Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio: Carlo Collodi’s famous story has been adapted time and time again, but Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson’s version is evidence that there is always a new angle to be explored. Taking place in Italy during the interwar period, the film sets itself apart from the more known versions, which is even more evident by the small selection of episodes used. The upshot is the investigation of mortality, which makes the film very touching. Voice acting is pretty good, with the film filled with heavy hitters in most roles. Gregory Mann plays the title character as a naïve and sweet boy but filled with attitude; David Bradley, as Geppetto, is raspy and touching; Ewan McGregor plays the narrator Cricket well; Christoph Waltz oozes menace as one of the main villains. Tilda Swinton and Ron Perlman play well other minor characters. The stop-motion style is a good match to the material; the characters are well-designed, and the rough look of Pinocchio is justified by the story without making him any less lovable. Cinematographer Frank Passingham captures it all with beautiful light. Composer Alexandre Desplat contributes with a nice musical score, and the songs sung by the cast are interesting and emotional.