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What we're talking about
- Claire on Council won't put foot down Ok so we have established they want their land back, but what do they actually want to do on that land? Are they going to ... more
- Susie Madsen on Council won't put foot down Howard, you have made several incorrect statements. Protestors did not "block the streets" yest. I was there. Many local ... more
- daisy on Council won't put foot down Could we please see a more honest interpretation of the government plan for the Perth foreshore. Please publish pictures ... more
- Kevin Fisher on Anna's plea for help As Anna's carer, I would like to thank 6PR and Channel 9 for their coverage and support for her. She has lifted somewhat but ... more
- Rob Brown on Council won't put foot down This might sound rough but if they don't want Barnets money just there land then let them have it but if they set foot on ... more
- Colin Coelho on Anna's plea for help Dear Anna,All the best with losing the weight, getting the operation and achieving your dreams beyond that.I have known ... more
- Bazza S on Protestors want Governor's help Just wondering how Marianne Headland can claim to be a Nyoongar person if one of her parents is a white Australian? She is ... more
- Lesley Dewar on Logging debate: Who is right? I have spent the last four days driving around near Bridgetown and Nannup, taking photographs of current forestry practices. ... more
- Not happy Jan! on Protestors want Governor's help Seriously it's time to get these people off the reserve if they are breaking the law, the sooner the better. Why not while ... more
- garfield on Accusation of disrespect in Darwin to the uninformed from freo "Paul "on pmurray 20.2.2012 .primary vote by party .labor 35% liberal 53% greens(who ... more
- Missy on We're spiritually imprisoned Why don't we let these "poor" Nyoongar people have some of their traditional land back, but as a trade off they have to give ... more
- Claire on We're spiritually imprisoned There are plenty of laws they don't recognise at Heirisson like no camping, no cars, no fires, etc. How come their kids ... more
- Mandy on Logging debate: Who is right? The fact is that only a small portion of the original forests in the SW remain. So to say that logging is acceptable and ... more
- Alec Strachan on Boat people getting luxury goods It would've been nice if my family had been offered those perks when we arrived in this country in 1983. But we had to fend ... more
- Donna Selby on Logging debate: Who is right? Jess Beckerling makes a clear argument. The industry and government cannot deny the truth and the people of WA will not ... more
- Axel on Logging debate: Who is right? Why don't you actually get someone who knows something about cockatoos - not people who are pushing their own agenda. The ... more
- tony on Protesters have it wrong How much more money are these people going to rip off the tax payers, 200 years cook took Australia from a mob who had ... more
- Stefani on Iva Davies I used to listen to 'Man of Colours' until I remembered every nuance of every note. Thank you for a lovely interview. Wish ... more
- Gerry Georgatos on Protesters staying put Legally, they do have land rights. Unless they formally cede these rights these rights are not extinguished. The Convention ... more
- Gerry Georgatos on Logging debate: Who is right? The FPC guideline actually does prescribe that where they exist 5 primary trees must remain in each hectare in addition to 6 ... more
HUGO
It’s no surprise that Martin Scorsese’s new film — his first in 3D — leads the Oscar race with 11 nominations. It’s a pure masterpiece from a master filmmaker at the top of his game. But it’s more than that. It’s his most personal work, and perhaps his most moving film yet.
Hugo is based on the children’s novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick and is set in a cavernous Paris train station, circa 1931. That’s where young Hugo (Asa Butterfield) works with his father (Jude Law) on maintaining the station’s many giant clocks.
When Hugo father suddenly dies, he’s left in the lack of care of his drunken uncle (Ray Winstone). To avoid the rigid station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen), who’s intent on sending him to an orphanage, Hugo secretly takes over the clock maintenance himself, working behind-the-scenes in the station’s secret passage ways, tunnels and towers.
It’s there he discovers a rusty mechanical robot and clue to it’s inventor, a mysterious, cranky old man who works at the station, (Ben Kingsley). It drives the shy Hugo to befriend the man’s granddaughter Isabelle (Chloe Moretz) and together, they work to uncover the fabulous truth about his true identity.
Hugo has two kids for heroes but it’s not the kid’s film it’s been marketed as. It’s an almost Dickensian adventure, and is certainly not for little kids into singing Chipmunks or dancing penguins. It’s a magical and sophisticated adventure for more mature kids, fans of the book, film buffs and adults in general.
As Hugo and Isabelle are led into the world of story-telling and entertainment, they discover the magic of the movies, from the first moving image (appropriately, of a train coming into a station) to the works of Chaplin and Keaton.
And that’s where Scorsese shows his filmmaking strength by seamlessly meshing a children’s adventure with the magic of movies itself and the birth of cinema. The Italian-American is a huge student of cinema history, and its in the film’s second half that his knowledge and love of movies shines through, as Hugo and Isabelle discover a true film pioneer under their noses — and help give him the kudos he deserves.
That man is George Méliès’, a French magician turned filmmaker who applied his use of trickery and special effects to basically start the sci-fi and fantasy genres. We see how he made his 1902 film A Trip To The Moon – where the moon gets the bullet in the eye — and his other pioneering works that introduced colour and special effects.
All this is seen, in glorious 3D, through both flashback and old reels which the kids enjoy watching. To see the birth of cinema — and the work of its FX pioneer — mesh with its latest effect in 3D is a pure joy that will have any film buff or film lover misty eyed.
In one perfectly apt scene, we see a packed cinema watch that train arriving at a station and dive out of the way, then flash to Hugo’s nightmare as a train crashes through the station in 3D, as if 100-odd year of cinema technology come full circle.
Not bad for a guy known for graphic violent thrillers such as Goodfellas, The Departed, and Raging Bull.
Hugo is a beautiful, masterful instant classic that’s bound to be watched and re-watched for generations to come. It’s a magical marvel.
Score: 9.5 / 10
