300 Words on "The Shape of Water" (2017)

The man-fish hybrid of The Shape of Water looks quite a bit like the eponymous man-fish of Creature from the Back Lagoon, and knowing director Guillermo del Toro’s love for vintage cinema, the similarity was certainly intentional. In many respects, The Shape of Water is an homage to the monster movie of the ‘50s, but its tone and execution make it so much more than a run-of-the-mill B-movie.

Sally Hawkins shines in the lead role of Elisa, a mute custodian who befriends the amphibious creature, and she delivers a stunning performance while hardly speaking at all on screen. The Shape of Water is filled with striking performances like these; Richard Jenkins steals the movie as Giles, Elisa’s neighbor and closet friend, and Michael Shannon chews the scenery to spectacular, attention-grabbing effect as the sadistic colonel who has captured the creature. While Shannon’s performance borders at times on caricature, his villain is only further realizing the heightened, just-beyond-real world of Cold War America in which the film is set.

The world of The Shape of Water is the perfect one for a movie of this sort to inhabit and, in another time and another place, the story of a secret government laboratory, Russian spies, and a creature straight out of the Amazon would have been more than enough material for a B-movie, but The Shape of Water adds depth and weight to this time-tested scenario and character types who we have seen play out countless times on the silver screen of old. The Shape of Water is therefore a unique enough retelling of the Beauty and the Beast archetype to not only separate it from Creature from the Black Lagoon, but make it stand on its own as quite an accomplishment of fantastical movie-making. 

300 Words on "All the Money in the World" (2017)

I approached All the Money in the World with an almost clinical view. As a film which gained more press in recent weeks for the unprecedented last-minute reshoots which director Ridley Scott had to perform in order to replace Kevin Spacey in the role of oil tycoon, J. Paul Getty, I freely admit that I was curious to view the movie as the outcome of an experiment.

However, within minutes my analytical approach to the film melted away as I was drawn into it completely – All the Money in the World emerges as a thoroughly engrossing historical thriller.

There is much in the film which is vying for a reviewer’s attention; everything from the lush cinematography which swaths the entire film in a cold, metallic haze, to the resonating orchestral score by Daniel Pemberton deserves attention, but it is the performances which truly stand out. Michelle Williams as Gail, the put-upon mother of the kidnapped John Paul Getty III is a marvel in each of her scenes as she fights for both the life of her son and – hounded at every turn by the paparazzi – her own sanity. The true star of the film is Christopher Plummer as Getty whose titanic presence in each of his scenes lends innumerable layers to the role of the miserly oil baron. The fact that Plummer turned in such a multi-faceted, complex performance in only a few weeks’ time, too, speaks volumes to Plummer’s talents as an actor.  

Running over two hours, All the Money in the World may overstay its welcome a bit, but it is an engaging experience nevertheless. Its pitch-perfect recreation of 1970s America and Europe is truly immersive, and if that doesn’t grab you, then the work of Michelle Williams and Christopher Plummer certainly will. 

In short, it is so much more than a multi-million-dollar experiment. 

300 Words on "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (2017)

(Spoiler Free)

I don’t necessarily envy Last Jedi director, Rian Johnson. It was his responsibility to carry on the Star Wars saga, a legacy which has garnered countless fans around the world and made the series the third highest-grossing film franchise of all time. Johnson and his creative team would be scrutinized endlessly by Star Wars fans as he put forward what many were calling the most unique chapter in the series’ now 40-year history.

Those who called The Last Jedi a unique installment were quite correct. The film is epic and big from its very first moments (arguably more so than any other Star Wars movie), and the pacing does not let up for one moment. The Last Jedi is constantly cutting between three distinct narratives and keeps its audience on their toes throughout. Johnson also handles the action beautifully - some of the cinematography during the action scenes was truly jaw-dropping.

But, for all its relentless pacing, The Last Jedi is, ultimately, about character. Mark Hamill, returning as Luke Skywalker, is nothing short of breath-taking and he commands every scene he’s in. Daisy Ridley continues to marvel as Rey, and Adam Driver adds new depth to the villainous Kylo Ren. Their combined efforts made The Last Jedi feel like the most personal Star Wars chapter thus far. And it was truly compelling stuff; each of the three central characters’ arcs was riveting to watch.

Simply put, I was captivated throughout the entirety of The Last Jedi and, unlike some of the other films in the series, it never felt workmanlike. It was clear to me that someone with an expert skillset and knowledge of film was working behind the camera and, as a result, The Last Jedi – despite being the eighth chapter in an ongoing story – felt like it could easily stand on its own.

So, having produced a final product like that, maybe I do envy Rian Johnson after all.