A young boy living in a Paris train station struggles to survive and find purpose in his life.

Rating: 10/10 (10 December 2011)

Even to say that "Hugo" is visually stunning is a tremendous understatement. It would be so anyway but with the beautiful 3D effect it really is an outstanding accomplishment. The city of Paris is shown in lovely sweeping shots as snow flakes drift toward the ground. The train station itself is an architectural masterpiece and takes on a life of its own as Hugo navigates its deep recesses with an easy finesse. The shopkeepers, passengers, and police who traverse the station daily make for excellent people watching for Hugo, who manages to find sustenance one way or another during their distractions. These efforts finally land him in trouble with the somewhat comical, somewhat villainous child hating gendarme who patrols the station. Hugo is the kind of boy who makes a normal human being want to give him a reassuring hug and take him under their wing. As you watch his struggle, you can't help but hope for a happy ending.