Pinocchio (2019)

Pinocchio, based on the beloved tale by Carlo Collodi, stars Oscar winner Roberto Benigni (Life is Beautiful) as the old woodcarver Geppetto whose puppet creation, Pinocchio (newcomer Federico Ielapi), magically comes to life. Naive and curious, Pinocchio tumbles from one misadventure to the next as he is tricked, kidnapped and chased by bandits on his quest to become a real boy.

Directed by BAFTA winner Matteo Garrone (Gomorrah), Pinocchio was nominated for two 2021 Oscars, for its costume design and makeup and hairstyling. It’s also won 19 awards around the world and holds an 83% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics consensus reads, “Sticking closely to Carlo Collodi’s original story, Matteo Garrone’s Pinocchio pulls every string to create a visually stunning film that proves some tales really are timeless.” 

As with so many fairy tales, although it’s based on a children’s novel, Pinocchio can be unsettling and dark at times. Now dubbed into English, Pinocchio is recommended for ages 10+ by Common Sense Media.