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When you think about your favorite kids’ movies—and your favorite family-friendly directors—what comes to mind? Probably John Lasseter and his Pixar movies, along with a list of Disney favorites. Maybe you’d throw in some classics, like Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory or The Karate Kid or any number of Steven Spielberg-produced favorites. I’m guessing, though, that Martin Scorsese wouldn’t make the list. When you think about Scorsese, you think about The Departed or Goodfellas or Taxi Driver. But the Oscar-winning director decided to take a surprisingly family-friendly turn (in 3D, no less!) with his latest release, Hugo.
Based on Brian Selznick’s book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Hugo stars Asa Butterfield as Hugo Cabret, an orphan who lives within the walls of a train station in 1930s Paris. Since his father (Jude Law) died, he’s focused on just three tasks: keeping the train station’s clocks running for his alcoholic uncle (Ray Winstone), avoiding the station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen), and trying to fix the automaton that his father left behind. The two of them had been working on the robot together, and Hugo is convinced that, once it’s finished, it’ll give him a message from his father.
Progress on the automaton is halted when the station’s toy seller, Papa Georges (Ben Kingsley), takes Hugo’s notebook from him. A brainy young bookworm named Isabelle (Chloë Moretz) offers to help him get it back, but as they begin to solve the mystery of the automaton, they uncover a new mystery involving Papa Georges.
Leave it to Martin Scorsese to make a family film like no other. On one hand, the legendary director stays true to his classic style, filling the film with mystery and suspense and giving it a kind of old-school charm. It’s enchanting and stylish and remarkably sophisticated.
At the same time, though, Scorsese also injects the film with just the right amount of childlike wonder and creativity. Hugo lives in a magical hidden playground of clocks and gears, of chutes and ladders, observing the world around him from behind clock faces and through grates. Scorsese clearly had fun playing with the mechanical elements—and filming them in 3D—and the film’s setting alone is enough to spark any child’s (or adult’s) imagination.
Meanwhile, film buffs of all ages will love the story’s touches of history, exploring the work of magician and filmmaking pioneer Georges Méliès—complete with clips from some of his classic films. It’s a fascinating trip through filmmaking history, and it may even inspire a few young filmmakers in the process.
Still, Hugo isn’t the flashy, fast-paced movie that most kids are used to. Weighing in at more than two hours long, with a relaxed pace and a muted color palette, it’s more Ratatouille than Despicable Me—and more Cars than Cars 2—which could explain why the boy sitting in front of me got up and left the theater three times during the movie. It’s certainly a captivating film, but it’s not necessarily an exciting film, which may cause some younger viewers to lose interest.
So, with its sophisticated story and period setting, Hugo probably isn’t the best fit for hyperactive kids (or their antsy, text-sending, email-checking parents). But, if you’re prepared to sit back and enjoy the film’s wonder and whimsy—presented in classic Scorsese style—you’ll be absolutely delighted by this lovable young orphan and his magical adventures.
Blu-ray Review:
It may not have taken home the Big Prize, but Hugo was still a hit at the 2012 Academy Awards ceremony, taking home five Oscars. And if you loved the charm and nostalgia of the film as much as the Academy did, you’ll definitely want to explore the extras included on the film’s Blu-ray release.
Shooting the Moon is a 20-minute making-of feature that looks behind the scenes of everything from the story and sets to the canine cast members. It’s an interesting overview of both the film and Scorsese’s filmmaking process—but, if you’d like to go a little more in-depth, you’ll want to explore further.
For a closer look at the filmmaking process, for instance, you’ll want to watch Big Effects, Small Scale, a 6-minute feature that walks through the conception, creation, and execution of the train crash scene. For more about the cast, try Sacha Baron Cohen: Role of a Lifetime, a quirky short feature with the notorious comic actor. Or, if you’re fascinated by Hugo’s automaton, you’ll be interested in The Mechanical Man at the Heart of Hugo, which discusses the history of automata.
If you want to know more about the real-life history behind the film, though, be sure to watch The Cinemagician, Georges Méliès, a 16-minute introduction to the magic and movies of the early filmmaker (played in the film by Sir Ben Kingsley). It’s a fascinating feature, combining both history and movie magic to offer a brief look at the history of filmmaking.
The Blu-ray release of Hugo is filled with fascinating special features—most of which are well worth the time it takes to watch them. Once you get the overview from Shooting the Moon, though, I highly recommend learning more about Georges Méliès in The Cinemagician. It’s a movie lover’s must-see.
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