Jason KingHUGO: A Review
January 19th 2012 07:42
:
The Film of the Year to Beat for Me
Category: Reviews
Throughout his extraordinary career, Academy Award-wining director Martin Scorsese has brought his unique vision and dazzling gifts to life in a series of unforgettable films. This holiday season the legendary storyteller invites you to join him on a thrilling journey to a magical world with his first-ever 3-D film, based on Brian Selznick's award-winning, imaginative New York Times best-seller, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret." Hugo is the astonishing adventure of a wily and resourceful boy whose quest to unlock a secret left to him by his father will transform Hugo and all those around him, and reveal a safe and loving place he can call home.
This film came out of nowhere and knocked me for a six. It is easily my film of the year to beat already and is a timeless classic of beautiful sadness and love that looks beyond spectacular.
The only negative thing I have to say is that for the first half an hour I had no idea where the film would go. It sets up a beautiful tale but I wasn't sure for what - and then when it finds its pace it just breaks your heart and makes you feel warm and gooey all over. The way it headed and where the story unfolded was so left of field I never thought in a million years the story would be about that.
When I first saw the trailer it did absolutely nothing for me - ok - another negative - this is possibly the worst marketing behind a film I have seen in yonkers. This film is an absolute masterpiece of film making but it is being marketed as a lame children's film. Really? I wouldn't even say it is a children's film - it is an adult's film starring children. It is a hug for the heart and so spectacularly told it will mostly go over children's heads and they will fail to see its magic.
I thoroughly loved Asa Butterfield's performance and he can easily carry a film as the lead. He is best known as the young boy in the film The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas or if you are a Merlin fan he occasionally pops up as the young druid kid who is fabled to eventually be the one to kill Arthur. He is quite the talented youngster and if you watch him in interviews he comes across more mature than most Hollywood A listers. His range is just superb. I do have to say though there were about two scenes in the film involving both Buttefield and Moretz that I thought their laughter and/ or tears weren't real, I lost the flow of emotion and saw acting. But I cannot hold it against him - he is so young and just pulled off a most amazing role in a film that will be talked about for years.
As for Moretz, like Kick Ass this is the second film where I could actually stand her - normally I loathe watching her and I can't explain why - but in this she was the pompous little spoilt kid that perfectly complimented Butterfield's low level of society.
Ben Kingsley is great, but isn't he always? His portrayal never elevated to magic but it supported superbly. Having Christopher Lee as the librarian was a superb bit of casting - such a small role but such a presence - I really thought I was watching Saruman with a new occupation
And then there was Sacha Baron Coen who stole the show for me - he is just amazing and quirky and the much needed comic relief this film so desperately required.
This film again shows the world how superb a director Scorsese is - and it's a big call for me - but I easily prefer this of his films over all his gangster movies which would lead me to say this is best work. The passion and craftsmanship in this film is exemplary and his use of 3D is otherworldly - there is no gimmicks to the 3D and most people will not even notice they are watching 3D but while they have forgotten they were watching 3D the whole time will be so immersed in the world it is like they were there. Even Spielberg himself said it was the best 3D he had ever seen. And match that with some of the best sound mixing on film and you cannot beat this film for presentation standards.
Scorsese's love of film exudes from the screen and the passion he has for his craft comes through with a fictional history lesson and nostalgic love. A love you should all have for this film as you give it a place in your best of lists. It is out now and minor negatives aside this is a perfect film and gets a perfect score of a 10 out of 10.
This film came out of nowhere and knocked me for a six. It is easily my film of the year to beat already and is a timeless classic of beautiful sadness and love that looks beyond spectacular.
The only negative thing I have to say is that for the first half an hour I had no idea where the film would go. It sets up a beautiful tale but I wasn't sure for what - and then when it finds its pace it just breaks your heart and makes you feel warm and gooey all over. The way it headed and where the story unfolded was so left of field I never thought in a million years the story would be about that.
When I first saw the trailer it did absolutely nothing for me - ok - another negative - this is possibly the worst marketing behind a film I have seen in yonkers. This film is an absolute masterpiece of film making but it is being marketed as a lame children's film. Really? I wouldn't even say it is a children's film - it is an adult's film starring children. It is a hug for the heart and so spectacularly told it will mostly go over children's heads and they will fail to see its magic.
I thoroughly loved Asa Butterfield's performance and he can easily carry a film as the lead. He is best known as the young boy in the film The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas or if you are a Merlin fan he occasionally pops up as the young druid kid who is fabled to eventually be the one to kill Arthur. He is quite the talented youngster and if you watch him in interviews he comes across more mature than most Hollywood A listers. His range is just superb. I do have to say though there were about two scenes in the film involving both Buttefield and Moretz that I thought their laughter and/ or tears weren't real, I lost the flow of emotion and saw acting. But I cannot hold it against him - he is so young and just pulled off a most amazing role in a film that will be talked about for years.
As for Moretz, like Kick Ass this is the second film where I could actually stand her - normally I loathe watching her and I can't explain why - but in this she was the pompous little spoilt kid that perfectly complimented Butterfield's low level of society.
Ben Kingsley is great, but isn't he always? His portrayal never elevated to magic but it supported superbly. Having Christopher Lee as the librarian was a superb bit of casting - such a small role but such a presence - I really thought I was watching Saruman with a new occupation
And then there was Sacha Baron Coen who stole the show for me - he is just amazing and quirky and the much needed comic relief this film so desperately required.
This film again shows the world how superb a director Scorsese is - and it's a big call for me - but I easily prefer this of his films over all his gangster movies which would lead me to say this is best work. The passion and craftsmanship in this film is exemplary and his use of 3D is otherworldly - there is no gimmicks to the 3D and most people will not even notice they are watching 3D but while they have forgotten they were watching 3D the whole time will be so immersed in the world it is like they were there. Even Spielberg himself said it was the best 3D he had ever seen. And match that with some of the best sound mixing on film and you cannot beat this film for presentation standards.
Scorsese's love of film exudes from the screen and the passion he has for his craft comes through with a fictional history lesson and nostalgic love. A love you should all have for this film as you give it a place in your best of lists. It is out now and minor negatives aside this is a perfect film and gets a perfect score of a 10 out of 10.
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Comment by K @ the Lair
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Comment by Helen Randell
Rough Cooking
Will definitely have to see this one
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness