In 2018, the 90th Academy Award for Best Picture was awarded to “The Shape of Water”, which is unconvincing compared to the results of the undoubtedly best actor and actress awards.
However, there is no doubt about the authority and professionalism of the Academy Award. So let’s talk about it today, why this movie stands out and won the championship in one fell swoop!
Knowing yourself and the enemy, let’s take a look at the unfortunate “running with” videos first:
“Darkest Hour” and “Dunkirk” are both set in the background of World War II, and actor Gary Oldman plays a prime minister who raises his arms in times of crisis, presenting us with “disfigured” acting skills – who can recognize this as a romantic and suave Sirius Black;
Heavyweight director Nolan showed the audience a grand battlefield and a group of young soldiers guarding justice;
“Get Out” tells a story about “race issues,” a topic that has always won the judges’ favor;
“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing” and “Lady Bird” focused their attention on “women”, one talked about the contest between middle-aged women and law enforcement, and the other talked about the growth of girls;
Naturally, the movie “Call Me by Your Name” about the theme of “same sex” is indispensable. The summer in Italy makes people linger, and the love between the two teenagers is confusing. This movie even made the popular Hollywood niche “Timothée Chalamet” – Timothée Chalamet born out of nowhere.
“The Post”, which brought together the actor Tom Hanks and the actor Meryl Streep, not only revealed how the monopoly industry related to the national economy and people’s livelihood works, but also involved the four presidents.
No matter the story or the point of view, each work is very exciting!
Seeing this, we can’t help but ask, the lucky winner “The Shape of Water”, how wonderful the story is, how luxurious the lineup is, and how profound the spiritual core is, how can he beat other wonderful films? .
So, what is the story?
A bad guy caught a guy and abused him, a good-hearted female cleaner saved the guy and fell in love with him. In the end, the bad guy dies and the two are together.
That’s it.
Are you a little puzzled? You are not alone. The audience and professional film critics were equally puzzled and indignant when they knew the result.
Biochemical experiments, human-monster/human-beast CP, Soviet spies, American careerists… These elements are too old-fashioned;
Although there is also a actress Sally Hawkins, but compared to Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Gary Oldman, etc., it is still slightly inferior;
Although the director of the film, Guillermo del Toro, is also one of the three best in Mexico, his personal style is slightly less than that of Nolan, who is known for his “brain hole”, and Joe Whyte, who is fond of “adapting classics”;
So, what exactly moved the Oscar judges?
If the other films give us a sense of depth because they unquestionably focus on a certain theme, then “The Shape of Water” presents us with a kind of “broadness” – a kind of “broadness” of American society. group portrait.
The story takes place during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, so what kind of life are Americans of all walks of life living in this era?
The heroine, Alyssa, is a cleaner living at the bottom, unable to speak, living a closed and repetitive life day after day;
Her co-worker is a black woman and her husband. This black couple lives in this racially divided land, but even so, the two people who depend on each other cannot understand each other;
The underappreciated painter is a homosexual who has suffered a lot of unfair treatment because of his sexual orientation. He lives in the corner of the city, the dumb girl is the only friend he can talk to;
The villain in the story, living in a class opposite to everyone, enjoys a good life, has a beautiful and sexy wife, lives in a bright and comfortable house, and plans to change to a more favorite car;
There is another character who needs to pay attention to. The doctor in the laboratory is also a spy of the Soviet Union. He is alone in an enemy country, and he is also worried that the group he works for may abandon him and kill himself at any time.
A group of lonely people.
The indifference of the times and the indifference of society has also caused indifference between people.
But, fortunately, the kind director didn’t want us to despair.
They are a group of lonely people, but also a group of people who care and help each other.
Alyssa and the painter have been with each other for many years, the black workers are zealous and righteous, and the Soviet spies respect and protect life regardless of personal safety.
At the end of the film, it is these lonely, marginalized people who join forces to smash the conspiracy of the careerists and save the imprisoned merman.
In the race for the Oscars, it’s not all about storytelling.
Picture, soundtrack, rhythm, all are important.
Compared with the bland storyline and obscure metaphors, the soundtrack of the movie can be described as a unified aesthetic! Close your eyes and just listen to the music, as if you can see the ripples that spread out in circles, the dilapidated toilet, the undercurrent of desire, the entangled women and mermaids.
This movie will give you the experience of watching an old movie, which is full of all kinds of retro elements, such as color tone, shooting technique, story structure and so on.
The 90th Oscar Best Picture is still worth watching!
