Whether you're upset because the Academy ignored “Call Me By Your Name,” or crushed that “Get Out” failed to pull off what would have been a major upset, many cinema-goers are baffled by “The Shape of Water" win for "Best Picture" at this year's Oscar's.
After all, why would the Academy ever grant an award to a movie centered around the romance between a man-fish and a maid?
Thankfully enough, this was no slip-up. Director Guillermo Del Toro crafted a fantastic film, and these are five reasons why “The Shape of Water” is rightfully the best film of 2017.
1. The fish is more than just a fish, literally and figuratively.
Several times in the film, the man-fish, only known as "the asset," is referenced as a god from the Amazon. But despite being physically more than an anthropomorphic amphibian, the fish embodies themes relevant to today.
For starters, the fish represents marginalized people in society. Throughout the duration of the film, the fish is no more than a captive to the antagonist, Colonel Richard Strickland, as he tortures and humiliates the fish. Strickland goes onto dehumanize the fish, suggesting that "[humans] are created in the Lord's image. You don't think that's what the lord looks like do you?"
Strickland acts in such a way toward the fish because he feels threatened by its differences and wants to create a safe neighborhood for himself and his children. This story arc is uncannily similar to the hatred expressed towards immigrants, legal and illegal, in today's society. This similarity is likely intentional, as Del Toro himself is an immigrant. The narrative he conveys with the fish is of the utmost importance to him.
2. "The Shape of Water" is relevant.
Aside from immigration, Del Toro's film directly explores several themes pertinent to today's society, including discrimination, misogyny, homophobia and "family values” versus acceptance. Del Toro leaves no boundary uncrossed and manages to touch on every hot-button social issue one could hope to in a two-hour film.
This relevance helped distinguish "The Shape of Water" as the "Best Picture" of 2017 since the Oscar's have recently begun using their platform in order to lead positive change in today's culture.
3. Del Toro uses a diverse cast without forcing diversity or marginalizing characters.
Del Toro pulled off a tremendous feat in his utilization of a diverse cast of characters, in that he actually used the minority characters and built storylines on what made these characters different.
In “The Shape of Water,” our human heroes are a middle-aged gay man trying to hold on to his youth, a black woman facing discrimination in pre-civil rights America and a mute Latino maid who grew up as an orphan.
This rag-tag group of heroes faces adversity from Strickland and carries the narrative throughout the film, and through a few subplots, Del Toro explores what makes each of these characters unique from a run-of-the-mill protagonist. Overall, “The Shape of Water” does a fantastic job of using its diverse characters without forgetting their unique traits.
4. "The Shape of Water" exceeds expectations in storyline and cinematography.
In the opening shots of “The Shape of Water,” it becomes clear how much hard work has gone into the sets decorated by Oscar-nominee Jeffery Melvin. Melvin never lets the audience forget that they are watching a movie thematically based on water, using the green-blue color scheme he manages to uphold in every set in the film.
An enormous amount of detail went into each set featured, and it definitely paid off as the film is beautiful to look at. Aside from just set design, Alexandre Desplat's score, which plays throughout the film, earned the movie an Oscar as well.
5. "The Shape of Water" is not afraid to make a splash - or a tsunami.
Del Toro held nothing back in the making of "The Shape of Water." He conquered numerous social issues, but it is not to be forgotten that at some point Del Toro had to seriously pitch a movie about the romance between a fish and human to Fox executives. Del Toro even explores how this relationship could work out with some comedic lines about the... anatomy... of the fish. “The Shape of Water” is a bold film, and its fearlessness is one of its greatest strengths.
Del Toro crafted a masterpiece in his film “The Shape of Water,” and it is one of the most deserving "Best Picture" wins the Oscar's has seen in a long time. To clown about the movie, or degrade it to bestiality is simply incorrect. This movie is about much more than just a fish.
