A magical film that appeals to all ages.

Rating: 9/10 (16 June 2014)

The atmosphere of the film reminded me very much of that of The Polar Express. I don't know why seeing as I haven't watched that film in probably a decade, but it had a very mystical and magical feel to it. A film about dreams that seemed very dreamlike itself. It was well edited and the effects were fantastical. It was set in the early 20th century and had the feel of it.
The actors were brilliant as well. Asa Butterfield, even at that young age was incredible. He was in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and more recently, Ender's Game. His striking blue eyes really helped convey the emotions of his character well in this film. There are so many rising child actors; where do they get all their talent from?! Chloe Grace as well. I had trouble placing where I'd seen her from until I went on to IMDb to check. I couldn't recognize her without her Hit Girl costume. Plus her character was the total opposite, I guess my brain couldn't connect the dots. That translates to great acting.
I really loved the part where Hugo says: "I'd imagine the whole world was one big machine. Machines never come with any extra parts, you know. They always come with the exact amount they need. So I figured, if the entire world was one big machine, I couldn't be an extra part. I had to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason too." Genius.
I don't really have any criticism for this film. Though I think they could've played more with the mechanical man. It was such a big part of the film and is basically what the film is centred on, but it doesn't really do much. After it was fixed, we still see it, but the focus is no longer on it. The focus of the film went from Hugo, the automaton, Georges and finally Isabelle. Not really sure if I liked the many transitions. I understand that the automaton was a symbol but I would've liked to learn more about it.
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