Not his best, but the best of 2004

Rating: 8/10 (2 January 2005)

There have been few movies that have really "moved" me enough to really want to go. However, I have still gone to see many. This one intrigued me, but mostly because it was Scorsese, rather than the subject of Howard Hughes.
I left the theater feeling enlightened, not by moral or plot or any such nonsense. Instead, Scorsese had created an almost perfect visual experience. Through pseudo-colorization, well-integrated computer sequences, and a perfect balance between fast- and slower-paced scenes, he had achieved what many movies attempted at this year, but had still failed to create - style. Instead of a simple retelling of a story, which is what many directors do to "true story" movies, Scorsese creates out of it a work of art. Instead of simply creating a platform for a story to spring from, the director conveys the art, the sound, and the story all simultaneously. This is something I greatly appreciate from movies. A story can be told through a book, but a truly good movie should be able to portray itself through beauty of sights and sounds in addition to the story itself.
The acting was superb on all accounts. There was no actor that I would have replaced. It was nice that when I was watching the movie, I was able to make DiCaprio not be "DiCaprio playing Hughes." In other words, actors were not themselves, but really did seem to become the characters themselves. It was easy to get lost in the who's who of secondary characters, and though he tried to overcome this drawback to the subject itself, Scorsese could not completely remedy the situation. So if you have trouble remembering someone's name in the film, just try to remember at least what their purpose is.
The movie was long, and I realize that will turn away many people. A lot of reviewers and critics have complained that the movie feels even longer than it is. But to me, it passed by quite briskly. Nothing felt dragged out, and it seemed to end as soon as it began.
Overall, I feel like The Aviator deserves more credit than it seems to be deserving. I would definitely go see it again, just to immerse myself in the sense-exciting experience once- again