Holy Cow

Rating: 9/10 (29 December 2004)

Normally when I see a movie I will tell myself "wow, such and such and actor is really good at that part" ... this time, no. While watching "The Aviator" I saw performances that transcended the roles that they were playing. Leonardo Di Caprio WAS Howard Hughes: I lost track of the fact that he was an actor and not Mr. Hughes himself. I have never seen OCD played out so well --- and I see it every day in a member of my family. Cate Blanchett WAS Katherine Hepburn --- she had come back to life in that theatre and on that screen in no better tribute than could be imagined. They both happened to be in a movie on the screen in front of me and playing parts... and blew me away. I felt that I was watching a newsreel at times --- it was so REAL it was spooky with the casting and the costumes. (A9lthough if you blink you will miss Gwen Stefani!)
Is the movie genius? Maybe. It is long and tedious at times but you cannot fault the acting ... Howard Hughes' descent into madness did not happen overnight, nor did his career in aviation or the movie industry.
A definite movie to see ... an epic film on so many levels: just bring a cushion to sit on.