Best Movies like The Shape of Water (2017)

Love that mixes the magical with the everyday can create some truly unforgettable stories. The Shape of Water transports viewers to Cold War America, where a mute janitor forms a deep connection with a mysterious amphibious man. If you’re drawn to movies that blend fantasy, romance, and drama in unique ways or feature unlikely bonds at their heart, you’ll find plenty to love in the films on this list. Dive in and discover your next favorite.

Pan's Labyrinth

Innocence has a power evil cannot imagine.
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Genre: Fantasy, Drama, War
Country: Mexico
Language: Spanish
Runtime: 1h 58m
Release date: 11th October 2006
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.8/10)

Both Pan's Labyrinth and The Shape of Water are directed by Guillermo del Toro and blend fantasy with historical periods, using an imaginative approach to explore human connection and resilience against authoritarian backdrops. Each film centers on characters who find solace in the fantastical while navigating oppressive realities.

In post–civil war Spain, 10-year-old Ofelia moves with her pregnant mother to live under the control of her cruel stepfather. Drawn into a mysterious labyrinth, she meets a faun who reveals that she may be a lost princess from an underground kingdom. To return to her true father, she must complete a series of surreal and perilous tasks that blur the line between reality and fantasy. Pan's Labyrinth is a movie from Mexico in Spanish, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 7.8 by 11,608 people. The movie made an estimated total of $83,258,226 in the box office.

Let the Right One In

Eli is 12 years old. She's been 12 for over 200 years, and she just moved in next door.
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Genre: Horror, Drama
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish
Runtime: 1h 55m
Release date: 24th October 2008
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.5/10)

Let the Right One In features an unconventional romance at its core, much like The Shape of Water. Both depict outsiders forming deep bonds in hostile environments, using elements of fantasy and the supernatural to examine themes of isolation, acceptance, and profound longing.

When Oskar, a sensitive, bullied 12-year-old boy, meets his new neighbor, the mysterious and moody Eli, they strike up a friendship. Initially reserved with each other, Oskar and Eli slowly form a close bond, but it soon becomes apparent that she is no ordinary young girl. Let the Right One In is a movie from Sweden in Swedish, with a total 1h 55m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 7.5 by 3,321 people. The movie made an estimated total of $10,785,801 in the box office.

Splash

She was the woman of Allen's dreams. She had large dark eyes, a beautiful smile and a great pair of fins.
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Genre: Comedy, Romance, Fantasy
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 50m
Release date: 9th March 1984
Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6.3/10)

Splash centers on a romance between a human and an aquatic being, paralleling the central relationship of The Shape of Water. Both films explore the intersection of love, secrecy, and societal norms while introducing a magical creature into an ordinary world.

A successful businessman falls in love with the girl of his dreams. There's one big complication though; he's fallen hook, line and sinker for a mermaid. Splash is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 50m runtime, released in 1984 with an average rating of 6.3 by 1,505 people. The movie made an estimated total of $69,800,000 in the box office.

Starman

In 1977 Voyager II was launched into space, inviting all lifeforms in the universe to visit our planet. Get ready. Company's coming.
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Genre: Science Fiction, Drama, Romance
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 55m
Release date: 13th December 1984
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.9/10)

Starman involves the arrival of an otherworldly being and the resulting relationship with a human, echoing themes from The Shape of Water where a non-human character inspires empathy and love. Both films explore transcending difference through intimate connection within a government-controlled setting.

When an alien takes the form of a young widow's husband and asks her to drive him from Wisconsin to Arizona, the government tries to stop them. Starman is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 55m runtime, released in 1984 with an average rating of 6.9 by 1,025 people. The movie made an estimated total of $28,744,356 in the box office.

Edward Scissorhands

Innocence is what he knows. Beauty is what she sees.
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Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Romance
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 45m
Release date: 7th December 1990
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.7/10)

Edward Scissorhands shares with The Shape of Water the theme of an outsider striving for acceptance and love in an unwelcoming world. Central romances develop around characters regarded as 'other,' illuminating how gentle emotion can defy societal prejudice.

A small suburban town receives a visit from a castaway unfinished science experiment named Edward. Edward Scissorhands is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 45m runtime, released in 1990 with an average rating of 7.7 by 13,919 people. The movie made an estimated total of $86,024,005 in the box office.

Amélie

She’ll change your life.
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Genre: Comedy, Romance
Country: France
Language: French
Runtime: 2h 2m
Release date: 25th April 2001
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.9/10)

Amélie follows a protagonist who exists on the fringes of society and seeks connection in inventive ways, akin to the mute janitor in The Shape of Water. Both films present whimsical, visually expressive storytelling focused on love, kindness, and personal transformation.

At a tiny Parisian café, the adorable yet painfully shy Amélie accidentally discovers a gift for helping others. Soon Amelie is spending her days as a matchmaker, guardian angel, and all-around do-gooder. But when she bumps into a handsome stranger, will she find the courage to become the star of her very own love story? Amélie is a movie from France in French, with a total 2h 2m runtime, released in 2001 with an average rating of 7.9 by 12,529 people. The movie made an estimated total of $173,921,954 in the box office.

The City of Lost Children

Where happily ever after is just a dream.
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Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adventure
Country: France
Language: French
Runtime: 1h 52m
Release date: 17th May 1995
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.2/10)

The City of Lost Children shares a dreamlike aesthetic and a backdrop of scientific experimentation with The Shape of Water. Both weave fairy-tale elements into stories about outsiders trying to reclaim agency in strange worlds overshadowed by cruelty and control.

A scientist in a surrealist society kidnaps children to steal their dreams, hoping that they slow his aging process. The City of Lost Children is a movie from France in French, with a total 1h 52m runtime, released in 1995 with an average rating of 7.2 by 1,235 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,738,611 in the box office.

A Fantastic Woman

My name is Marina Vidal. Do you have any problem with that?
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Genre: Drama
Country: Chile
Language: Spanish
Runtime: 1h 44m
Release date: 6th April 2017
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.0/10)

A Fantastic Woman and The Shape of Water are both dramas that focus on marginalized protagonists facing adversity and discrimination. Each film features a determined character who fights for autonomy and love in a world marked by institutional threats.

Marina's life is thrown into turmoil following the death of her partner. Mourning the loss of the man she loved, she finds herself under intense scrutiny from those with no regard for her privacy. A Fantastic Woman is a movie from Chile in Spanish, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 7.0 by 744 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,880,736 in the box office.

Beautiful Creatures

Dorothy and Petula have a body to die for. Disposing of it could get them killed.
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Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 25m
Release date: 23rd August 2000
Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (5.6/10)

Beautiful Creatures explores romance blossoming between characters in unusual or adverse circumstances, reflecting similar undercurrents of longing, difference, and fantasy found in The Shape of Water. Both stories use the supernatural as an entry point for examining forbidden love.

When Petula and Dorothy cover up the accidental murder of one jerk boyfriend, they hatch a hilarious scheme to collect a huge ransom. Beautiful Creatures is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 25m runtime, released in 2000 with an average rating of 5.6 by 78 people. The movie made an estimated total of $313,768 in the box office.

Big Fish

An adventure as big as life itself.
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Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Drama
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 2h 5m
Release date: 10th December 2003
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.8/10)

Big Fish utilizes fantastical storytelling embedded in real historical settings, much like The Shape of Water. Both incorporate fairy-tale motifs to highlight love, memory, and the extraordinary within the mundane, blurring the boundary between magical realism and emotional truth.

Throughout his life Edward Bloom has always been a man of big appetites, enormous passions and tall tales. In his later years, he remains a huge mystery to his son, William. Now, to get to know the real man, Will begins piecing together a true picture of his father from flashbacks of his amazing adventures. Big Fish is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 5m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 7.8 by 7,865 people. The movie made an estimated total of $123,200,000 in the box office.

Crimson Peak

Love makes monsters of us all.
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Genre: Horror, Mystery, Romance, Drama, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 59m
Release date: 13th October 2015
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.7/10)

Crimson Peak, directed by Guillermo del Toro, shares Gothic romance, lush production design, and themes of forbidden love with The Shape of Water. Both films weave dark fantasy with personal agency, where characters must take risks to shape their destinies.

In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds… and remembers. Crimson Peak is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 59m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 6.7 by 5,300 people. The movie made an estimated total of $74,700,000 in the box office.

Beasts of the Southern Wild

I gotta take care of mine.
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Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Adventure
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 33m
Release date: 29th June 2012
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.8/10)

Beasts of the Southern Wild brings together a child protagonist, magical realism, and the struggle for survival amid harsh realities, closely mirroring The Shape of Water’s use of fantasy to illuminate resilience and attachment amidst societal and personal upheaval.

Hushpuppy, an intrepid six-year-old girl, lives with her father, Wink, in 'the Bathtub', a southern Delta community at the edge of the world. Wink’s tough love prepares her for the unraveling of the universe—for a time when he’s no longer there to protect her. When Wink contracts a mysterious illness, nature flies out of whack—temperatures rise and the ice caps melt, unleashing an army of prehistoric creatures called aurochs. With the waters rising, the aurochs coming, and Wink’s health fading, Hushpuppy goes in search of her lost mother. Beasts of the Southern Wild is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 33m runtime, released in 2012 with an average rating of 6.8 by 1,161 people. The movie made an estimated total of $21,107,746 in the box office.

Only Lovers Left Alive

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Genre: Drama, Romance, Fantasy
Country: France
Language: English
Runtime: 2h 3m
Release date: 12th December 2013
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.2/10)

Only Lovers Left Alive is a romance imbued with elements of the fantastic and a reflective tone, reminiscent of The Shape of Water’s central love story. Both films immerse viewers in otherworldly experiences while meditating on connection and difference.

A depressed musician reunites with his lover. However, their romance, already played over several centuries, is disrupted by the arrival of her uncontrollable younger sister. Only Lovers Left Alive is a movie from France in English, with a total 2h 3m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 7.2 by 2,425 people. The movie made an estimated total of $8,213,623 in the box office.

The Secret of Roan Inish

Between land and sea there is a place where myths are real.
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Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Family, Drama
Country: Ireland
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 43m
Release date: 14th May 1994
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.7/10)

The Secret of Roan Inish features a water-centric fairy tale and explores the discovery of magical beings, pairing well with the amphibious romance of The Shape of Water. Both films center on emotional journeys instigated by myth and the longing to belong.

Ten-year-old Fiona is sent to live with her grandparents in a small fishing village in Donegal, Ireland. She soon learns the local legend that an ancestor of hers married a Selkie – a seal who can turn into a human. Years earlier, her baby brother was washed out to sea and never seen again, so when Fiona spies a naked little boy on the abandoned Isle of Roan Inish, she is compelled to investigate. The Secret of Roan Inish is a movie from Ireland in English, with a total 1h 43m runtime, released in 1994 with an average rating of 6.7 by 98 people. The movie made an estimated total of $6,160,000 in the box office.

The Elephant Man

A true story of courage and human dignity.
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Genre: Drama, History
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 2h 4m
Release date: 9th October 1980
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8.0/10)

The Elephant Man and The Shape of Water both focus on characters who are dehumanized by society yet demonstrate remarkable humanity. Each film highlights emotional vulnerability, the cruelty of institutions, and themes of compassion for those deemed different.

A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man being mistreated by his "owner" as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of great intelligence and sensitivity. Based on the true story of Joseph Merrick (called John Merrick in the film), a severely deformed man in 19th century London. The Elephant Man is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 4m runtime, released in 1980 with an average rating of 8.0 by 3,985 people. The movie made an estimated total of $26,000,000 in the box office.

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Love will give you life.
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Genre: Animation, Fantasy, Adventure, Drama
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 57m
Release date: 9th November 2022
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8.0/10)

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, like The Shape of Water, blends a historically grounded period with fantasy, examining what it means to be fully human. Both films emphasize compassion, societal constraints, and the transformative power of unlikely relationships.

During the rise of fascism in Mussolini's Italy, a wooden boy brought magically to life struggles to live up to his father's expectations. Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 57m runtime, released in 2022 with an average rating of 8.0 by 3,412 people.

Cold War

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Genre: Romance, Music, Drama
Country: Poland
Language: Polish
Runtime: 1h 28m
Release date: 8th June 2018
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.4/10)

Cold War is set during a similar historical period as The Shape of Water and follows a powerful romance developing under intense political scrutiny. Both films use their specific eras and tumultuous social climates as backdrops for exploring intimacy against adversity.

A man and a woman meet in the ruins of post-war Poland. With vastly different backgrounds and temperaments, they are fatally mismatched and yet drawn to each other. Cold War is a movie from Poland in Polish, with a total 1h 28m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 7.4 by 1,602 people. The movie made an estimated total of $18,754,051 in the box office.

The Fountain

What if you could live forever?
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Genre: Drama, Adventure, Science Fiction, Romance
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 36m
Release date: 22nd November 2006
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.9/10)

The Fountain, with its multi-layered romantic narrative and fantastical elements, shares thematic kinship with The Shape of Water. Both films use their unique story structures and visual storytelling to probe love’s endurance across time and differing realities.

Spanning over one thousand years, and three parallel stories, The Fountain is a story of love, death, spirituality, and the fragility of our existence in this world. The Fountain is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 36m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 6.9 by 3,157 people. The movie made an estimated total of $15,304,890 in the box office.

Bride of Frankenstein

More fearful than the monster himself!
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Genre: Horror, Science Fiction
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 15m
Release date: 20th April 1935
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.5/10)

Bride of Frankenstein examines the theme of misunderstood creatures yearning for companionship, mirroring the core emotional journey in The Shape of Water. Both films question what it means to be monstrous and focus on forbidden love and otherness.

Dr. Frankenstein and his monster both turn out to be alive after being attacked by an angry mob. The now-chastened scientist attempts to escape his past, but a former mentor forces him to assist with the creation of a new creature. Bride of Frankenstein is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 15m runtime, released in 1935 with an average rating of 7.5 by 1,119 people. The movie made an estimated total of $2,000,000 in the box office.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Life isn't measured in minutes, but in moments.
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Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 2h 46m
Release date: 25th December 2008
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.6/10)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, like The Shape of Water, is a romantic drama revolving around an extraordinary protagonist whose differences isolate them from society. Both films use fantasy concepts to explore deep longing and connection between outsiders.

Born under unusual circumstances, Benjamin Button springs into being as an elderly man in a New Orleans nursing home and ages in reverse. Twelve years after his birth, he meets Daisy, a child who flits in and out of his life as she grows up to be a dancer. Though he has all sorts of unusual adventures over the course of his life, it is his relationship with Daisy, and the hope that they will come together at the right time, that drives Benjamin forward. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 46m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 7.6 by 13,877 people. The movie made an estimated total of $335,802,786 in the box office.

Lost and Delirious

Friends. Roommates. Lovers.
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Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: Canada
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 43m
Release date: 21st January 2001
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.8/10)

Lost and Delirious explores deep emotional connections formed in repressive circumstances, akin to the forbidden love at the center of The Shape of Water. Both films navigate intense feeling, secrecy, and the personal risks involved in fighting for love.

After starting at an upmarket boarding school, a teenage girl forms close friendships with her two older roommates. However, when she discovers that her new friends are lovers she finds herself caught in a complicated situation. Lost and Delirious is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 43m runtime, released in 2001 with an average rating of 6.8 by 539 people.

A Ghost Story

It's all about time.
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Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 33m
Release date: 24th April 2017
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.1/10)

A Ghost Story contemplates love, longing, and the passage of time in a meditative, visually distinctive style similar to The Shape of Water. Both films focus on haunting presence—literal or figurative—and the silent power of connection beyond words.

Recently deceased, a white-sheeted ghost returns to his suburban home to console his bereft wife, only to find that in his spectral state he has become unstuck in time, forced to watch passively as the life he knew and the woman he loves slowly slip away. A Ghost Story is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 33m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 7.1 by 2,531 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,929,659 in the box office.

The Science of Sleep

Close your eyes. Open your heart.
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Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Country: France
Language: French
Runtime: 1h 46m
Release date: 25th June 2006
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.0/10)

The Science of Sleep uses imaginative fantasy sequences to articulate a shy protagonist's longing and inner world, paralleling the blend of whimsical and emotional storytelling in The Shape of Water. Each film conjures dreamlike realities to convey desire for intimacy.

A man entranced by his dreams and imagination is lovestruck with a French woman and feels he can show her his world. The Science of Sleep is a movie from France in French, with a total 1h 46m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 7.0 by 852 people. The movie made an estimated total of $9,524,340 in the box office.

Sleeping Beauty

What happens while she sleeps...
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Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: Australia
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 42m
Release date: 10th June 2011
Rating: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ (5.4/10)

Sleeping Beauty reinterprets a classic fairy tale with adult themes, echoing The Shape of Water's positioning as 'a fairy tale for troubled times.' Both films transform the fantastical into allegories for yearning, vulnerability, and the search for agency.

A haunting erotic fairytale about Lucy, a young University student drawn into a mysterious hidden world of beauty and desire. Sleeping Beauty is a movie from Australia in English, with a total 1h 42m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 5.4 by 691 people. The movie made an estimated total of $408,680 in the box office.

Tale of Tales

Desire. Envy. Obsession.
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Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Horror
Country: Italy
Language: Italian
Runtime: 2h 14m
Release date: 14th May 2015
Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6.4/10)

Tale of Tales merges dark fairy-tale elements amidst historical backdrops, much like The Shape of Water. Both films weave together stories of romance, peril, and transformation with lush visual worlds and the incorporation of mythic creatures.

The Queen of Selvascura risks everything to be a mother; the King of Roccaforte falls in love with the voice of a mysterious girl; the King of Altomonte becomes obsessed with a flea and neglects his daughter. Tale of Tales is a movie from Italy in Italian, with a total 2h 14m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 6.4 by 1,747 people. The movie made an estimated total of $5,500,277 in the box office.

The Saddest Music in the World

"If you're sad, and like beer, I'm your lady."
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Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music
Country: Canada
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 40m
Release date: 17th September 2003
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.8/10)

The Saddest Music in the World situates eccentric characters within a stylized, historical setting facing personal crises, as does The Shape of Water. Both are period dramas with a heightened reality that expose longing, repression, and the redemptive possibilities of connection.

In Depression-era Winnipeg, a legless beer baroness hosts a contest for the saddest music in the world, offering a grand prize of $25,000. The Saddest Music in the World is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 40m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 6.8 by 70 people.

The Secret of Moonacre

A magical journey begins.
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Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Romance
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 43m
Release date: 6th February 2009
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.6/10)

The Secret of Moonacre unfolds a magical narrative with a protagonist at its heart who must navigate a fantastical world, aligning with The Shape of Water’s use of myth and adventure to explore acceptance, courage, and the crossing of boundaries between worlds.

When 13 year old Maria Merryweather's father dies, leaving her orphaned and homeless, she is forced to leave her luxurious London life to go and live with Sir Benjamin, an eccentric uncle she didn't know she had, at the mysterious Moonacre Manor. The Secret of Moonacre is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 43m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 6.6 by 507 people. The movie made an estimated total of $7,162,618 in the box office.

Ruby Sparks

She's Out Of His Mind.
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Genre: Comedy, Romance, Fantasy, Drama
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 44m
Release date: 25th July 2012
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.1/10)

Ruby Sparks examines the complexities of creating and loving someone fundamentally different, similar to The Shape of Water’s romance between a human and a mystical being. Both films use magical premises to explore vulnerability, desire, and the limits of control in relationships.

Calvin is a young novelist who achieved phenomenal success early in his career but is now struggling with his writing – as well as his romantic life. Finally, he makes a breakthrough and creates a character named Ruby who inspires him. When Calvin finds Ruby, in the flesh, sitting on his couch about a week later, he is completely flabbergasted that his words have turned into a living, breathing person. Ruby Sparks is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2012 with an average rating of 7.1 by 1,809 people. The movie made an estimated total of $9,368,803 in the box office.

Under the Skin

Genre: Drama
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese
Runtime: 19m
Release date: 19th October 2013
Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6.2/10)

Under the Skin features a non-human character exploring human emotion and identity, akin to the amphibious man in The Shape of Water. Both films meditate on alienation, desire, and the transformative impact of interspecies connection.

Man and Woman are reunited after a long time. Sorrow and desire cannot break the silence. But that's okay: when words don't come, it's the body that speaks. Under the Skin is a movie from Brazil in Portuguese, with a total 19m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 6.2 by 19 people.

Birth

Careful what you wish for.
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Genre: Drama, Mystery
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 40m
Release date: 29th October 2004
Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6.0/10)

Birth involves mysterious circumstances surrounding love and identity, exploring the emotional impact of the unknown on intimate relationships. Both films use elements of the unexplained to scrutinize longing, belief, and the willingness to embrace the extraordinary.

It took Anna 10 years to recover from the death of her husband, Sean, but now she's on the verge of marrying her boyfriend, Joseph, and finally moving on. However, on the night of her engagement party, a young boy named Sean turns up, saying he is her dead husband reincarnated. At first she ignores the child, but his knowledge of her former husband's life is uncanny, leading her to believe that he might be telling the truth. Birth is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 40m runtime, released in 2004 with an average rating of 6.0 by 771 people. The movie made an estimated total of $23,900,000 in the box office.

The Fall

A little blessing in disguise.
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Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Drama
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 57m
Release date: 9th September 2006
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.6/10)

The Fall weaves fantasy and reality through visually rich storytelling and emotional stakes, resonating with the blend of fairy tale and historical drama in The Shape of Water. Both use the power of imagination to confront pain and isolation.

In a hospital on the outskirts of 1920s Los Angeles, an injured stuntman begins to tell a fellow patient, a little girl with a broken arm, a fantastic story about 5 mythical heroes. Thanks to his fractured state of mind and her vivid imagination, the line between fiction and reality starts to blur as the tale advances. The Fall is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 57m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 7.6 by 1,577 people. The movie made an estimated total of $3,984,390 in the box office.

Micmacs

Non Stop Madness.
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Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime
Country: France
Language: French
Runtime: 1h 44m
Release date: 28th October 2009
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.6/10)

Micmacs employs inventive visual style and celebrates unconventional characters standing up against oppressive systems, akin to The Shape of Water’s embrace of outsiders and critique of authority. Both films combine whimsy with pointed social commentary.

While standing in the doorway of the video shop where he works, Bazil is inadvertently shot in the head. Now homeless and jobless, he is taken in by a troupe of misfits who live in a giant mound of trash. There Bazil begins his quest for revenge against the people who produced the gun that shot him. Micmacs is a movie from France in French, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 6.6 by 668 people. The movie made an estimated total of $14,000,000 in the box office.

The Double Life of Véronique

Each of us is matched somewhere in the world, by our exact double - someone who shares our thoughts and dreams.
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Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Country: Poland
Language: French
Runtime: 1h 38m
Release date: 15th May 1991
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.5/10)

The Double Life of Véronique follows a sensitive protagonist whose interior world is marked by longing and an undefinable connection to someone else, paralleling The Shape of Water’s focus on silent yearning and the search for meaning in acts of love.

Véronique is a beautiful young French woman who aspires to be a renowned singer; Weronika lives in Poland, has a similar career goal and looks identical to Véronique, though the two are not related. The film follows both women as they contend with the ups and downs of their individual lives, with Véronique embarking on an unusual romance with Alexandre Fabbri, a puppeteer who may be able to help her with her existential issues. The Double Life of Véronique is a movie from Poland in French, with a total 1h 38m runtime, released in 1991 with an average rating of 7.5 by 907 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,999,955 in the box office.

Ondine

The truth is not what you know. It's what you believe.
Streaming on:
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: Ireland
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 51m
Release date: 5th March 2010
Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6.4/10)

Ondine centers on a relationship involving a mysterious water being, similarly to The Shape of Water’s amphibious romance. Both films draw from myth to explore transformation, hope, and the intersection of the ordinary with the extraordinary.

On the coast of Cork, Syracuse is a divorced fisherman who has stopped drinking. His precocious daughter Annie has failing kidneys. One day, he finds a nearly-drowned young woman in his net; she calls herself Ondine and wants no one to see her. He puts her up in an isolated cottage that was his mother's. Annie discovers Ondine's presence and believes she is a selkie, a seal that turns human while on land. Syracuse is afraid to hope again. Ondine is a movie from Ireland in English, with a total 1h 51m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 6.4 by 359 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,790,061 in the box office.

The Girl with All the Gifts

Our greatest threat is our only hope.
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Genre: Action, Horror, Science Fiction
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 51m
Release date: 23rd September 2016
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.6/10)

The Girl with All the Gifts revolves around navigating societal fear and prejudice toward those who are different, similar to themes in The Shape of Water. Both films offer critical perspectives on otherness, containment, and the struggle to define one’s humanity.

In the future, a strange fungus has changed nearly everyone into thoughtless, flesh-eating monsters. When a scientist and a teacher find a girl who seems to be immune to the fungus, they all begin a journey to save humanity. The Girl with All the Gifts is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 51m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 6.6 by 2,198 people.

Bright Star

First love burns brightest.
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Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 59m
Release date: 18th September 2009
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.6/10)

Bright Star explores love blossoming under social constraint and features poetic longing reminiscent of the central romance in The Shape of Water. Both are period dramas examining the emotional risks and transformative power of falling for someone unconventional.

In 1818, high-spirited young Fanny Brawne finds herself increasingly intrigued by the handsome but aloof poet John Keats, who lives next door to her family friends the Dilkes. After reading a book of his poetry, she finds herself even more drawn to the taciturn Keats. Although he agrees to teach her about poetry, Keats cannot act on his reciprocated feelings for Fanny, since as a struggling poet he has no money to support a wife. Bright Star is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 59m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 6.6 by 490 people. The movie made an estimated total of $14,374,652 in the box office.

Never Let Me Go

These students have everything they need. Except time.
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Genre: Drama, Romance, Science Fiction
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 44m
Release date: 18th March 2010
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.9/10)

Never Let Me Go presents a haunting story of love and fate within a restrictive scientific environment, reflecting The Shape of Water's themes of human connection shaped by institutional control and emotional barriers.

As children, Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy spend their childhood at an idyllic and secluded English boarding school. As they grow into adults, they must come to terms with the complexity and strength of their love for one another while also preparing for the haunting reality awaiting them. Never Let Me Go is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 6.9 by 2,509 people. The movie made an estimated total of $9,918,093 in the box office.

The Congress

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Genre: Drama, Science Fiction, Animation
Country: France
Language: English
Runtime: 2h 3m
Release date: 3rd July 2013
Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6.4/10)

The Congress combines live action and animation to blur reality and fantasy, reflecting The Shape of Water’s merging of the ordinary with the surreal. Both films use cinematic invention to probe identity, autonomy, and the transformative effects of imagination.

An aging, out-of-work actress accepts one last job, though the consequences of her decision affect her in ways she didn't consider. The Congress is a movie from France in English, with a total 2h 3m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 6.4 by 589 people. The movie made an estimated total of $455,815 in the box office.

Beauty and the Beast

The most beautiful love story ever told.
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Genre: Romance, Family, Animation, Fantasy
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 24m
Release date: 22nd October 1991
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.7/10)

Beauty and the Beast, like The Shape of Water, explores the blossoming of love between a human and a non-human being. Both narratives revolve around breaking down barriers of fear and prejudice to reveal inner beauty and tenderness.

Follow the adventures of Belle, a bright young woman who finds herself in the castle of a prince who's been turned into a mysterious beast. With the help of the castle's enchanted staff, Belle soon learns the most important lesson of all -- that true beauty comes from within. Beauty and the Beast is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 24m runtime, released in 1991 with an average rating of 7.7 by 10,794 people. The movie made an estimated total of $424,967,620 in the box office.

Mary and Max

Sometimes perfect strangers make the best of friends.
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Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama
Country: Australia
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 32m
Release date: 9th April 2009
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.9/10)

Mary and Max follows isolated individuals forging a powerful bond through unconventional means, echoing The Shape of Water’s empathetic perspective on loneliness and the unlikely connections that shape our lives.

A tale of friendship between two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York. Mary and Max is a movie from Australia in English, with a total 1h 32m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 7.9 by 2,293 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,740,429 in the box office.

Loving Vincent

The truth is, we cannot speak other than by our paintings.
Streaming on:
Genre: Animation, Drama, History
Country: Poland
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 35m
Release date: 22nd June 2017
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8.0/10)

Loving Vincent employs innovative visual storytelling to delve into a troubled time and a singular perspective, much like The Shape of Water’s artistry and engagement with a specific historical era to unravel stories of pain, compassion, and transformation.

A young man arrives at the last hometown of painter Vincent van Gogh to deliver the troubled artist's final letter and ends up investigating his final days there. Loving Vincent is a movie from Poland in English, with a total 1h 35m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 8.0 by 2,627 people. The movie made an estimated total of $42,187,665 in the box office.

In the Mood for Love

Feel the heat, keep the feeling burning, let the sensation explode.
Streaming on:
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: Hong Kong
Language: Cantonese
Runtime: 1h 39m
Release date: 29th September 2000
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8.1/10)

In the Mood for Love charts a growing, unspoken intimacy shaped by societal constraint, resembling The Shape of Water's emphasis on silent connection and forbidden romance unfolding under the strictures of time and place.

In 1960s Hong Kong, two neighbors form an intimate bond after making a discovery about their spouses in this visually stunning tale of unrequited love. In the Mood for Love is a movie from Hong Kong in Cantonese, with a total 1h 39m runtime, released in 2000 with an average rating of 8.1 by 3,319 people. The movie made an estimated total of $15,867,968 in the box office.

Fans of The Shape of Water will find these films share its blend of romance, fantasy, and emotional storytelling. Each explores unlikely connections and imaginative worlds, offering a similarly immersive and heartfelt viewing experience.

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