Movie: Hugo
Hugo is amazing to look at. The style and filmmaking are beyond reproach. Given all this, I reluctantly must say that the story just did not completely connect with me.
A story about an orphan boy, unappreciated talent, and the history of early film should have been right up my alley. I just thought Hugo veered around too much.
There are great action sequences in a non-action movie. There are lovely comedic, romantic, and dramatic moments but they sit as vignettes and do not blend together.
And the film seems to say that a loving family does not make a man work, meaning to function as a human being. He must have a purpose as well… unless his purpose is to find a loving family. Hmmm.
Don’t get me wrong. Hugo is definitely worth watching. The moments are all great. They just don’t stream into a whole for me.
If I Picked the Oscars 2012 (in order of my vote)
Best Picture:
- Hugo
- The Artist (have not seen)
- The Descendents (have not seen)
- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (have not seen)
- The Help (have not seen)
- Midnight in Paris (have not seen)
- Moneyball (have not seen)
- The Tree of Life (have not seen)
- War Horse (probably will not see)
Best Director:
- Martin Scorsese (Hugo)
- Michael Hazanavicius (The Artist), have not seen
- Alexander Payne (The Descendents), have not seen
- Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris), have not seen
- Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life), have not seen

Some movies tell the fall-in-love part. Some movies tell the fall-out-of-love part. Blue Valentine does both.