Scorsese is still not running out of breath

Rating: 9/10 (21 May 2017)

'Hugo' obviously isn't a traditional Scorsese experience, bereft of any tones from Goodfellas or Casino. Scorsese is poetically breaking new ground, directing his first 3D film about the man who effectively invented special effects. In a sense, the film is reflective of Scorsese's childhood and life as a filmmaker with the story being told through the eyes of a child tinkering with his toys, trying to obtain something special - the immediate parallel that comes to mind is Scorsese discovering 3D, and making this movie. 'Hugo' is how a family film should be made, albeit some minor miscasts and perhaps the first half suffered from slow pacing, it has both the imagination and visual stimulation for children with a simple yet layered story told through sympathetic characters and quirky gags. Also appealing to the adult audience with its complex themes, and references to cinema particularly in the second half whereby most people will enjoy the utter ingenuity in the film.