Alberto’s Pick: The Shape of Water directed by Gullermo del Toro. Stars: Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins and Octavia Spencer

From master storyteller Guillermo del Toro comes an other-worldly fairy tale, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where Elisa works (Sally Hawkins), trapped in a life of silence and isolation. Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment. Rounding out the cast are Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg and Doug Jones. The first thing an audience will pick up on when entering The Shape of Water is how visually delicious this film is. With lush colors, sharp 60’s set design, and photography that loves every corner of the frame, del Toro shows us a world that’s historically familiar, but vibrant enough to convey the adult fairy tale atmosphere he’s reaching for.