Has anyone seen the Aviator?

[Guest]

[Roz]

Is it out in the US already? Is it any good? Obviously it's great to see Cate Blanchett again but what's the verdict?

[savage727]

It is out but not in my area yet.  Us rural folks have to wait sometimes for the new releases to get to us!  From all the accounts I have been reading and seeing on TV it about it the movie looks to be an accurate portrail of Howard Hughes' life and accomplishments as oppossed to his later behavior towards the end of his life when he was so heavily medicated.  I will let you all know what I think of it when it comes our way.

[Roz]

Yep - your opinion should be a good 'un  

[Eve]

It's definitely on my list of films to see...Anything with Cate is now a must see!

[savage727]

Well The Aviator finally made it to a theater in my area.  I can see why Leonardo won a Golden Globe for Best Actor and why the film won another Golden Globe for Best Picture!  The film is 2 hours and 50 minutes long.  It portrays Howard Hughes' faults and brillance.  He definately had some type of mental condition but it seems he never was treated for it.  The acting is first rate and I was surprised to see so many famous actors in the movie - Cate Blanchette, Ian Holm, Alan Alda, Kate Beckinsdale to name a few.  Cate plays actress Katherine Hepburn who was one of Howard's loves.  She has Hepburn's speech and manorisms down pat!  Ian plays a Professor of Meterology whom Hughes hires into his company fairly early on and is with him for the only flight of the Hercules transport aircraft which was known as "The Spruce Goose".  Alan Alda plays a Senator from Maine that comes into open conflict with Howard Hughes and is in my opinion one of the best parts of the movie.  Alec Baldwin plays Juan Tripp the founder of Pan Am and rival of Hughes.  

Several times the movie focused in on Hughes' mental condition a bit too long in my opinion but overall the movie is very informative and well made.  I think it has a very good shot for receiving numerous Oscars this year.  The picture follows Howard's life in the 1920's through the late 1940's and many of the people, places, and events will be most likely unknown to many of you younger folks but don't let that stop you from seeing this picture.  The flying sequences were very good.  Let me know what you think of the movie once you see it.

[savage727]

The Academy Award Nominations were released this morning and The Aviator was nominated for 11 Academy Awards to include Best Actor, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Supporting Actor.  The rest of the nominations are in the technical fields of film making.