Best film story of 2017

Rating: 10/10 (4 January 2018)

Beautiful, fairy-tale pure story was not only a metaphor for the too common inhumanity of man toward anything not exactly like man, but was also a love story showing how love can happen anytime to anyone, and with no boundaries, even death. Filmmaker Del Toro showed the soul and sensibility of the ages here in his depiction of a shy, working class girl who fell in love with a sea creature in a government "research project" reminiscent of the 50's Communist era witch hunts. And, with the same dark intentions.
The film's somber mood, dim and sad colorization of the "research" area, and the interplay of the characters was so effective in the fairy tale atmosphere it gave to a very serious world problem............man's tendency of hate and cruelty toward anything not exactly like he is, in body and in mind. That that way of thinking is so wrong is well shown here in a harsh way, but also in a way that resonates with anyone who resists that cast in stone way of thinking and acting toward different others.
The acting was uniformly great, as was the soundtrack, sets and costuming. And, of course, "the creature" was marvelous, so nuanced and subtle. Loved the unique noises he made, and their individual shading depending on what was happening,.... it was all too....can I say..... "human", and one of the best and most informative parts of the story. Enjoy this wonderful film, as you will not see another like it until another Del Toro film comes our way.