Despite the fact that I call myself a film geek, I must admit that I knew very little about Howard Hughes before seeing this movie. I knew that he was rich and I knew that he was eccentric (perhaps even crazy), but that's about it. Well, I also knew that he was involved in the movie business, but I didn't know that he actually directed a couple of films.
After seeing "The Aviator," I knew that I wanted to learn more about Howard Hughes. He had an interesting life, and he was certainly an interesting person. I must admit, though, that his eccentric/crazy behavior is a big part of why I think he's interesting. Back then, I don't think there were names for the many conditions he had, but it seems pretty clear to me that at the very least, he had extreme OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). Supposedly, in his later years (which weren't covered in this film), his behavior was even more erratic and crazy, but I know very little about it. I'm gonna watch some documentaries and read some books about him, 'cause he was a fascinating guy.
Okay, so the movie's pretty good, right? Yep, it is. Not only that, even though the nominations haven't been announced yet, I think that this film will FINALLY win Martin Scorsese an Academy Award for Best Director, an honor that (shockingly enough) he has yet to receive. The man is one of our greatest living directors, and he should have gotten the award many times before, but although he's gotten many nominations, he has never actually won. I honestly believe that this film will get him that Oscar.
"The Aviator" is a long movie, almost three hours. However, at no point did I look at my watch or squirm in my seat. It's three hours that fly by (pun not intended), and I was very entertained from beginning to end. This is a big budget Hollywood movie with a lot of tremendous talent in front of and behind the camera, and it works. Martin Scorsese has made another great movie, and it's about time.
Though I definitely feel as though Scorsese is one of our greatest living directors, I've felt that his last couple of movies were big disappointments. "Gangs of New York" was pretty good, but I expected so much more. The way the movie was hyped, I expected a masterpiece, but it was far from that. On the plus side, it was a lot better than the film he made before it, "Bringing Out the Dead." Two disappointments in a row from Martin Scorsese, the same man who directed masterpieces such as "Casino," "The Last Temptation of Christ," "Raging Bull," "Taxi Driver," "Mean Streets," and of course, "GoodFellas." I think that Scorsese's fans will be very happy with "The Aviator."
If I was to point out some negative things about the film, it would have to be that it seemed to leave out a lot. Certain things were hinted at that I wanted to know more about (especially his crazy behavior). I know that the point of the movie was something else entirely, but I wanted to know more. I also wanted to know more about his strange relationship with his parents, and the significance of spelling "quarantine" (see the movie to know what I mean).
The screenplay was written by John Logan. He's written some stuff I like (he wrote the great HBO TV-Movie, "RKO 281" and he helped write "Any Given Sunday"), but he's also written some stuff I thought was overrated, or I didn't like at all (he wrote "The Time Machine" and he helped write "Gladiator," and "Star Trek: Nemesis"). I really like his script for "The Aviator," though. It's fast-paced, with very entertaining dialogue.
Then there's the acting. Wow. Leonardo DiCaprio is one of those pretty boy actors who's easy to dislike, but the fact is that the guy can act. This is his second time working with Scorsese, and from what I've heard, he's signed on to work with him again. Scorsese doesn't work with shitty actors, folks. Playing Howard Hughes couldn't have been easy, and it doesn't help that DiCaprio looks nothing like him, but he plays the role perfectly. I wouldn't be surprised if he got an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. He certainly deserves it. But ya know what? As great as he is in the film, Cate Blanchett steals the movie. Ever since I saw her in "Elizabeth" (an excellent movie), I loved her. She's an amazing actress, and her performance as Katharine Hepburn could have easily been simple mimicry, but it wasn't. Cate Blanchett becomes Katharine Hepburn in this movie, simple as that.
By the way, I should say that if the real Katharine Hepburn was anything like the person portrayed in "The Aviator," she was a hell of a woman. She was a badass take-no-shit kinda gal, and I totally dig that. Before, I had a whole lotta respect for her as an actress, and she really was one of the best ever. But after seeing "The Aviator," I now have a whole lotta respect for her as a woman, as well. Katharine Hepburn kicked ass.
The beautiful Kate Beckinsale plays Ava Gardner in the film, and she does a fine job, but after seeing Cate Blanchett play Katharine Hepburn for a while, there really is no comparison. Kate Beckinsale is a very good actress, but Cate Blanchett is one of the best. I know it's kinda sexist to make it as though they're competing when they're not, but... well, I have no excuse. I guess I'm a sexist pig. Actually, I really am, 'cause Gwen Stefani (the sexy lead singer of the band No Doubt) plays Jean Harlow in the film (a role that gives her about four minutes of screen time and one line of dialogue), and I can tell you nothing about how good her acting is. Why? Because every moment Gwen Stefani was on the screen, all I could do was think about how nice it would be to see her naked. Like, totally naked. Full frontal. Roger Ebert thought the same thing, trust me, but I'm the one man enough to say it in my review.
Alec Baldwin and Alan Alda are also in the film in semi-villainous roles, and they're both excellent. Another one who's excellent is one of my favorite character actors of all-time, the great John C. Reilly. Oh, and Jude Law is also in the movie (no surprise there, the guy has been in just about every movie released in 2004), he plays Errol Flynn. Remember how I said that Katharine Hepburn was a really cool woman if she was anything like the person depicted in the film? Well, if the real Errol Flynn was anything like the person depicted in the film, he was a real asshole. Jude Law played him well, though.
"The Aviator" is an excellent movie, one that I enjoyed immensely. Will it win the Oscar for Best Picture? I don't know, but it seems like a strong contender. As for Martin Scorsese, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences may as well just hand him his Best Director Oscar right now.
Scale of 1-10: 9