Praphit’s Pinocchio!
I've said before, that I'm not into these live-action Disney films; I consider them a scam. They're selling me a story that they've already told me. It always feels a bit stale, doesn't it?? Now, I WILL bleep with certain remakes, but normally, the best remakes are the ones where enough time has gone by, and people don't even remember/know there is an original.
"Pinocchio" is a story that's older than Bernie Sanders., but it's been remade SO MANY times.
BUT, this time, we've got a Hankypank alert.
My main man, Tom Hanks can sell me on pretty much anything, so I'm in. Who doesn't love Tom?? A great actor and from what I can tell, a lovable human being. Whatever part of the soul that one loses when they become famous, somehow Tom Hanks has kept.
If I'm going to be scammed, it might as well be by him.
Tom Hanks plays Geppetto (of course, Pinoc's papa). Probably no need to recap, but I'll do one anyway:
G is a wood carver, who makes clocks that he won't sell. I don't know how he stays in business that way, but whatever.
He is grieving the loss of his family (wife and son). We're not told what happened to them.
Maybe they died.
Maybe they left. Perhaps Geppetto was selling drugs on the side to pay the bills, and his family found out. They didn't want to become like that "Ozark" family, so they split town.
Maybe his family never existed, cuz G is a lil... crazy.
I don't like to throw the C word around, but it may apply here for Geppetto.
Let's say you have a grandpa that you go to visit. You find out that he's living at work and he has surrounded himself with cuckoo clocks.
You take him out, and he insists on bringing his cat and goldfish.
And when you bring gramps back home (again, his work) you discover that he has built himself a son out of wood. What would YOU call that? :)
Idk. We'll just say that his family was whisked off by... Michael Myers, and we'll keep it moving.
G proceeds to conjure some sort of rogue, mischievous spirit into his home (played by Cynthia Ervio - she was excellent, and hits a Mariah Careyish high note).
This spirit casts an animation spell on the wooden boy (Pinoc), and appoints a hobo cricket (voiced by Joseph Gordon Levitt), who could be defeated by a hungry bird, a foot, a gust of wind, or even a jar - to watch over Pinocchio.
This spirit says for now you're just a living lump of wood, but if you live right and your heart is pure, then perhaps I'll change you into a REAL BOY!
We all know of the fun of this town in which Pinoc's explores:
There's the fox (Keegan Michael Key),
whom (animation and voice wise) I love everything about... although he's kind of a human trafficker.
There's a slaveowner (aka Stromboli).
(perfect picture of health and sanity)
FYI - there's a sexy "employee" (Kyanne Lamaya) of the slaveowner, who's a bit of a weirdo.
I don't like to throw around the W word either, but... she's a puppeteer, so I feel like that label is valid for anyone of that trade.
Will she be fun and playful or become a Batman villain?
- that's part of her mystique.
They meet a devil (No prob throwing the D word around), who's the gatekeeper to some sort or temptation island (Luke Evans, also excellent as this dude "The Coachman").
On this island, kids end up indulging in all kinds of naughty behavior. As a result, they turn into donkeys.
(I couldn’t resist :) Can you imagine if the kids, instead of donkey traits, started growing strange blond hair and their skin turned orange?? Best Pinocchio movie ever.
This whole premise is never really explained. Like... how? and why?
The kids are turned into donkeys and then sold. But, who wants donkeys??!
I get the whole "Hey, if you act like a jackass, you'll turn into one." thing, but... every asshole kid that I've ever met didn't become that way on their own; let's give their parents some credit.
AND there's a sea monster that the whole town knows about, but doesn't seem interested in getting rid of it. It's just out there creeping, destroying, and consuming.
I'm not sure if there's some kind of metaphoric thing happening here or not... we'll just call it climate change for now :)
In the end (spoiler alert... though can I spoil a story that's older than Mick Jagger?),
Pinocchio's purity is tested, but proves worthy of him becoming a real boy.
Or at least... that's how this story is supposed to end.
This story does not end that way. Something about Pinocchio being fine just the way he is.... and if you're truthful blah blah blah, and him being like a real boy inside or... something. If it were me, and I had gone through all of these stupid tests to become a "real boy" and that bitchass spirit DIDN'T make good on that promise... whew, I'd be pissed!
"The hell with all of that love ya as you are BS! Look here, pops, you conjure that fairy back here right now, and get me my flesh and blood body, or there WILL BE TROUBLE! You hear me, old man??!"
Grade?
The problem here is that there are not enough changes to this version to make it worth the watch. There are a plethora of Pinocchio titles to choose from, but why should I choose this one?
There's a bunch of creepy Pinoc's
(seriously... that’s haunting)
One from the future (I think... I may have dreamed that one, but I’m pretty sure I remember a futuristic, robotic Pinocchio)
One with 0% on RT
How bad does it have to be not to get at least 1%??
A Korean one :)
and even one of Revenge.
Although I don't know whom he'd be getting revenge on. All of the bad stuff that happens is kinda his fault.
Perhaps he's getting revenge for how this story originally ends. I hear it didn't go to well for Pinoc back then.
Nothing is different here! In fact, some of the goodies of the childhood story are taken out. You've got a great actor in The Hankypank Man, whom if you've noticed, I didn't mention much. He's barely in this story!
Now, you might say, "But, Praphit, this is a story about Peeneezy." Yeah, but his story is old and stale.
How about deal with all of the mental illness and monsters that seem to be running freely through this town.
That's what I would do, if I were doing a remake.
In "Praphit's Pinocchio" , we'd start by giving Tom some more shine. We'll clean him up. Get him a suit.... or maybe JUST dress pants... cuz we're giving The Hankypank man a Marvel bod. TIGHT dress pants for the Hankypank Man’s new tight ass... sex sells.
Slick his hair back. Maybe rock a monocle.
He'll sweet talk the ladies of the community and sell some clocks... maybe do some house visits to the ladies, and make them whatever they desire out of his wood.
THEN, he'll summon the spirit, she'll make Pinocchio real from the jump this time. Then, G will cast her into Hell where she belongs (that's my Christian background speaking :)
Don't worry, she'll do a song and dance on her way to Hell -we'll make it family-friendly and fun.
Then, Pinocchio will grow up big and strong, and become a cop (cuz there doesn't appear to be any in this town full of criminals).
Tom Hanks, gettin money and booty. And his son, cleaning up crime.
Those of changes, baby!
Hey, Disney, that's what a remake looks like!
Disney might reply "Yeah, but this is what money looks like."
Can't argue with that. Might as well make that plus sign in “Disney +” a money symbol.
Not a bad watch, but... it just doesn’t stand out.
Grade: C
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