Hugo - Blu-ray Review

4.5 Stars (out of 5) - Rated

Synopsis

When his father dies, 12-year-old orphan Hugo takes up residence behind the walls of a Parisian train station. There, he meets Isabelle, the daughter of filmmaker Georges Méliès, who holds the key to Hugo's destiny. (Buy Now $22.99)

Starring:

Asa Butterfield, Chloe Moretz, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Ray Winstone, Emily Mortimer, Jude Law, Christopher Lee, Helen McCrory, Michael Stuhlbarg

Director:

Martin Scorsese

Blu-ray Release Date:

February 28, 2012

Subtitles:

English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese

Rating

Overall rating weighted as follows:
Audio 40%, Video 40%, Special Features 20%, Movie - its just our opinion so take it with a grain of salt

Audio 4.5 Stars (out of 5)

Dolby and DTS Demo Discs used as basis for comparison
●    Subwoofer – 3.0 Stars
●    Dialog – 5.0 Stars
●    Surround Effects – 5.0 Stars
●    Dynamic Range – 5.0 Stars

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, French: Dolby Digital 5.1, Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Hugo is not an action film, so don’t expect a forceful performance. With that said, I was amazed at the amount of activity in the rear speakers. Train engines, ticking clocks, barking dogs, crowds of people, and squeaking hinges fill the room with ambiance and help draw you into the film. Dialog is handled well, but the subwoofer doesn’t get much action. Some bass is present in the musical score and when trains rumble by, heavy clock engines run, and when fireworks explode. It has a solid audio performance, but I expect more from a movie that beat out Transformers – Dark of the Moon for the Oscar in sound mixing and again in sound editing.

Video 5.0 Stars (out of 5)

Spears & Munsil Benchmark Blu-ray Edition used as basis for comparison
●    Color Accuracy  - 5.0 Stars
●    Shadow detail – 5.0 Stars
●    Clarity – 5.0 Stars
●    Skin tones – 5.0 Stars
●    Compression – 5.0 Stars

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC, Resolution: 1080p, Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1, Original Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Hugo’s color temperatures change depending on the scene’s emotional content. It can be cold and dark, or bright with slight golden tint. No matter what the tone the colors are, skin tones look natural. There is minimal film grain, and it seems like lots of time was spent making sure the video was presented as sharp as possible. Fine stitching on clothing is clearly visible, every long thick mustache hair begs for your attention, gears in clocks and machines leave you marveling at human ingenuity, and I’ve never been so interested in seeing the fine details of smoke and steam. Dark scenes are handled so well it’s amazing to see blacks so dark and inky without compromising details.

Bonus Features 3.5 Stars (out of 5)

• Shoot the Moon (The Making of Hugo) (1080p, 19:48): An insightful behind the scenes feature, complete with interviews with cast and crew.
• The Cinemagician, Georges Méliès (1080p, 15:41): A look at the life and works of the influential filmmaker.
• The Mechanical Man at the Heart of Hugo (1080p, 12:45): A short that discusses the history of automata.
• Big Effects, Small Scale (1080p, 5:55): A brief look at the special effects of the movie.
• Sacha Baron Cohen: Role of a Lifetime (1080p 3:33): Humorous interviews that discuss the actor's unconventional approach to his role.
• UV Copy.
• Digital Copy.

Movie – 4.0 Stars (out of 5)

Review

Hugo is a well made and thoughtful film that touches on several themes that can stick with you long after the film is over. It’s universally known that Martin Scorsese is one of the best directors in film history, and he shows that he can make a compelling story without having gangsters, violence, or Robert Deniro in it. His direction is not the only good ingredient in the film either, the screenplay (based on a book) is top notch, and every actor involved gives a gripping performance.

The trailers for this film are misleading. This movie has no science fiction elements, and I would not consider this a family film. It is a drama families can watch together, but I think most children might be bored watching this movie. Hugo cleverly poses thoughtful ideas of the human spirit and the magic of human ingenuity without being too artsy. It also reminds us that sometimes things that are broken can be fixed, weather it’s a machine or a man. Hugo is loosely based on the true story of trailblazing filmmaker George Méliès. I consider this film to be a Scorsese’s love letter to the magic of movies. After watching this, it’s hard to look at any well made film without noticing the magic and art of film making itself. If you love movies, this movie is a must see.