The lush colors, direction, and cinematography have always been some of Marty's strong suites. When i first saw the trailers to this movie, I cursed the movie gods and doubted Scorsese's ability to make a kid's movie. I was sadly mistaken. The movie is eye candy and an ultimate tribute to movies and suitable for all ages. Now that this movie is out of the way hopefully he'll move onto more adult themed movies, but this was a nice detour.… Expand

Technically immaculate and successful at reaching deep into any cinephile's heart and plucking at his heart strings, "Hugo" is a clear treat.

Hugo is an okay not great. Except for the flashy visuals the kids and everyone around were over- acting. The movie was too long by 15 mintues. The magic for the movie wasn' there entirely and that is were the movie goes off course the most.

Some may interpret this as a children's film, but its artistry expands beyond that audience. It follows the adventures of a boy who lives in a Paris train station and has a fascination with all things mechanical. The plot and dialogue are minimal, making this an almost silent film. The visuals, on the other hand, are amazing. This is director Martin Scorsese's most stylishly inventive film and the 3D is spectacular. The story sinks a bit with his film restoration messages and this drags the pacing slightly, but the brilliance of a master filmmaker makes this a masterpiece.… Expand

Hugo is filmed so beautifully, and its story is told just so elegant. Hugo is easily one of the best films of the year maybe the decade, and it has one of the most talented casts ever put together with strong performances from Chloe Moretz, Asa Butterfield and Ben Kingsley who will most likely receive an Oscar nomination for his strong and committed performance. I give this movie 96% of a good movie.… Expand

Hugo is something truly extraordinary. It's an emotionally provocative fantasy drama with timeless themes, a gorgeously sumptuous visual feast and perhaps most intriguingly, it's Martin Scorsese doing family entertainment. You have to tip your hat to the film's production designers - from the meticulous recreation of a 1930s Parisian train station (particularly the intricate and beautiful clock tower that serves as Hugo's sanctuary) to the little details on the numerous stalls that crowd its walkways, to the period costumes, all of which help to utterly enthrall you in Scorsese's film world, helped in no small measure by his use of 3-D. The cast all give exceptional performances, with the young lead Asa Butterfield giving a surprisingly mature, heartfelt performance, Chloe Grace Moretz continuing to prove herself to be one of the most talented and versatile actresses working today, and Sir Ben Kingsley's performance is understated but masterfully multi-layered. As is to be expected from any sort of period drama, the rest of the cast is filled out with the usual British thesps - from Richard Griffiths to Christopher Lee. Quite surprisingly, the person who most impressed was Sacha Baron Cohen as Inspector Gustav. Though he provides the majority of the comic relief for the film, his performance isn't simply exaggeration for the sake of it (like in Borat or Sweeney Todd) - you have to respect his talent as a serious actor for making Gustav a complex and understandable character, as he could have quite easily ended up as a 'Allo 'Allo! knock-off. Scorsese is a film buff, and he likes to show it - in addition to the engaging story and child-like wonder that Hugo provides, it also serves as a love-letter to films of the past, and could serve as a good starting point for someone not familiar with such masters as Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton. That could be the most appealing aspect of Hugo - the huge variety of things it discusses. Yes, it's about an outsider finding his place in the world, yes, it's about looking back on your life and the pain of remembering missed opportunities, and yes, it's about growing up, but it's also a film about film. Scorsese has created something very personal to himself, but also something that will resonate with people the world over, perhaps for many years to come.… Expand

Wonderful. A joyous and magical experience. Nominated for 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. Asa Butterfield and Chloe Moretz are child actors to keep an eye on.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Wow, Hugo, this movie is an double edged sword, because much people think: The movie is for a children, but no. What is the reason?. Because the movie have much material of the book (that is excellent), and is awesome, the direction of Scorsese is amazing. But with this material a kid can feeling boring, because I'm watching the movie with my little brother of 9 years, and he tell: We can watch other movie?, this is boring. I think that the movie is excellent, but the mistake of Scorsese or the people that put the subtitles is say: A story for all the family, because is false, I'm feel that the story is for child but the development is for other public. Okay, the rest of the movie is great, the cast is amazing, the performance of the kid is incredible, and the rest wow. The effects are awesome, this scenes on the train station are fantastic, and the robot, is amazing (but I think that Rise of the planet of the Apes, Transformers, or Harry Potter have better effects). The screenplay is excellent. The development [for me] is interesting. Hugo is a masterpiece, is for adults, and teenagers that don't like the cultutre pop, have much amazing things. I put a dry 10, for the problem that I'm tell, but for me the movie is fantastic.… Expand

A great experience in sound and vision. 'Hugo' deserved all 5 Academy Awards it won, but not more. Asa Butterfield was very disappointing, for my opinion he should only play in horror movies in young age. Also the dialogues are sometimes faint and the whole story is extremely predictable. It mixes the love to inventions with the love to the cinema. The plot is slightly boring and only the hunting scenes with Sacha Baron Cohen are really exciting. All in all a well-made homage to the initation of films, which disappointed me here and there and will definitely be boring for kids!… Expand

The main mystery in Hugo is one so lovingly unraveled that you are taken along for one of the most viscerally entertaining films of the year. Hugo tells the story of Hugo Cabret a young boy who lives in a train station in Paris following the death of his father and his subsequent taking in by his unpleasant uncle. When the film starts, Hugo has been along for a long stretch of time, his uncle having disappeared. He is slowly collecting spare parts to repair a machine left to him by his father but while doing so he is interrupted by many different characters coming through the station. It's a marvel of a film in the way its presented with long sweeping shots through station platforms and beautiful lobbies into the clock towers Hugo visits throughout the station. It just looks brilliant with the 3D being some of the finest I have seen since Avatar, possibly better.
Scorsese has assembled a fantastic cast with Asa Butterfield giving a touching performance as Hugo as he desperately tries to fix the machine as he believes it may hold a message from his father. Chloe Moretz puts on a great British accent and performance as a young girl just looking for a good adventure. However the films finest performance has to be Ben Kingsley as the man who has lost everything in his life and has to live with the shame of it. The comparisons between him and Hugo are both tragic and intriguing. The film skillfully tells a tale not only of loss but of the early days of cinema with the best use of classic cinema like Voyage to the Moon I have ever seen. The comparison of the adventure that is Hugo to the adventure experienced by film makers in its early days is one shown skillfully and elegantly by some fantastic directing by one of the true greats of film making. With some great cameos by the likes of Christopher Lee, Richard Griffiths and a great "villain" in Sacha Baron Cohen it is an absolute joy to watch, a real film lovers film.… Expand

I wonder how Roger Ebert feels about this movie? He has trashed the 3D format for years and now his favorite director, Martin Scorsese, has made one! Unlike Ebert, Scorsese has totally embraced 3D technology, as the 3D is the star of this film. For me, the movie would have been a failure without it. It is the best non-animated 3D I have seen in the theater, and nearly all scenes were filmed with the format in mind. The opening shot of the camera moving through a crowded train station is fabulous. It's a great looking movie. Unfortunately, the movie's plot and story did not match the visual delights for me. This is a slow, plodding movie, lacking humor, saved only by the visuals. Unfortunately, I just didn't care about any of these people, and the dialogue seemed stilted and unnatural in parts. I can't imagine a kid keeping his attention to this film. The little boy just seemed devoid of personality. Not sure I ever saw him smile until the end of the movie. I rate this film a 6 in the theaters, but only a 3 or 4 at home unless you have a 3D television.… Expand

The cinematography is a WOW. The 3D is a WOW. The acting is above average, but the movies real downfall is in its story. The comedy wasnt funny and the story takes a 180 turn halfway through with no reason. This turn in focus is not a twist neither.

Hugo is not a magic, extravagant or elegant fantasy. Let's say it's Martin Scorsese, dazzling 3D and love letter to cinema. But Hugo is mediocre and even boring.

This year a blossoming homage to the genesis of the film industry has progressed into raptures for film aficionados and filmmakers (two frontrunners of the imminent Oscar, THE ARTIST, which I have yet to watch, and HUGO have aimed at B&W silent film and innovator Georges Méliès respectively). Martin Scorsese stews this $170,000,000 budgeted 1930s Paris Gare Montparnasse train station adventure feature in an almost immaculate way, and for the generation which may not be stupefied by Georges Mélièsâ… Expand

In one word "GREAT" . I have never read the book but seeing the way Martin directed the film i think i don't have to . He literary bought toe book to life . My deepest respect to Brian Selznick for the amazing book about Georges Méliès . Nothing to say about Martin coz he is always like this (Awesome) . This movie was a box office bomb but in my box office its the biggest hit of 2011's or even the decades . The way the movie goes was so amazing . From how the story turned out from a Little boy to the Greatest Georges Méliès was unbelievable . Never imagined this movie would be like this ! WOW !… Expand

This was a very good movie. It isn't like your everyday film, but it was very good. Very well made, Sacha Baren Cohen (if thats how you spell his name) did a surprisingly good job in a more serious role. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Hugo is a very beautiful story, a must see film, if you enjoy a detailed plot, with an inspiring message. 8/10

Hugo is a thank you letter from Martin Scorsese to motion pictures, specifically the first motion pictures and their early pioneers. Using the inquisitive adventures of a young, orphaned French boy, Scorsese leads us into a much broader and surprising area than where the setup begins. Furthermore, Hugo is in 3D which at first thought seems an odd medium from the director of The Departed, Gangs of New York, and Raging Bull. The polished result and gimmicky tricks of 3D do not resemble Scorsese… Expand

Not often does a film truly find its feet when its basis and plot is, well, film.
Hugo centres on the extraordinarily rollercoaster life of the title character, adapted from the book "The Tale of Hugo Cabret", we see this small boy (Asa Butterfield) living within the walls of the Gare Montparnasse train station in Paris in an early 1930s France. Hugo keeps the clocks running within the station, unbeknownst to everyone else. We soon meet the brilliantly diverse Sir Ben Kingsley, who really catapults himself into the role of toy stall owner 'Papa' Georges, named so by his goddaughter Isabelle, played by the coming-of-age Chloë Moretz. With a rather humorous supporting role from Sacha Baron Cohen as the station inspector, and brief appearances from Jude Law, Richard Griffths, Ray Winstone, Christopher Lee, Helen McCrory and Emily Mortimer, this has an ensemble cast which are used to their fulll potential.
The cinematography at work here is truly beautiful, from the fluid motion of the train station walls to small pieces within Paris, the visual effects truly are spectacular, from the set pieces of the train station to the hand of the large clock.
Perhaps the most enjoyable part of this film is the emotional rollercoaster that Martin Scorcese takes us on. This could very well be his most heart-wrenchingly beautiful film to date, he appears to have poured moments from his own life into the 120+ minute ride. With the history of film and moving pictures at play here, it truly is a trip down memory lane for some, but a valuable and entertaining history lesson for most. My pick for the stand alone performance has to be Sir Ben Kingsley, he soars to a different height in his diverse role as a down on his luck old man, I could really watch this man all day, everyday. The nostalgic setting and era used as the backdrop for the film is spot on, providing glimpses of the fast paced motion of technology in the early 20th Century, in particular the automaton, a glorious addition to this tale, one which sets in motion the basis for the film.
Hugo is quite simply a must-watch film, superb acting, wonderful effects, a riveting and thoroughly entertaining story that really is suitable for all ages, see it to believe it!… Expand

When I first heard about Martin Scorsese was doing a family adventure film, I said to myself I have to check thiz out! As we knew, Scorsese is a Director who is widely known for most of his gangster and violent films like: CASINO (1995), THE DEPARTED (2006) and SHUTTER ISLAND (2010). Since the opening sequence, we are spoiled with such fantastic panoramic scenery. Dynamic camera movements effectively draw you into the story in a split second, where we follow the daily life of an orphan named Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) in 1930s France. Hugo lives inside the tower clock of a crowded train station. By his curiosity, Hugo has been trying to fix an automaton in human form which his father (played by Jude Law) left him. Not long after, it takes him to Papa Georges (Ben Kingsley) with his toy booth. The premise is about the mystery behind it. Asa Butterfield, the boy who played in THE BOY IN STRIPED PAJAMAS in 2008, seems to be a proper choice for Hugo. His blue sad eyes tell everything. Ben Kingsley also delivers a firm and attractive performance. Only after about an hour, the things become more clearly. Apparently, thiz movie tells about the magical world of movie making. I have to underline thiz: the whole package is visually stunning! I was amazed by its remarkable setting, the exquisite cinematography and the exotic lighting schemes. Everything at its best, everyone can tell. The story is filled with various unique characters played by well-known Actors: there was the adventuress Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretz) who is Papa Georges goddaughter, the grumpy station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen), the flower girl Lisette (Emily Mortimer), the kind-hearted librarian Monsieur Labisse (Christopher Lee) and still many more to mention. But if you want to be objective, most of these characters can be pushed away easily without too much ruining the main plot. I mean everyone! They are only here to become unimportant extras. Except for the station inspector, he is the only antagonist, we still need him! The character played comically well by Sacha Baron Cohen. Without him, there will be no chasing scene and nail-biting suspense. Clearly, the main frame of the story is not that complicated at all. It was kind of flat and anticlimax. To tell you the truth, I did not have The Wow Factor for the ending. Well, I have never read the book (THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET by Brian Selznick) before. So I cannot tell whether disadvantage of the story derived from basic material. However, thiz is an award winning book, it won Caldecott Medal in 2008. In that case, if is true that is the whole story. What we can sayâ… Expand

Scorsese steps outside of his typically gritty box and achieves pure magic filming a gorgeous rendition of the popular children's book, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret." While pieces of the story change for the purposes of film, my personal opinion is that (and I'm going to offend hardcore readers here) it tried too hard to be a film version of a book. As a result, the first hour was very hard to sit through. It was long, it was slow, but so beautifully shot that I couldn't fall entirely asleep. However, the second hour more than made up for it. The movie, which takes a while to get to its point, eventually uncovers a sweet, precious film with a wonderful message. That is, our dreams make us who we are. If our dreams die, so do we. To "fix" ourselves, to truly live life, we must chase our dreams, even when we perceive ourselves to fail. Only then can we truly become what we were meant to become.… Expand

A nicely written story, visually pleasing with good acting. Somewhat predictable but I wasn't much in the mood for a challenge, just sit back and enjoy the costumes, sets, colors, dialogue. Some of the characters were caricatures (the adults) and they were a bit over the top and light on dialogue but enough to propel the story forward. This will be a classic. Enjoy it with the family.

Spectacular film, with enviable art direction! sound, special effects, perfectly constructed, Scorsese did a tremendous job in making this film a reality. performances a bit loose but by the children, but Kingsley tremendous!

Hugo is a great, solid reminder of why we love movies so much. The film's luxurious style, magic and grace is a feast for the eyes, but the film itself can be weak at times. Although I found it rather enjoyable, the film is surprisingly slow and not much happens in several areas. I've been able to relate to Scorsese's pacing in his previous classic films, such as Goodfellas and Casino a little better. And although he decided to try something different for a change, it worked out better than I originally anticipated. The film's acting, effects, adapted screenplay(although I have not read the book) are impressive for the most part. In all, my only minor complaint is the slow pacing of the storyline itself. Other than that, Hugo stands out as another impressive triumph from the legendary Martin Scorsese!… Expand

Hugo has a potentially interesting and moving story to tell, but it gets lost in what turns out to be a history lesson on early cinema with an endorsement for film preservation thrown in for good measure. It is taylor made for awards season and you can feel that in every frame of film.

HUGO was clearly a hard movie to make. The book on which it is based was only half of what we usually find in books, with the other half made up of art. Though this source medium is about 500 pages in length, 60% of that consists of pictures to tell the story. Having read the book only over this weekend, I was able to point out a good amount of discrepancies between the two works, but someone who read the book a while ago would not be able to point put one. As this was directed by Martin Scorsese, who had probably never directed anything that would pass with a modern PG rating before this, I expected a few scenes here that would give the average child nightmares, none of which appeared at all in the book. Not only do I realize that Scorsese actually DOES understand what a family movie is, Iâ… Expand

Conducted steadily by Scorsese and enriched by a glorious cinematography, "Hugo" is a true love letter to the magic of the cinema and well-deserved of its eleven academy-award nominations.

Hugo is a masterpiece of art and films that goes on the journey of 3D. The story is about the young boy who created the invention of mechanical man until he meets the old filmmaker who creates the entire movies of the early 1900's. The movie was based on the novel by Brian Selznick's 'The Invention of Hugo Cabret", and its a brilliant story that recreates the entire movies from the past, and I do enjoy both the novel and the movie. The characters are interesting to see and they did amazingly job on their roles. Like Papa Georges (Ben Kingsley), Young Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield), Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz from Kick-Ass), and Station Inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen). They did perfect job and especially Ben Kingsley who did so much job as the character who created movies since he did many roles that accomplish. These two children are good at this and I just the love the two children are working each other and they have good friends for having a sweet moments. The settings are great and the build-up is just phenomenal. The CG effects are wonderful to the background was in 3D with good atmosphere and the flash images are fantastic to see. Scorsese did wonderful job and the first time make this movie for children's book. Also, this movie treats to children like adults and the adults are fascinating to watch. I love this movie and its one of the best films of the year. Beautifully perfect film and Martin Scorsese was awesome!… Expand

I found it beautiful and thought it was well done in 3D. However, I was bored throughout and went to buy M &M's so I would not keep staring at my watch. The story simply did not interest me in the slightest. "Hugo" summed up what a mediocre film year 2011 was. When "The Descendants", "Moneyball", and "The Tree of Life " are Oscar nominees , it is a poor year. I hope 2012 brings me a substantial improvement.… Expand

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This movie is a wonderful imagination land that combines innocent childhood and a love letter to cinema.
It is fun, pretty and enthrall you till the end. But most of all it is accurate related to Papa Gorge's life

First off, this would be a 9.75. Almost perfect. Story is great. It just such a good story, that I don't know how much I can empathize it. Visuals and score are pretty great. acting is also well done by everyone. Scorsese doesn't disappoint. This is great. Overall you should watch. Recommend for everyone.

Hugo is clearly one of the best movies of the year, for many reasons. First, is an adaptation of a book that has nothing to envy to Harry Potter or The Lord of the rings. Second, its use of 3D is breathtaking and that is more surprising because is a non-animated movie. Third, the picture has amazing performances of Asa Butterfield and Ben Kingsley. Finally, the film has some beautiful messages, the most important for me are the one that the whole world is like a machine and we all are the parts of it, so everyone has a role to play; and the other is that the movies can capture our dreams. These four things mixed with typical Scorsese criminal stuff and visceral fantasies, and the recollection of old movies; make this picture a tribute to cinematography.
This tribute is explicit when are shown in screen The Arrival of a Train, Exiting the Lumiere Factory, Intolerance, A Trip to the Moon, The Great Train Robbery, The Cabinet of Doctor Caligary, and many more. And add to this, that in the film appears George Melies, the father of science fiction movies. The implicit things are the automata, which remind me the robot of Metropolis, and the derailment of the train with the same camera position of Lumiere Brothers picture.
This film makes us nostalgic, but not in a sad way, because we notice that these classics have not been forgotten and never will. They are the foundation of cinematography as an art. Hugo is one of the few movies that are not boring to watch again an again.… Expand

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Hugo wasn't a movie. It was an experience. I rarely come out of the theater feeling as satisfied and uplifted as I did when leaving Hugo. The sets, cinematography and visual effects were incredible and the directing was great as usual. Best movie of 2011. Grade: A

It`s an interesting film, It was kind of slow at times but has a good message. I like the music and time of this movie, it adds a nice feel to it. I kind of wanted more from the movie but it`s worth watching.

Yet another 2011 film receiving rave reviews that I don't get. While it is interesting to see Mr Scorsese defend his not selling out to SFX, that's exactly what he did. Watching at home, without 3D, the movie falls flat. A movie should have been made about Mr Melies but this is not about him, but about things that fly off the screen. And what's the story with the dust or snowflakes that drift around the entire film? Is everyone in a snow globe? Is this Dr Suess? Disappointing on so many levels. The director needed long explanations about the characters, their families, the evil cop, etc. instead of "showing" us some background-this is a visual medium. The best part of the film is the flashbacks on how movie making got it's start. Now that would make a good film. Mr S should get back to developing strong characters, fierce relationships, and de-emphasize the SFX. Poor outing from a usually brilliant director.… Expand

What a boring movie! I always finish movies, doesnt matter how bad they are. But with Hugo, I lost intrest 3/4 of the way! The movie was a big dissappoinment for me.

Hugo is a well made movie from one of the best directors of all time: Martin Scorsese. I read the book too and the movie and the book where very good. The actors are good and the plot is good too. Hugo is a beautiful family film who everyone needs to see.

Martin Scorsese's Hugo is a wonderfully magical film that sweeps the audience our of their seat from the very start and takes us on a whimsical adventure that reminds us why we love to go to the movies. The film takes the title character's adventure as he tries to uncover a message from his late father, which leads him to pair up with a young girl named Isabelle, all while being antagonized by the Station Inspector as well as Isabelle's godfather George. The film is also scattered with amusing and entertaining "anecdotes" of some of the station shop keepers. Despite this being his first attempt at a "family" movie, Scorsese exerts amazing control and tone throughout the film. He averts the all too common mistakes in this medium of being too flashy, too comical, and too exaggerated. Furthermore Scorsese does a wonderful job in extracting amazing performances from his two young stars Asa Butterfield and Chloe Moretz. Though some will undoubtedly say that Butterfield's performance was "over the top" I felt that it fit perfectly with the mood of the film. In one particular scene Hugo explains that he has to be on this earth for a purpose, Butterfield proves that he is just as adept at his craft as many of the great actors of the day. Butterfield and Moretz are accompanied by veteran actor Ben Kingsley who gives another great performance though even he is out shined by the young stars. The production design of the film was perhaps its strongest aspect, featuring amazing art direction and costume design as well as breathtakingly beautiful cinematography, which is where the true magic of Hugo lies. Howard Shore also delivers his best film score since The Lord of the Rings. Hugo must also be commended for its strong message of film preservation and indeed its celebration of cinema as a whole. Hugo reminds us what the movies are really for and why we even bother to go to the movie theater these days, and that is to step into our dreams. It is arguably the best family films ever made and undeniably one of the best films of 2011.… Expand

Best cinematography of all time not to mention crazy visual effects. I thought this movie would have action but instead it had mind blowing screenplay and adrenaline pumping suspense. The one thing preventing this from being a 10 is that it was just barely to slow for me especially for a PG movie. But just barely.

2011 in film saw two very successful films depicting forgotten ages of cinema. I speak of course, of Hugo and The Artist. The story-lines weaved within this film may be confusing for some, but for the right individual Hugo is a rare film that is both charming and full of illusion. Simply put, Hugo is easily the best film of 2011 and should be considered among the great films of the 3-D era.

Hugo is alright, it's nothing special, I can't say anything bad about it, but I can say a few good things about it; its got a good and fairly interesting plot, exciting and tense chase sequences, good acting, great character building (you really get to know what the characters are like) and strange music that's kinda catchy. I don't recommend watching it if your into action and sci-fi films, but I do recommend watching it if you like touching dramas or mystery movies.… Expand

This is was an interesting one, though something was highly questionable about it. Hugo was a very meaningful movie that gets into the heart of the characters and the meaning of cinema itself. Any movie buff should see this, as its a testimonial to the history film making and film preservation, which is evidently very important to Mr. Scorsese. This is one of Scorsese's most technically lush films, boasting exceptional art direction (which needs an Oscar), nice cinematography and some decent costume designs. And finally Asa Butterfield did well and the supporting players were all good, particularly Chloe Moretz (as usual) and Ben Kingsley. With all that said, something that I genuinely questioned was the true quality of the movie's screenplay. It was very unbalanced, and the first half was a quite drab (despite having an interesting premise). The movie could have definitely used a a serious rewrite, but overall it was a good, and well made film.… Expand

On a technical scale, "Hugo" is a masterwork. Scorsese majestically helms this adventure delivering superb 3-D cinematography and a steady pace. Out of all of Scorsese's films, this is definitely one of his most personal. While delivering an engaging story, he uses the movie to celebrate his love of films, in particular, the ones that got the art of film off the ground. It's during these moments when the movie radiates a sense of magic. But these are the only magical moments. When the movie doesn't focus on film, it's only an interesting story, nothing more. The main issue is that few of the characters are satisfyingly developed. Kingsley's Georges Melies is the one exception. His back story is far more intriguing than Hugo's, and with only a limited amount of screen time, Kingsley gives us a complete heartbreaking portrait of a sorrowful genius. But the film focuses on Hugo, and his story and character is nowhere near as fascinating. This prevents the movie from taking off into greatness. Once Scorsese's love of film shines, the movie starts to soar, but this doesn't happen until the last 20 minutes. Still, it's a very good film that should be seen by anyone who's a fan of Scorsese or a fan of cinema in general. I wouldn't recommend it to younger kids however. The movie moves too slow for them, and they'll most likely leave the theater confused and bored.… Expand

I went to cinema with minimum expectation. Despite thanks to rippling effect of media accolade, I couldn't help but noticing its hype. I wanted to be surprised and I honestly was, there's a genuine appeal when you go to cinema and discover these delights, the most recent being The Adventure of Tintin. With brilliant director and multitude of talented actors, Hugo gives you the old magic of cinema which you might have taken for granted over the years. It's nostalgic, magical and full of vanilla dream. I'll admit it's not my cup of tea, but you can't help but loving it, it's heart-warming in the most platonic universal way.



Hugo is an orphan boy who lives on a train station in Paris somewhere after World War I, for the sake of the magic, that's all you need to know. Contrary to its rather depressing era, the station is vibrantly lively and depicted masterfully. Small details of otherwise average station are put in a spectacular colorful fashion as if it's a more optimist portrayal of dull reality. Cameras pan around and follow the young Hugo's steps while still capturing the posters, little souvenirs, shopkeepers and other things our experienced (read old) weary eyes might overlook. It's simply seeing the world with innocent eyes again, and a far cry of Martin Scorsese's recent works like Shutter Island or The Departed.

It takes its time well, giving time for audience to enjoy it naturally. The station becomes a sort of personified sanctuary for Hugo with people not more than strangers, it's lonely at times yet icy cheerful. Living characters are identically essential as well, Asa Butterfield as Hugo has a likeable charm, he looks physically frail with fragile hardened mask. It's easy to root for an orphan in search for his place. His role is a demanding one, often the movie will focus heavily on him, especially on tear-jerking moments, fortunately he delivers amazingly.

Chloe Moretz as Isabella, a word-savvy kindhearted girl, is undeniably beautiful, even in boyish attires. She's talented with rough juvenile adorable air, she just glows with maturity beyond her age but still has the innocence of a child. Ben Kingsley takes the role of a shop owner who is stern, slightly mysterious and seemingly cold. In a clever persona, he exudes lost confident and unexpected warmth, even humor sometimes. Sacha Baron Cohen plays the part of Station Inspector, a more comedic villainous role, the almost cliché bumbling chaser. He provides more than laughing material though as he also has reasons and problems, but mostly for laugh.



It's predominated with dramatic moments in more sophisticated fashion, not in full blown exaggerated kind. Usually the movie will focus on the scene silently as the characters express their feelings, with or without witty dialogues. The great thing about it is how the simplest interactions such as, mildly leaning against each other or holding hands, make such impact and you're drawn to it. Soothing soundtracks, classic distinct sound of last century have theatrical beat to it, much like old time cartoon. They fit the theme magnificently and I appreciate the good timing of the sound editing, it's impeccable.

With lucid style it might be confused with children movie, and not saying that it's not, but I think it's more appropriate if it's called a movie for our inner-child. It's highly romantic and timeless, far from cheesy, and it serves as homage to the art of cinema without political or social undertone, just pure amazement and honest humble magic that is so rare these days. Very touching, joyful and passionate, it's easy to understand why lots of people are drown in short yet quaint respite that is Hugo. 9/10… Expand

The most enchanting aspect of this film is the magical backdrops--bold colors, intricate clockworks and machines that would make an enthralling playland for any child, and archetypal characters that have a Jungian appeal. The film enthralls with the fairy-tale set design. It's no wonder that Hugo won so many technical awards at the Oscars--cinematography, art direction, sound editing, sound mixing, and visual effects, all of which were richly deserved. However, the story itself gets off track, literally, since most of it takes place at a Paris train station. There are two stories--one is the story of a lost little boy, orphaned when his loving father dies in an accident and then later abandoned by a drunken uncle who brings the boy to his living quarters under the train station. The boy is hunted by the station master, who is the head of security at the train station, played austerely by Sasha Cohen. The grown-up characters tend to be stiff and wooden cliches, but not because they are bad actors, merely because they are being presented as Jungian archetypes who know their place in this magical universe. The characters are like marionettes waiting for their strings to be pulled, but the puppeteer is the controlling forces outside this luminous world that is really a theater in a box.

Ben Kingsley seems to understand this the best of anyone in the cast. He sits at the counter of his toy shop unblinkingly, almost frozen in time, until someone or something appears to stimulate him to at least nod his head. The centerpiece of the movie is a contraption called an automaton, a robot-like machine capable of limited action, which is symbolic of all the characters in this universe. But suddenly the story changes, and we realize this is a biography of the French film director George Melies, who participated in the earliest period of cinema and filmed the first fantasy and science-fiction movies. The movie turns into a giant vehicle to pay homage to this director and at one point starts to sound like a documentary. The link between the boy, the director, and the automaton becomes more tenuous and less coherent, as the story breaks down under Scorsese's desire to document this period in film history. In fiction, whether written or visual, it is tempting but problematic to stop and spend long periods giving educational lectures--the challenge is to work the information more subtly into the story.… Expand

"Hugo" is an amazing movie, a movie that most definately lives up to it's hype. The emotional Appeal of the movie and the concept is just great. The acting is top-notch and moments of emotion are handled very well. There is a lot of elegance in the fantasy and a lot of innocence about not giving up on your dreams and not forgetting your past. The plot is relatively good with a very strong message. The flaws with the movie is that the movie can become very slow and boring at times and there are not exactly that many thrils in the story but these flaws are flushed out by the greater aspects of the film. Overall, Hugo is an extrevagant child fantasy film that is well-directed with lots of inncence, a strong message, and a look at what it is: film making. Hugo is an amazing film worth film worth watching as long as you don't get turned off by the slow pace. Breakdown for "Hugo": Presentation: 9.5, Plot: 9.1, Acting: 9.8, Dialogue: 9.8, Lasting Appeal: 9.6, Verdict: 9.3 out of 10 "Amazing".… Expand

http://themuddoctor.blogspot.com/2011/12/hugo.html There are few other films that are overflowing with love as much as Hugo; love for film, for Paris, for family, and for its central characters. This is the gentlest work of Scorseseâ

Make no mistake, "Hugo" is a film for kids. It's wrapped in fine 3D cinematography set in 1940's Paris but it's leveled at your pre-teen. Even the film's theme is revealed via dialogue so there's no mystery to ponder or interpretation to debate. The 3D version certainly added an interesting visual dimension to it but it's still a kid's film and was largely a waste of time for me but again, your pre-teen may find some adventure and enchantment there.… Expand

WOW. I did not in a million years expect to be this bored during a movie that is held in such high regard. The technical and artist acheivements and acting were top notch, but dramatically this film does not exist. Why not do more wierd things with the robot? Why not have some chase scenes that are more than a kid running up steps while a man with a dog follows? The train station/clocks look amazing, why not use this to more avail? The came close to being the first movie that i paid for in years that I simply walked away from 2/3rds of the way. But I wanted to review it fairly on Metacritic so I sat through the whole thing. It was tough. The incredible look and feel of the film gives it a 50%, the lack of drama adds a big zero.… Expand

visually pleasing and a not all together unpleasing 2 hour distraction, but FAR from a masterpiece. characters are two dimensional and their interactions are unbelievable. ben kingsley's portrayal is unconvincing and sasha baron cohen is plain terrible. if it wasn't for the high production value, this movie would be merit-less.

A Masterpiece. My exact words when the movie was over. This is a great children's movie but It seemed mostly for adults. Kids would not like this. Kids now a days are spoiled and prefer crap. Also Hugo's character was actually Martin Scorsese when he was a kid. There is much talk online about how the advertisement was misleading, which it was. The trailer made the movie seem like a piece of crap. But that was not the case. The advertisement was pure genius, it lured in a bunch of selfish Americans who don't know what a good movie is. I do not feel sorry for them if they where bored because that's what they get. But getting to the actual film review. It was really good. The plot was excellent. Its about the magic and love of film making so if you love films then you wont be disappointed. The acting was super. All the actors had there own unique personalities. The chases in this movie actually supported the plot. I have never seen any other kids movie that every scene supported the plot. Don't forget about the writing, it was also really good. I would not recommend this film to children but to film lovers everywhere and to Martin Scorsese fans.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Hugo's magic and mystery are very slow to kick in and fade away in a nick of time. The movie itself, albeit with a very slow plot, has all the elements of Scorsese's masterpiece: good acting, convincing photography, very good makeup and setting, interesting action. However, it seems to me that at some point the story got stuck at a crossroad, unable to decide whether keep its clockwork Paris magic or develop the story of the French cinema pioneer. In my opinion, both elements could have been worked better! It's a good movie, though!… Expand

At the risk of sounding clichè, the perfect word to describe this film is "magical". Every second is bursting with happiness, warmth and appreciation, not only for film, but for humankind as well. From a director who's given us something like "The Departed", to see a masterpiece at the COMPLETE opposite end of the spectrum is just remarkable. "Hugo" will be a classic for every Christmas season to come.… Expand

A fantastic film. With so much detail and effort put into it. Great acting all around especially from no coming Asa Butterfield. Scorsese takes us on a magical journey that i never wanted to never end.

Although Hugo was not very entertaining, it was a good mystery/drama that was actually very inspiring. It is the best movie that has come out in a long time. I wonder what the world would be like if everyone was like Hugo.

Even though many people have said it before, this movie is a goddamned masterpiece. Finally, Martin Scorsese has returned to making art. Nothing against The Departed and Shutter Island, but if you want a more vivid display of Scorsese's brilliance, why not check Hugo out. It has nearly every ingredient that I could possibly become addicted to in here. The 3-D is used amazingly, the child acting is marvelous and the entire feel is warming, refreshing, mind-blowing and of course, it's brimming with life. Few films have managed to reenter the feeling that you recieve after discovering the majestic art of cinema. And Hugo is among those films. **** I love this movie. The more I think and talk about it, the more I want to see it. In 3-Dk, of course. It's magical and awe-some! Thank god Scorsese lives in this time… Expand

I had to leave the theatre for awhile because it was so tedious and predictable. This movie is made for 10 year old kids, not for adults. It is a great story and Scorsese is a great director. But I'm beginning to think Scorsese has become Altman and Kurbrik in their later years. The pacing is a killer, some wonderful moments but it was edited like a student film, everything had to be included. It was irritating the way to spoke down to the audience.… Expand

I don't think I can even remember the last time I've ever been subject to such a stagnant, passive viewing experience. Such a slow, sluggish plot that I found myself silently urging along. The film felt like all twinkling lights and tenderness, almost never jumping out at me. Watching it could be compared to trying to swim through a lake of honey - there's warmth and sweetness, sure, but it's very slow going. The main boy actor hardly shows any emotion on his face - to me, he looked either creepily indifferent or morose and sullen.… Expand

While the beginning may be slow, it rewards you with one of 2011's best films. The story about a young boy named Hugo who tries to unlock the secrets of an automaton is compelling, even if the story is a tad predicable.

I am a fan of some European films, and can find interest in old movies, but this was barely engaging at all. The train station and artistic detail is lovely for the first 20 minutes, but after that, we are led mostly nowhere by tragic characters who speak very little. The intense focus on mechanical things and all these supposed French characters acting bitter and speaking with British accents made it seem like a post WWII British engineering education film. Not deep or well-scripted enough for adults, too dreary and slow for children, it mainly was an equal-opportunity aggravation. Why the critics are swooning about this, I can't imagine.… Expand

It is Scorsese's passion for movies and stroytelling in general that makes it so warm to feel, so appealing to look at, and so entertaining to watch.

You're going to finish the movie with a lot of emotions. I can guarantee you that you will laugh, smile, want to tear up and cry, and stand up and applaud when the credits roll. "Hugo" is a triumph in masterful filmmaking packed with good acting, gorgeous Parisian scenery, a spectacular story, and plenty of emotions that you, no, anybody, will not be able to handle.
Read the full review here:
http://emptyfilmstock.wordpress.com/2012/06/12/hugo/… Expand

La temática Steampunk (de la cual soy un gran fan) le queda excelentemente bien a esta ciudad de París tan bellamente reconstruida. Las técnicas de fotografía y la combinación de efectos especiales acompañan perfectamente a esta historia mágica, de la misma forma que lo hace la BSO. Así de facil, Hugo es una película maravillosa.

Hugo is a film that might be too sophisticated for little children. The movie seems to be marketed to young children. That might have hurt the box office sales. Having said that, this movie is one of the best of 2011. It's pretty, whimsical, and most of all touching. Who knew director Martin Scorsese is capable of making a family oriented film. Ben Kingsley is wonderful in the film and Sacha Baron Cohen is quite impressive playing a more serious role. Small complain -- when the movie is set in France, I do wish that the language spoken would be in French too. I understand it's an american production. It's just my pet peeve. I see signs all written in French but they all speak English. It's just not authentic.… Expand

My favorite movie of 2011. The story of friendship, filial loyalty and love of the cinema greatly appealed to me.
It was certainly a departure from the usual fare serve up by Martin Scorsese, showing us his range.

This movie was genious!!! It did everything a movie needs to do to be a family friendly suspence mystery. The characters were very fasinating, the plot was both well thought out and well played out, and the message was both audvious and insightful. It taught that every human being has a purpose. If you feel like you lost your purpose, you feel like a broken robot that can't do anything. The truth is, every human being is on this earth for a reason.… Expand

Very few movies hit me with emotional impact, when the movie is a visual masterpiece as well. Every visually gorgeous film I've seen, lacked storytelling, character, and depth. This movie was stunning, in every way. See "Hugo." It truly is, a masterpiece.

Hugo es emocionalmente cautivadora. Es una pelicula llena de magia...a todos los amantes del cine les parecera un emocionate viaje en la historia del septimo arte. Es visualmente atractiva, cada detalle de Hugo fue cuidado a tan grado que parece ser casi perfecta. Una de las mejores peliculas que he visto ultimamente y un clasico instantaneo.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Very disappointing given the hype. The darndest thing is that it just isn't very interesting --though it should be given its, pardon, mechanisms and reality behind the magic. Whether fantasy or magical realism, this movie evoked no emotions in me --oops. The only reason to see it is Sacha Baron Cohen as the inspector, who endearingly steals what little is left of the show.… Expand

Guys this time the critics are on a right track the movie far more best classic movie of one of the great director of our time Martin Scorsese. It it is the best adventure movie of our time and whats in bonus its an awesome joy-full adventure for all ages. Its a full family entertainer. So go and watch the movie and uncover the secret of Hugo Cabret.

Yes, most people have it right here. Beautiful to look at and all. Great homage. Nice Depp to the thing, as a sort of Django Reinhardt/Depp there in the Cafe, along with James Joyce and Salvador Dalí type playing guitar...but who cares? It pains me to say this but it was very stale dog turds. The only light bits were Sacha Cohen...and it was nice that there wasn't a lot of dialog...but, what was that LONG INTRO then BAM! Here's the title? Orson Welles homage? WTF? Lame.… Expand

The Other Scorsese

One Martin Scorsese uses cinema to make violent, 'realistic' films like Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Casino and Goodfellas, while the other one makes gentle, thoughtful films like The Age Of Innocence, Kundun and Hugo.(He also makes music documentaries like Woodstock, Last Waltz and Shine a Light.)

This lavish 3D production is a labor of love devoted to the making of films, the true subject of Hugo. The story is about an orphan who lives in a Paris train station who carries on the family tradition of fixing clocks. In this tale, he turns his hand to fixing the broken life of Georges Meliere (Ben Kingsley), chased by the evil station master (Sacha Baron Cohen, wonderful) and helped by the young, female ward of the great cinema innovator. Who is it aimed at? It is too old for very young children, too slow for older children, and not adept enough to move many adults because of its almost cartoony style. It is like Frank Capra on acid, but not nearly as witty.

Nevertheless, it is enjoyable, brilliantly made, occasionally surprising and well played by the cast. One quibbling question: why are all the French people, English? Why not cast French people or Americans? Is it because Americans only belong in Type 1 Scorsese films?… Expand

HUGO is the one of the most wonderfully pleasant movies I have ever seen ... The first time I have actually felt "movie magic." Please do not miss this movie.

I wish I could tell Martin Scorsese how much his movie impacted my life. His movie is a true masterpiece. Utterly breathtaking. I wish I could watch it for the first time again.

A great movie for all ages....timeless/classic/etc....but I was lucky to see it at a movie company's private theatre on a very wide screen and in 3D with great sound....do yourself a favor, and see it at the best theatre you can find, and you must see it in 3D....I promise you if you love movies, you will be blown away. its like a charles dickens classic in 3D.

Most impressive use of 3D since Avatar and beautiful cinematography, costumes, and sets throughout. However the story is aimed too squarely at film history buffs (like me) who will appreciate Scorsese's cinematic love song to the development of motion pictures, and therefore this one will have very limited audience appeal. Much more geared towards those over 40 than for the kiddies (and their 20/30-something parents) who will only enjoy the 3D effects but will find the overall film to be painfully slow and too specific to the early silent film era. Grade = B… Expand

This movie is not captivating, not magical and not exiting. a movie about a washed up old man and a kid is pathetic Tin Tin was a better movie choice. I really did not like this.

Truly inspiration, and stunning. By far it easily tops "The Help" of Harry Potter and the deathly Hollows part 2." Watch out Oscars this could be the big winner

Well, I didnâ

2 words to describe this disaster: boring, garbage!

I can't believe the critics gave this such a high score. They are blind or just stupid. How do you become a critic anyway? Critics are worthless shills to artsy fartsy crappola and follow each other like blind sheep.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Hugo is a film that is technically brilliant but almost every other aspect fell short in my opinion. The cinematography is incredible and is one of the main reasons why the movie pulls you in initially. However, the story eventually let me down. Chloe Moretz is a great up-and-coming actress and she does well in this role, but Asa Butterfield isn't quite ready for a main role and in certain moments he comes off as awkward. The story is just too slow and uneventful for most of the movie. Also, moments that could be powerful are dramatically downplayed, such as Hugo's relationship with his father and uncle. When Hugo learns that his father died, he literally has no reaction and shows very little emotion. The father is a large part of the story, and he doesn't even shed a tear? The movie shifts halfway through to a story about the history of movies, which is probably why the critics praised it so much. The movie has it's moments, but I feel like it is predictable. I can't imagine kids really getting into this and enjoying it, though the blame is more on the marketing (who tried to sell it as a kids movie). Martin Scorsese is an all-time great director, and it's great to see him experiment so late in his career. However, Hugo was a big disappointment for me. I still recommend seeing it as it does have it's moments, but I definitely feel like this could have been so much more.… Expand

Actually, I liked this film although I did find it initially rather slow going. I nodded off for a short time and then perked up. It is a visually attractive film which is very stylized. The combination of old Paris and the old silent films is totally a visual treat. The film has a wonderful cast including the classy Christopher Lee, Frances De La Tour and even a **** cameo by director Scorsese. I did find though that the Hugo character lacked personal charm. However, his co-star looked to me as if she was a young Kim Catrell. This one has more warmth than a usual Scorsese film which is a plus. Still, hard to beat The Departed which was totally brilliant!… Expand

What to say about this film "HUGO".Director Martin Scorsese beautifully presented the story to the screen.The story filled with Adventure and Emotion of a little boy who try to do everything to know about the secret. Awesome Screenplay and Cinematography and the hard work is shown on each an every frame of the movie. It is really one of the Masterpiece in Hollywood Movies.

This movie is a little messy. It's like two movies in one. The first one - about the boy looking for a key - is a little boring and doesn't really go anywhere. But the second one - about Georges Melies - is wonderful.

Scorsese's another masterpiece. I have always adored him as the master of gangster genre - however, this family film also proves that Scorsese has talent in almost all genres of films. In sports genre, 'Raging Bull'; in gangster genre, well... too many; in romance genre, 'The Age of Innocence' and maybe 'Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore'; in family film genre, 'Hugo'... All his films impressed us with his brilliant direction, imagination and courage. Thank you so much, Mr. Scorsese.… Expand

A wonderful movie for all ages. Beautiful art direction, and score. Hugo is not what I thought it would be, but it was something better. A story about french cinema, on protecting it through the years. The movie plays out slowly but great. The opening sequence was marvelous, as it sets up for the rest of the movie. This movie should be walking away with some Oscars come February.

Any film directed by Scorsese is automatically awarded a place on my 'must see' list. I was somewhat dubious about Hugo, but went along anyway. My views on the film are mixed - I'd say it had high aspirations, and occasional flashes of brilliance, but ultimately it fell short for me. The story was functional, and it had some moments which bordered on the profound, but the plot was somewhat mechanical (like the subject matter) and ties between various elements were wafer thin such that the conclusion was not as satisfying as it could have been. The environments and the cinematography were beautiful throughout, but the pacing was a bit off - leading to several patches were I was bored (and feeling guilty for being so), in spite of the beautiful visuals and breathtaking recreation of a bygone era.

Sir Ben Kingsley was magnificent - as was the cast generally; although the young lad playing the lead was sometimes annoying for me. But the most disappointing aspect of the film for me was where it crossed the line between plot progression and telling a story into the realm of self-serving indulgence. Film critics will lap it up given it spends a great deal of time lecturing the audience on events of historical significance if you are a film buff. The film tries to weave this into the story by tying it to the characters but it comes off forced and grating. Would I see it again? No. Would I recommended it... probably not.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a very good movie. It may not be as good as Star Wars, but it beats many other movies that I've seen. It has a very interesting plot, in which, the main character is trying to get a former director to believe in himself again. This director stated that he now hated creating movies, because after the Great War, (World War I) he threw all of his equipment away, and never went back to making movies. So now in the end, the director gave everything to a museum, and celebrated his movies. The dynamic characters in the story are very interesting as well. Everyone seems to change very much from beginning to end. The only real problem I have with this movie is that the beginning of it was slower than a Legend of Zelda game. I had no idea who any of these characters were, because at first, they weren't properly introduced until a short while later. However, the rest of this movie more than makes up for this shortcoming.… Expand

This flick seems to be aimed at the minds of children who can best appreciate insignificant fantasies such as this movie is. Hugo does have strengths in its visual and technical qualities such as set design, but these are not enough to catapult it to a higher level.

Hugo is directed by either Spielberg or Scorsese. I think it's Scorsese, but it felt like Spielberg. The film even had some John Williams-style big music, composed by Howard Shore (yeah, that's right! the saxophone player from the band Lighthouse!)

This fantasy is about a boy who lives in the walls of a Paris train station. Not since The Legend of 1900 have I heard of anything this screwy. Inside these walls are the guts of the station's clocks. The guts consist of cogs, gears, counterweights, pinions, springs, and inexplicably steam.

During the course of the film, we learn that Hugo is the dude that built C3PO (or some C3PO prototype). C3PO reveals to Hugo that the local old grump (played by Ben Kingsley) is in fact a forerunner to movie wizards like Spielsese or Scorberg.

Anyway, I saw this movie in regular old boring 2D. I didn't realize it was a 3D film until the scene where some pages with drawings go flying from the kids' hands and drift all over the screen. At first I was thinking, "What the hell is this all about? Am I supposed to be mesmerized by fluttering stationery?" Then I realized that this was intended to be seen in super-duper 3D. "Ahh," I thought, "Now I see. Ooooh, that would have been so cool to see all that paper flying around in 3D." We haven't witnessed anything like this in cinematic history since the famous bolo-bat scene in the 1953 film House of Wax.

Hugo does a lot of hiding and running, primarily from a train station cop played by Sacha Baron Cohen. Cohen's character is an amalgam of Inspectors Javert and Clouseau. He and his trusty Doberman Pinscher cannot seem to track down the elusive boy who knows the station and its walls like the inner workings of an automaton. During one climactic scene, Hugo gives the Inspector the slip by doing a Harold Lloyd impression from a clock tower.

Once the Inspector catches up with Hugo, they have a talk. During the conversation, the little urchin makes the Inspector laugh. The Inspector tells him that he's funny. Hugo then says, "I'm funny how? I mean funny like I'm a clown? I amuse you? I make you laugh, I'm here to f____n' amuse you? What do you mean funny? Funny how? How am I funny? What the f__k is so funny about me? Tell me, tell me what's funny!"

Wait a minute. I might me confused. That dialog might be from a different movie a real Scorcese film.

All in all, Hugo isn't such a bad movie. But in retrospect, I think I would have preferred watching the Harold Lloyd film, Safety Last.… Expand

One of the best movies I have seen in recent memory. And even my kids, who don't usually like serious themed movies, had to watch it a second time as soon as it came out on bluray. Even though we saw it twice in the theaters. MUST SEE.

Beautiful!!!!! a truly spellbinding classy epic oscar worthy film that is unforgettable and cannot be overhyped it is wonderful!!! S e e t h i s m o v i e ....it is important that you do.

First of all, I'm a big fan of Great Scorsese, but this film is absolutely one of the most overrated movies of all time. well of course the visual effects are awesome, also with fantastic 3D effects, but the story is extraordinary boring.

I think most audiences from 12 and under will find Hugo to be one of the best films for their age group. Outside of that age range will likely find the film to be of fantastic quality in every category. The true question for most readers is, do you like family films? Can you tolerate them? If so, rent it, buy it, borrow it, or somehow find a way to watch it. I think you will like it, if not absolutely love it. For me personally, I think it really is a beautiful and stunning film to see, and the acting is spot on. I just didn't care for the film after the first say hour and a half or so. Not that the last half hour is bad, in fact I rather liked it at first. It was after re-watching part of it, and thinking about it in depth that I began to realize its flaws. I do think it was rather predictable in ways, which is to be somewhat expected as a family film. I also can't get over the ending feeling like an attempt at becoming a shoe-in at the Oscars. This does bother me to a certain extent how it was done, and how educational it became on the start of the film industry. I hope if anything this ends up inspiring youth to be more creative as I find there to be far too few of these around today. None-the-less, still a well done film and was glad to have seen what it was all about.

For my full review, visit http://visuallyimpairedreviews.blogspot.com/2012/03/hugo.html… Expand

Good story - very creative. Wonderful child actors. Not too sappy and even some historic background to keep older watchers interested. Well done. S B Cohen did a great job as the police officer.

It seems that people enjoy making unbiased assumptions about others. You take your time to give a low score and give your insight on this film, and then expect us to respect your opinion, the problem is that you then start making such stupid assumptions on why critics gave Hugo a high score. You want us to believe your opinion, but then create such ridiculous reasoning for other opinions as if their opinion were wrong, the movie expresses love for other movies, therefore, that is the ONLY reason why the critics gave it a high mark? Preposterous. That is not a sane justification of any hypothetical. These people think they know better than movie critics, Your opinion of this movie, although unexplained well and improper, is not relevant to my point, the bitter assumptions of why critics gave this film a high mark is relevant to the point. Hugo, a film about fixing people, unfortunately, the message was not received. People saw the film, but they did not truly watch it. There is plenty of effort found in this movie, it has so much heart and beauty. The small minor details are not important, it is a very kind film that does not deserve such arrogant rhetoric. Review the film such as that of a professional, Do not scoff or insult the film, critique it. if you cannot, then you truly are broken. Arrogance is the weak poison of humanity.… Expand

This movie starts out so fine -- what a world Scorcese creates, ripe for an adventure which the girl yearns for. And that appears to be what's in store, mysteries are afoot but alas what we ultimately get is a history lesson on the cinema. And ironically the artist he celebrates would never have been so unimaginative in his movies. Yet Scorcese's world might be strong enough to overcome the lackluster ending and still garner him his elusive award.… Expand