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Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio (Full Review)


Stop motion animation is something that I have personally admired. The amount of effort and handwork put into it, is mind blowing. With Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio, it is without a doubt, a masterpiece. Pinocchio is a whirlwind of magic and wonder. A story about grief, loss and relationships of imperfect fathers and imperfect sons. Filled with family values and lessons on life. This movie tells a great tale for everyone to enjoy. There is so much to unpack in this movie and it will without a doubt connect with so many people. It is truly one of the best films that have come out this year and hopefully will be recognized by the Oscars this year. A perfect family film for both kids and adults. I would even argue, that it is more for an adult audience. There are some heavy themes in here and the movie will punch you in the gut emotionally. Tears may indeed be shed, but there will also be so many smiles. This is a feel good movie. One that will impact many people deeply. I look at life differently after watching this movie. It is impactful and powerful.

The stop motion and animation in the movie is top tier and looks beautiful. Guillermo Del Toro has such an amazing mind and you see his true genius in every frame of this movie. He does an incredible job at world building and created a fairy tale atmosphere, filled with imaginative visuals. Each scene and sequence is breathtaking and I was in awe. The stop motion looked absolutely flawless and it seem like it had been curated with precision. The puppets used in the movie are created with such detail and really made the characters come to life. It was amazing to see these characters come on the screen with such personality. Everyone who did the voice work for the characters, did an immaculate job. The actors all brought a unique side of the story and each of them held their own. The dialogue was powerful and Ewan McGregor, as the cricket, was the perfect choice for this role. He was someone who constantly spat out words of wisdom that hit home for me. Each line delivered with such passion. There are so many great lines that will forever live in my head. This will be a movie people will be quoting for years to come. You can even pull a quote from this movie and have it on your wall as a mantra for life. That's how powerful this movie is. It truly knows how to pull on your heart strings. I personally was able to connect with the movie. I see my relationship with my own father in a whole new light.

Pinocchio has a story that is touching, emotional and life lifting. A beautiful tale about a boy and his father trying to connect with each other. The movie dives deep into many themes about family relationships, coming of age dynamics and the trials of life. With a decent run time, I was able to walk away with so many life lessons and words of encouragement. The third act is where it truly shines and wraps everything in a nice bow. All threes acts were beautiful and emotional as well. From the start of the movie, it hits you with some sad scenes which I was not prepared for. Those who know the story of Pinocchio will understand what I am talking about. There were so many creative liberties of how the traditional story goes as well. A very different story from what many people are familiar with, but one that stays traditional, with the main messages. Without spoiling anything, I love the spiritual creatures we get to meet and the world they live in. There was also a cool rule Pinocchio had to follow when a certain thing that happens. This created a sense of urgency and suspense that really worked for the movie. Everything about the story was perfect. There was never a time where the movie felt long. Pacing was well crafted and the movie flowed perfectly.

Guillermo Del Toro has always made an impact as a director and as a visual storyteller. He truly is one of the greatest creatives in the world and makes incredible movies that stay with you after its runtime. Pinocchio is one of his best movies and he continues to tell important stories within its story. This is one of the best son and father films of all time and will have you feeling a lot. An emotional journey from start to finish. Stop motion is not easy and I applaud everyone who had their hands involved in this movie. The amount of hours and hard work that they spent on the movie, truly paid off. I think this movie is completely worth the watch and families will really enjoy checking it out. Streaming on Netflix, this is the perfect film to watch at home during the holiday season.


Reviewed By: Frederick Nuti


Rating: 95/100

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