Movies: Hugo

2011 movie

Rating: 18/20

Plot: An orphan living in a train station tries to repair a robot that his father found in storage at a museum. He befriends the daughter of a crotchety old toy shop owner and tries to avoid being caught by the station inspector while he keeps the train station's clocks running.

Just a stunningly beautiful work of art and a lovely ode to silent cinema, especially the work on a director I won't mention even though it doesn't seem to stop anybody else who writes or talks about the movie. Now the big surprise in this was already spoiled for me because I'd read Brian Selznick's beautiful novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Knowing the story's secrets didn't ruin it for me, and I still teared up, probably because of Ben Kingsley's wonderful performance as that director whom I will not mention. This is a touching movie with plenty of humorous bits, mostly provided by Sacha Baron Cohen's station inspector. The movie's got whimsy and heart, and it's also gorgeous. France is France, but I also loved the way the camera maneuvered around the clock gears or the people packing the train station. I also really enjoyed the recreations of the early films, too. This is a great adaptation of a very cool young adult book and a movie seemingly made for fans of movies.

Buster and Chaplin footage is in this, and Django Reinhardt also makes an appearance. Well, an actor playing Django Reinhardt.

4 comments:

coryApril 13, 2012 at 9:13 AM
For a long time, this felt more like a Spielberg film. The visual style and focus on the underdog boy was unlike any Scorcese I had seen. If anything, the film and a feeling of visually showing off, and took a little too long to get to the Kingsley part of the story. "Hugo" was beautiful to look at, and the emotional payoff at the end was very touching, but I did feel like the style was a bit of a distraction. A 16.
rio blanco racingMay 13, 2012 at 6:54 PM
just watched this. i agree 18. magical film. had my favorite actor in it. dont know his name but the guy that plays harry potters uncle. the only faults were it was longish and a little slow. stylistically it was incredible. the seeming absence of music was nice(i hate soundtrack music. dont like sacha cohen but in this he was subdued and good. i will agree with cory and that i cant beleive this is a scorcese movie.
ShaneMay 16, 2012 at 2:54 PM
Glad you liked it! I agree--magical.

I like Sacha Cohen, and for whatever reason, I'm remembering LOTS of music in this. Not remember it exactly but remembering there being a lot of music. I could be totally wrong about that though.
rio blanco racingMay 17, 2012 at 4:37 PM
maybe the music had perfect control over me since i didnt notice it was there. i might have to dock the movie a point or two. i feel cheated.