IN THE SPOTLIGHT
With ‘Stillwater,’ Mallika Chopra brings mindfulness to kids
When the producers of the new animated children’s series “Stillwater” asked Mallika Chopra to be the show’s “mindfulness consultant,” the meditation expert, author and speaker said she was immediately on board.
Children’s television has evolved since the days of Bugs Bunny and Roadrunner smashing Wile E. Coyote with a hammer. “Stillwater” — which started streaming on Apple TV+ this month — aims to teach subtle life lessons through a wise panda who forges a special friendship with the family next door. The stories are based on the character Stillwater from the beloved children’s book series “Zen Stories” by Jon J. Muth.
With beautiful animation and a quiet approach, “Stillwater” organically teaches kids to meet disappointment and frustration with patience and kindness. Apple hired Chopra help translate the vibe and lessons of “Zen Stories” to a television audience.
Chopra has written several books geared toward children and has a new book coming out in March: “Just Be You: Ask Questions, Set Intentions, Be Your Special Self and More.” She’s also the daughter of alternative medicine and wellness expert Deepak Chopra, so meditation and wellness has dominated both her personal and professional lives.
Italian ‘Pinocchio’ takes the puppet to its roots
The latest cinematic rendering of “Pinocchio, “from Italian director Matteo Garrone, is informed not by the friendly 1940 Walt Disney retelling, but the original source material. Carlo Collodi’s 1883 novel “The Adventures of Pinocchio” is a much darker affair than the song-filled animated version and Garrone’s film is also a more intense experience, even if he too has softened some of Collodi’s
edges. The result may not be suitable for all children, but it is a strange, visionary and enchanting old-world fairy tale that any fan of Guillermo del Toro’s films or Wolfgang Petersen’s “The NeverEnding Story” should give a chance.
It’s unfortunate though understandable that the Italian film has been dubbed into English for its North American theatrical release, making it slightly annoying for adults but ultimately more accessible to children. The best you can do under these circumstances is to just try to ignore it because, for now, it’s the only way you can experience it in the U.S.
Blending realism and fantasy, Garrone’s film takes us back to an impoverished Tuscany where Roberto Benigni as Geppetto sculpts a young boy puppet
out of an enchanted piece of wood and begs it to come to life. He’s desperate for a son and overcome with joy when he gets what he wished for. But Pinocchio, played by Federico Ielapi, does not emerge grateful: He is restless and naughty, which is partly naivete and partly mischievousness. It’s not too long before his disobedience finds him far away from home in the company of less than savory characters who he is too trusting of. And Pinocchio must embark on a dangerous and epic odyssey to try to find his way back to Geppetto and safety.
“Pinocchio,” a Roadside Attractions release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for “some disturbing images.” Running time: 125 minutes.