Aviator Glides with near Greatness

Rating: 8/10 (31 December 2004)

Can legendary Director Martin Scorsese "score" his long-awaited Best Director Oscar with his Howard Hughes bio "The Aviator"? Most oddsmakers feel Marty will be sipping a few "martynis" after he receives his first golden boy at this year's Academy Awards. However, Scorsese has been the favorite before and left home empty-handed. For example: 1) The "Taxi Driver" oversight many felt was not "fare" 2) Many also felt that Academy voters were "Bad Fellas" for not awarding Marty the statuette for "Good Fellas" 3) Even others felt that the 2003 Academy Awards should have been renamed "The Gong Show" for not recognizing Scorsese for his "Gang Show" that is "Gangs of New York". However, I do think Scorsese will reach new Oscar heights for his spectacular & mesmerizing direction of "The Aviator". The bio film focuses on the legendary billionaire, aviator mogul, and Hollywood big wig that was Howard Hughes. "The Aviator" takes off with Hughes' relentless direction of "Hell's Angels" and ends with the Pan Am/TWA Senate Hearings. During its airtime, "The Aviator" exhibits: Hughes romances with Hollywood starlets, his aircraft obsessions, and speaking of obsessions: his obsessive compulsive disorders. Leonardo Dicaprio's performance as Howard Hughes was definitely worth a billion bucks. He portrayed Hughes as capricious, obsessive (of course), enterprising, focused, rigid, suave, and strenuous. Leo's work is one of the best of the year! Pero que "Leo" se va forma si no lo nominan para un Oscar. Cate Blanchett's portrayal of Katherine Hepburn, one of Hughes' Hollywood conquests, was hypnotic. Blanchett's "vowelistic" vocal interpretation of Hepburn's infamous gab was definitely something to "vowel, I mean, bow down to". Hughes romanced Hepburn before she hooked up with Spencer Tracy. I guess the billionairo proved that he can "have his Kate and eat it too". Speaking of Hollywood starlets, Kate Beckinsale was a sight of comeliness as Ava Gardner. Ava Maria! She looked hot! Alan Alda, Alec Baldwin, Danny Huston, and the great John C. Reilly were competent "aviator" attendants as the supporting acting co-pilots of "The Aviator". The film's cinematography, art direction, and costume design were stellar and not in the "just plane" category. The only downfall of "The Aviator" was its overlong running time. This nearly three-hour film flight should have landed at the 2-hour runway. Still, it should be your priority not to miss the next theatre flight of "The Aviator". **** Good