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The Shape of Water (2017)

From the incredible mind of Guillermo del Toro comes the Best Picture winning The Shape of Water, an adult fairytale following mute Eliza (Sally Hawkins) who works as a cleaner in a government lab and falls in love with a creature (Doug Jones) who is held captive for experiments. Working with various parties including her neighbour Giles (Richard Jenkins), best friend and colleague Zelda (Octavia Spencer) and scientist Robert Hoffstetler (Michael Stulbarg) Eliza seeks to break the creature out and escape with him despite the efforts from the evil Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon), the man who captured the creature in the first place. There are a lot of moving pieces in this film but that’s not to say it’s difficult to follow. It gives the film multiple layers and changing motives and sides makes it exciting to watch. The film is definitely del Toro’s best since Pan’s Labyrinth and has become an instant classic. His direction and script are beautifully sharp and consistent with the universe he wants to create. Everything has been carefully thought through from the Baltimore setting to the oceanic colour palette. It’s no coincidence that we first see Eliza in a room of deep green hues and Richard covered in bright red blood. It’s a striking visual representation of which characters are good and evil.

The characters are fantastically developed, particularly Eliza. Hawkins brings a career best as the movie loving dreamer who longs to find love. Eliza leads a simple life which we gain a glimpse of as we view her morning routine which consists of boiling eggs, running a bath and masturbating. The genius of this character is that Hawkins physicality allows Eliza to be expressive and can communicate her emotion with a simple glance. Eliza is fearless when encountering the creature. She is unfazed by the blood and threatening build of the creature and instead encourages it to get close to her so she can teach it sign language and music. One of the most intense scenes comes when she is asked where the creature is and she signs “FUCK YOU” to Strickland. The latter is naturally confused as her signing as he does not understand and it creates a truly terrifying moment as Eliza takes control of the situation. Eliza knows when to take advantage of her condition and is deeply observant of those around her. Her main development comes in the form of rejecting everyone else’s wishes and learning to do what she wants. She subverts the traditional idea of love and finds her identifying more with the creature than humans because they can communicate and understand each other in ways that Eliza can’t with other humans.

The supporting cast also perform a stellar job and there isn’t a particular highlight because everyone does a fantastic job. The support cast is male-dominated due to Eliza’s job working in a government facility in 1920s Baltimore. Working in the facility are Strickland and Hoffstetler on opposing sides of the creature’s treatment. Shannon is truly evil in his role bringing the scariest performance of his career. His presence onscreen immediately brings silence as there is an unpredictability to his character. He is strict on control and when Hoffstetler threatens the slightest bit of control, this bothers him. Stulbarg’s performance is one of tenderness and concern. He winces at the sight of violence and blood which is unusual for a man with his profession. Stulbarg’s performance is layered with multiple characters and motivations. His stance and reasoning is even more unpredictable than Strickland’s. On the other hand there are Zelda and Giles who reluctantly go with Eliza’s plans. Earning Oscar nominations for their Supporting performances, Spencer and Jenkins provide Eliza’s voice at times when she needs it. Each actor is cast perfectly as they embody their roles perfectly. Zelda and Giles are also members of minorities themselves with Zelda being black and Giles being openly homosexual. Together, the trio help to support each other in a society that is dominated by the straight white men.

Music is such a crucial part of this film as it gives Eliza a voice when she doesn’t have assistance. In scenes where she communicates with the creature, she uses a record player to convey her emotions towards him. The soundtrack is a mix of classical original score and songs from the 1920s that were used in television specials and films. Not only does it give the film it’s chronological context but it also allows del Toro to delve into his own love of Old Hollywood and push this personal perspective to the front. In terms of the score, we are treated to a fantastic selection of pieces composed by Alexandre Desplat. Just like the film, the score is a mix of genres taking mainly from fantasy by adding in the whimsy of musical and light and dark tones to reflect comedy and drama. It’s a truly captivating soundtrack and well worth the second Oscar that Desplat received.

As I have mentioned before, the cinematography is fantastic. The film is quintessentially del Toro with his distinctive use of colour and impeccable ability to build his own universes. The audience is immediately immersed from the first shot when we see Eliza’s apartment underwater as Giles narrates in a fairytale manner. What works so well is that del Toro easily merges the fantasy with the real by making his world as realistic as possible but adding whimsical qualities. There are some gory scenes in the film and as expected, del Toro doesn’t shy away from showing the audience this but it’s because of the film’s primary genre being fantasy, it doesn’t feel overwrought or overwhelming to those who don’t like horror films. The film feels suitable for any genre because the topics are so universal and the vision so distinctive.

There are few films that impact me so much immediately but after I viewed The Shape of Water, I completely fell in love with everything about it. It was wonderful seeing del Toro deliver a film that feels so personal and poignant. The film feels like del Toro’s love letter for films and the many influences such as The Creature from the Black Lagoon are really felt here.

What do you think about The Shape of Water? Let me know in the comments below!

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Top 5 Emma Stone Performances

Emma Stone is one of the most exciting young actresses working today. She worked her way up in the ranks of quirky teenage comedies proving her ability to perform in an array of roles in various genres along the way. In such a short career, we have seen her portray a young writer in a segregated community in the 1960s Deep South, the drug-addicted daughter of a washed-up actor and a conniving maid working her way up to win the favour of the Queen of England. Naturally, she has made some mishaps in her career (most notably, her controversial turn in Aloha as a quarter-Chinese, half-Hawaiian woman which she openly regrets) but for the most part, she has grown and matured as a performer. Even her turn in the darkly comedic picture, The Favourite shows a huge improvement from her turns in Superbad and Easy A.

Nominated for 3 Oscars with a win in 2016 for La La Land, Stone’s star shows no sign of dimming any time soon and with her upcoming Cruella de Vil origin story set to hit the screens in 2021, it’s exciting to see what else she will do. She is a star who doesn’t divulge hugely in the celebrity lifestyle and clearly has an ingrained passion for her craft which is refreshing to see. Easy A proved to be her breakthrough into leading roles and what she has achieved within a decade, most people would spend their whole careers dreaming of. What better way to celebrate Stone’s illustrious career than discussing the highlights.

Here are my top 5 Emma Stone performances in chronological order:

Easy A (2010)

Stone’s first leading performance just so happens to be one of the 21st century defining teen comedies. Stone plays Olive Penderghast, a bright and overlooked student who is quick with her wit and yet underwhelmed with her current social standing. During a party, she pretends to have sex with a friend to stop rumours that he is gay and word quickly spreads about “slutty” Olive as she pretends to have sex with guys in her school in exchange for gifts. We see Olive thrust into the spotlight reluctantly and judged by her peers and the teachers at her school. The script is fantastic and the scenes where Olive and hardcore Christian Marianne Bryant (Amanda Bynes) face off are incredible. Olive is a brilliant character because she is so self-aware of the mistakes that she makes and the web of lies that she is trapped within. It is the sincerity that Stone portrays Olive with that really brings that emotion to the surface as she records her side of the situation on the webcam. She doesn’t try to justify what she has done but she uses it to explain why she decided to do what she did. There is also an amazing supporting cast including Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson as Olive’s parents and a welcome cameo from Malcolm McDowell as Principal Gibbons. Even though it is a film aimed for a teenage audience, there is plenty there for an adult audience to enjoy.

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The Help (2011)

This film sees Stone cast against type and venturing into more dramatic roles. The Help is a film mired in controversy due its white saviour narrative disguised in a well-meaning intentions. I do believe that director, Tate Taylor, didn’t realise this when making the film and I do think that the cast do a brilliant job with the script that they’re given. Stone portrays the lead, Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan, an aspiring journalist who looks to chronicle the treatment of black maids in Jackson in 1960s Mississippi. Skeeter fits the typical white saviour tropes as her character has been created with hindsight. She is made to be an outsider as she doesn’t fit in with the ideals that are expected from the white community as she yearns to have a career in a “man’s world”. Because she doesn’t fit in with the white community, she finds that this is something she has in common with the black community, specifically the maids who work for her friends and Constantine (Cicely Tyson), the Phelan family’s maid from Skeeter’s childhood. These are definite flaws that are present throughout the film and have been justifiably addressed since the film’s release. I have included Stone’s performance in this list, however, because I think that this performance shows a different side and her ability to lead a large starry cast. The Help was made with a big budget and did extremely well in the box office and critically, receiving nominations in awards season and wins for Octavia Spencer who plays the brilliant Minnie. Stone plays Skeeter interestingly as she is a character who observes and listens to the stories. She steps back and watches the action unfold. A lot of her acting in this film is through expression rather than words which Stone brings in abundance and although the concept of the film is flawed, I think the sincerity that Stone brings to the character shouldn’t be entirely overlooked.

Birdman: or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance (2014)

Anyone who claims that Stone has just struck lucky and isn’t a good actress needs only to watch her performance in Best Picture winner Birdman. The film follows Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton), an actor known for his previous outings as superhero Birdman and his attempt to break into serious acting by directing and starring in an adaptation of Ray Carver’s short story “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” work on Broadway. Stone plays Sam, Riggan’s daughter who has recently come out of rehab and is learning to adjust without drugs. It’s a small role and yet Stone shines bright among the starry cast. The scene in which she has a breakdown after Riggan finds her weed is astonishing and well-deserving of the Oscar nomination that Stone received. This is a role in which see a darker side of Stone where the character of Sam is emotionally exhausted which comes across in Stone’s physicality. Her character drifts and becomes ghostlike such as the dressing room scene in which she fades into the background as Lesley (Naomi Watts) storms in and starts ranting about her to Mike (Edward Norton). In a film that relies on such quick pacing and non-stop movement by its cast and crew as the camera winds its way down the corridors of the theatre, it is Sam that brings it to a halt in her scenes. Her easiness and contemplative nature are reflected in the way the film is structured and her scenes see her fixated in one room rather than moving.

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La La Land (2015)

La La Land showed Stone’s already shining star skyrocket to a global phenomenon as she swept awards season for her role as Mia in Damien Chazelle’s homage to the classical musical. The film follows aspiring starlet Mia who works in a café at a film studio and her chance encounter with aspiring jazz musician, Sebastien (Ryan Gosling) and their subsequent romance. The film is clearly inspired by films such as Les Parapluies des Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg) and Casablanca which Chazelle has listed among his favourite films. It’s a beautiful film filled with nostalgia while giving it a 21st twist and innovative direction. Stone is impeccable in her role as an actress playing an actress who is yet to have a big break in Hollywood. We see her fail in auditions initially mainly due to her lack of confidence. Her passion for acting is clear when she talks but she is unable to project that passion for the casting directors. Through the film and the romance with Sebastien, she becomes unguarded and unafraid to be herself. The character is refreshing and begins to experience a new perspective on life. This results in the iconic audition scene, with the song “Audition”, in which Mia sings about an aunt whose freedom inspires her.

The Favourite (2018)

Probably my favourite Emma Stone performance, The Favourite is a brilliant insight into British history from the weird mind of Yorgos Lanthimos. Stone plays Abigail, a young maid whose father gambled her off in a whist. She arrives at Queen Anne’s (Olivia Colman) palace seeking employment and works in the kitchens as a scullery maid until the ruthless and watchful eye of her aristocratic cousin, Sarah, the Duchess of Marlborough (Rachel Weisz). It’s a fantastic love triangle as Sarah and Abigail fight for the Queen’s favour. The film undoubtedly belongs to Colman, who won an Oscar for her troubles but Stone is utterly captivating. She bounces off perfectly to both Colman and Weisz, allowing her cruel nature to bubble beneath the surface. Sarah is known for her loyalty to the crown and her firmness but Abigail keeps her motivations hidden and brings a sweet and innocent exterior. It’s extraordinary seeing Stone play such an evil character with so much charm and charisma that her award nominations were inevitable. This film was my favourite from this year’s awards season and it was such a shame seeing it not receiving the attention that it deserved. It’s so rare seeing three female characters dominating a film with fleshed out personalities that are complex and captivating and that’s exactly what Lanthimos has done. I would love to see another Lanthimos/Stone collaboration on the cards in the future.

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It’s amazing to think that these 5 performances show different sides to Stone and yet there is a 8 year difference between the first and last with three Oscar nominations, including a win in between. I don’t think that Stone is an actress who should be overlooked and I think that she is someone who has even more up her sleeve. I am very excited to see what the future brings for her.

Which Emma Stone performance is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!

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Top 5 Viola Davis Performances

A reigning Queen of the Silver Screen, Viola Davis is a titan of acting who shows us time and time again that she really is among the best of the best. She is also the first black actress to receive the Triple Crown of Acting. She is renowned for her grace and poise, she fights for what she believes in and only takes on roles that she wants. She is an icon in a number of different ways but for me, it is her passion for acting and determination to get to the heart of her characters that really stands out for me. You can tell that she truly loves what she does and that she puts herself into the characters whether it be an FBI agent in Suicide Squad, the mother of a missing child in Prisoners or a woman broken by a society that cripples her family because of the colour of their skin in Fences. I can’t even begin to say how much I love VIola Davis as an actress and activist

As ever, these posts delve into film performances so even though her inputs in projects such as the TV series How to Get Away With Murder are incredible, they won’t be added in the list. This also makes it a bit easier when picking the performances for my list.

Here are my top 5 performances in chronological order:

Doubt (2008)

The breakthrough performance that cemented Davis’ career onscreen, Doubt is a star-studded film that features iconic stars Meryl Streep, Amy Adams and Philip Seymour Hoffman, who all received Oscar nominations for their performances. Following Sister Aloysius (Streep) and Sister James (Adams) as they plot to bring down Father Flynn (Hoffman) who is suspected of molesting the school’s first black student. What was the most heartwrenching scene to come from this film was the performance from Viola Davis, an actress who had made her name on TV and the stage but had not broken into the film industry just yet. Her performance as Mrs. Miller, the mother of the abused child, is small but captivating as she struggles with the truth and her faith. It’s a pained performance that holds its ground against three of the best actors in modern times. Davis’ character admits that she would overlook the abuse if it meant that her son could still attend the school and escape from the socioeconomic background that he would be subjected to were he not attending. In one scene she becomes a parent torn by the abuse of secular and religious authorities. She knows that it is a world where they cannot win without suffering and the heartbreak of that realisation sits with you for the duration of the film.

The Help (2011)

Now for the film that solidified Davis as a leading star and should have won her an Academy Award (let’s not even get into that one). I am aware that The Help is a controversial film to put in here and it is completely understandable. The film sadly follows white saviour tropes as Emma Stone’s character, Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan, helps to expose the abuse that the black maids in Jackson have received. The maids that she initially speak to are Aibileen Clark (Davis) and Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer) who both provide brilliant performances. I know that sadly these kinds of roles feed into prejudice perceptions of non-white actors who are often delegated to subservient characters. I remember watching this film for the first time and absolutely loving the characters and how much they fight back. The film definitely has its flaws but both Davis and Spencer shine and earn their acclaim. Both characters are brilliantly developed and the scenes with the two of them in are fantastic. Davis has such a presence and says so much with a facial expression. Her performance as Aibileen is a masterclass of acting and only serves as a small step in a huge career.

Prisoners (2013)

This may be an unexpected inclusion into the list but I enjoyed this film a lot. Serving as Denis Villeneuve’s English-language debut, I went into thinking it would be a typical action drama but it was so much more than that. Davis plays Nancy Birch, a woman who’s daughter is kidnapped with her best friend. It’s a film that plays out every parent’s worst nightmare and the lengths one will go to to bring back their child. Davis is maternal, fierce and conflicted when Kevin Dover (Hugh Jackman) who’s daughter also went missing finds a suspect, locks him up and begins to beat him. Nancy is a character who refuses to play by others’ rules and does what feels right to her. Although this is a supporting role, Davis still maintains that strong presence onscreen and brings her A-game in a cast that includes Jackman, Terrence Howard and Jake Gyllenhaal to name a few. Much like the conflict Davis brought in Doubt, it’s hard not to feel affected by her performance. Whereas Jackman and Gyllenhaal fit a traditional “masculine” trope, Davis is the maternal heart but brings a strength that is not often given to women in thrillers. Her involvement shows her desire to work with respected directors and actors and also shows her perseverance to choose roles that help progress to women’s roles in films.

Fences (2016)

The one that brought her all the gongs, Fences is an adaptation of August Wilson’s 1985 play of the same name and directed by her co-star, Denzel Washington, who also brings a career best. Washington refused to divert from WIlson’s script meaning that Wilson is credited as screenwriter and received a posthumous Oscar nomination. Admittedly, Washington’s reluctance to divert from the script does make the film feel a bit too stage-like at times but there is no doubt that this is Davis’ film. I honestly think that they should have gone for the Best Leading Actress awards and she would have won it but the Supporting seemed a “safe” category. She plays Rose Lee Maxson, a woman whose life revolves around satisfying the desires of her husband and their son whose goal is to play baseball. Living in a rundown neighbourhood in a deeply racist society where the odds are stacked against them, Rose does not give up and fights while her husband Troy Maxson delves deeper into madness in his failure to succeed in his American Dream. It’s a highly emotionally charged film that sees Davis go into a different league of acting that is rarely seen. She refuses to be put down by the men she takes care of despite their physical intimidation. Rose is another strong woman that Viola can add to her extensive repertoire.

Widows (2018)

The last blockbuster that Viola starred in saw her take the lead as Veronica Rawlings in Steve McQueen’s fourth feature, Widows which follows four women who plot to carry out a heist after three of their husbands died in a botched job. Veronica is the group leader who draws together the plan using a notebook that her late husband, Harry (Liam Neeson) left in a safety deposit box. The other three women played by Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki and Cynthia Enviro and the four together have great characterisation and rapport. It’s a film built on the strength on its performers and Davis leads with ease. It’s refreshing to see such a strong action-based role which would traditionally be taken by a white male instead being portrayed by a black woman. The film is fearless and knows its strength. Veronica is one of the best female characters in recent years. She’s deeply complex as a grieving widow, a mother who’s son was wrongly murdered due to racism in authority and a woman who knows what she has to do to survive. She shields her fragility and fuels the operation with her persistence.

I am so excited to see where Viola’s career will go next. Even in films like Suicide Squad, she was a shining star to me. She’s an actress who is consistent, likeable and bankable. She is one of the key figures to pushing for more strong female characters in film and constantly talks about the importance of women in film.

What Viola Davis film is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!