, Michael Shannon is the one who stands out the most, although he sells his traditionally wild and scruffy face as much as he can, his storyline as an ultra-negative agent falls somewhat deaf due to unsuccessful family/marital scenes. I perceive that the beauty and the beast are given the main focus, surprisingly at the expense of the development of other characters' storylines but still, this thoroughly captivating spectacle is very likable to me in terms of genre. It is narrated innocently and honestly, and does not try to be anything it is not even for a moment. (24/02/2018)

I was hyped for the new movie by Guillermo del Toro. A bunch of Oscar nominations only strengthened my excitement. But I really didn’t expect a fantasy premise to turn into a fantasy zoophilic romance. I don’t think this is the first time this idea has occurred to somebody in America but each time it only pissed me off. I can’t wrap my head around why Guillermo himself would waste his time on a story like this. (20/02/2018)

Set design great, nicely shot, a beautiful creature... and then there’s the rest of it. Messy and flaccid, of questionable artistic value, quietly loud, stereotypical – like it's all set in some artificial town full of robots playing humans. And yet they are all completely horny. I don't understand the Oscars (except for the sets), but neither do a lot of other people, so it's okay. 50%. (18/03/2018)

Guillermo Del Toro and his new film The Shape of Water unfortunately didn't impress me and del Toro has disappointed me after a long time. While The Shape of Water garnered rave reviews and won awards at the Golden Globes for Best Director and Best Score, and I certainly can't deny the solid direction, the period atmosphere and decent performances, Michael Shannon as the bad guy is perhaps the best thing about the whole film, but the rest of the cast left me cold. The film has quite a plodding pace, an unlikeable main character who is so desperate that she's having it out with a Fish Man, and too much romance for my taste that the suspense and the few brutal scenes remain rather in the background. Surprisingly the humour works here though (“Never trust a man even if he is flat down there”). As a romantic fairytale about a mute girl who falls in love with a monster it seems to work, as a horror film it hardly works at all. But it will find its audience, a female audience I suppose. 45% (10/01/2018)