Liz K

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American Primeval

Wonderful graphics, and a different take on the Pinocchio story. The backdrop is fascist Italy. So be warned. It is a tale about war, about grief, about hope. But there are definitely some dark moments. I was not particularly fond of the musical song aspect of it, except for the song that Pinocchio sings that is goodbye to his father. Worth the watch, but it is also a political statement about war. Which, in my opinion is not necessarily a bad thing. Because, no war is good. It is violence and death for profit’s (land, money, power) sake. I will say again that the graphics are amazing and it is a wonderfully different take on the story of Pinocchio. To truly understand and appreciate the scope of the movie and the artistic blending of puppetry and stop action, you must watch the Afterword about the movie (Pinocchio hand carved cinema). That will give you a great lesson on how all of this was put together. Truly, an amazing endeavor.

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

I’ve read this book twice. Yes, I reread books. I find they are like visiting old friends or places. Anyhow, I was captivated right away. I liked the coming of age scenario and the questions that are raised about morality and loyalty. There is a strong sense of place in the story, and we invest much in the character(s). I like that good wins over evil. I feel that this is one of his better books and I have read more than my fair share including The Long Walk (written as Richard Bachman) which knocked my socks off in 1979 and it did the same in the 90’s after another reread (and again well after the year 2000). This book had a similar reaction with me. It is very well written. The man’s still got it. See for yourself.

Fairy Tale

I liked it. I think it portrays very well a family in (perpetual) conflict and the cramped, edge-to-edge, lifestyle of New York City. It also deals with issues like poverty, homelessness, substance abuse and mental illness. There are plenty of other issues that it tackles like the onset of the AIDS epidemic, homophobia, corruption within the ranks of NYPD, racism, and of course, greedy corrupt politicians. It is microcosmic, insular, and not a happy story. But… it is well done. It is compelling. Benedict Cumberbatch does a great job. As does the actress playing his wife.

Eric