More recently, “Lady and the Tramp” became one of the early calling cards for Disney+, reflecting both a more modest scale and the realization the animation-to-live-action gimmick might inevitably begin yielding diminishing returns at the box office. In theory with such endeavors, the live-action format should bring something to the material that animation didn’t, a feat Disney achieved with considerable commercial success with “Cinderella,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King,” and “Aladdin.” Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis’ reunion should be a source of curiosity, but their little puppet made of wood is in a movie that’s not so good. While some of Pinocchio’s new ideas don’t entirely work, it’s the dedication to more fully exploring these characters and their origins as people and not as assistants in Pinocchio’s story that makes this the best adaptation since Disney’s 1940 animated version.Even taking it as a given that Disney’s animated classics will all receive live-action makeovers eventually, “Pinocchio” feels like an unnecessary exercise – a movie so flat that it never sparks to life, and barely feels as if it’s making the leap into a different medium. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio shows that if you’re going to adapt this story yet again, it’s best to bring something exciting and new to it, as well as put some of your own personality into it. Much of that comes from McGregor’s excitement and passion as the character, and McGregor turns the cricket into more than just a sidekick on this adventure through this performance. McGregor brings a liveliness and excitement to this role, and makes this character more well-rounded and interesting on his own than he’s ever been. Cricket, who inadvertently gets wrapped up into the story of Pinocchio and Geppetto, attempting to help Pinocchio learn what is right. For example, Count Volpe’s monkey assistant Spazzatura is voiced by Cate Blanchett of all people, while actors like John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, and Finn Wolfhard fill in smaller roles.īut it’s Ewan McGregor who truly stands out as Sebastian J. Even the smaller characters have incredible talents behind them. Christoph Waltz is also a brilliant choice for the theatrical Count Volpe, who tricks Pinocchio into joining his show, with buoyancy in this voice that makes him both an appealing choice, but also a questionable one. But Mann manages to play Pinocchio in a way where he never grows irritating, but rather, we understand why this character would be so excited by this new world, to the point of draining everyone around him. Mann is excellent as both Pinocchio and Carlo, showing exuberance and almost wearying joy over this new world he’s been brought into. Bradley’s gruff voice matches what Geppetto needs perfectly, and only makes the moments where sweetness and love come out even more impactful. This is also an impeccably chosen voice cast. From the details on Geppetto’s beard to the gorgeous ocean landscapes, it’s almost hard to believe that Pinocchio was painstakingly moved by hand to create such awe-inspiring animation. In what has ended up being a great year for stop-motion animation, with The House, Wendell & Wild, and Mad God, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio stands out as by far the most gorgeous of these films. Del Toro and McHale’s script isn’t just showing the joys of fatherhood, which we do eventually get, but they’re also showing the overwhelming fear and exhaustion that also comes with becoming a parent. Del Toro also shows the frustrations of fatherhood, as Pinocchio constantly asks him what things do or what different things mean, to the point that Geppetto simply has to request that there are no more questions. When Geppetto first sees that this wooden boy has come to life, thanks to the magic of the Wood Sprite ( Tilda Swinton), he isn’t excited, but rather, he is understandably terrified by what is happening. It may seem like a minor addition, but it’s a choice that illuminates the rest of this story in a fascinating way.Īs this is a del Toro story, one that the writer-director has been trying to get made for over a decade, naturally, we see the darkness inherent in this story. Before the true story even begins, we are shown the staggering heartbreak, desperation, and unending love that causes Geppetto to need his son back, to the point that he’ll make a wooden facsimile. By taking the time to understand this relationship and the love between this father and son, it enlightens this Pinocchio story in an entirely new way. Most importantly, we see Geppetto’s life with his son, Carlo (also voiced by Gregory Mann).
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