Scorsese fixing things!

Rating: 10/10 (25 February 2012)

The film is very touching. IMO, it inspires at many levels and all the characters themselves draw inspiration from the events of the film. I found it very emotional from all of the character's viewpoint.
The characters were well developed. It has clearly but in a subtle way portrayed:
1) Hugo's great connection with his father 2) Isabelle has read a lot about adventures and all but never had any. She likes many things but doesn't know her purpose and in the end, she does find one. 3) the station inspector had a great feeling for the flower lady but couldn't take a step forward on account of his fears and getting adept to not needing/having a family. 4) Christopher Lee's character and his approach to the world via books
... and many more things that if I start counting will capture every part of the film really. Everyone was a dreamer.
I really like the sequence where Hugo's dream is followed up by another one. That is first of a kind I have seen ever. I may be ignorant if its shown elsewhere, however. But its portrayed in a way that dreams are bizarre but still very much linked to what occupies our mind.
It also showed how the war not only changed the lives of the soldiers and everyone directly involved but also affected may people indirectly. In this case, a film-maker and his entire passion/business and everyone else involved. What a great point the film has made on this front, short but simply brilliant!
Looking at the film made me feel that it would have sounded more befitting if one told me that it was made by Tim Burton and immediately made me recall Edward Scissorhands. But it was Martin Scorsese and when I come to think of it, it is more befitting to him considering the context of the film and history of films more importantly.
The way he feels about the history of cinema, contributions of various film-makers and his encyclopedic knowledge of that, I just could not resist thinking that may be, Scorsese is "Hugo" and the child in him is trying to fix things for the forgotten dreamers. I take it as a tribute to all the people who dreamed, loved telling stories via this media and created a magnificent escape from reality, or even show the reality, developed this medium, who are easily forgotten and broken. It mends their hearts with devotion and probably that is why the key to the working of the automaton is also heart shaped which is thing Hugo keeps looking for to fix it.
Ed Wood was my previous favorite trying to attempt that, but this has surpassed it. It doesn't mean Ed Wood isn't brilliant. Of course, in the vast sea of cinema there can be 2 or more "best".
Try to see it from Scorsese's eyes as he is the story-teller, try to understand what's said and left unsaid, try to understand the expressions. This film gets a purpose and meaning, many may be. Suit yourself with whatever way you are able to connect with it.
The least it can do for you is inspire you to do something, because machines never come with any extra parts, you know. They always come with the exact amount they need. So, if the entire world was one big machine, you and I couldn't be an extra part. We had to be here for some reason! In the times of deepest troubles, we can still be useful for someone. Someone who may need us.