Hugo

This past weekend, a friend asked me if I'd like to go see a PG-rated movie. Having just seen the new Muppets movie (which I liked, actually), I was not particularly anxious to go see another movie deemed so "tame" by MPAA standards. However, being the amazing friend that I am (if I do say so myself), I alit from my cloud of condescension to go see "Hugo".

As we're sitting through previews beforehand, I'm told that the movie is directed by Martin Scorsese (and co-directed by Johnny Depp). So I readjust my expectations slightly, although still remaining nonplussed. Then, the movie starts.

From the outset, it is evident how Scorsese does such a great job of telling this incredible story, which is adapted from a short story originally written by Brian Selznick. It is fascinating to watch as the main character, Hugo Cabret, crawls, slides, and climbs around the walls of the Paris train station that doubles as his home.

I notice that, all in all, there is not much dialogue throughout the movie. Therefore, the non-verbal communication between characters is magnified. The orphan Hugo wades through a myriad of difficult emotions, and as is understandable, he conveys his emotions through body language and facial expressions more often than words. The old man (George Melies, played by Ben Kingsley), kind of steals the show theatrically as he runs the gamut of emotions throughout the movie.

The (real-life, apparently) character of George Melies is absolutely captivating. After Hugo and his friend (Melies' god-daughter) unearth the truth behind the shopkeeper's secret past (Spoiler Alert!), the next 15 minutes of the movie is a montage of Melies' actual turn-0f-the-century films, restored and brought to life in wonderful 3-D. The prominent film used in the movie, "A Trip to the Moon", can be seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JDaOOw0MEE

The main component of the movie that made it so enjoyable was the 3-D. Props to the movie industry, as they've improved 3-D glasses so they are no longer cumbersome and annoying to wear. It just makes it easier to focus on what I came to see, instead of paying extra for a ticket just to fiddle with the glasses the whole time and miss key parts of the movie.

As with many of the newer 3-D movies coming out nowadays, "Hugo" made excellent use of the technology featured in this medium. Some movies, like "Toy Story 3", are made more enjoyable by the presence of the 3-D capabilities. However, the truly transcendent 3-D movies, like "Avatar", make the technology seem truly necessary for it to be enjoyed correctly. "Hugo" definitely asserted itself as a transcendent 3-D movie, and the usage was perfect: it propelled the story further, gave life to scenes which would have otherwise been difficult to visualize, and wasn't ever cheesy.

The emotional themes shown throughout "Hugo" made the movie worthwhile: Hugo's search for love and acceptance and purpose following the loss of his father (played by Jude Law, an added bonus); Melies' revitalization as a success, not forgotten although time has not been kind to his art; and the heartwarming forgiveness and mercy that the station patrolman (played by Sacha Baron Cohen, another surprise!) learns through his encounters with the station's florist.

Needless to say, I was amazed by the movie. The combination of the interesting plot, the character development (verbal and non), the historical aspect of George Melies' lifework, and the tasteful, vital use of 3-D technology made "Hugo" one of my favorite movies of the year. Go see it before it's reduced to a 2-dimensional screen!

Behold King Pigskin

In the United States today, sports are a focal point of our culture. Different sports can serve in different roles in our lives. Baseball, like a beloved family dog, is always there for you, never requiring your full attention. Football, like a new sports car, can't be overused so as to dull its sheen, but demands your full attention and works in a strict "weekends only" zone. Hockey (or heck, even soccer) like sushi, is for those with a sense of adventure and a curiosity to experience foreign cultures.

For a small part of December, each of the major four (five with soccer) American sports was active in some respect. The NHL and NFL (and soccer leagues around the globe) are in the middle of their regular seasons, the MLB is working through its winter meetings (featuring blockbuster signings of stars like Albert Pujols), and the NBA has been working its way back into the national stream of consciousness after being mired in a long players' union lockout. So the obvious question is: which sport is America's favorite?

Football - American football, of course - reigns supreme. And it's not even close. This past weekend's games are a testament to the amazing drama that surrounds the NFL, week in and week out. In the Houston television market, this is what a day as a football fan looks like, taking December 11th's schedule as an example:

Noon (CBS) - The Houston Texans (10-3), led by their undrafted rookie quarterback T.J. Yates, go into the Bengals' den and defeat Cincinnati (7-6), led by their own rookie quarterback Andy Dalton (a native Texan), on a last-second touchdown.

3:00 (F0x) - The AFC West-leading Denver Broncos (8-5), behind the leadership of their media-lightning-rod and consummate winner, quarterback Tim Tebow, outlast the Chicago Bears (7-6) in overtime in Denver. Thanks in part to the mile-high conditions, Broncos kicker Matt Prater hits two breathtaking, long field goals: a game-tying 59-yarder and the overtime 51-yarder.

7:30 (NBC) - In the only night game on the NFL schedule, two NFC East rivals meet in Dallas as the New York Giants (7-6) square off against the division-leading Cowboys (7-6). The teams trade blows for the entire game, ultimately ending in Giants defensive lineman Jason Pierre-Paul blocking Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey's potentially game-tying field goal in the game's waning moments. With the win, the Giants move into a tie with the Cowboys atop the NFC East.

Three games, three last-second finishes. Even amid four other major sports going through some pretty big news weeks (the Pujols signing, the drama surrounding New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul as he seeks to be traded), the NFL captures all the headlines. How? The football that is being played on the field is simply...spectacular.