BYO YNMS x 3: Shape of Water, The Snowman, Proud Mary
Having an entirely unproductive day. (It happens). But the trailers are coming fast & furious. Are you a yes no or maybe so on three following pictures. Do tell.
THE SHAPE OF WATER
YES - Sally Hawkins. This could well be magical.
NO - Guillermo Del Toro tends to be more of a genius in concept than in execution
MAYBE SO - Hate it when trailers show the whole movie. In some ways this feels like a demented fan fiction version of the 10 minutes near the end of Ron Howard's Splash. Is there more to it than this?
THE SNOWMAN
YES - Tomas Alfredson is a very impressive director (Let the Right One In and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) who is pretty great and sustaining tension for a whole running time. He's gathered his usual array of impressive craftsmen in all departments
NO - Is any single subgenre more plagued by violence against women as its ignition or more overworked than the serial killer procedural?
MAYBE SO - How's the chemistry between Fassbender and Ferguson?
PROUD MARY
YAAAS - Taraji P Henson deserves a star vehicle
NO - Like the Kingsman series this looks like a pornographic fetish movie about guns and how cool it is to kill people... which... given the US addiction to guns and explosions in gun massacres each year, is really starting to feel like irresponsible movie behavior.
MAYBE SO - Who knows? This teaser is very very light on anything about the movie though we hear she's an assassin. We're guessing with a conscience. the movies are very obsessed with assassins who have that pre-existing condition.
Reader Comments (24)
I am so pleased about Sally's role in this,she can hopefully deliver.
Sally Hawkins is brilliant and I'm thrilled to see her in another leading role.
Love that "The Shape of Water" is basically going to block the impending Universal Dark Universe "Creature from the Black lagoon" remake.
Is this an Actress play for Sally??
Shape of Water: Maybe. Unless this only takes us to the end of Act 1 or, even, Act 2, this could be getting mighty tedious, fast.
The Snowman: Yes. I know, I know, the serial killer genre is overexposed and the "violence against women agonized over by angst ridden men" concept is crazy overused WITHIN that genre.
Proud Mary: WTF!? Even the makers of John Wick (and, yes, I AM interested in Atomic Blonde) would tell you you're overfetishizing guns. Just NO.
The Shape of Water.... FUCK YEAH!!!!! VIVA LA GUILLERMO!!!!
The Snowman... probably
Proud Mary..... YES!!!! Any excuse to wear sparkly mini-skirts like Tina Turner and Kevin Nealon.
Do you think "Shape of Water" will get backlash for casting a non-disabled actress for a character with a hearing impediment?
The Shape of Water - YES. This looks like a terrific lead role for Sally Hawkins. VERY happy for her. On the downside, this looks like the same role Octavia Spencer has played in her last 4 films.
The Snowman - Eh, I totally agree that this genre really needs to step outside of the usual confinements of men brutally murdering women. This may be a commercial play, but definitely doesn't scream Oscar for me. MAYBE I'll see it.
Proud Mary - NO. Absolutely agree about the fetishization of guns in American films. Kinda over it...and kinda over the super gorgeous hot woman who's great with using a gun and killing people schtick.
Shape of Water: The way she danced down the hall totally sold me. This looks really delightful and between this and Maudie I hope it's a super great year for Sally Hawkins. @Theis, I kind of wonder the same thing, especially with Wonderstruck having a deaf child actress in a prominent role. It's not like that's really impeded anyone before but who's to say.
Snowman: Eh. Kudos to everyone for treating the serial killer's conceit seriously - that thumbnail got me in the trailer - but I dunno. Feels like someone stretching the villain of a Hannibal episode to two hours. I'm sure I'll see it, and I liked Tinker Tailor, but I'm not that excited.
Proud Mary: I wish I liked it but the trailer doesn't even like. Gesture at a plot. It's just Taraji killing people and it seemed super fetishistic. I hope it goes well for her sake but this does not seem appealing to me.
Theis -- the trailer explicitly states that she's not a deaf woman, just a mute. (like Holly Hunter in The Piano) but yeah, i imagine they'll take some hits for it.
Not a fan of the Shape of Water trailer and GDT's last few films have been kinda meh but I still hold out hope. He's directed two masterpieces. I'll always pine for a third.
The Snowman isn't really my bag but, same deal. If Tomas Alfredson's directing, I'll be there.
Proud Mary may not be a tired concept but kudos to whoever cut that trailer. Excellent editing, both picture and sound. Ditto the praise for Taraji getting a film all to herself.
SHAPE OF WATER: Yes! for Sally. With MAUDIE also out this year, maybe she can get an Actress nomination. And I assume there will be a production design nomination at the very least. Michael Shannon looks very 1 dimensional villain though, which gives me pause.
THE SNOWMAN: Maybe-Yes, mainly for Fassy. The book is a good read, but it's very much of its genre.
PROUD MARY: Tina and Taraji make for a good combo but I can't imagine seeing this.
Ooh, there's a WONDERSTRUCK teaser now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDaSo8q7F64
Everyone, say it with me now:
JUSTICE *CLAPS* FOR *CLAPS* POPPY! *CLAP*
Snow Man and Proud Mary look bad. Pity for I like the actors involved.
Not 100% sold on the mermaid one but my interest is piqued.
yes/no/no
The Shape Of Water: Looks intriguing. I hope GDT can get his "Pan's Labyrinth" mojo back
The Snowman: Probably. I love Michael Fassbender and Tomas Alfredson is a great director. But we'll see.
Proud Mary: I can understand the concern over the glamorizing of gun violence. But I'm glad Taraji P. Henson is at least getting a star vehicle.
The Shape of Water could have a lot of potential, and I'm always excited to see Sally Hawkins return to the fold. It's nice to see Octavia Spencer, too.
@Nathaniel R
I'd argue "The Piano" would have met backlash for exact that, had it been a 2017 release.
THE SNOWMAN looks gorgeous. Huge YES. I'm a sucker for serial killer thriller.
Exhausted by criticism for actors in disabled roles. I mean, they ACT for a living so...
Regarding Snowman - I admire Alfredson - Let The Right One In is a masterpiece.
But not another goddamn movie with english dialogue when it's not supposed to be english dialogue! - couldn't they just have made it in norwegian?!
I know why they don't - so they can get a bigger budget and big international stars etc.
But it's just so fucking silly to have characters with norwegian names soeaking english etc.
Fuck it, I'll still watch it!
Because I see EVERYTHING!
Don't you need a Taraji tag for fair and equal treatment? Not that I will see the movie? The recent fetish of glamorous women who kill people is so retro.
The Fassbender film ... Looks creepy and would see if we'll done for the suspense element. Agree that American culture is messed up but serial killers are fascinating.
The Gullermo film? Maybe. I am still waiting for Geek Love with Streep and Rami Malek.
love this trailer, looking some new, excited for this one. I've marked it on my calendar, download august calendar or else visit here for more.
Jono -- thanks for the catch. whoever I add last to a post tends to get forgotten in the tags this post was originally only two trailers.
Not 100% sold on the mermaid one but my interest is piqued.