The Aviator (2004)

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 12/27/04 at 8:23pm

I just returned from my first screening of The Aviator...

And it was very satisfying, to say the least. Scorsese is a master of not just invoking historical periods but also creating something of a glass wall between the audience and the era. The 1920s scenes were especially strong in this regard. With the jazz hands in the Coconut Club and the makeup that made some of the hammier male characters look fresh out of a Harold Lloyd comedy (this film must be nominated for Best Makeup!), I really felt like I was watching a film from the early sound era in brilliant color and with crisp sound.

One of my friends who accompanied me flat-out dismissed Cate Blanchett's performance as "bad." Katharine Hepburn was "somewhat like that," she said, but Blanchett "overdid it." I don't know if I agree; I bet many Academy members who knew Hepburn do, however. But in her first scene on the field, I was in a state of ecstasy watching her. Yes, "ecstasy" is the right word to describe it. I was practically salivating and in tears. She was just that exciting, regardless of whether her performance amounted to an imitation. I would have no problem with her or Laura Linney winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Some of the scenes showcasing the airplanes were out of place -- unless one can make the argument that they were symbolic of Hughes. I found the entirety of the film -- including the test runs of the airplanes -- visually arresting, but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't have preferred more of Blanchett at their expense. There just seemed to be no obvious narrative purpose to more than a few scenes exclusively about the test runs. Scorsese is a man of excess; this may be an argument against the film winning the editing Oscar. But what else would?

I could see DiCaprio upsetting Foxx for the Best Actor win. Call him boyish all you want, but the sequence in which he talks to Dietrich, Hepburn and Trippe individually while he's nude and scarred behind the door trumps anything else I've seen this year by a lead male actor. This guy is developing a real knack for scenes that require him to be hysterical or in a state of great pain. There were echoes of his performance in Catch Me If You Can in the last third of The Aviator. That one of his best moments in 'Catch Me' takes place aboard a plane begs comparison. I consider this to be a good thing.

10/10 (chills and tears make the editing issues negligible). I think Scorsese will get a well-deserved Director win, with Art Direction and Cinematography also sure to support it. I would be happy with wins in several other categories, including Picture, too -- but by no means should this sweep. My idea of a good Oscar night is one in which Kinsey, Sideways, and The Aviator are all rewarded.

P.S. Alan Alda could get a fair nomination but, in the end, he has very little screentime and never steals a scene. Beckinsale is in fine form most of the time but should only get a nomination if people are deciding between her and Kate Winslet in Finding Neverland.

And pardon all of the Oscar talk; this was originally written for a community of awards trackers.

Posted: 12/27/04 at 8:44pm

I was about to go see it until I realized that the womanizing Howard Hughes was played by the boyish/hairless/non-threatening/sexless Leonardo DiCaprio. Huh? That's like casting PeeWee Herman play Rhett Butler, in my opinion. Cate Blanchett is a terrific actress and a sexy woman, btw. I just don't see it at all.

Who was casting this film? Updated On: 12/27/04 at 08:44 PM

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 12/27/04 at 8:44pm

Loved the flick, especially a three hour movie that didn't try and be an epic. It's just a powerhouse story constantly being pushed forward by a great director.

I think there's a degree of resonance (perhaps unintentional) of omitting more personal time in Hughes's life to show his work in aviation. I mean, I'm sure Hepburn would've rather he spent more time with her instead of at the airfields, too. Honestly, I never questioned those scenes, I thought the movie did a great job of trying to balance Hughes's obsessions while still giving everything enough weight. I only wish the movie would have been clearer about the economics, we're constantly told Hughes is going broke but he's constantly spending millions upon millions. Maybe some strong scenes between Hughes and John C. Reilly's character might have helped at times.

And, yes, Kate Beckinsale is most certainly in fine form throughout

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 12/27/04 at 9:02pm

Jose, see The Aviator. DiCaprio is as hairy as a man who hasn't shaved in months. In fact, that's exactly who he plays. Sure he was hairless in the late '90s when he was barely in his 20s, but at nearly thirty, he even has hair in his navel.

All jokes aside, he carries this film. You are at least guaranteed a visual masterpiece if you dislike his performance.

"Loved the flick, especially a three hour movie that didn't try and be an epic. It's just a powerhouse story constantly being pushed forward by a great director."

I wholeheartedly agree. But what's all this talk we're hearing about Scorsese stepping too far from his Raging Bull roots with this film about a similarly maniacal man? Scorsese has "sold out" by making a film that's beautiful to watch? Eh, I look forward to the day when people understand that spectacle and a well-written narrative need not be independent of one other, as The Aviator demonstrates.

"I only wish the movie would have been clearer about the economics, we're constantly told Hughes is going broke but he's constantly spending millions upon millions."

The unspoken assumption is probably that he manipulated the banks and the creditors (like Stanford White and William Randolph Hearst) to sustain his lavish lifestyle and even advance it. True even that explanation doesn't hold much water. But I guess characters who spend beyond their means has been common enough in cinema over the last seventy years that audiences generally don't expect an explanation for it.

Where would you rank this on your list of the year's best films?

[BroadwayMonkey]

Posted: 12/27/04 at 9:20pm

I thought it was amazing. I was sobbing because Dicaprio was so good. I recommend it highly.

Posted: 12/27/04 at 9:25pm

OK. I'm convinced to give it a try.

thanks, j.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 12/27/04 at 9:38pm

It will probably rank pretty high in my best movies of the year list. I'm in Ohio so we haven't gotten a lot of stuff yet (namely Kinsey, Sideways and Maria Full of Grace.)

Scorcese's in the usual predicament: he gets criticized for being too violent and when he makes a non-violent movie he gets criticized for selling out.

Posted: 12/27/04 at 10:01pm

Gangs of New YOrk was a boring bomb-o-la. Updated On: 12/27/04 at 10:01 PM

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 12/27/04 at 11:10pm

"I'm in Ohio so we haven't gotten a lot of stuff yet (namely Kinsey, Sideways and Maria Full of Grace.)"

Well, if you enjoyed The Aviator and are looking forward to Kinsey and Sideways, maybe we have similar interests -- which means I'll also have to check out Maria Full of Grace, the only one of the four that I haven't seen yet.

Ohio's poor distribution practices have just been noted by me. Thanks. I'll remember never to move there even for employment.

****SPOILERS*****
"Scorcese's in the usual predicament: he gets criticized for being too violent and when he makes a non-violent movie he gets criticized for selling out."

What's really sad is that my friend who knocked Cate Blanchett also told me that bothering to see this film with me was an "act of love" due to the violence in it. Apparently, she would've preferred that they leave out the crash sequence (or at least "spare us" the gorey moments involving blood and fire). The scene where he punctures his finger and then attempts to wash it clean until his entire hand turns purple also had her squirming in her chair. I doubt she was fond of seeing him nude with dried scars all over his body either. What can I say? Some people need to train themselves to stop suspending disbelief when what's clearly makeup begins causing them to have convulsions.
I was quietly upset that she allowed the violence to form the basis for her ultimate negative judgment of the film. Whereas I'm usually able to leave a film like this with some conversation about its many high points, I was hardly able to talk about it this time because she immediately started running off at the mouth about how I forced her to sit through something so "disgusting."
****END OF SPOILER* Updated On: 12/27/04 at 11:10 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/28/04 at 2:33am

I honestly thought this movie was very disappointing - it seemed to completely miss the mark. DiCaprio was amazing, and I'm hoping he'll win an Oscar for it. I can see Scorcesse winning best director, but other than that, I wasn't really taken in. I posted my review on a thread titled THE AVIATOR last night, but clearly no one really read it. I just honestly didn't think this movie was very good, wouldn't even call it one of the top 5 movies this year, therefore knocking it out of an Oscar nomination for best picture in my opinion. I thought CLOSER, FINDING NEVERLAND, KINSEY, SIDEWAYS, THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES, BAD EDUCATION, and even PHANTOM are better overall movies. Like Evelyn said, the Cinematography and Art Direction ARE amazing, but I honestly think PHANTOM deserves those categories. I would love to see THE AVIATOR win direction and best actor - I think that's about all it deserves, with a possible exception for Blanchett.

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 12/28/04 at 2:56am

Munukstrap, what's your take on Jamie Foxx's performance in Ray?

" I thought CLOSER, FINDING NEVERLAND, KINSEY, SIDEWAYS, THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES, BAD EDUCATION, and even PHANTOM are better overall movies."

I agree with you on Kinsey and Sideways. Based on my previous experiences with Almodovar, I expect that I'll appreciate or even love Bad Education when I finally see it. The Motorcycle Diaries has been getting a lot of flack for celebrating T-shirt Che rather than acknowledging that the young man played by Gael Garcia Bernal would ultimately be an oppressor. No legitimate opinion on Phantom, the film, here. I find some of the music infectious (Masquerade for one) and most of it painful. I'm not planning to see the film in theaters.

But you've got to consider that The Aviator will probably still win Art Direction if the Academy considers it more of an accomplishment to recreate dozens of spaces that no longer exist and were probably never captured by state-of-the-art color photography than to create a fantasy world inside the Paris Opera House. The Aviator is a Hollywood film featuring old Hollywood. That sells.

I hear that Closer is very much the play pasted onto the screen. In that case, I've got to say that I doubt its greatness based on all of the pretentious dialogue ("why did you swear eternal love...something, something" and "women cannot conquer the territory because they are the territory," or something to that effect that's in the trailer but not the shooting script). I also got the feeling that Mike Nichols, as in The Graduate, attempted to present a sleek and sexy world by making it as [white] European as possible. People of color are virtually invisible even in the trailer, and that isn't an accurate reflection of contemporary London or New York. Those identity politics really distance me as a viewer. Perhaps that's the intent of Closer?

The Aviator and Finding Neverland both suffer from editing that inhibits the flow of the films. But hands down, Finding Neverland represents the weaker effort in terms of characterizations and narrative complexity. Kate Winslet's character is completely undeverloped, especially when compared to Freddie Highmore's Peter, and yet the film's marketing campaign portrays her as the biggest character next to JM Barrie. There's a real problem with focus and balance both in the film and in the advertising campaigns for FN. I still believe that it will be nominated for Best Picture unless Kinsey, Ray and/or Hotel Rwanda have more active fan bases than I think. Three of the five nominees will be Sideways, Million Dollar Baby, and The Aviator.

Updated On: 12/28/04 at 02:56 AM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/28/04 at 3:21am

I thought Foxx was great and seamless, but I was more taken in and affected by DiCaprio's performance. RAY as a whole did nothing for me. I really just don't think THE AVIATOR is best picture material...it seems so messy and unorganized. By the end of the movie, I still didn't understand or care about Howard Hughes or why Scorcesse chose to tell this story. MILLION DOLLAR BABY, however, I thought was remarkable. I forgot about that in my earlier post - and for that, I would love even more for Eastwood to win an Oscar for his direction. I thought MDB was extraordinary, and if it wasn't for maybe Annette Benning, I would LOVE it for Swank to win best actress. What's your opinion on what should WIN best picture of the year? If THE AVIATOR wins, I will seriously once and for all loose my faith in award shows. I'm already over and given up on the Tony's. The Drama Desks seem a bit more on track, and the Golden Globes are usually pretty pleasing. I just don't think THE AVIATOR is a great movie. It's a good one.

[broadway86]

Posted: 12/28/04 at 10:17am

I loved "The Aviator". I saw it two weeks ago in New York, and was blown away. I am not a Scorsese fan, and I hated all of "Gangs of New York" (save for Daniel Day-Lewis), but Marty did good here. It is my pick for Best Picture.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/28/04 at 2:06pm

I can't believe people are saying this should win best picture. Have you seen any other movie this year? I thought GANGS OF NEW YORK was extraordinary, by the way.

[Jon]

Posted: 12/28/04 at 2:13pm

by the way, Scorcese didn't "choose" to tell Hughes' story. There was already a script and Michael Mann was supposed to direct. Leonardo DiCaprio (who was Executive Producer)convinced Scorcese to direct it after Mann backed out, citing "Bio-Pic fatigue".

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 12/28/04 at 3:16pm

"What's your opinion on what should WIN best picture of the year?"

KINSEY hands down. Then SIDEWAYS if the Academy didn't consider drool-worthy art direction and costume design to be practically essential for a Best Picture winner. (Terms of Endearment is an exception.)

Million Dollar Baby is an engaging film but also one that works partially by trying to do very little. The plot is straightforward with the exception of that one twist that leads to the final scene between Eastwood and Swank. I expect more innovation than that from a Best Picture winner. For that reason, I'd easily vote for The Aviator over it. The Aviator is a film that suffers from the same problems as virtually every other biopic - causality and continuity between scenes - but its brilliant evocation of the past makes it worth remembering. Million Dollar Baby, while sincere and emotionally gripping, is not flawless either; Freeman's narration is often intrusive (show, don't tell!) and the other young boxers (including Danger) were entertaining but ultimately irrelevant to the plot. That said, I enjoyed MDB very much and certainly wouldn't be shouting at the television if it won Best Picture. There's not a single film this year that's going to find its way onto my top ten list of all time, so I don't see any point in getting anxious over which will win the awards except with regard to the strong possibility that Kinsey won't get anything. Updated On: 12/28/04 at 03:16 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/28/04 at 3:23pm

And I think KINSEY only has a real shot at best picture, except for mabye Linney. The best actor category is almost pretty much between Foxx and DiCaprio. However, I wasn't aware that DiCaprio produced the movie, and that for me, would make me vote for Johnny Depp over him in an instant. When do the AA noms come out, anyway?

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 12/28/04 at 3:29pm

You think Kinsey could win the Best Picture Oscar? It's not doing particularly well with the precursor awards. There's even talk that Liam Neeson's performance won't be nominated.

DiCaprio was a producer on The Aviator but one of over a dozen. If the film wins Best Picture, he won't get the Oscar for it.

Nominations will be announced January 25th.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/28/04 at 3:48pm

What I meant was I think the only award KINSEY really has a chance at winning is best picture. The other categories already seeem to have their favorite(s). I wouldn't be surprised if Neeson wasn't nominated, at all. As much as DiCaprio's performance was more stand-out over Depp, who as far as I'm concerned doesn't even have a chance at winning an award, Depp would get my vote over any of the others in an instant. Beautifully subtle and incredibly focused - Depp needs an Oscar at some point. He's one of the most amazing actors we have today and is incredibly underappreciated. Plus, he's better to look at than DiCaprio.

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 12/28/04 at 4:07pm

I don't think Depp will even be nominated. He's lost a lot of steam in the last month. Foxx is practically locked. Then there's Giamatti, DiCaprio, Don Cheedle, Javier Bardem, and Liam Neeson. My prediction is that Depp gets left out as more people continue to ask themselves "what's the hype all about?" after seeing Finding Neverland.

In any case, Finding Neverland probably isn't winning any Oscars. Cate Blanchett and Laura Linney own Supporting Actress, in which Kate Winslet might have had a chance. Freddie Highmore isn't beating Academy veteran Morgan Freeman or critical-darling Thomas Haden Church for Supporting Actor. Its competition in the Adapted Screenplay category includes Million Dollar Baby AND Sideways. Art Direction, Costume Design and Cinematography are between The Aviator and Phantom of the Opera (possibly also Collateral for Cinematography). It has a chance in Original Score but that would be a travesty for music that I'm sure I've heard somewhere else before -- PBS, that is to say.

[Jon]

Posted: 12/28/04 at 9:53pm

Going not-too-far out on a limb here: The Best Actor nominees will be Depp, DiCaprio, Foxx, Giamatti and either Neeson or Cheadle.

I think it's a toss-up between DiCaprio and Foxx.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/28/04 at 10:36pm

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Depp isn't nominated. I just think it would be unfair - I thought he was wonderful, and I thought that movie was wonderful. I enjoyed it more than THE AVIATOR. I cannot see Freeman winning best supporting actor at all. I am seeing Neverland tomorrow again because my family wants to go, so I'm going back. I loved it. My top 3 movies of this season are:

1.) Million Dollar Baby
2.) Finding Neverland
3.) Closer


not that they are more of an achievement than others, but those are the ones I ENJOYED more.

[broadwayfan24]

Posted: 12/28/04 at 11:14pm

The Aviator was great. I just got home from watching it. It was a little long for me, but all of Martin Scorsese's films are.

Cate Blanchett was perfect for playing the role of Katherine Hepburn. I am a HUGE fan of Kate Hepburn and Blanchett's performance pictured her perfectly in my eyes. Kate Beckinsale was wonderful as Ava Gardner. Leo was also great, he looked a little too young for the part. I know he's 30 but he still has that baby face.

I give it 2 thumbs up.

Here are my ratings on the movies I saw this fall/winter season:

1)Finding Neverland
2)Phantom of the Opera
3)The Aviator
4)Ray

[EvelynNesbit1906]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 12:00am

Interesting posts, all. I have nothing to add except that Freeman could take home Supporting Actor. He's probably going to be the only person in that category who has been previously nominated for an Oscar, and if voters are looking to award Million Dollar Baby in a major category while still giving Picture, Director and Actress to another film, a Supporting win for Freeman might be their means. But this may not be necessary as Hilary Swank is well on her way to becoming the frontrunner for Best Actress over Imelda Staunton in Vera Drake. (The Academy tends to award the younger women for Best Lead Actress.)

My tops are in this order for Supporting Actor:

1) Thomas Haden Church, "Sideways"
2) Peter Sarsgaard, "Kinsey"
3) John Lithgow, "Kinsey"
4) Jay Baruchel, "Million Dollar Baby"
5) Freddie Highmore, "Finding Neverland" (I don't like the film but I like the kid's performance in it)

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/29/04 at 12:40am

How can't you like FINDING NEVERLAND at all? It's obviously not brilliant or amazing, but nothing this year is. It's lighthearted, wonderfully acted, and it's a great entertaining story. I just don't understand how someone can't like it, but like something as bland as THE AVIATOR. I'm not knocking your taste, but I just don't understand some things. I would LOVE to see Swank win the Oscar - I really really would. What about Annette Benning?