Sorry, but, Marty strikes out again!

Rating: 1/10 (9 December 2004)

Okay, I was lucky enough to see The Aviator in Hollywood, along with half of the world celebrities. With all of the hype of this movie, you would think that Christmas is coming early.
This three hour film starts off well enough but seriously loses steam after it's first hour with Hughe's funding of his big project, Hell's Angels, by the end of the film, with the Spuce Goose, barely anyone in the audience was noticing. Blame it on the slow moving script by John Logan which just skims over Hughes life.
Sorry to disappoint you, but, Marty Scorsese strikes out again, with a lackluster script and terrible performances by Leo and Gwen Stafani.
This movie putters along like a tortoise, with an occasional brief appearance from some of Hollywood's greatest early actresses.
However, one of the main problems, is that Leo DiCaprio just is not believable at all as Howard Hughes in the least. He looks, acts, talks, and dresses like Leo DiCaprio. Every time he spoke I thought he was the drifter from Titanic trying unsuccessfully to imitate Howard Hughes, as well as Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind.
There are great performances from Jude Law as Errol Flynn, and Cate Blanchett as Kathrin Heppern.
However, my advice to No Doubt lead singer Gwen Stafani is to keep your day job, because you seriously need acting lessons. You make look like Jean Harlow, but you sure don't act like her in the least. Also, Kate Beckinsale looks strikingly close to Ava Gardner, but, she basically sleepwalks through her role.
Also, I don't think that Marty Scorsese was up to the task of directing the biography of Howard Hughes, I think that Michael Mann should have kept the project, as he is more suited to successfully direct compelling biographies.
I think that Michael Mann and Marty Scorsese should have traded projects this year, with Mann directing The Aviator and Scorsese directing Collateral. I think the results would have been much better.
All in all, not a total disaster, but far from the best film of the year.
Two stars out of four, not worthy of a best picture award in the least.
Far from Scorsese's best work.