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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us January 6, 2005 'The Aviator' flies By Chris Honor� Tidings Reviewer First things first: "The Aviator" is a stylish, sweeping, well acted film that lushly captures Hollywood's golden age, that period between the 1920s to the late 1940s when silent movies passed into history, eclipsed forever by the larger-than-life "talkies." It was onto that stage that Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) stepped, in his early twenties, flush with millions from a Texas tool company, and determined to break into the movie business with his first film, "Hells Angels," an extravagant blockbuster costing millions. He quickly became a fixture on the Hollywood nightclub scene, always with a glamorous movie star on his arm. In the mid-1930s he turned to aviation and, though unschooled, began designing and building bigger and faster planes, breaking speed records, and dreaming of flying people from coast to coast and then onto Paris. He was rich enough to make his dreams come true, at least in part. He was also hobbled by a personal flaw -- he was an obsessive compulsive -- which he was ultimately unable to either disguise or control. Howard Hughes lived large. Possessing a vast fortune can open doors, and can make a person who is inherently not all that interesting appear interesting, as if the patina of wealth can be translated into character and insight. The problem with Howard Hughes was that while he was an eccentric, often brash and not adverse to taking huge risks, at his core, at least in this film, he isn't that compelling as a person. For reasons that are never clear, the director, Martin Scorcese ("Raging Bull," "Goodfellas," "Gangs of New York"), doesn't linger on those moments when Hughes seems most vulnerable and exposed. Instead he skips from event to event in Hughes' life without much reflection on what is driving the man. It's possible that while Hughes made a splash wherever he went, at his center he wasn't equal to his public persona. And perhaps not the best choice for a biopic that runs 166 minutes. Hence, like Hughes, there is something missing in "The Aviator" that makes if feel, in the end, hollow. In fairness, it could be argued that no life has a distinct narrative arc; rather it is composed of hundreds of disjointed vignettes that may or may not have a sense of forward momentum. Time passes, things happen, but what does it all mean? That's always the challenge of a biopic. To give meaning to those vignettes. True, Scorcese does chronicle Hughes' decline, showing how his paranoia and his obsessive compulsive tendencies finally come to dominate his life. And though Hughes accomplished a great deal in aviation, he will always be known for being a reclusive millionaire who one day crawled into a cocoon, hermetically sealing himself away from everyone, eventually becoming addicted to drugs, and sadly died alone. The irony is that while Hughes spent millions on movies and planes, he never sought out the best medical care money could buy thus allowing his personality disorder to consume him. Scorcese is a deeply talented filmmaker whose career spans decades in Hollywood. His movies are emotionally taut, often filled with violent energy, and beautifully filmed. "The Aviator" has many scenes that reflect Scorsese's prodigious talent and love of moviemaking. "The Aviator" also proves to be an artful homage film wherein the director recreates a time when Hollywood was luminescent, brimming with possibilities. Though much is unresolved in this movie, it is beautifully made. And not to forget a powerful performance by Cate Blanchett who portrays Katherine Hepburn, perhaps the one woman Hughes deeply loved and never go over. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, and Kate Bekinsale. Directed by Martin Scorcese. Rated PG-13. Ashland Cinema. Aviator 6 Golden Globe Nominations including Best Drama, Director, Screenplay, Actor, Supporting Actress, Score A biographical chronicle charting the early years (1920's - 1940's) of tycoon Howard Hughes, the eccentric billionaire industrialist and Hollywood mogul famous for romancing some of the world's most beautiful women. Directed by Martin Scorsese ("Goodfellas," "Raging Bull," "Gangs of New York") Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Alan Alda, John C. Reilly, Kate Beckinsale, Jude Law, Gwen Stefani PG-13 for thematic elements, sexual content, nudity, language and a crash sequence, 170 min. Closer Five Golden Globe nominations for this uncompromisingly honest look at modern relationships. This is a story of four people - their chance meetings, instant attractions and brutal betrayals. Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen. R for sequences of graphic sexual dialogue, nudity/sexuality and language. 98 min. Darkness A family moves into a charming old house in the remote Spanish countryside. Day by day, a strange force - something ancient and wicked - begins pulling the family apart. Anna Paquin, Lena Olin, Giancarly Giannini PG13 for disturbing images, intense terror sequences, thematic elements, and language, 102 min. Fat Albert The misadventures of a group of boys growing up today in a Philadelphia neighborhood, based on characters created by Bill Cosby. Omar Grandberry, Marques Houston, Kenan Thompson PG for momentary language, 93min. Finding Neverland Five Golden Globe nominations for a tale of fantasy inspired by the life of Jame Barrie, the author of "Peter Pan." Set in London in 1904, the film following Barrie's creative journey to bring the character of Peter Pan to life, from his first inspiration for the story up until the play's premiere. Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie. PG for mild thematic elements and brief language. 101 min. Flight of the Phoenix A plane crashes in a sandstorm, and a group of people struggle desperately to survive. Their only hope is using the wreckage of the plane to cobble together a craft to carry them to safety. Dennis Quaid, Giovani Ribisi. PG-13 for some action, language and violence. 113 min. Kinsey 3 Golden Globe Nominations including Best Motion Picture Drama, Actor, Supporting Actress The life story of Alfred Kinsey, a man driven to uncover the most private secrets of the nation, and a journey into the mystery of human behavior. In 1948, Kinsey irrevocably changed American culture and created a media sensation with his book, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, followed shortly thereafter by one on the human female. Written and Directed by Bill Condon ("Gods and Monsters") Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Chris O'Donnell, Peter Sarsgaard, Timothy Hutton, John Lithgow, Tim Curry, Oliver Platt R for pervasive sexual content, including some graphic images and descriptions, 118 min. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Intelligent, charming, unlucky siblings Violet, Klaus and Sunny are left orphaned after a house fire. They're sent to live with Count Olaf, a distant relative who has dastardly designs on the family fortune. Based on the first of three books in the Lemony Snicket series. Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep, Jude Law PG for thematic elements, scary situations and brief language. 112 min. Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou With a plan to exact revenge on a mythical shark that killed his partner, oceanographer Steve Zissou rallies a crew that includes his estranged wife, a journalist, and a man who may or may not be his son. Quirky fun. Directed by Wes Anderson ("Royal Tenenbaums," "Rushmore," "Bottle Rocket") Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett, Anjelica Huston, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum. R for language, some drug use, violence and partial nudity, 118 min. Meet the Fockers In "Meet the Parents", Greg Focker came to know his soon to be in-laws. Now it's his parents turn. But the hyper-relaxed Fockers and the tightly wound Byrneses are woefully mismatched. Ben Stiller, Robert DeNiro, Barbra Streisand, Dustin Hoffman, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, language and a brief drug reference, 115 min. Ocean's Twelve Danny and his gang head to Amsterdam, Rome and Paris for new heists, where they contend with Terry's revenge, Europol, and a mysterious French rival. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia PG-13 for language, 125 min. Polar Express A boy who still believes in Santa Claus despite the skepticism of his peers, is rewarded for his loyalty when a train pulls up in front of his house on Christmas Eve to take him to the North Pole. Written and directed by Robert Zemickis ("Castaway", "Forrest Gump", "Back to the Future"). Based on the popular children's book by Chris Van Allsburg. Tom Hanks (digitized animation). G/100 min. Sideways A struggling, 40ish novelist is frustrated over his stalled career and the fact that his struggling actor buddy is about to get married. With their emotional baggage in tow, the two set off for a week of debauchery in the Napa Valley wine country before the wedding. Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh R for language, some strong sexual content and nudity, 125 min. Spanglish Culture collide as a beautiful native Mexican woman, the mother of an equally stunning 12-year-old girl, becomes the housekeeper for an affluent Los Angeles family. Written and directed by James Brooks. Starring Adam Sandler, Tea Leoni, Paz Vega, Cloris Leachman. PG-13 for some sexual content and brief language. 128 min. White Noise A successful architect's peaceful existence is shattered by the disappearance and death of his wife. He is later contacted by a man claiming to be receiving messages from the wife through EVP - electronic voice phenomenon. Michael Keaton, Deborah Kara Unger, Chandra West, Ian McNeice PG-13 for violence, disturbing images and language, 98 min. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Women's Slippers men's slippers Ceramic Piggy Banks heloc libor rate Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weight Loss Programs Memory Foam Mattress college loans alternative student loans Matchmaking & Dating Scripts Adventure Travel Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation trillion cut diamonds Currancy Exchange Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams