I never watch the Oscars, but I did catch a bit of the beginning this year and saw that right away Hugo was starting to win. From the previews I thought it looked pretty good. I wanted to see it when it was in theaters, but sadly I missed my chance. Luckily, on my flight home from Hong Kong it was in the movie archive, so I got as comfortably as I could in that plane seat and watched it. Then I knew why it won so many awards.

Hugo is the story of a boy named Hugo (Asa Butterfield) who lives and works with his uncle in a clock tower in France. His father (Jude Law) was a mechanic and died from an explosion in a museum where he was fixing some machines. But before he died, he and Hugo had begun working on a project to fix up a broken automaton. When his uncle comes to fetch him, Hugo takes the automaton with him, determined to finish working on it, convinced that his father was trying to tell him something. With the help of his new found friend, Isabella (Chloe Grace Mortez), Hugo will reveal more than just one hidden past.

It’d be a lie if I didn’t say that this movie was a masterpiece. It had an amazing soundtrack (and that’s something since I never mention soundtracks in movie reviews), amazing set, and amazing plot. Not to mention the amazing actors such as Jude Law (A Series of Unfortunate Events), Christopher Lee (Lord of the Rings), Sacha Baron Cohen (Sweeney Todd, Borat), Richard Griffiths (Harry Potter), Frances de la Tour (Harry Potter) among others.

As you follow Hugo and Isabella through solving the mystery, I have no doubt that you will laugh and cry. Not only is Hugo entertaining, but a treat for everyone in the family. It speaks to children on dealing with loss, grief, solving mysteries, and adventure, while having parents relive their best childhood days and reminding them what it’s like to be young.

I think the only issue I had with this movie was the subplot of Monsieur Frick (Richard Griffiths) and Madame Emillie’s (Frances de la Tour) small romance. I felt that it didn’t really fit in with the rest of the flow of the movie. But I guess it’s a small price to pay for seeing an exquisite film.

Grade: A