Guillermo del Toro: heading for another Oscar?

How much can be said about Guillermo del Toro? He is one of the greatest representatives of Latin America in terms of directing films, and it is not for less. His filmography is characterized by productions where he prints a spectacular aesthetic, in addition to creating gloomy and overwhelming environments mixed with magical and fantastic situations that do nothing but receive praise and awards.

Precisely, his most recent film, “Nightmare Alley”, has been the reason why eyes are once again focused on him for a possible Oscar nomination. In fact, the Mexican is already in the running for the Critics’ Choice Awards on March 13, both for Best Film and Best Director. All this without mentioning that said film was considered one of the best of 2021 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute.

Likewise, it is worth noting that “Nightmare Alley” is an enigmatic, sensual work with Del Toro’s characteristic stamp that to date has not stopped generating very good reviews. According to the IMDB portal, the film has a score of 7.4/10, ranking second among its most successful productions so far. Will it be able to generate the same sensations in the critics of the Academy?

Also read: Encanto: Why “We don’t talk about Bruno” can’t win the Oscar despite its popularity?

Del Toro in 7 recommended films

As is often the case with great film directors, filmographies are full of magnificent works and the occasional disappointment. Guillermo del Toro is no exception and in his career, we have witnessed his ability to direct both large and small projects. That is why at LatinAmerican Post we have decided to review his career with 7 recommended films, ranging from the least popular to the most acclaimed.

“Blade II”

The sequel to one of the first Marvel Comics characters to hit the big screen was a huge success in 2002. This time we see the human-vampire hybrid with the difficult mission of protecting humanity from a group of Extremely savage vampires trying to commit genocide. While reviews were mostly positive for the atmosphere, direction, and action sequences, the script and lack of character development left a lot to be desired.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 57%

IMDB score: 6.7

Box office receipts: + $155 million

“Mimic”

The fourth film directed by the Mexican was released in 1997 and was based on the eponymous short story by Donald A. Wollheim. Here we see how del Toro begins to enter the world of fantasy with a story that follows a doctor and her husband in search of a remedy to combat an epidemic transmitted by cockroaches. According to Stephen King, “Mimic” is an original and terrifying film.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 64%

IMDB Score: 6

Box office Gross: $25.5million

“Pacific Rim”

With the intention of creating something original, but without neglecting its influences, “Pacific Rim” transports us to the year 2025 where the Earth is attacked by colossal monsters that have emerged from an interdimensional portal. To combat such danger, humans built gigantic humanoid machines that are controlled by two pilots whose minds are linked by a neural bridge. It is worth mentioning that the film is inspired by anime such as “Neon Genesis Evangelion” and “Ghost in the Shell”.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%

IMDB Score: 6.9

Box Office Gross: +$411 million

“Hellboy II: The Golden Army”

Another film based on a comic book character. For this second part, we see Hellboy facing an evil elf who releases the Golden Army with the intention of ending humanity, so he and his team must travel between two worlds to prevent hell from being present on Earth. The criticism of this film was nothing but praise for Del Toro, who once again highlighted the good of the previous installment but took it to a much higher level.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87% IMDB Score: 7 Box Office Gross: + $168 million https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjivaeh5YOk

“The Shape of Water”

It’s hard to believe that the movie that gave Guillermo del Toro the Oscar as Best Director is not the one with the highest-grossing or the one with the best score in his filmography. The story of a young woman working in a high-security government lab who falls in love with a captured humanoid-amphibian creature received rave reviews. Here, the Mexican filmmaker shows a powerful vision mixed with a rare tenderness of his repertoire, giving us in the end an innovative and fascinating work.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

IMDB Score: 7.3

Box office Gross: +$194 million

“El Espinazo del Diablo”

Hand in hand with the Almodóvar brothers, the Mexican director places us in Spain in 1939 -the last year of the Spanish civil war, where a child arrives at an isolated orphanage in the middle of a desolate wasteland. There he will discover the secrets of the institute and begin to notice the presence of a supernatural entity. This gothic horror drama takes us into a world of shadows and mysteries during a difficult time in the Iberian country.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

IMDB Score: 7.4 Box

OfficeGross: $6.5 million

“El Laberinto del Fauno”

This plot also takes us to Spain, but in 1944, where a girl arrives with her mother to a remote place where her mother’s new husband, a Francoist Army captain, is. There, the young woman discovers the ruins of a labyrinth, home to a faun who reveals to her that she is actually a princess. Without a doubt, magic and fantasy show off the qualities of the Mexican to give life to the unimaginable.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

IMDB Score: 8.2

Box Office Gross: +$87 million