Hugo (2011)

I remember hearing that Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, The Departed) was directing a movie called Hugo, rated PG. To say I was skeptical was an understatement. Exiting the theater, however, I had the distinct feeling that I now understood the gangster director better than I ever did watching Gangs of New York. Among many other things, Hugo's magic is found in the apparent affection Scorsese had for this creation.

The story follows a boy named Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield). The 12-year-old orphan is depicted in tattered clothes, disheveled hair and a perpetually dirty nose. Following after his late father (Jude Law), he runs the clocks in the railway station - though to do so while avoiding the station's constable (Sacha Baren Cohen), intent on sending him to the orphanage, is not easy. He doesn't say much at first, but his eyes tell a story of their own. His passion lies in the old automaton that his father left him and he stresses and thieves to get it working again. With the help of his new friend Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz, straight outta Kickass), they fix the automaton just enough for it to draw them a picture - a picture that leads them back to the famed film director Georges Melies.

It's based off the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. By itself, the story is lovely, but it's even more magical when seeing it connect to Scorsese on a personal level. In an interview, Scorsese has said that he identified with the young Hugo's lonely voyeuristic upbringing. As a young boy, Scorsese was very ill with asthma and spent much of his time indoors at the movie theater. In many a sense, it's semi-autobiographical. But Scorsese isn't just Hugo, he's also Melies. An inventor and filmmaker, Melies was instrumental in early film and in special effects. Small films like A Trip to the Moon and The Impossible Voyage are still remarkable and iconic. Scorsese filmed this film in 3D and it's beautiful. The opening shot zooming over Paris is striking, bright, and impressively detailed. 

This is largely a movie about movies. What film lover doesn't love that? Hugo's sad eyes light up when he goes to the pictures. The dawning of the cinematic world is unfolded before the children's eyes (and our own). It celebrates movies by reflecting back on where we've been and paying tribute to those we owe so much. It paints a beautiful picture of the power that film has on us. Because through movies, we can see our dreams. 

Beyond that, the story itself is deeply emotional. Sir Ben Kingsley plays Monsieur Melies himself. There are some incredibly touching scenes of him lamenting the loss of his work and the decline of his career. He cries at the thought of his films being melted and destroyed and his life's work unseen and unappreciated. These scenes are some of the best in the film.

All the elements blend together for a perfect love letter to the movies we all love and hold dear. Asa Butterfield and Chloe Grace Moretz model our own discovery and longing for adventure while we get to learn about the story played by the veteran actors. Beside Kingsley, Christopher Lee delivers an exemplary supporting performance.

Despite its PG rating, it appeals more to adults in a family friendly way. I can't say I would have appreciated it as much as a child than I do as an adult. Either way it's wonderful to see this other side of Martin Scorsese through this beautiful tale. 9/10

Prince of Persia (2010)

The story goes something like this: Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) is an Aladdin-like street urchin who, after a random act of courage, finds himself as the newly adopted son of the king of Persia (Ronald Pickup).  Fifteen years later, after he and his foster brothers Garsiv (Toby Kebbell) and Tus (Richard Coyle) attack the neighboring city of Alamut where Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton) reigns, Dastan is wrongly accused of murdering the king and turns fugitive.  The rest of the movie depicts his adventures in the sand (and through time) with his new princess travelling companion, Tamina and the mysterious nature of the dagger he now possesses.

I went into this movie with extremely low expectations but exiting the theater, I can’t quite say that it’s bad!  Compared to other video games to film?  Yeah, it isn’t that horrible.  In fact for once its video game qualities were the reasons to SEE it, not the reasons to AVOID it.  Mike Newell’s (HP and the Goblet of Fire) direction manages to pull everything together in a satisfactory manner that is better than your average VG flick.  The script is blah, the acting is meh, – but it isn’t rotten.  Jake Gyllenhaal was yummy as the impossibly buff protagonist, and the video game sequences were stylish and entertaining.  The plot was surprisingly original, well paced and full of lots of fun stuntwork.  I had a good time, no joke.  I’m not sure if I was more entertained by the film or the audience I was with – all of whom were at the edge of their seats with anticipation laughing, screaming, gasping, the whole works – but either way it was a pleasant and enjoyable two hours.  Beware the notable eye-liner infestation on our leading lady and none other than Sir Kingsley.  I’ll probably never see it again but I don’t regret having seen it once.  I’d give a solid 8/10 for entertainment value but when considering all factors I’ll give it a 5/10 overall score.

And heck, it’s gotta be better than The Last Airbender!  Or so I’m told.