Now, I like Guillermo Del Toro--at least I used to--as he has traditionally made original and interesting movies, but while The Shape of Water may very well be both of those things, I think it illustrates Del Toro's slide deeper and deeper into depravity, as well as many of our culture's problems. In case you missed it (you're probably better off if you did), The Shape of Water contains some pretty indecent sexual material. To be clear, I did not watch this film as the "Parent's Guide" section over at IMDB was enough to dissuade me from seeing it. I warn you, that section reads like a pornographic fantasy novel (not that I've ever read one). As if his last film's incestuous material, disturbing though not quite graphic, was not enough, he had to push the envelope to include interspecies sexuality, to say nothing of the graphic nudity, this time around.
Now, in past years a feature film featuring interspecies intercourse probably would have caused quite the stir in this country. Can you imagine what America would have done in the 50's? The 70's? Even the 90's or 2000's? There would have been uproars and boycotts and all that good stuff, and rightfully so. This year? It won best film!
Now, Hollywood has had a pretty rough year, given all the scandals and allegations of sexual misconduct. The #metoo movement arose as a response to the eternal lack of accountability for the Hollywood elites who have been sexually abusing their pawns for generations. Though this movement has had its issues, it is a noble cause. So what does the Academy do? As they have commonly done in recent years, they gave the Oscar for best film to a movie that contains aberrant sexuality! How fitting!
Hollywood, you cannot have it both ways. You cannot say that you support women and simultaneously reward their objectification. You cannot claim to respect women while monetizing their oversexualization. You cannot assert your moral superiority regarding the treatment of the fairer sex while plastering their naked bodies all over the silver screen. You cannot profess to honor, respect, and value women while immortalizing their shame. You can't do it. Your true colors are showing.
Further, you cannot claim to support healthy sexuality while glorifying monstrosities. The slope is slippery, as they say. Our culture has increasingly become desensitized to sexual content in movies and on TV. Sexuality led to nudity. Nudity led to graphic nudity. Graphic nudity led to incest and other aberrant sexuality. What's next? Pedophilia? If Hollywood's true colors are fully seen, that is unavoidable.
This is that state of our country, whether we like it or not. We are no longer shockable. We are no longer offended by the degradation of the human body and the abuse of human sexuality. We no longer boycott aberrant sexuality. We give it an Oscar.
Now, in past years a feature film featuring interspecies intercourse probably would have caused quite the stir in this country. Can you imagine what America would have done in the 50's? The 70's? Even the 90's or 2000's? There would have been uproars and boycotts and all that good stuff, and rightfully so. This year? It won best film!
Now, Hollywood has had a pretty rough year, given all the scandals and allegations of sexual misconduct. The #metoo movement arose as a response to the eternal lack of accountability for the Hollywood elites who have been sexually abusing their pawns for generations. Though this movement has had its issues, it is a noble cause. So what does the Academy do? As they have commonly done in recent years, they gave the Oscar for best film to a movie that contains aberrant sexuality! How fitting!
Hollywood, you cannot have it both ways. You cannot say that you support women and simultaneously reward their objectification. You cannot claim to respect women while monetizing their oversexualization. You cannot assert your moral superiority regarding the treatment of the fairer sex while plastering their naked bodies all over the silver screen. You cannot profess to honor, respect, and value women while immortalizing their shame. You can't do it. Your true colors are showing.
Further, you cannot claim to support healthy sexuality while glorifying monstrosities. The slope is slippery, as they say. Our culture has increasingly become desensitized to sexual content in movies and on TV. Sexuality led to nudity. Nudity led to graphic nudity. Graphic nudity led to incest and other aberrant sexuality. What's next? Pedophilia? If Hollywood's true colors are fully seen, that is unavoidable.
This is that state of our country, whether we like it or not. We are no longer shockable. We are no longer offended by the degradation of the human body and the abuse of human sexuality. We no longer boycott aberrant sexuality. We give it an Oscar.
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