[xrr rating=4/5]
Can director Martin Scorsese capture another Oscar with his new film?
Ok, so the Thanksgiving holiday is behind us and December is here. You know what that means, right? Exactly! ‘Tis the season for the big movie production companies to put forth their films that they think will be up for awards come Oscar time. And it all starts now… This fires me up!
A name that comes up quite often during the awards season is Martin Scorsese. This man has been nominated countless amounts of times throughout his illustrious filmmaking career.
Just some of the movies he has directed over the years have been: Raging Bull, Casino, Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, Goodfellas, The Color of Money, Shutter Island, (I could go on for days!) The Last Temptation of Christ, Cape Fear, Michael Jackson’s BAD video, and on of my favorite films of the past 20 years, Gangs of New York.
But he never captured the “Best Picture” Oscar until he made one of my top five movies ever… And that movie is… “The Departed.”
“The Departed” is the Boston-based film about crooked cops, undercover agents, Whitey Bulger wannabees, and RATS!!! Filthy, stinkin’ rats!
Scorsese directed an all-star cast in this film when he finally captured Oscar glory for the remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film called “Infernal Affairs.”
I could give you a KILLER review of the movie The Departed, (and I would love to) but its five years old already.
Ok now, bear with me, there is a point and a connection I am trying to make here… This week I saw a movie. That movie is called HUGO… and guess who directed it? Yup, exactly! Martin Scorsese! …Phew, we finally made it.
And now I’ll tell you a little bit about the movie HUGO, directed by Martin Scorsese.
Hugo is a period piece set in 1930’s Paris, about a boy who loses his father and is trying to figure out what he is to do with his life. Hugo befriends a girl and a wonderful adventure begins… That’s the abridged version. It’s actually a much more complex and beautiful story.
What makes Scorsese such a great director is his eye for detail, his deliciously grand set designs, and most of all, his ability to get the best out of the actors he is working with. This holds true for this film also.
Many big actors are in this film, and yet none seem to step on another’s toes. Jude Law (who was in Shelock Holmes) plays Hugo’s father. Sir Ben Kingsley plays a grandfather type figure. Sasha Baron Cohen (who was hilarious when he played Borat and Bruno) plays a serious inspector, and plays it quite well, let me tell you. And Christopher Lee, who played Count Dooku in the new Star Wars prequels, plays a kind old librarian.
But they are not the big winners of this film. That award goes to the two children, Asa Butterfield (Hugo) and Chloe Grace Moretz (Isabelle). These two kids can act!
I’ve now seen Chloe Grace Moretz in a few films. Just recently I’ve seen her in “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” “500 Days of Summer,” and a great movie named “Kick-Ass,” where she plays a foul-mouthed, butt-kicking superhero named Hit-Girl… Personally, I think she stole the show in that movie… Then again, Nic Cage was also in that movie so I guess it wouldn’t be that hard to steal the show. Then she comes to this movie, throws on an English accent and totally nails her character… I’m proud of you, Chloe-Grace.
Then we’ve got Asa Butterfield. I’ve seen Asa most recently in… well… you know what? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him in anything! But during two scenes in this movie he has to cry, and let me tell you, when he does, you believe it! Way to go Asa, I’m proud of you too.
Oh yeah, also, this movie tells the story of the creation of movies and filmmaking! That’s another reason why I liked this film!
Getting back to my main man, Martin Scorsese, the next logical question would be: will he win another Oscar to put up there on his mantle, next to his first one? Honestly, I doubt it. Don’t get me wrong, this is a wonderful, fantastical, magical, eye-popping film, and it may garner some set-design, and possibly acting honors, but I just think there are a few other films out there ready to pounce on the golden statuette.
So, in closing, I must say, “Mr. Scorsese, you’ve made ANOTHER wonderful film… BUT IT’S NO DEPARTED!”
FUN FACT: This film cost 170 million dollars to make… And also, this is the second time I’ve written this review this week! Somehow my computer deleted my review last night and I had to write it again tonight! Damn you technology! Damn you!