Guillermo del Toro molds The Shape of Water into a form that floats classification. It’s a fancy sort of walleye perspective that’s drenched in symbolism and corrals all emotions into a triumphant tragedy. And it never slips up.

Elisa (Hawkins) is flawless as her endearing personality easily floats threw any sort of boundary set forth by her vocal limitation. Yes, she is everything to this story but Zelda (Spencer) is equally memorable as Elisa’s cleaning companion. Zelda just happens to be blessed with the gift of the gab, mostly for spousal complaints, and these contrasting guises give this beautiful film its fluidity.

Strickland (Shannon), the spectacularly despicable government agent in charge, displays vanity and outrageous clumsiness which allows for buckets of laughs at his many failures. In contrast, Giles (Jenkins), Elisa’s adjacent neighbor is reflective and totally flawed but blankets all his reservations to help a friend. Additionally, the beautiful non-verbal communication between Elisa and the creature (Jones) is the center of the film’s success.

Whilst reveling in such original storytelling, the reverse symmetry of forbidden love in this hum-amphibian story with Romeo and Juliet is not lost. The Shape of Water dries off with 4.77 napkins out of 5.

*Thoughtfully Spoiler Free*

Rian Johnson plays a sort of mind trick as The Last Jedi strikes back into the canon of the greatest story ever told. It’s indeed a wonderful blueprint to footnote. An inner conflict augmented with a teacher and pupil anecdote of skepticism on a far away land in a galaxy far, far way. And it’s comforting to reflect fondly on Empire whilst ready to embrace a new direction.

As Rey (Ridley) increases her awareness on Ahch-To, a reluctant Luke (Hamill) becomes one with the light side, of the film, that is. Skywalker is prickly and witty and, along with the many creatures on this Outer Rim planet, provides memorable humor. Yet, many of the film’s campy bits resonate from General Hux (Gleeson) in a brainy Monty Python-esque manner which should be celebrated.

FC Hall of Famers are highly influential in the film’s quality as, firstly, Vice Admiral Holdo (Dern) displays confidence and serenity in the face of the First Order while DJ (del Toro) brings mystery and vagabond into the lore evoking Lando. Both tiptoed around confusion and provocation.

The Last Jedi cannot force itself in the Film Clas elite but 4.27 napkins out of 5 it deserves.

Marty McDonagh’s banner effort, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, displays a unique coupling of relentless tragedy and dark comedy that elicits shameless laughs yet it remains aware of its context. And it happens that we somehow happily emerge from the film without agita.

With Mildred (McDormand), we never stray from the drawn eyes that caption a face fixed with unimaginable grief. The billboards are explicit and as succinct as she. Her apathy and indifference of personal consequence is the humor and sadness of the film and McDonagh does well to treat both equally. This polarity invites Willoughby (Harrelson) and Dixon (Rockwell) into the fray at opposing viewpoints. Willoughby, humble and nurturing, targeted by Mildred begets Dixon, arrogant and nurtured, to amplify his horrible policing.

In a crowded and stellar ensemble, Jerome (Britt-Gibson) presents with brevity and relevance and his initial interaction with Dixon sets the tone. Red’s (Jones) consequential kindness amongst the brouhaha struck a chord for it’s credibility. A single blip is the finger-snap transition of Dixon but this aspect drives the final act of the film.

It’s a provoking film with only a single billboard needed to showcase 4.02 napkins out of 5 for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MO.