Nostalgic fantasy sci-fi romance, but did it deserve its Oscar?

Rating: 8/10 (9 September 2018)

Del Toro is one of my favorite directors and his "Pans Labyrinth" is one of the best fantasy dramas I've ever seen, so I was very pleased with how well The Shape of Water did on the awards circuit. It's a beautiful movie with great acting, and wonderful production design. That along with Del Toros' deft direction and a script that blends the romance of the story along with the sorrow of real life makes for a compelling watching experience. Did it deserve its Best Picture Oscar? I don't think so. When it's compared too some of its competition, I think that "Three Billboards..." was the best picture of the year as it had more of a socio-political punch. Still, The Shape of Water ranked an easy second, in my humble opinion