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HUGO (2011)Movie Reviews
Family adventure about an orphan boy living a secret life in the walls of a Paris train station. Cast:Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Asa Butterfield, Jude Law, Chloë Grace Moretz, Ray Winstone, Emily MortimerDirector:Martin ScorseseRelease Date:November 23, 2011DVD Release:February 28, 2012From:ParamountRating:PGLength:2 hr. 7 min.
Hugo (2011) played to excellent reviews that at the same time were mixed. • Claudia Puig wrote in USA Today, "...enchanting... emotionally rich... the manner in which the film blends the tale of an imperiled boy and the history of cinema makes for an ambitious and fanciful ride." • And Shawn Levy wrote in the Portland Oregonian, "...a superb film..." More Reviews Below...
Hugo (2011) Positive Reviews (51 Reviews, reviews below)
Alynda Wheat, People: MODERATE(cg) "...morphs into a loving primer on film history and preservation that must absolutely thrill Scorsese's inner child. I question whether real 9-year-olds will be so enthralled."(See all of Alynda Wheat's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 138 words, 11/24/11
Richard Corliss, Time: OUTSTANDING "...a fable as sensitive and powerful as any Scorsese film since 'The Age of Innocence' nearly two decades ago. Bursting with earned emotion..."(See all of Richard Corliss's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,466 words, 11/25/11
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: VERY GOOD(cg) "...it's thrilling to see Scorsese make a bold, creative leap... Scorsese doesn't just tinker with this new-fangled technology, he embraces it fully."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 677 words, 11/22/11
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a spectacular adventure... in Scorsese's hands, 3D becomes an art.... 'Hugo' will take your breath away. It truly is the stuff that dreams are made of."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 307 words, 11/25/11
Claudia Puig, USA Today: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...enchanting... emotionally rich... the manner in which the film blends the tale of an imperiled boy and the history of cinema makes for an ambitious and fanciful ride."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 565 words, 11/23/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...unlike any other film Martin Scorsese has ever made, and yet possibly the closest to his heart: a big-budget, family epic in 3-D, and in some ways, a mirror of his own life."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,004 words, 11/23/11
Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Aside from being one of Scorsese's most personal films, it's also one of the least cynical films of this or any other year."(See all of Glenn Kenny's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 783 words, 11/21/11
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Those with a passion for early cinema are likely to adore it... a knowledge of and appreciation for Georges Méliès is not requisite to enjoy Scorsese's loving homage."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,064 words, 11/24/11
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (14 Reviews)
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: OUTSTANDING "...serious, beautiful, wise to the absurdity of life and in the embrace of a piercing longing.... its most heartfelt passages are about Georges Méliès."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,265 words, 11/23/11
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: OUTSTANDING(cg) " 'Come and dream with me,' a filmmaker pleads in Martin Scorsese's exquisite fantasy 'Hugo,' offering an invitation that's clearly extended from Scorsese himself."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 262 words, 11/23/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...has real moments of 3-D magic. Sadly, they aren't quite enough to make this adaptation of Brian Selznick's celebrated novel a wholly satisfying experience."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 768 words, 11/23/11
Kyle Smith, New York Post: MODERATE(cg) "...never feels like childhood... Scorsese is one of the great cynics and ironists, but place him at kids'-eye level and you have taken away his chief skill."(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 692 words, 11/23/11
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: VERY GOOD(cg) "Rich and stimulating... exists mainly to dazzle, but its storytelling ambitions are more modest. I enjoyed it more than many a later Scorsese picture."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 727 words, 11/23/11
David Edelstein, New York Magazine: EXCELLENT "I liked the film enormously but am not so ready to use the 'm' word.... 'Hugo' often feels like a film about magic instead of, well, a magical film..."(See all of David Edelstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 824 words, 11/23/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...unlike any other film Martin Scorsese has ever made, and yet possibly the closest to his heart: a big-budget, family epic in 3-D, and in some ways, a mirror of his own life."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,004 words, 11/23/11
Karina Longworth, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Scorsese's first foray into big-budget family filmmaking -- as well as his inaugural effort in 3-D -- 'Hugo' is a personal statement disguised as a sellout."(See all of Karina Longworth's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 731 words, 11/23/11
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...goes a bit too far. Scorsese's actually made two movies, just one of which fully resonates. That's the second-half homage to movie pioneers like Georges Méliès..."(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 807 words, 11/23/11
Liam Lacey, Toronto Globe & Mail: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to be amazed!... a kind of wonder machine that uses the latest movie technology to pay tribute to the early days of the movies..."(See all of Liam Lacey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 819 words, 11/23/11
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "I don't begrudge Scorsese for making this bauble... it's probably the best way to get his message out. I just don't know whether it works as a movie."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 365 words, 11/24/11
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a state-of-the-art affair, an epic adaptation of Selznick's pretty-epic-itself tome, full of dazzling visuals and rapturous tributes to Méliès and the magic of movies."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 707 words, 11/23/11
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a children's film for grownups -- grownup film buffs.... an 80 minute bon bon struggling to break out of a two hour and ten minute souffle."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 573 words, 11/23/11
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...much of the fun here is seeing how Scorsese can take cues from beloved old films and spark them to life for today's audiences."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 569 words, 11/23/11
Ty Burr, Boston Globe: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a testament to the possibilities of pictures moving on a wall... a grand farewell and a stunning reintroduction..."(See all of Ty Burr's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 751 words, 11/23/11
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...the film is many things -- an artist's experiment... a story full of adventure and innocent delight. But mostly it's a gentle love letter to the movies and their pioneers."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 558 words, 11/23/11
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...designed to be a 3-D movie, and it's such an apt application of the technology that there ought to be a law against watching it on TV."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 340 words, 11/23/11
Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times: EXCELLENT(cg) "...wonderment for the eyes from the outset doesn't reach the heart until halfway... Make it that far -- several viewers at a screening didn't -- and history comes alive."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 578 words, 11/24/11
Tom Long, Detroit News: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...an imaginative work about imagination, 'Hugo' also deals with fate, function and fun. For all the issues it takes on, the film never forgets to be enjoyable."(See all of Tom Long's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 458 words, 11/23/11
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: VERY GOOD(cg) "...conveys the excitement and curiosity of a master filmmaker adding a new tool to his box of toys.... I can't imagine any film buff not being thrilled..."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 597 words, 11/23/11
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (10 Reviews)
Karina Longworth, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Scorsese's first foray into big-budget family filmmaking -- as well as his inaugural effort in 3-D -- 'Hugo' is a personal statement disguised as a sellout."(See all of Karina Longworth's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 731 words, 11/23/11
Ann Lewinson, Boston Phoenix: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "A plea for film preservation made in the medium that's killing it, 'Hugo' unwittingly proves that old movies really were better."(See all of Ann Lewinson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 164 words, 11/24/11
Scott Tobias, AV Club: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...enchanting... a complex fusion of film history and personal history, filled with dazzling embellishments and unabashed sentiment about the glories of cinema."(See all of Scott Tobias's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 415 words, 11/22/11
Stephanie Zacharek, Movieline: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...oversized, ambitious, expensive-looking -- and still it manages to be lovely, which is the hardest task of all to pull off, even for an alleged movie genius like Scorsese."(See all of Stephanie Zacharek's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,129 words, 11/23/11
Phil Coldiron, Slant: VERY GOOD(cg) "What makes this Scorsese's best film since 'The Age of Innocence' is the curious view he takes of both this boy and the sea of artifice in which he's set adrift."(See all of Phil Coldiron's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,096 words, 11/22/11
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "I don't begrudge Scorsese for making this bauble... it's probably the best way to get his message out. I just don't know whether it works as a movie."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 365 words, 11/24/11
Curt Holman, Atlanta Creative Loafing: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a much-needed, heartfelt love letter to the movies of nearly a century ago.... feels padded with canine sight gags, superfluous dream scenes, and repetitious flashbacks."(See all of Curt Holman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 720 words, 11/23/11
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: WEAK "...the acting is mechanistic... the comic timing is off... and the action drags... Visually 'Hugo' is a marvel, but dramatically it's a clockwork lemon."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 639 words, 11/25/11
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: OUTSTANDING "...serious, beautiful, wise to the absurdity of life and in the embrace of a piercing longing.... its most heartfelt passages are about Georges Méliès."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,265 words, 11/23/11
David Denby, New Yorker: OUTSTANDING "...an emotionally satisfying story for children and their movie-loving parents.... both a summing up of the cinematic past and a push forward into new 3-D technologies."(See all of David Denby's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 895 words, 11/21/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...has real moments of 3-D magic. Sadly, they aren't quite enough to make this adaptation of Brian Selznick's celebrated novel a wholly satisfying experience."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 768 words, 11/23/11
Dana Stevens, Slate: MODERATE "...somehow, for me, this earnest, pretty movie never came to life on screen; it remained a curio in a cabinet, to be admired through a pane of glass."(See all of Dana Stevens's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 939 words, 11/23/11
Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter: OUTSTANDING "...dazzlingly conjoins the earliest days of cinema with the very latest big screen technology. At once Scorsese's least characteristic film and his most deeply felt."(See all of Todd McCarthy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,465 words, 11/17/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...has real moments of 3-D magic. Sadly, they aren't quite enough to make this adaptation of Brian Selznick's celebrated novel a wholly satisfying experience."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 768 words, 11/23/11
Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: OUTSTANDING(cg) "A must-see fable for movie lovers of all ages... one of Scorsese's most personal, original, and deeply felt works in a long time."(See all of Emanuel Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,716 words, 11/21/11
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: OUTSTANDING "...serious, beautiful, wise to the absurdity of life and in the embrace of a piercing longing.... its most heartfelt passages are about Georges Méliès."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,265 words, 11/23/11
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: WEAK "...the acting is mechanistic... the comic timing is off... and the action drags... Visually 'Hugo' is a marvel, but dramatically it's a clockwork lemon."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 639 words, 11/25/11
20.2 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Hugo (2011)'s reviews are separated by an average 20.2 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Hugo (2011) (51 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Hugo (2011)'s reviews cover 93.4% of potential readers (average is 68.0%). Volume:The film's reviews total 36,604 words involume (average is 20,221 words). Length:The film's reviews average 718 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Hugo (2011) Coverage, Volume & Length (51 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 11.3 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.3 Release)
Hugo (2011)'s reviews on average broke 11.3 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.3 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Hugo (2011)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Hugo (2011) (51 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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