While I was left with quite an underwhelming feeling with the previous Pinocchio film in 2022, directed by Robert Zemeckis, bring forth Guillermo del Toro and co-director Mark Gustafson to shed light on a story in such a prolific way that restored my faith of what can be possible in film-making. Here are some of my personal insights of Pinocchio.
First off, visually the movie is beautiful to watch, from the scenery to the use of hand-crafted puppets and stop-motion animation. The endless hours taken to achieve the level of artistry here is amazing.
Guillermo touches on topics that has divided us for centuries, like war and religion. Certain scenes bring forth uncomfortable truths which may contradict belief systems, but they are questions that are worth exploring. He also delves deep into areas that can bring forth a lot of pain, like the inevitable realization of the concept of finality in all of our lives, sometimes coming sooner than ever anticipated. Pinocchio is given eternal life, while the ones he grows to love are not granted the same fate.
We get to witness many stages of grief from Geppetto (David Bradley) as he tries to navigate a world without the pure happiness that his son Carlo brought to his face every day. There is a slow progression of him and Pinocchio’s relationship as it starts off a little rough around the edges but leads into many soft and tender moments. It’s assuring that Geppetto comes to terms on some levels of the loss of his son, but is still able to bond with Pinocchio, filled with the purest of love that can be mustered.
Tilda Swinton gave me some shivers as the voice of a majestic wing-horned wood sprite. There is a perfect balance of her essence of light as she brings Pinnochio to life, yet a darker feel of her powers, as the movie progresses.
“The one thing that makes human life precious and meaningful, you see, is how brief it is.” The lump in your throat should be there as these words echoed by the wood sprite holds more emotional depth. In reality, we are not entitled to eternal life. It’s hard to digest, but it is a beautiful quote and holds much truth in what we hold dear in our lives, like chosen family, friendships, our passions. On the opposite side, we get the nudge of what we can ultimately let go that dampen our spirit inside, such as hatred, abuse, lies, etc...
The long-withstanding notion that everything happens for a reason is challenged, while ultimately, there is comfort that we can only control so much, more so only our actions, not those of others. We can take a deep breathe in because... In the end, what happens, happens. And then, we are gone.
Note: While there are arguments that this film is not appropriate for children, it *can* be if navigated correctly. Some kids are more mature than just their age. It's up to the parent/caregiver though what they deem is best under their circumstances. However, I strongly believe that communication is the key. Open and honest discussions can’t harm children, but silencing them could. Use certain scenes as a teaching tool to enrich and encourage questioning. It can also be a healing arc for many who are in flux with their feelings.
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