A husband and wife, whose divorce is pending, are consumed by a mutual loathing. Each has found a new partner and neither wish to have the perceived burden of their 12 year own son living with them as they embark upon their new lives. Overhearing this during a heated argument, the boy runs away and the rest of film follows the search for him, attempts led principally by a volunteer group rather than the bureaucratic local police force.
I found no redeeming features in either parent and this was, for the most part, two hours of unremitting misery. To compound matters, I thought the symbolism and metaphors which were deployed were clunky and about as subtle as a brick (eg. the woman running on a treadmill in a Russia tracksuit and going nowhere).
I am a big fan of this director, Andrey Zvyagintsev, but this film is several (and I do mean several) levels below his previous excellent films, ‘Leviathan’ and ‘The Return’. Very disappointing - 5/10
I saw a comedy sketch by Eddie Izzard where he compared British Cinema at the time with it's American counterpart. This is very much of the type he described (a Room with a View with a staircase at the back and a lake). there are lots of words you could use to describe it. Worthy. Dry. Understated. But mostly Boring. It's all very tight lipped and British, and to be honest not much happens. Having slated 50 shades last week, I had high hopes of this, but I have to be honest, it is note everyone's cup of tea, or mine. It is achingly slow, and it doesn't actually have a great deal more plot than 50 shades. I generally like odd, off beat movies, but this doesn't really come into that category. It's well acted (i saw it in Spanish so Daniel Day Lewis was flawlessly translated) and nicely shot, but I kept finding myself losing track as there was so little to actually grasp. Steely silences may be an interesting idea, as may be noisily eaten toast, but you can only keep my attention with that for so long. I genuinely can't see why this is quite so highly regarded - it has that 'look' of an important file, but The King's Speech' for example, had a lot more style and substance. I'm sort of glad I saw it, but I wouldn't want to see it again, and I certainly wouldn't want to see in win the Oscar for best film. I'd hope something entertaining might win that.
My mum dragged my dad, and me to the cinema on Sunday to watch this, and I'm still not sure what I think about it frankly. The writing was good and developed Streep's character quite well from being a reserved female in a mans world into a woman empowering herself and taking charge of a difficult situation and telling the men how its going to be. It felt quite atmospheric of the times and got the importance of the event across well to the audience, but it never really gripped me (or my dad I don't think, though he daren't say so in front of my mum), I was never particularly attached to any of the characters, and the beginning felt a bit slow.
Maybe i'm not a fair judge as I was tired (and hanging) from an all day sesh the day before and I wasn't too bothered about seeing the film, but it definitely didn't blow me out of the water.
My mum dragged my dad, and me to the cinema on Sunday to watch this, and I'm still not sure what I think about it frankly. The writing was good and developed Streep's character quite well from being a reserved female in a mans world into a woman empowering herself and taking charge of a difficult situation and telling the men how its going to be. It felt quite atmospheric of the times and got the importance of the event across well to the audience, but it never really gripped me (or my dad I don't think, though he daren't say so in front of my mum), I was never particularly attached to any of the characters, and the beginning felt a bit slow.
Maybe i'm not a fair judge as I was tired (and hanging) from an all day sesh the day before and I wasn't too bothered about seeing the film, but it definitely didn't blow me out of the water.
Just took my daughter to see Coco. She enjoyed it but I absolutely loved it.
The originality of the film, the stunning visuals and attention to detail.
Wouldn’t only say it was only one of the best animated films I’ve seen for a while but also one of the best films full stop.
Ditto. Took my grand-daughter today. She enjoyed it as well but I thought it was fantastic. Great story. Cried twice. Brilliant animation and I really enjoyed the music. Very sympathetic to Mexican culture. 8/10 from my grand-daughter. 10 out of 10 from me.
Not a new film but watched Detroit at the weekend. Very good. Tense though. 8/10.
Took my six year old to see Coco yesterday. She was a bit scared (that's just her though) but I thought it was beautiful. Not so many Disney jokes and comic relief, and very sentimental at the end... Enough to get this silly old dad crying like a fool anyway. Really enjoyable with lots of twists and turns.
The shape of water. Well, didn’t know anything about it other than Sally Hawkins was in it and it’s tipped for Oscars. Enjoyed it. Don’t really watch fantasies and it’s an interesting subject but really good by Hawkins and supporting actor Jenkins who plays her friend. Would be interested in any opinions of anyone else who sees it?
The shape of water. Well, didn’t know anything about it other than Sally Hawkins was in it and it’s tipped for Oscars. Enjoyed it. Don’t really watch fantasies and it’s an interesting subject but really good by Hawkins and supporting actor Jenkins who plays her friend. Would be interested in any opinions of anyone else who sees it?
Saw it last night - not a great fan of fantasy films but thought I'd give it a go. Found it a little disappointing and the storyline very flimsy. It was beautifully shot but for me not very engaging. 5/10
The shape of water. Well, didn’t know anything about it other than Sally Hawkins was in it and it’s tipped for Oscars. Enjoyed it. Don’t really watch fantasies and it’s an interesting subject but really good by Hawkins and supporting actor Jenkins who plays her friend. Would be interested in any opinions of anyone else who sees it?
Saw it last night - not a great fan of fantasy films but thought I'd give it a go. Found it a little disappointing and the storyline very flimsy. It was beautifully shot but for me not very engaging. 5/10
I don’t get the hype over Sally Hawkins. Her performances in the Paddington films is nauseating. So amateur imo. But she’s tipped for an Oscar for this.
The shape of water. Well, didn’t know anything about it other than Sally Hawkins was in it and it’s tipped for Oscars. Enjoyed it. Don’t really watch fantasies and it’s an interesting subject but really good by Hawkins and supporting actor Jenkins who plays her friend. Would be interested in any opinions of anyone else who sees it?
Saw it last night - not a great fan of fantasy films but thought I'd give it a go. Found it a little disappointing and the storyline very flimsy. It was beautifully shot but for me not very engaging. 5/10
I don’t get the hype over Sally Hawkins. Her performances in the Paddington films is nauseating. So amateur imo. But she’s tipped for an Oscar for this.
I don't understand the hype over this film - kept thinking I must be missing something.
Sally Hawkins does seem to be an actress who divides opinion.
The shape of water. Well, didn’t know anything about it other than Sally Hawkins was in it and it’s tipped for Oscars. Enjoyed it. Don’t really watch fantasies and it’s an interesting subject but really good by Hawkins and supporting actor Jenkins who plays her friend. Would be interested in any opinions of anyone else who sees it?
Saw it last night - not a great fan of fantasy films but thought I'd give it a go. Found it a little disappointing and the storyline very flimsy. It was beautifully shot but for me not very engaging. 5/10
I dont think my experience last night was helped by the noisy cinema. Went to picturehouse as normal, but I can't believe so many people needed the loo and missed so many bits of it. found it rather distracting as well as people being late.
I do keep thinking about it though and i think i enjoyed it more than i thought. i didn't realise he wrote the part with her in mind for the part. I think she's very interesting. the start was a bit Amelie like.
The shape of water. Well, didn’t know anything about it other than Sally Hawkins was in it and it’s tipped for Oscars. Enjoyed it. Don’t really watch fantasies and it’s an interesting subject but really good by Hawkins and supporting actor Jenkins who plays her friend. Would be interested in any opinions of anyone else who sees it?
Saw it last night - not a great fan of fantasy films but thought I'd give it a go. Found it a little disappointing and the storyline very flimsy. It was beautifully shot but for me not very engaging. 5/10
I dont think my experience last night was helped by the noisy cinema. Went to picturehouse as normal, but I can't believe so many people needed the loo and missed so many bits of it. found it rather distracting as well as people being late.
I do keep thinking about it though and i think i enjoyed it more than i thought. i didn't realise he wrote the part with her in mind for the part. I think she's very interesting. the start was a bit Amelie like.
Agree with lots of this. I upped my mark afterwards because it did stay with me for a while. And very true about the resemblance to Amelie in a number of ways.
Just seen ‘Early Man’ which was about a football team in red and white trying to get back to The Valley. Nick Park must be a Charlton fan!
Spot on @JamesSeed and @SaoPauloAddick. Any scintilla of doubt that this film is about CAFC was removed at the end when the baddie - resplendent in a rat costume - tried to escape from the stadium with all the money. A very beautiful metaphor.
Thoroughly enjoyable, with some excellent humour and voiceovers.
Clearly I need to watch Early Man but it hasn't made it to Campbeltown yet.
Instead my first experience of watching a film in the newly refurbished art nouveau gem that is the Campbeltown Picture House was the Darkest Hour. An excellent film, I thought. I can forgive the underground scene as a "device" to illustrate his understanding of the will of the people.
All a bit emotional for me as my Campbeltown-born dad was part of the rearguard action in France, ordered by Churchill. In fact, I'm only here because he ended up in Woolwich at the end of the war and met my Belvedere mum. And I'm only an Addick because dad was told to support Charlton by his father in law. What's more, this little girl brought up in a council house went on to get a place to study languages at none other than Churchill College, Cambridge. Anyone else notice Winston's rather fetching pink and brown dressing gown? Those were his family's racing colours and therefore also ours for college sporting colours. And the College provided archive material for the film. So it was fitting to see this film back in the very cinema that dad used to sneek into when he was a little kid - without paying because the family were so poor but the usherette let him in anyway.
Anyway, apologies, getting a bit self-indulgent now. It was a good film of a fascinating and very important time in history.
Clearly I need to watch Early Man but it hasn't made it to Campbeltown yet.
Instead my first experience of watching a film in the newly refurbished art nouveau gem that is the Campbeltown Picture House was the Darkest Hour. An excellent film, I thought. I can forgive the underground scene as a "device" to illustrate his understanding of the will of the people.
All a bit emotional for me as my Campbeltown-born dad was part of the rearguard action in France, ordered by Churchill. In fact, I'm only here because he ended up in Woolwich at the end of the war and met my Belvedere mum. And I'm only an Addick because dad was told to support Charlton by his father in law. What's more, this little girl brought up in a council house went on to get a place to study languages at none other than Churchill College, Cambridge. Anyone else notice Winston's rather fetching pink and brown dressing gown? Those were his family's racing colours and therefore also ours for college sporting colours. And the College provided archive material for the film. So it was fitting to see this film back in the very cinema that dad used to sneek into when he was a little kid - without paying because the family were so poor but the usherette let him in anyway.
Anyway, apologies, getting a bit self-indulgent now. It was a good film of a fascinating and very important time in history.
Clearly I need to watch Early Man but it hasn't made it to Campbeltown yet.
Instead my first experience of watching a film in the newly refurbished art nouveau gem that is the Campbeltown Picture House was the Darkest Hour. An excellent film, I thought. I can forgive the underground scene as a "device" to illustrate his understanding of the will of the people.
All a bit emotional for me as my Campbeltown-born dad was part of the rearguard action in France, ordered by Churchill. In fact, I'm only here because he ended up in Woolwich at the end of the war and met my Belvedere mum. And I'm only an Addick because dad was told to support Charlton by his father in law. What's more, this little girl brought up in a council house went on to get a place to study languages at none other than Churchill College, Cambridge. Anyone else notice Winston's rather fetching pink and brown dressing gown? Those were his family's racing colours and therefore also ours for college sporting colours. And the College provided archive material for the film. So it was fitting to see this film back in the very cinema that dad used to sneek into when he was a little kid - without paying because the family were so poor but the usherette let him in anyway.
Anyway, apologies, getting a bit self-indulgent now. It was a good film of a fascinating and very important time in history.
There are some actors and directors that can do no wrong in the eyes of The Academy and serious critics. Guillermo del Toro is definitely one of those directors. Don't get me wrong , he has made some very good films but sadly , in my opinion , The Shape of Water is definitely not one of them. In the hidden high security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda discover a secret classified experiment on a water based man like creature. Elisa finds she is falling in love with a creature that others want dead.
I really do not know what all the fuss was about with this film. Sure , Sally Hawkins and Michael Shannon are good but they usually always are. This had the feel of an average story that you might have seen on an episode of The Twilight Zone . For a Del Toro film the special affects were very average , almost like a B movie from back in the day. Perhaps that was what he was trying to achieve ? Why this has been nominated for 13 Oscars is a mystery to me because this film was average at best.
There are some actors and directors that can do no wrong in the eyes of The Academy and serious critics. Guillermo del Toro is definitely one of those directors. Don't get me wrong , he has made some very good films but sadly , in my opinion , The Shape of Water is definitely not one of them. In the hidden high security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda discover a secret classified experiment on a water based man like creature. Elisa finds she is falling in love with a creature that others want dead.
I really do not know what all the fuss was about with this film. Sure , Sally Hawkins and Michael Shannon are good but they usually always are. This had the feel of an average story that you might have seen on an episode of The Twilight Zone . For a Del Toro film the special affects were very average , almost like a B movie from back in the day. Perhaps that was what he was trying to achieve ? Why this has been nominated for 13 Oscars is a mystery to me because this film was average at best.
Okay, the plus side. The almost complete absence of a plot of any sort allows your mind to rove, or enjoy the flavour of the Maltesers you bought before going in. You can go to the gents any number of times and never ask if you missed anything. Sadly my mrs greeted my intention of playing games on my mobile with squawks of protest, so the film isn't 100% liberating. And Dakota Johnson looks good topless. That's it! The film is frustratingly plotless, and felt more like a vehicle to sell it's moronic sound track. It' easy to link it to the two previous films as there was nothing to remember there either. The audience (90% female) actually laughed at some of the weak jokes, and applauded at the end, so I assume there were some SE7 Valiants there. But this is absolutly as bad as it's reviews suggest. Thank fuck it's the last one.
0/10
Post of the year.....
Waste of money of the year, too, sadly. The woman who wrote this crap is laughing all the way to the bank.
Comments
A husband and wife, whose divorce is pending, are consumed by a mutual loathing. Each has found a new partner and neither wish to have the perceived burden of their 12 year own son living with them as they embark upon their new lives. Overhearing this during a heated argument, the boy runs away and the rest of film follows the search for him, attempts led principally by a volunteer group rather than the bureaucratic local police force.
I found no redeeming features in either parent and this was, for the most part, two hours of unremitting misery. To compound matters, I thought the symbolism and metaphors which were deployed were clunky and about as subtle as a brick (eg. the woman running on a treadmill in a Russia tracksuit and going nowhere).
I am a big fan of this director, Andrey Zvyagintsev, but this film is several (and I do mean several) levels below his previous excellent films, ‘Leviathan’ and ‘The Return’. Very disappointing - 5/10
I saw a comedy sketch by Eddie Izzard where he compared British Cinema at the time with it's American counterpart. This is very much of the type he described (a Room with a View with a staircase at the back and a lake). there are lots of words you could use to describe it. Worthy. Dry. Understated. But mostly Boring. It's all very tight lipped and British, and to be honest not much happens. Having slated 50 shades last week, I had high hopes of this, but I have to be honest, it is note everyone's cup of tea, or mine. It is achingly slow, and it doesn't actually have a great deal more plot than 50 shades. I generally like odd, off beat movies, but this doesn't really come into that category. It's well acted (i saw it in Spanish so Daniel Day Lewis was flawlessly translated) and nicely shot, but I kept finding myself losing track as there was so little to actually grasp. Steely silences may be an interesting idea, as may be noisily eaten toast, but you can only keep my attention with that for so long. I genuinely can't see why this is quite so highly regarded - it has that 'look' of an important file, but The King's Speech' for example, had a lot more style and substance. I'm sort of glad I saw it, but I wouldn't want to see it again, and I certainly wouldn't want to see in win the Oscar for best film. I'd hope something entertaining might win that.
4/10
My mum dragged my dad, and me to the cinema on Sunday to watch this, and I'm still not sure what I think about it frankly. The writing was good and developed Streep's character quite well from being a reserved female in a mans world into a woman empowering herself and taking charge of a difficult situation and telling the men how its going to be. It felt quite atmospheric of the times and got the importance of the event across well to the audience, but it never really gripped me (or my dad I don't think, though he daren't say so in front of my mum), I was never particularly attached to any of the characters, and the beginning felt a bit slow.
Maybe i'm not a fair judge as I was tired (and hanging) from an all day sesh the day before and I wasn't too bothered about seeing the film, but it definitely didn't blow me out of the water.
7/10
The originality of the film, the stunning visuals and attention to detail.
Wouldn’t only say it was only one of the best animated films I’ve seen for a while but also one of the best films full stop.
Not a new film but watched Detroit at the weekend. Very good. Tense though. 8/10.
Well, didn’t know anything about it other than Sally Hawkins was in it and it’s tipped for Oscars. Enjoyed it. Don’t really watch fantasies and it’s an interesting subject but really good by Hawkins and supporting actor Jenkins who plays her friend. Would be interested in any opinions of anyone else who sees it?
But she’s tipped for an Oscar for this.
Sally Hawkins does seem to be an actress who divides opinion.
I do keep thinking about it though and i think i enjoyed it more than i thought. i didn't realise he wrote the part with her in mind for the part. I think she's very interesting. the start was a bit Amelie like.
Thoroughly enjoyable, with some excellent humour and voiceovers.
Instead my first experience of watching a film in the newly refurbished art nouveau gem that is the Campbeltown Picture House was the Darkest Hour. An excellent film, I thought. I can forgive the underground scene as a "device" to illustrate his understanding of the will of the people.
All a bit emotional for me as my Campbeltown-born dad was part of the rearguard action in France, ordered by Churchill. In fact, I'm only here because he ended up in Woolwich at the end of the war and met my Belvedere mum. And I'm only an Addick because dad was told to support Charlton by his father in law. What's more, this little girl brought up in a council house went on to get a place to study languages at none other than Churchill College, Cambridge. Anyone else notice Winston's rather fetching pink and brown dressing gown? Those were his family's racing colours and therefore also ours for college sporting colours. And the College provided archive material for the film. So it was fitting to see this film back in the very cinema that dad used to sneek into when he was a little kid - without paying because the family were so poor but the usherette let him in anyway.
Anyway, apologies, getting a bit self-indulgent now. It was a good film of a fascinating and very important time in history.
The Shape of Water
There are some actors and directors that can do no wrong in the eyes of The Academy and serious critics. Guillermo del Toro is definitely one of those directors. Don't get me wrong , he has made some very good films but sadly , in my opinion , The Shape of Water is definitely not one of them.
In the hidden high security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda discover a secret classified experiment on a water based man like creature. Elisa finds she is falling in love with a creature that others want dead.
I really do not know what all the fuss was about with this film. Sure , Sally Hawkins and Michael Shannon are good but they usually always are. This had the feel of an average story that you might have seen on an episode of The Twilight Zone . For a Del Toro film the special affects were very average , almost like a B movie from back in the day. Perhaps that was what he was trying to achieve ?
Why this has been nominated for 13 Oscars is a mystery to me because this film was average at best.
6 out of 10