“Come and dream with me!” Go See “Hugo” (In 3D if you can)

The movie Hugo is based on the book written and illustrated by Brian Selznick

We finally saw Hugo this weekend and I was so sorry not to see it in 3D (I still might).

Samantha and I loved it. So much so that we watched it again the next night (because she was too sick to go to her first Mother-Daughter Book Club meeting).

It’s pretty rare for me to like a movie enough to watch it twice in a row. But this movie is like a love letter to filmmaking. I loved Scorsese’s (and original book author Brian Selznick’s) tribute to George Mélies.

And I’m not one of those fanatical Scorsese fans. There was another reason I loved this movie — in addition to being in awe of the train station set they created for the film and the cinematography — I loved the message.

George Mélies (both the real person and the character in the film) achieved such a high level of creativity because, in his own words…

Georges Méliès: [voice over] Magic tricks and illusion became my specialty. The world of imagination. My beautiful wife was my muse, my star and we couldn’t have been happier.

Magic and illusion became his specialty. And when you find and trust your specialty, it will take you to levels of creativity you cannot imagine.

I like that message. I believe that message. I teach that message.

Here’s some dialogue snippets and the movie trailer.

George Melies: My life has taught me that happy endings only happen in the movies.
Hugo: But the story’s not over yet.

Hugo Cabret: Monsieur Labisse gave me a book the other night.
Isabelle: He’s always doing that. Sending books to a good home, that’s what he calls it.
Hugo Cabret: He’s got real…purpose.
Isabelle: What do you mean?
Hugo Cabret: Everything has a purpose, even machines. Clocks tell the time, trains take you places. They do what they’re meant to do, like Monsieur Labisse. Maybe that’s why broken machines make me so sad, they can’t do what they’re meant to do. Maybe it’s the same with people. If you lose your purpose, it’s like you’re broken.

Hope you see it! It’s perfect for the whole multi-generational family. And is now available on DVD.