THE SHAPE OF WATER  4.0***

   Ever since Guillermo Del Toro won an Oscar for his 2006 dark fantasy piece "Pan's Labyrinth," I -- and, I suspect, many others -- have been waiting for him to deliver something similarly brilliant, similarly visionary.  Well, the wait is finally over with the arrival of Del Toro's latest film, "The Shape of Water." A wonderfully strange love story that plays like an adult fairy tale, it's a fantastical delight -- and the kind of movie that deserves all the accolades it is already receiving this award season ( It’s already won some prestigious Awards and has been nominated for a slew of other awards… 7 nominations for Golden Globes; 14 for Critics Choice and 2 by Screen Actors guild).

This is an artistically rich visual movie, one of those rare start-to-finish treats that succeeds on every level, including its set design, its costumes, its cinematography, its immensely talented cast, and a dreamy score from Oscar-winning composer Alexandre Desplat. Most of all, though, there's the soaring imagination of Del Toro, who wrote the story on which it's based in addition to directing it.

Set around spring 1961, the film stars Sally Hawkins as Elisa, a mute (but not deaf) cleaner who works at a secret government laboratory. When she discovers a strange aquatic creature (Doug Jones, resembling the Creature from the Black Lagoon) being kept in the lab. She gradually forms a romantic attraction to it, bringing it hard-boiled eggs, playing it jazz records and learning to communicate with it. Elisa learns that sinister research head Strickland (Michael Shannon) plans to kill and dissect the creature, so she hatches a bold plan to rescue it, enlisting the help of her gay artist neighbor Giles (Richard Jenkins) and her black chatty co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer).

Del Toro and co-writer Vanessa Taylor (Game of Thrones)  do an expert job at fleshing out each and every character here.  But it’s Hawkins who makes this film truly soar, turning in a magnificent performance ( voiceless nonetheless)   It is in her shimmering eyes and broad smile that we see a woman who finally feels heard; who is basking in the glow of acceptance found in the unlikeliest of places. Even as things get, well, physical between woman and sea creature, Elisa’s love—and her journey—remain true. But she's also surrounded by a tremendous ensemble that includes Jenkin , Spence and Shannon. Together with Del Toro, they craft a film that stands as wonderful love letter to the lonely and those who are different.

This is one of the best pictures of the year. It is an absolute visual delight with a fascinating love story, and as well acted and directed as any film in last couple of years.

R for nudity and graphic violence and some language; and has a run time of 2 hours and 3 minutes.

HOME ALONE  4.0***

     The overwhelming success of 'Home Alone' (it spawned two sequels), is enough to guarantee that most people will love this story of a family that departs for Paris during the Christmas holidays, mistakenly leaving an eight-year old boy to fend for himself. And fend he does when burglars threaten to break in unless he can rig enough booby-traps to keep them out.

That's the simple plot in a nutshell. Macaulay Culkin seems to have no problem carrying most of the film with a wide variety of looks, gestures and expressions--but for my money it's Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci who get the main laughs as the bumbling burglars intent on outwitting the kid's traps.

Others in the cast don't have as much to do but do well enough by their roles, particularly Catherine O'Hara and John Heard as the parents who only discover on the plane that Kevin is missing. The laughs are steady, the color photography is great and the  story is probably every boy's fantasy of what it might be like to be left home alone. Add to that the holiday flavor of Christmas and an endearing musical score by John Williams and you have the makings of a classic. 

1. My FAVORITE movie of all time : LOVE ACTUALLY - 2003   See review below ( my rating 4.0*** out of 4.0****)

This is not my review. It appeared in USA Today but expresses my thoughts perfectly.     

Love Actually is irresistible. You'd have to be Ebenezer Scrooge not to walk out smiling. the combination of the clever script, top-notch talent and engaging subject — love in its many forms — makes Love one of the more entertaining experiences a moviegoer is likely to have especially during the holiday season.

It's hard to fail when you have the cream of the U.K. crop signed on. Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightly and Colin Firth are all in top form. Laura Linney, the lone American major player in the film, was a brilliant addition. (Billy Bob Thornton makes a cameo appearance as a Clintonian American president.) As good as all of these actors are in their various roles, the movie is nearly stolen from them by Bill Nighy. As an aging rock star, he stages a comeback with an awful Yuletide rendition of the Troggs' '60s song Love Is All Around. His elder stoner swagger is hilarious.

Writer Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill) makes his directorial debut, wisely choosing an ensemble romantic comedy with several intertwined stories  And as is usually the case with these patchwork stories, some of the pieces are more compelling and enjoyable than others.   

Among the better scenarios are Grant as a bachelor prime minister who is too busy to look for a wife. He surprises himself (and everyone else) by being smitten with a down-to-earth staffer (Martine McCutcheon), a slightly more full-figured gal than average. There's an unexpectedly bittersweet bond between the luminous Keira Knightley and her husband's reserved best friend (Andrew Lincoln). And for tear-jerking moments, no one can beat Thompson's performance as the stalwart wife of the straying Rickman. A Christmas Eve scene showcases her talent for comedy, pathos and pluck, all the while breaking our hearts.

The sum of Love Actually is greater than its parts. The film is bookended by shots of ordinary people affectionately greeting and tearfully seeing each other off at an airport. This device is very touching. The same could be said for the movie as a whole, which winningly demonstrates that despite all odds, love is indeed all around us.

Rating: R for sexuality, nudity and language

   LADY BIRD  3.5***

    An indie comedy-drama about a high school senior who is trying to deal with teenage life, while living with her overbearing mother in early 2000s in Sacramento. The film was written and directed by first time feature filmmaker Greta Gerwig

The film is about Christine McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) who has given herself the name "Lady Bird". She is a high school senior in a Catholic school who struggles through what a typical girl of that age goes through. She faces the trials and tribulations of dating boys, losing her virginity, trying to be popular, feuding with her mother, and ultimately trying to figure out what to do with her life. Things are tough for her and she examines her relationships with friends and family to ultimately come to the best decision for herself.

The film sounds like a typical film plot. In many ways it is. Yet everything about the film is done so well in the expert hands of novice filmmaker Gerwig. The dialogue is sharp, hilarious, and witty. The character development, interaction, and acting are all strong. Saoirse Ronan has, I believe, at the very least earned an Oscar nomination for best actress and might even go on to win it. It seemed like such an effortless performance for a girl who completely disappears into the character of Lady Bird.

 The film feels so real and identifiable. It’s exactly what you want and is a very impressive debut from Gerwig. The film has a nice touch at the end and does what it needs to do to remain funny and touching. I expect this to be an award contender for Ronan's performance and Gerwig’s writing and directing. It’s truly a wonderful coming of age film that hits all the check marks and does so very effectively.

Rated R for language, sexual content, brief nudity and teen partying ( But I’d call it a soft “R”)

THREE BILLBOARDS outside EBBING, Missouri  4.0***

 

Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) is a single divorced mother, who's still grieving over the horrific rape and murder of her teenage daughter, seven months earlier. She is especially upset with the local police for not making any progress in the case. So she puts up three billboards just outside town shaming them, especially Sheriff Bill Willoughby (Wood Harrelson), who's dying from pancreatic cancer. Willoughby is distressed , but it is officer Jason Dixon (Sam Rockwell), who is extremely annoyed by her actions, as well as most of the rest of the town, and Mildred and her depressed teenage son, are harassed for it. Mildred still presses on though. 

The movie is especially impressive in how it presents such a diverse range of fully developed characters, that are all flawed and yet still very relatable (as mostly likable and seemingly very real people). It's an excellent story of forgiveness and learning how to accept and tolerate those you don't agree with. The climax and ending of the movie is amazing. It's so emotionally charged and totally unpredictable that the film leaves you thinking about it, long after it's over.  

And now to the performances! Frances McDormand is simply superb! As the grieving & raging protagonist, McDormand expresses rage, helplessness & courage, with magnificence. Its a sheer pleasure to watch McDormand take on the local tough boys & scream her rage with the Billboards.   

Also in terrific form is Woody Harrelson, as the cop who McDormand throws her righteous rage at. Harrelson's sheriff is a soft spoken man, who understands the wrath of a grieving mother and accepts his inability to catch the culprit

Sam Rockwell playing the red neck yokel, racist cop routine to drawling, violent, moronic perfection, takes the billboards as a frontal attack on the police force, a slight he has no intention of letting slide.

All 3 will be nominated for Oscars (McDormand, Best Actress; and Harrelson and Rockwell for Best Supporting Actor) and McDormand and Rockwell should win.

This is one of the BEST written and performed films of the  year. A dark drama sprinkled with humor

Rated R for violence, language throughout, and some sexual references.