Highly entertaining but ... (minor spoilers)

Rating: 8/10 (9 August 2005)

Having missed The Aviator in the theaters, I purchased a used DVD from my local video chain for a bargain $9.99 and watched it over three days while exercising on the treadmill.
I found this movie very, very entertaining, and it made the minutes on my treadmill seem like seconds. but... Leonardo DeCaprio never convinced me that he was Howard Hughes. In other films, the performances were so good that the actor became the character (Malcom X and Ray come to mind). But my only real gripe about this movie is the ending.It almost felt as if the director was leaving the door open for an Aviator, Part II. We never know what became of the Senate Hearings and we never know what became of the potential purchase of TWA. Despite this, I found it an excellent depiction of a fascinating era in American History. I saw Million Dollar Baby and, in my opinion, this is a FAR superior picture, though no better than an 8.