'Hugo' Review

Compared to his contemporaries Martin Scorsese's output has been one of consistent quality. Where his fellow movie brats wavered in their ability to bring true magic to the screen, Scorsese managed to stay fit. It's hard to tell where his inspiration lies.

Through the years he has shown to have a fascination for morally ambiguous characters often dumped in a gritty and violent milieu. This makes his latest film, 'Hugo', all the more peculiar. It might be the most atypical film Scorsese has ever directed.

Hugo Cabret is a twelve-year-old forced to maintain the clocks of the Parisian railway station Gare Montparnasse. Before being stuck at the station he lived with his widowed father, a master clockmaker and loving parent. Tragically, he dies in a fire leaving Hugo with nothing but a broken automaton; a mechanical man with the ability to write.

Fixing the contraption means everything to the poor orphan for he believes it contains a secret message from his late father. Getting the necessary parts and tools, however, proofs dangerous. He continuously steals from an old man's toy store. His name is Georges Méliès; a name which should (but probably doesn't) ring a bell with film fans everywhere. With help from Méliès' goddaughter Isabelle, Hugo discovers the connection between the bitter old man and the mysterious automaton. 

As some may know Georges Méliès was one of the pioneers of early cinema. The greatest joy of 'Hugo' is the way it mixes fiction and reality to create a dream of a story. In the end, we kind of wish was all true, even though we are perfectly aware that there never was a boy called Hugo Cabret. Scorsese takes on the role of your favourite history teacher. The one that didn't just dryly conjure up historical facts but who took the effort to draw you into his story. 

In the latter half 'Hugo' reveals itself to be a love letter to cinema; featuring a romanticized retelling of Méliès' return to his cinematic past. Sprinkled throughout are tiny surprises like a wind-up mouse brought to life with stop-motion. There's much more fun to be had as Scorsese beautifully shows us how Georges Méliès brought his dreamlike visions to life. It's the perfect illustration of how filmmakers are the natural descendants of the illusionists and magicians.

Then there's the incredible cast. Asa Butterfield does a remarkable job as the titular hero; he possesses a natural charm which makes Hugo a character worth watching. Chloë Grace Moretz provides an appropriate amount of innocence and wonder in contrast to Hugo's grim look on life. 

The main attraction, however, is Ben Kingsley who portrays Méliès with grace and a bitter yearning for the past. Filling out the cast are some familiar faces. Sacha Baron Cohen, for instance, as the funny but vulnerable station inspector. Another welcome surprise was the presence of Sir Christopher Lee; who, at 89, has become a living part of film history.

With 'Hugo' Martin Scorsese has shown a side of him which seems deeply personal. So, if you have any love for the medium of film, please, go see this movie. It might run a little long and could do without some of the padding but it's a charming piece of cinema. And if you do take my advice, do mind to see it in merciful 2D. It looks a lot better that way. 

Chronicle Review

When I saw the first trailer for 'Chronicle' I wasn't impressed. To me it looked like just another attempt to exploit the found-footage genre. Mixing it up with superheroes seemed like a pitiful combination of two tired genres. I mean, what's next? We've already got witches, ghosts, aliens, giant monsters, zombies and rave parties. It's getting old.

Fortunately 'Chronicle' delivers. It makes wise use of the nature of found-footage films. For instance, instead of sticking to one camera the filmmakers dare to cut to different viewpoints originating from many different devices. This way we get a good look at what's going on. Also, the logical problem of that one guy who keeps recording even though the world crumbles around him is avoided. We can thank writer Max Landis (son of the well-known filmmaker John Landis) and director Josh Trank for creating a smart and engaging supernatural thriller. 

As with many films about otherworldy happenings we need good characters to connect with. These come in the forms of Matt, Steve and Andrew; three high-schoolers in their senior year. All three of them fit within the familiar stereotypes so often found in flicks about the teenage years. Steve's the popular jock character, Andrew's the socially awkward nerd and Matt's the Regular Joe everyone can identify with. Don't let this put you off, though. The three leads are sufficiently fleshed-out to make you care. 

'Chronicle' starts out feeling like a docudrama about Andrew's troubled life. Through his old camera we meet his father, an abusive drunk, his deathly ill mother, his nephew Matt and the people who bully him at school. Later on he's asked by Steve to take his camera to record 'a strange thing in the woods'. They find a glowing orb which has burrowed it's way deep into the ground. After touching the thing they possess telekinetic powers; meaning they can move stuff around without using physical contact. 

From here on out the film provides a plausible account of how a couple of teenagers would use these powers. At first they screw around, playing pranks on people. But as their powers grow so do their exploits. Predictably, someone ends up getting hurt. Andrew, the tortured youngster, grabs the opportunity to change his life for the better. But when life throws him yet another curveball by revealing the fleeting nature of  social acceptance he's driven over the edge. 

What follows is a brilliantly executed tragedy. Trank and Landis suck us in with a well-told story about human nature. One that we've seen countless times before but when well done can still be powerful. Much of its succes is rooted in the chemistry between the three young actors. Michael B. Jordan and Alex Russell give sympathetic performances as Steve and Matt. But Dane DeHaan, in particular, shines as the disturbed Andrew. In some scenes he reminded me of a young Leonardo DiCaprio. All in all, 'Chronicle' is a succes that should resonate with today's young audiences.