Watching: Hugo

Speaking of magic, I just finished watching Hugo and it is stunning! As soon as it finished, I was tempted to watch it again. 

Visually, this film is so gorgeous, imaginative, and authentic looking that you just can't pull your eyes away for even a moment. I wanted so terribly to jump right in, wear my own 1930s costume, and walk around the train station, eating a croissant and carrying a fresh flower.

The story is quite unique and more intelligent than your average run of the mill stories for children. I also like the pace - it's not set at hyper speed, with meaningless brain melting action scenes thrown in. Rather, it's more old fashioned and the story unfolds piece by piece. Little discoveries are quietly made and relationships gradually form in a convincing way.

These days, it's hard to think of movies as something magical. Hollywood has become a factory producing the same uninspiring stuff just for the sake of money making. 

This film successfully reminds us of the magic of movies. Movies are like dreams brought to life. They are not bound by the limits of realism. They can surprise us, inspire us, move us, and make us feel electrically alive. Movies shouldn't be dulling our senses - they should be waking us up and making us see the world in new ways.

I loved this film. It's interesting that it came out around the same time as Midnight in Paris. Both films are so imaginative, nostalgic, and magical in their own ways. I think I'll be watching them both again in the near future.