Netflix found itself another Academy Award win last weekend in the form of visionary Guillermo Del Toro’s retelling of the classic tale, Pinocchio. Everyone knows the tale of Pinocchio. Carved by an old toy maker desiring a son, Pinocchio is a puppet given the gift of life, and with the help of the toy maker, Geppetto, and a little tiny cricket, Pinocchio learns how to act like a real boy, and experiences the joys and pains of life. And how fitting is it that in a film with a protagonist as kind hearted as this one, that it leaves you with one of the most satisfying feelings you can get from a movie. Equal parts family drama, coming of age, adventure, political commentary, war film, and a visual spectacle. It’s a wonder this movie can do as well as it did, while having so much to present to the audience. And in a short time too, with it coming just short of a full two hours. But, that’s just a statement to how excellent of a storyteller Guillermo Del Toro is. It feels like he’s incapable of telling a bad story, and truth be told, I still lose sleep over what his version of The Hobbit could have been like. It would have been spectacular. While it is able to balance a lot, the core of this story is the dynamic between father and son, and the gradual love that Geppetto comes to hold for Pinocchio. By the time the emotional climax comes about, the movie doesn’t waste it’s time trying to make you feel, because you’re already more than invested, and may even be crying a bit. If you get the chance, check this one out. I promise you it’ll leave you with a good feeling for time to come.