Movie #3000 ........................."Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio"(netflix)

 Movie #3000 "Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio" (netflix) First a disclaimer.....I am not a huge fan of animated films, or anything animated, for that matter.  While all my family and friends were watching "Mighty Mouse" and "Yogi Bear" and the "Flinstones," I was not.  So to sit through a two- hour animated feature (they usually run 90 minutes because it is hard for the kiddies to watch longer, I guess) on a story I had already seen in a Disney film, was not something I was looking forward to --- and del Toro is not a favorite director either.  But since it is nominated, and is the frontrunner, I felt I had to watch this story again.  Wow on the style of animation (stop motion) , but ugh on the "dark fantasy" parts --- I know not all animation needs to be seen by kids, but parents should be warned because there's an idea out there that animation is for kids.  This one starts with  telling a brief story (much like in Disney's "Up" but less kinder) about Geppetto's son Carlos and how he died (bombing in a church and it is quite violent!) so that might be a turn off to many.  If you just tell your child that Carlos is no longer with his papa and put it on about 15 minutes in (I don't know the exact timing, but that's an estimation) the rest of the film might interest your child --- might, because it has long dialogue scenes with people that are trying to manipulate the puppet, and  trivial songs (what's that about?), and an ending you might need to explain to the kids (about death and coming back) ---- all in all,  the movie goes on way too long, in my view.  I liked the stop motion, but this viewer lost interest in it about 90 minutes through...... and I can usually sit through many hours watching film (I just came out of the documentary shorts program that lasted 3 hours, and that was nothing --- I have seen 5 films in a row on a plane and in a movie theatre  at a film fest without getting up!)  I'd give this sure -to- be-  the Animated Feature academy award winner  (for the stop motion) a 3.5 out of 5.   (hardly any women in it)

"GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO"    netflix     PG    2022     1 hour 57 mins

A father's wish magically brings a wooden boy to life in Italy, giving him a chance to care for the child.

Directors:  Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson

Writers:  Guillermo del Toro, Patrick McHale, Carlo Collodi

Voices:  Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Gregory Mann