Hugo (Martin Scorsese 2011) USA

Reviewed by Lulu Yamaguchi. Viewed at Santa Barbara Film Festival.

Hugo(Asa Butterfield) is a orphan boy who lives in a big clock in a train station in Paris. He maintains station clocks and knows well about back lanes. He uses back lanes to steel foods and hide from a inspector.  His father(Jude Law) left him mysterious mechanical doll. It has a keyhole which shaped heart.  He believes when the doll works, his life will be changed. Hugo steels small parts to fix doll from a toy store. In fact, a owner of the store, Georges( Ben Kingsley) knows something about the doll but he behaves severely to Hugo.  His grand daughter Isabelle(Chloe Grace Moretz) has the key.

This movie is filled with very beautiful colors. It’s unique attempt that non-action movie becomes 3-D. Usually 3-D is for movie which has showy movement. I think this film success at this point. Audiences must be fascinated this beautiful Hugo’s world.  On the other hand, I wonder if it is really kids movie. I couldn’t get a main idea of this movie. I expected that it may story about a connection between human and human. I thought Hugo must be loved everyone who he met through his adventure then he lives happy ever after. I expected so because Hugo reminds me  Olive Twist.  He doesn’t solve problems surround him while his adventure. Most of people are still cold to him. Half of the film shows how Georges was great for the cinema history.
I was quite disappointed the story. Kids may not understand story line. Only people loves Georges Melies  likes the story.