If you love cinema, you will love Hugo with all your heart. Give Scorsese and long-time associates Robert Richardson (cinematography) and Thelma Schoonmaker (editor) the 3D toybox and a massive re-creation of the Gare du Nord as a set, and James Cameron was right: this is possibly the most stunning use of 3D seen in recent times, allied to an utterly enchanting tale of loss and discovery, tied in cleverly with the story of one of the original pioneers of film. Hugo is consistently staggeringly beautiful, from the gorgeously detailed sets to the extraordinary camera movements, all carried along by a charming Howard Shore score and numerous wonderful performances from both young and old actors alike. The scenes of early cinema resonate beautifully with the modern filming techniques on display, and the whole film's nods to the Silent Era and European film (even the station's recurring character vignettes feel like Tati) are crafted lovingly. A little narrative clumsiness creeps in later in the film, and Sacha Baron Cohen's Station Inspector feels forced at times (although the characterisation ultimately works in context), but these are very minor complaints; in Hugo, Scorsese provides one of the most emotionally and cinematically complete films of this year which is, quite simply, an utter joy to watch.
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