(Image from https://www.facebook.com/HugoMovie)
Hugo is no doubt a big budget production by award winning director Martin Scorsese who himself directed so many amazing movies like Goodfellas (1990), The Departed (2006), Shutter Island (2010) and Wolf of Walls Street (2013). Yet unlike these big films, Hugo is a whimsical and darling story that I’m sure personally touched all film makers in who were involved in the making of this film itself. Hugo did remind me Extremely Loud Incredibly Close (2011), which is another great film about a boy who is also in search of the answer to the last adventure his deceased parents’ had left him with.
From the very beginning, the film wow it’s audience with intricate details, elaborate sequences and incredible Mise en scène- the Parisian beauty completely captured in the delicate designs around every corner. The amount of detail that went into the set up and design is impeccable though I’m sure much of its beauty came from Computer Generate Imagery much like The Great Gatsby (2013), but still amazing to watch. This is the kind of movie that has to be appreciated in full High Definition. The seamless setup down to the tiny details like the clothes on the extras really painted a fantasy-like picture of Paris in the 30s that I personally adore. The vintage visuals complete with steam elements were a feast for my eyes and imagination. The romantic intricacies of that generation were beautifully painted as though it were a page from our own dreams.
(Image from https://www.facebook.com/HugoMovie/)
The flawless lighting made it look as though the entire film was showered with warm golden hour light when gentle rays cast soft highlights on everything important. Even the smoke from croissants, dust floating around the toy shop and snow in the chilly winter looks beautiful. The clear blue eyes of Hugo matched with the dull brown surrounding drove the colour scheme for the entire film with mainly a blue cast contrasted with a vintagey yellow tone forming the film like visuals that I love.
Films have the power to capture dreams -Hugo’s Father
Nothing delighted me more than to see the unfolding of history of film. Though thought to be ridiculous by modern day standards, it brought a new found appreciation for the kind of work that goes behind making a film in those days that made it amazing. Film has the power to capture dreams in ways reality cannot.
(Image from https://www.facebook.com/HugoMovie/)
Maybe when you lose your purpose, it’s like you’re broken -Hugo
When you lose your purpose, people are broken. This is some what the same theme as my previous post on Accepted (2006). We all give up on our dreams and we lose our purpose. And we continue to live a broken life like Uncle George. Perhaps it is time we followed our own purpose. Instead of selling our film for consumer shoe heels.
Overall the film is delightful to watch and is almost a reflection of everything I love and dream about when I think of Paris. It is a visual spectacle with a seemingly insignificant yet powerful story. In all ways it did seem a little too over fantasized yet that is what we as viewers want to see, to drift into that fantasy.
9.5/10 (Amazing film but the plot development was a little draggy at the front part, but overall a treat for your eyes!)
We are all visual creatures 