| Nominated for 6 Golden Globes and 11 Academy | | | | But Howard Hughes is not just a one-trick pony, and |
| Awards, including Best Picture, The Aviator wows | | | | his interest soon turns to the flourishing aviation |
| audiences with its breadth of scenery and vivid | | | | industry where he becomes an integral part of TWA |
| realism. Director Martin Scorsese, known for a host | | | | and pilots his own planes on a regular basis. His driving |
| of excellent films such as Raging Bull (1980), | | | | energy would lead Hughes to enter the defense |
| Goodfellas (1990), Casino (1995), and Gangs Of New | | | | industry, the electronics industry, Las Vegas casinos, |
| York (2002) - not to mention the highly controversial | | | | and numerous other activities in the years ahead. But |
| The Last Temptation Of Christ (1988) - by no doubt | | | | along the way, he deals with a cast of characters |
| turns out his best work since Tommy DeVito (Joe | | | | colorful in their own right. Romances with Ava |
| Pesci) sought to become a made man. The Aviator | | | | Gardner (Kate Beckinsale) and Katherine Hepburn |
| springs to life with nostalgic settings and a lavish | | | | (Cate Blanchett) provide insight into Hughes' personal |
| tapestry of color and form, evoking all the | | | | life, while Noah Dietrich (John C. Reilly), Hughes' |
| enthusiasm indicative of Howard Hughes' unique lust | | | | assistant and right-hand man, sacrifices much in his |
| for life. John Logan, known for such films as The Last | | | | own life to enable Hughes to live out his latest visions |
| Samurai (2003) and Gladiator (2000), presents a | | | | and inspirations. When Hughes makes the bold move |
| screenplay that provides some insight into the | | | | of constructing the Spruce Goose - the largest |
| enigmatic Hughes and captures the mannerisms of | | | | airplane ever built (and able to land on water no less) |
| those who shared that life with him. In short, the film | | | | - Senator Ralph Owen Brewster (Alan Alda) accuses |
| is a masterpiece of visual imagery and first-rate | | | | the billionaire of war-profiteering. Hughes takes on the |
| cinematography few movie lovers can afford to | | | | Senator full-force and with all the zest that marked |
| miss? | | | | his previous ventures. Vowing that the Spruce Goose |
| The Aviator focuses on the early life (1930-1947) of | | | | will fly, in the face of highly publicized claims that it will |
| America's most eccentric and bewildering billionaire | | | | not, Hughes proves his critics wrong, and the Spruce |
| playboy, Howard Hughes. Know for his seemingly | | | | Goose rises to the occasion? |
| erratic business dealings and fearless sense of | | | | Despite its loss to Million Dollar Baby at the Oscars, |
| adventure, Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) turned a small | | | | The Aviator can take pride in being nominated as one |
| inherited fortune into an enormous corporate empire. | | | | of the best films of the year (along with Finding |
| And along the way, he captured the imagination of | | | | Neverland, Ray, and Sideways). And the film is |
| those around him with an attitude that embraced risk | | | | certainly deserving of that high honor. Few films |
| and life itself. Inheriting a majority interest in the | | | | better illustrate the beauty of America, or more |
| Hughes Tool Company (founded by his father), | | | | importantly, the mountains that can be moved when |
| Hughes embarks on a career in Hollywood where he | | | | a single individual lives his life with ambition, drive, |
| produces a number of notable films including Hell's | | | | inspiration, and a naked enthusiasm for all that life has |
| Angels, The Front Page, and Scarface. Hughes' | | | | to offer. Overall, The Aviator is among the best films |
| obsessive dedication to perfection makes his stock | | | | of the past several years, and movie aficionados |
| rise in Hollywood and even helps launch the career of | | | | would be well-advised to watch every last minute |
| Jean Harlow? | | | | with same enthusiasm of a young Howard Hughes? |