It's funny. When Martin Scorsese's film, Hugo, came out in 2011, I thought it was good and I thought it deserved all of the Oscar nominations that it received but, at the same time, I didn't think that it would necessarily become one of my favorite movies of all time.

And yet, that's exactly what has happened. It's become one of those movies that I always make it a point to watch if I randomly come across it on TV. Last night, I actually watched it twice and I think I actually fall more in love with the film each time that I see it. It's one of those films that kind of snuck up on me and captured my imagination without me even realizing it.

Why do I leave Hugo? Well, the obvious answer is that the I love movies and Hugo is all about the movies. I also love historical films and Hugo takes place in Paris in the 1930s. I relate to many of the characters, especially the aspiring writer played by Chloe Grace Moretz. I relate to Hugo's unshakeable faith in the automaton. I love all of the performances. Even Sacha Baron Cohen is tolerable in Hugo. It's nice to see Christopher Lee playing a good guy. Ben Kingsley is perfectly cast as Georges Melies.

The main reason I love Hugo is because it celebrates the power of imagination and art. Those are two things that often seem to be threatened in today's world. Hugo is a love letter to love itself.

Hugo may have taken me by surprise but I'm glad it did. I look forward to watching it many more times over the years to come.