Hugo (2011)

Rating: 9/10 (4 June 2012)

Scorsese departs from the norm with a brilliantly magical family film about a lonely boy who lives in a train station. Left an orphan, the boy is recruited by his boozy uncle to manage the station clocks, and wanders into an adventure that delves wonderfully into the charming world of early cinema. Child actors Asa Butterfield and Chloe Grace Moretz provide strong and endearing performances, and Ben Kingsley is knockout as usual. Strong cinematography, script, and editing bring the whole piece together, and somehow retains an enthralling atmosphere despite the relaxed pacing of the film. A certain level of ultra-innocence is present (as expected) from a filmmaker who rarely deals with the genre. Overall, certainly one of the more exceptional films of the year.