Um, Martin?

Rating: 6/10 (6 January 2005)

First, let's talk about what's great about this film. First, there's the cinematography, which is nothing short of stunning. (The aerial scenes make "Top Gun" look like a student film.) Then, there's the no-more-Oscar-nominations-please-we-have-a-winner performance of Cate Blanchett, who absorbs the role of Katharine Hepburn. Cate manages to portray Kate as bold, self-assured, biting, and vulnerable all at once, and you may not believe this is the same woman who has played both Elizabeth and Galadriel.
Then, we need to talk about what's good about this movie, which is most of other actor/actress in this film. Leonardo DiCaprio manages to be both charming and frightening, and Alec Baldwin has mastered the art of playing the well-mannered sleaze-bag.
Finally, we need to talk about what's wrong with the movie: where and how it ends. Without giving too much away, let me just say that when the credits started rolling, they came at a very awkward point and left far too many questions unanswered. Scorsese should have either ended it sooner or gone ahead and let the other shoe drop.
This movie will get a lot of mention for Best Picture awards, but before those envelopes are opened, I'd like to see the rest of the picture first.