Scorsese does it again in a brand new genre

Rating: 9/10 (22 January 2012)

This visually dazzling film is Martin Scorsese's tribute to the history of cinema. The film celebrates the escapist roots and pioneers of the art form that quickly became the most popular and influential of the modern era. The wide-eyed title character, Hugo Cabret, is drawn unlike most child characters in the movies. He has real integrity and curiosity; features contributed mainly by John Logan's warm script and Asa Butterfield's performance. The film also doesn't talk down to it's audience even though it's a family film. It still remains both elegant and innocent giving children and adults two different film experiences. For kids (I wouldn't recommend the film to very young children) the film is an adventure full of eye-popping visuals. For adults however, the film is a tale of redemption and second chances.
In the last act of the film, the characters frequently reference the magic of cinema and it's transportive quality. It's at this point in the film that we realise that Scorsese has been working that very same magic established by filmmakers such as Melies, Keaton and Lloyd on us.