Thursday, February 23, 2012

Movie Review: Hugo


I'm a huge Martin Scorsese fan but for whatever reason, I was in no rush to see his latest film Hugo. A kids movie in 3D just didn't seem up my alley. My bad. I finally got around to seeing Hugo and cannot stop raving about this movie. It's amazing. Like, one of my favorite Scorsese films ever type amazing.

Hugo is a young orphan living in a Paris train station in the 1930's. When he isn't operating/maintaining the stations many clocks, he passes the time stealing food from shops, dodging the police and picking up spare parts to fix an old automaton that he and his father dreamed of fixing together before his death. One day he crosses paths with the stations elderly toy shop owner and after becoming friends with his young goddaughter, embarks on an heart warming adventure that somehow ties together themes like longing, death, redemption, family and the power & history of early cinema...and robots, into a nice little tear inducing package. I'm not kidding, this old grinch came close to crying several times during this film.

So first thing's first. I HATE 3D. I think it's lame and a sad desperate attempt for Hollywood to make an extra buck and herd the masses back into theaters to watch their (mostly) sub par piles of dog crap they play in multiplexes these days. Now that we've got that out of the way, Hugo is easily the best looking 3D film I've ever seen. Don't mention that Avatar crap in the same sentence as this. Even James Cameron is all wet over Hugo's 3D presentation. Next, I'd like to say how awesome the film's cast is. Asa Butterfield, the little dude who plays Hugo, gives an amazing performance as this downtrodden yet optimistic orphan. His eyes and facial expressions are priceless not to mention he looks like a clone of Elijah Wood from the early 90's...but even sappier! Chloe Moretz is the next Natalie Portman, I'm calling it now. Ben Kingsley, he's already regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time so I should have known he would knock this role out of the park, but I honestly didn't expect him to be this good in a "kids film" you know? I even liked Sacha Baron Cohen as the bumbling police inspector and I usually hate that guy.

Lebowski achievers
The most powerful thing about Hugo is Scorsese's genuinely earnest love of film and all the many aspects of the art form. The audience follows Hugo through a crash course in cinematic history and although the plot of Hugo focuses on a different director in the early 20th century...it's basically Scorsese's love letter to his craft. From the costumes, camera work, editing, art direction, acting, to the sound of film stock running through a projector and the overwhelming experience of sitting in a dark theater, Hugo is basically Martin Scorsese shouting I LOVE MY JOB from the mountaintops. In 3D.

So now it's Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas...Hugo. It's that good folks.

25 comments:

  1. i did not see this movie around christmas time but now I'm more interested, hopefully they put it on netflix

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  2. I've heard a lot of good things about this and nothing but praise but I can't see in 3D. If there is a 2D version I may try it, but I'm going to feel like I'm missing something.

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    1. I'm blind as hell and need glasses and hate wearing contacts in theaters because it strains my eyes more but I sucked it up to see this in 3D.

      I'm sure it will still look amazing in a normal setting though, and besides, it's the story/acting that wins big anyways.

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  3. I will never conform to 3D, as I think it is one big hack job that hollywood uses to try and make more money, so screw them. But yeah I will be watching this on dvd when it comes out, as I've heard lots of good things too and now from you.

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  4. I can live without the 3D as well, but anything by Scorsese is worth the price of admission. He's one of the all time greats.

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  5. Your review is late. My hubby wanted to see this movie and I forced him and watched "the vow". Looks like this is worth watching. I choose to ignore your comment about Avatar.

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  6. Really? I'm still skeptical, but I'll give it a shot at all now. Thanks..

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  7. I was in the same boat as you. Still not in a hurry to see it, but I think I will get to it sooner rather than later now.

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  8. Fineally, someone who doesnt praise 3d all the way !

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  9. I was the same about this movie but may give it a look now, I also don't like 3D, high praise for the movie sir....

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  10. Oo I liked that movie, didn't watch it in 3D though. Film makers should try to stop making 3D movies, it just won't work.

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  11. I was holding out on seeing Hugo for the same reasons you are ... now I have to go see it.

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  12. *Correction to above comment: Were. Holding out for the same reasons you WERE. You know, since you saw it and converted.

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  13. Excellent excellent excellent movie. I saw this when it came out and wanted to see it again. :D

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  14. It was good but me and the friends I watched it with agreed that it wasn't as amazing as everyone said it was.

    Also bothered me that so many problems could have been solved if the kid just learned to talk to people. :|

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  15. I loved this movie. I'd like to recommend another good 3D movie: The dance documentary "Pina".

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  16. Your review of this movie is amazing! If the movie is half as good as you say it is it will be one great movie to watch!

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  17. OMG I want to see this movie!! I want it so bad, I'm a huge fan of Scorsese since Taxi Driver, since the firs time I saw the film... Let me say that you're very clever, more than I thought ;).

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  18. Haven't seen this one yet but i have a good feeling about it

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  19. I tried to watch it but I didn't last for long, not because it was boring or something, but because I was blogging and I can't concentrate in what I do that's why I went upstairs and left the folks to finish it for me. ^_^

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  20. I hate 3d too, all it does is raise ticket prices and make films darker. Great review, and as a Scorsese fan, I love it too.

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  21. Everybody hates 3D, I think it is pretty cool =P. Hugo the big winner at the Oscars =D... just Hugo

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  22. Great read! First things first: Sacha Baron Cohen is in this movie? I thought I was mixing up names when I first read that. I had no idea he was involved in this and now that I know he is, I’m definitely more interested in checking it out. I don’t think I’ve seen him in anything other than his stupid Borat type movies. I’d also agree with you about disliking 3D, but based on a lot of reviews I’ve read, others would definitely agree that this one is probably best in 3D; which makes me kind of disappointed I didn’t check it out in theaters. Even though I didn’t I’m still pretty interesting in seeing it and will most likely be ordering it this weekend through my job Dish in HD. You think seeing it in HD will make up for no 3D effects?

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