By Taylor Campos

 

After his father’s death, the only remaining memento Hugo had of his father resided within memories, and a broken automaton his father brought home from the museum. An automaton is an interactive machine that looks similar to a robot. Hugo and his father worked together and planned on fixing this broken automaton, and then tragedy struck.

Hugo lives a hard laboring life at the train station, especially when trying to avoid one of the stations inspectors (Sacha Baron Cohen) and his guard dog. The station inspector was constantly catching young, poverty stricken boys, and sending them to the orphanage. Despite his intolerable and harsh manner, the inspector has a weakness when it comes down to the station’s lovely and charming flower girl (Emily Mortimer).

Although Hugo’s father died before they could fully repair the automaton Hugo still worked on fixing it himself. In order to attain the gears necessary to fix the automaton Hugo would steal from the mean old man (Sir Ben Kingsley) who owned a toyshop in the station.

After getting caught stealing for numerous items Hugo is forced to work with the grouchy old man and pay off his debt to the store. A very special and significant friendship develops between Hugo and the toyshop owner’s goddaughter Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretz). This friendship would soon change everything in Hugo’s world.

This movie will engage kids of all ages! Though the younger ones may not completely capture Scorsese’s message, they will surely enjoy the movie’s crystal clear 3-D special effects! Tween’s and parents however; this is something you have to see! All throughout the movie you are taken on a classic and adventurous journey with lots of ups and downs!

For many of you history buffs out there, much like Chloë Grace Moretz herself, Mr. Scorsese incorporated the art and magic behind film making into “Hugo” in a way that kids would understand it, how movies are ways for all of us to dream.

Our generation of kids will learn all about the history of black and white film, silent film, the machines that were used to watch movies, and how the coloration of film came about. Mr. Scorsese also includes information about Georges Méliès, who was a real life movie director, and made hundreds of short films in early history!

This film features a great deal about how movies can be enchanting and life changing for their audience. One film shown meant a lot to Hugo, it helped him keep faith in his dad, even in the hardest of times, believing that he’d left something behind for him.

To add on to my awesome NYC experience of watching “Hugo”, I also had the thrilling privilege of attending a press conference with the stars and co-producers of “Hugo”! I found out interesting information about the stars themselves and their characters!

According to the stars, you were never taken out of the world of Hugo, even off set. Every single little detail was accounted for; even things that couldn’t be seen by camera. It genuinely felt like they were in 1930’s Paris!

“Marty doesn’t just tell you what to do, he lets you bring your own ideas to the character” explained 14 year old actor Asa Butterfield, who played Hugo. This was beneficial for the stars because it was like they were always in character, and that was amazing! The entire cast also appreciated that Mr. Scorsese allowed them to incorporate some of their own interpretations of the characters.

Asa revealed to the audience that one of the biggest challenges about filming “Hugo” was “relating to Hugo, because Hugo had no parents and was forced to grow up faster than he should have had to, and all his hardships” The crying scenes were also difficult for Asa, being that it was “draining mentally and physically.”

Asa also shared that working with Mr. Scorsese meant, “He had to do his homework”. Mr. Scorsese had a number of the cast research about Georges Méliès who was the real life film director from the movie.

Chloë on the other hand found it difficult to “conquer the accent” for her part, but she did a phenomenal job and actually tricked Martin Scorsese at the audition for “Hugo” into thinking she was British!

You can only imagine how excited I was when I got to ask a question of my own to Asa Butterfield!

I asked Asa “What character traits of Hugo are kids going to relate to?”

Asa responded, “It depends on the child’s age, younger kids will get the adventure side, but kids my age or even older will get the deeper and more emotional side, about being alone and lonely….The troubled side.

“All the characters were wounded in some way, whether emotionally or physically but in the end they were able to push past that and truly be happy.” According to Sir Ben Kingsley, who plays film director Georges Méliès. “That’s what made the film magical,” He further explained.

I agree with Sir Ben Kingsley, the film really was magical. “Hugo” helps the audience and kids understand that, no matter what the problem is, you can get through it. “Hugo” also helps kids understand that everything and everyone in this world has a purpose, no matter how small. Once you find that purpose, you’ve made your way home. And with hope you can fine your own place there. Be sure you don’t miss out on this heartfelt and fantastic story of a twelve-year old boy named Hugo.

 

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