Guillermo Del Toro makes movies like no other filmmaker. If you’ve seen “The Devil’s Backbone” and “Pan’s Labyrinth”, you probably know the scale of his vision. But nothing could have prepared me for his latest masterpiece: a beautifully crafted, visually stunning love letter to cinema that ranks among his best films. Other Hollywood movies may boast great special effects, but Del Toro has created a world of wonder, and I found myself completely immersed in it. How many times can you say that these days? Sally Hawkins (in the best performance of her career) plays a mute woman who works as a cleaning lady in a top-secret government lab . The year is 1962, the Cold War is in full force, and the government is experimenting on a South American sea creature, which holds many mysteries. One night, Hawkins accidentally meets our amphibian man, which leads to a series of incredible events. I know I’ve said the word “immersive” before but that’s the best way to describe the way I lost myself in this film, with its captivating story, terrific performances, and wonderful music by Alexandre Desplat. Del Toro has said that he found inspiration for this movie when he was 6 years old, and it’s been a long process ever since. In a perfect world, “The Shape Of Water” will swipe every Oscar out there. At the very least, it will show audiences what a great filmmaker can do when he is truly inspired by his material. If you find yourself looking away for one second, you’d be cheating yourself. This is a beautiful movie you’ll want to savor, from start to finish. It truly is the stuff that dreams are made of.