There’s so much I love about this week’s creature flick, The Shape of Water (Disc/Download), I don’t even know where to start. The 1960s setting, copious water scenes, classic film appreciation, and a surprisingly sexy amphibious man are my main selling points; however, you should also be forewarned about a gross, mildew-covered bathroom, kitty homicide, and the black, rotting fingers of Michael Shannon (which, for the record, still give me the shudders with every viewing). Guillermo del Toro’s romantic fantasy is the movie I never knew I needed until it was presented to me in all its aqua-tinted glory.
Full disclosure, I’ve never actually seen The Creature from the Black Lagoon. However, I’ve seen Splash more times than I can count, so “sea creatures in bathtubs” is not a new concept for me. But where this film surpasses that stellar Tom Hanks rom-com is in its subtle use of fantasy as an allegory for society’s persecution of “the other”. The thing in a tank at a Baltimore laboratory is about as otherworldly as you can get, but as his future paramour Eliza (Sally Hawkins) points out, he’s really not so different from her, or any other human. His primary desires are freedom and love—can’t we all say the same about ourselves?
Speaking of love, Eliza’s neighbor Giles (Richard Jenkins) goes looking for it in all the wrong places, including a terrible pie shop. He subjects himself to far too many slices of rancid key lime pie in order to talk to the cute guy behind the counter—a guy who, as it turns out, is definitely not worth his time. But you can enjoy a little bit of that florescent green flavor in this twist on the Pisco sour, the Key Lime Tequila Sour.
Key Lime Tequila Sour
2 oz Silver Tequila
½ oz Patrón Citrónge liqueur
1 oz Key Lime Juice
½ oz Simple Syrup
1 egg white
Pinch of Sea Salt
Dash of Angostura Bitters
Combine tequila, lime liqueur, key lime juice, simple syrup, egg white, and salt in a shaker without ice. Shake vigorously for ten seconds, then add ice. Shake for another thirty seconds, then strain into a glass. Garnish with a dash of Angostura Bitters.
If you enjoy the films of Douglas Sirk, you’ll find a lot of familiar elements in The Shape of Water. It’s a defiant love story, set under the backdrops of beautiful mid-century style, an intolerant society, and a stirring musical score. When the credits roll at the end of this, and the spell is finally broken, you’ll still be floating. Cheers!
Cinema Sips 