That plane crash was probably one of the most brutal scenes that I have ever seen.

The performances were all excellent. Leonardo Dicaprio gave a so far career best performance. When he is in the car covering his mouth as he said the same thing over and over, It was very impressive.

Blanchett gives the Hepburn in the movie life, energy, humor, depth, one of the best performances of 04. Beckinsale was also good. When she tears down the tape in the house, she serves the movie the way Blanchett does, though without as much depth, but still is excellent.

Alan Alda deserved his nomination. He is a good villain, but also one who is thinking about playing the Washington game. The whole chairman scene with Baldwin was a good entry for his character. Also with the Baldwin character-Citizen Kane did pop into my head. It was probably the set, but his powerful character doing what he can to tear down Hughes reminded me of CK.

The Aviator is one of the best movies of 04, even if it drags with the hearings, it provides for the set up for one of the more triumphant scenes with the flying of the Spruce Goose.

I don't believe this movie is for family. It is not entertaining enough to keep everyone's interest. I recommended this movie for people that appreciate and have an interest in stories about people that are different.

Its been a while so thought I would complain about the hype of this movie. As I recall it was quite touted by hollywood... What a joke... I think if anything Orson Wells was rolling over in his grave... This was a cheap (or rather expensive waste) attempt at Citizen Kane... From beginning to end a carbon copy with a different tycoon... Except Leo does not suit the character... Don't bother unless you are very bored like I was this afternoon....

This really is the sort of film that inspires you to find out about the man behind the legendary film. This film is well crafted, well acted, well styled, beautifully shot and just plain well done. Scorsese freely admits to playing around with time lines, but to getting things "Emotionally" right, which I think is correct. The more you know about the lead topic, the less likely you are to be a nice in hindsight review ( Like I think Jude Law is abysmal as Errol Flynn since I am Tasmanian and Jude is as Tasmanian as Jack Daniels when playing Errol... he did not even try; Knowing a subject too well can be a handicap when viewing an artistic endeavour). Anyways, as a soaring, roaring emotional rollercoaster, the events such as the Flight with Cate and Leo in the plane is as passionate as anyone could hope to get. Its beautifully done. The DVD commentary assists in an understanding of how this film was created, and the performances of the supporting cast is just brilliant. You will love this emotional tour de force, and enjoy exploring the passions of the screenwriters version of Hughes, and I hope it does spur you on to read more about the man himself who helped shape Film, Cinema and Aviation as we know it today

I paid $ 19.95 for a dvd that I could have gotten for $5.oo in another store the day after I received it.

I can't believe this movie receives so many poor reviews. While it is not Scorsese's best, it is still very impressive and quite epic. Howard Hughes remains a mysterious character whose biographies are usually based on speculation rather than truth. Scorsese has done an amazing job of showing one adaptation of Hughes' life from his ambitious beginnings as a filmmaker to his later contributions to the world of aviation. Due to another impressive performance from DiCaprio, Hughes' obsessive-compulsive disorder is shown as both his biggest fault and at times his biggest asset. But the most impressive acting in the film is Cate Blanchett's role as Katherine Hepburn, one of the most famous (and yet still mysterious) actresses in movie history. Blanchett is very convincing as Hepburn, almost as if she had found some way to become possessed by Kate Hepburn's spirit as she frolicked through each of her scenes with biting wit and attractive charm that is shared by both Hepburn and Blanchett, winning her the Oscar she deserved for this role. All together a great film with some stunning visuals, outstanding performances, and a time capsule glimpse into movie history, a film you may want to watch again and again.

I can't believe this movie receives so many poor reviews. While it is not Scorsese's best, it is still very impressive and quite epic. Howard Hughes remains a mysterious character whose biographies are usually based on speculation rather than truth. Scorsese has done an amazing job of showing one adaptation of Hughes' life from his ambitious beginnings as a filmmaker to his later contributions to the world of aviation.

Due to another impressive performance from DiCaprio, Hughes' obsessive-compulsive disorder is shown as both his biggest fault and at times his biggest asset. But the most impressive acting in the film is Cate Blanchett's role as Katherine Hepburn, one of the most famous (and yet still mysterious) actresses in movie history. Blanchett is very convincing as Hepburn, almost as if she had found some way to become possessed by Kate Hepburn's spirit as she frolicked through each of her scenes with biting wit and attractive charm that is shared by both Hepburn and Blanchett, winning her the Oscar she deserved for this role.

All together a great film with some stunning visuals, outstanding performances, and a time capsule glimpse into movie history, a film you may want to watch again and again.

An incredible film that I have found very re-watchable. A brilliant cast, who I am sure, received brilliant direction from Martin Scorcese. Leonardo Dicaprio did an outstanding job in his portrayal of Howard Hughes. This is a thorougly engrossing film that comes highly recommended.....a SOLID 5 stars.

I bought this DVD for my husbands birthday and he loved it. Recieved on time and brand new

This is probably a milestone in Leonardo DiCaprio's acting history!! Outside of this being his second film with Scorsese, the film marks a definite maturity in his acting that I haven't seen even in their first colloboration, the flawed "Gangs of New York" (though Day-Lewis was superb in it). Especially in HD DVD, the scenes are glitzy and the sound is phenomenal especially in the near fatal plane crash of Hughes which the director filmed to perfection. If you loved the era of the 30's and 40's (I'm sure Scorsese does too), you'll love the details in this off-beat bio. Cate Blanchette is superb also in her Oscar winning role as Katherine Hepburn. So 4 stars for cast & director and 5 for the HD transfer. In total 4 and half stars!! Also take note of how Scorsese changes the color transfer from old 2-strip Technicolor to the more conventional color scheme of today--this is meant to quell people who complain of his use of color in their criticisms of this fine film.

Howard Hughs is a total inspiration. He had so many blocks in his life, but he did not let them destroy him. He had his dreams and nothing would stop him from achieving them. I watch this movie when I feel that life is blocking me. If Howard could do it, I can, too.

This film is an odd lot. There are a few good points but I was disappointed that a director with as much talent as Martin Scorsese would produce such a poor film. I can't really understand why the Hollywood academy found this to be a good film other than much of the film is about film-making, and thus of special interest to them.

The script is primarily superficial with only a few good moments. Cate Blanchett as Katherine Hepburn, Alec Balwin as the President of Pan-American Airlines, and Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner all have great lines and perform well. It is Leonard DiCaprio who offers the weakest performance in the film. He just is unable to convince the viewer that he is Howard Hughes. From the earliest scenes he appears to be a spoiled boy rather than an eccentric young man. He sounds childish when he raises his voice. As the character of Howard Hughes ages in the film, DiCaprio remains adolescent in looks and manner. Many other actors could have made the film work but DiCaprio was a total disappointment. It is Cate Blanchett's performance as Katherine Hepburn that saves the film. The scene where she takes Howard home to her eccentric New England family is superb and even DiCaprio performs well in this scene. Gwen Stefani as Jean Harlow was a waste of Stefani's talent. However the real crime was the cameo from Jude Law as Errol Flynn. The cameo lines were terrible, the acting silly and superficial, the whole thing stunk. Law should have run in the opposite direction when offered this insipid, worthless cameo with no meaning or value added. The male actors who play the accountants, engineers, technicians, and pilots that supported Howard Hughes' wild projects were all excellent. DiCaprio seemed misplaced and miscast surrounded by credible adult male actors. Alan Alda as a corrupt Senator had the absolute worst lines in the film. He was totally unrealistic and foolish and must have received some big bucks to make such a fool of himself in this film. The senate hearing scene may be the worst scene in film-making history and should be used in film school as an example of everything going wrong at once: bad mindless unrealistic script combined with terrible acting.

Scenes meant to convey the glitz and glamour of Hollywood were pitiful and stereotypical. Big party scenes were terrible conglomerations of stereotypes of wild parties for the rich and famous. The rich and famous, even in the 1930s would run away from these silly scenes complete with showgirls swinging over cocktail tables messing up the hair of starlets. These scenes were too much and too silly. To make the scene even more awful, there is a scene where Howard Hughes seduces a brainless cigarette girl in the middle of a nightclub by playing with her genitals under her cigarette selection box. DiCaprio does a terrible job here but the script is so silly that only a master like George Clooney could have pulled off such a terrible meaningless scene.

Why did I give it a 3? Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, and the Hell's Angels footage. The rest was just a mixed bag of silly wasted film.

Before viewing this film last night, this reviewer had little knowlege of Howard Hughes. He may know less today,given the liberties of cinematic biography, but who cares? In an acting/producer/director relationship bar none, "The Aviator" impressed me as one of the most entertaining films of the modern era. The film's electric pace is reminiscent of some of Frank Capra's best work 60-70 years ago. In DiCaprio, one sees flashes of Errol Flynn, dashes of James Dean, crashes of John Wayne, crashes of Jim Morrison, the reclusiveness of a male Greta Garbo,the political genius of Huey Long, and the aeronautical genius of a true "Boy Wonder".Just imagine the energy required to meld these themes together effectively. But, Leo manages to pull it off in an acting "tour de force", which a fellow reviewer descibes aptly: "Sorry girls, this guy can flat-out act." The real tragedy here, however, may lie in the fact that modern day medicine may have remedied Hughes' maladies, much to everyone's benefit.

Let me start of by saying that I'm not normally a big Leonardo DiCaprio fan. Aside from What's Eating Gilbert Grape and Gangs of New York, nothing he's done has really impressed me much. However, in The Aviator, he may have just given his career performance. He truly owned the role of Howard Hughes in this picture. DiCaprio perfectly captures Hughes' no nonsense approach to business and life. As the film progresses, and Hughes' mental condition slowly deteriorates, DiCaprio depicts eloquently the turmoil Hughes must have felt. To see such a brilliant, driven man gradually lose control of his life and mind is heart wrenching to say the least. The casting for this movie was perfection. Gwen Stefani sporting the platinum locks of Jean Harlow, Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner, and a brilliant turn by Cate Blanchette as Katherine Hepburn. It's my feeling that it's more difficult to portray a real person as opposed to a completely fictitious one and everyone in this film excels in this capacity. Alec Baldwin is especially seedy as Juan Trippe, the head of rival Pan Am. I love John C. Reilly as Noah Dietrich. I think he's a very underappreciated actor and he's excellent here as always. Of all the performances though, I was especially impressed by Alan Alda's portrayal of Senator Brewster, who makes quite a bit of trouble for Hughes. It was a different kind of role than what I'm accustomed to from Alda and he really makes the most of it. His back and forth with DiCaprio at a senate hearing was the high point of the movie for me.

Howard Hughes was a larger than life figure in his time and this movie was an excellent representation of his ambitions, romances, and accomplishments, as well as his setbacks and implied eventual disintegration. I like the fact that Scorsese chooses to end the picture where he does, just after the successful flight of the Hercules. During the celebratory party, Hughes ends up in a bathroom, compelled to repeat the same phrase over and over again. The film leaves us with the legacy of Hughes as The Aviator, a man who contributed a great deal to the industry of avionics in this country and foreshadows his fall into seclusion and madness without forcing us to watch the tragic end of this great man's life.

The acting in this is top notch. Everyone did such a fantastic job, especially Leonardo and Cate. Perfect casting. The film itself was maybe a tad overlong, but it did a great job in conveying the emotions of the character role and what he went through. Howard Hughes seemed like a complicated character and I thought Scorsese did a fantastic job of portraying him. The imagery in the film is also quite stunning. If you like character driven films, this is a great choice.

Good job of props, casting and acting however this movie tends to trivialize the life of a great man. I felt it should have spent more time on his vast acomplishments and less time on his physical/mental ailments which only became apparent in his later years, not early on as the film seems to suggest. I know, because my Grand Father worked with him on the HK-1 (Spruce Goose).

Actually, I saw Aviator at the theater, and bought the tape for my boyfriend, whom I thought had not seen it. I personally think the movie should have won best picture of the year. Leonardo, much to my surprise, depicted the real Howard Hughes beautifully. Cate Blanchard, who played Kathryn Hepburn, was amazingly believable, as was the person who played Ava Gardner. The special effects, especially when he crashed the plane were very dramatic and realistic. I am an aviation buff, and love movies about flying. Aviator had enough aviation to be satisfying, and an amazing inside look at the mind of this incredible man. His paranoia, his idiosyncrasies, and his charm were lain bare. It is very worth buying and keeping in your film library. I could watch it two or three more times and still see something new.

Despite the lack of forestory information, this movie is entertaining. It is very accurate about the life of Howard Hughes. Some fascinating details of his family history is missing along with his Las Vegas acquisitions of casinos and many events that transpired during the latter part of his life (including the loss of Hughes Tool Company). Mr. Hughes strong attraction to have countless movie starlets was never viewed compared to what is documented from reality. This picture touches on his fancination of movie production and aviation which covers the broadest and most interesting facets of Howard Hughes life. It comes highly recommended.

The Aviator (Two-Disc Special Edition)
This is the second DVD I have purchased from you that I cannot use as it is the wrong region for Australia. How do you think I feel that you send me a Christmas present from my family that I cannot play in my country. Surely, an organisation as large as yours would have products suitable for Australia.

I know, the color of the film as Hughes gets older is suppose to reflect the changes in film technology; ie: it gets better as the film progresses.
I think that's getting a little bit too "artsy" for me. For me, it just looks like the DVD's color is goofed up. In parts of the movie the greens are almost a fuorescent blue/green; such as the plants or the peas on his plate at the nightclub.
I love most any movie about Howard Hughes because he is such an interseting "bigger than life" person. And yes I enjoyed this movie; BUT it would have been much better if the color would have just been either black and white or color (Today's color film).

The blu-ray transfer of this instant classic is superb, probably one of the best looking transfers to high definition of this MUST own Martin Scorcese epic.

I am very pleased with the picture and sound of this HD DVD. Not 5 star but definitely 4 stars. Nice addition to my HD DVD collection.

I recently rented this at our local library, and unfortunately all they had was the"full screen" version - meaning, chopped off at the sides. Watching the aerial scenes, I realized this is NOT the way to view this movie!

That said, I enjoyed "The Aviator," despite its being a bit too long and unfocused. I wish Scorcese had taken more time at the beginning to develop Hughes' character, and spent less time on his relationship with Katherine Hepburn (whom I found REALLY annoying).

"The Aviator" is not a definitive depiction of Howard Hughes' life (nor does it pretend to be) but if you enjoy lavishly-produced movies with great sets, decent acting, and a sense of history, you'll enjoy "The Aviator.'

I love this movie and I was looking forward to owning it. But the dvd was so messed up it hardly plays. Now how does a brand new dvd get all scratched up like the copy I recieved? This is the first of many products I have purchased through that I am not happy with.

The Aviator starring Leonardo DiCaprio is an exciting film about the life and loves of Howard Hughes, the film also focuses on his plane crash, his obsession with cleanliness, and his financial struggles. DiCaprio should've won the oscar for lead actor instead of that over-rated Jaime Foxx. This could easily be Leo's best performance to date. And don't forget about the luminous Cate Blanchett, she won the best supporting oscar for her dead-on portrayal of screen legend, Katherine Hepburn. Kate Beckinsale also does a fine job doing her best Eva Gardner. The only thing that's disappointing is the ending, there's no real closure and it's kind of a shame since the film runs about 3 hours. This is a great biopic nonetheless so save yourself a weekend and watch this film!

I'm not surprised that Cate Blanchett won an Oscar for her supporting role, playing Katherine Hepburn, but I'm shocked that Leonardo DiCaprio did not win for his brilliant portrayal of Howard Hughes. With all Mr. Hughes's phobias and odd ways, portraying him must undoubtedly have been the ultimate challenge.

This movie was great! It was awesome seeing the genius of Director Martin Scorsese "pulling" the best from his actors and from each scene. Everyone pulled together to create a phenomenal movie that deservedly won five Oscars.

I learned many things about Howard Hughes and even more about what happened to the boy that helped form the man. Very sad in places, but uplifting in others.

I admire what Scorsese said about Hughes; very insightful: "You get a sense of Howard Hughes being Icarus with the wax wings. Those wings were great for a while, but he flies too close to the sun."

That is so sad, but so true, as this film adequately depicts. I don't think it's a typical "tear-jerker," but my heart went out to Hughes. I admit I used a few tissues.

"The Aviator" explores the life of the extraordinary American genius Howard Hughes from the 1920s-1940s. Left a multimillionaire by the early death of his parents, Hughes embarked on a remarkable career in movies and especially aviation. He continually risked everything to follow his dreams.

Leonardo di Caprio makes a good fist of the title role assisted by a strong support cast and director Martin Scorsese pulls out every trick in the cinematic book (lighting, sound, editing, special effects) to tell this amazing story.

Suffers a few lulls in the latter half when exploring Hughes's mental illness but builds to a powerful conclusion.

Yet another exceptional film from the master Martin Scorsese.

Martin Scorsese has a way with biopics. Each one has been a masterpiece. Raging Bull (Special Edition), The Last Temptation of Christ - Criterion Collection, and GoodFellas (Two-Disc Special Edition) are masterpieces and I feel THe Aviator ranks right up there with these.

It's a wonderful movie. Spectacular and grand in its scope. The cast is brilliant and their acting is perfect. Cate Blanchett steals the show as Katharine Hepburn, definitely and Oscar worthy performance. Also are Alan Alda, Alec Baldwin, Kate Beckinsale, Jude Law, Gwen Stefani, and John C. Reilly.

The film itself covers Howard Hughes life for 20 or so years. It features his move to Hollywood, the making of Hell's Angels, and his entagles with both Katharine Hepburn and Ava Gardner.

The DVD features an informative commentary with the man himself, Martin Scorsese, also included is one deleted scene, and a few featurettes, all of which are a must watch.

Although a tad on the lengthy side (170 minutes!), this muvie is a very good movie. I love it. It's one of the best of the year. Definitely recommended.

Highly recommended.

This portrait of Hughes shows him both as a forward looking genius who took tremendous chances that ended in great success and as a reclusive eccentric with mental problems. Is it accurate? I don't know. I have two problems with this movie. First of all, Leonardo DiCaprio was not convincing as Howard Hughes. He tried very hard, but it just doesn't quite succeed. I think he is still too young and inexperienced to really pull it off. It's not a terrible job of acting, but nothing spectacular either. Perhaps a very difficult role to do. The second problem was the ending. The movie just stopped without any real conclusion. I guess after almost 3 hours, they had to end it at some point. I was disappointed that they didn't follow the story on a little further and make it more of a full biography. It would have been too long then, but some scenes could have been cut and the movie could have completed Hughes life within 3 hours. If nothing else, the movie inspired me to want to read more about Hughes and find out how many liberties they took in the film. Did Hughes really drink only milk from a sealed bottle? Was he a cleanliness freak? Did his mental illness cause him to repeat something over and over again? How much that went on between TWA and Pan Am in the movie actually occurred? Was Hughes a big ladies man and did he and Kate Hepburn have a relationship for quite some time, as the movies suggests? The movie held my interest from start to finish, so for that I give it 4 stars. Is it really a 4-star movie? Perhaps not, but it was very entertaining and that's what movies are supposed to do--entertain you. Hughes was such an interesting man, a true documentary biography might have been actually more far more enjoyable than this fictionalized account.

I can't say I'm a huge Leonardo DeCapprio fan but he really does a fine job in this portrayal of the young Howard Hughes. He gets a lot of support from a great cast and the screenplay is very witty and engaging. A really good movie. It took me a while to get to this one but I'm glad I finally did.

This is one of those movies which leaves you wondering why exactly it was made in the first place. If you are part of the DiCaprio target demographic, you have no earthly idea who Howard Hughes even was, and fact this applies to pretty much anyone under the age 40. Those of us in our early 40's are dimly aware of Hughes, while our parents will remember Hughes from the point where his story began to get really weird & really interesting. Those of you who can remember the time covered in the movie...well, you are probably already dead or very nearly so. This begs the question: for whom was this movie made, and what story is it trying to tell?

It is important to consider this, because the story really doesn't have an ending. We get to see the Spruce Goose fly in 1947, but beyond that...who knows? Does Hughes get crazier (he does). Do his plans for TWA come to fruition (ultimately, they don't). Does he make bigger & better movies (they are big, but they go from bad to worse --- John Wayne as Genghis Khan? Enough said). The movie is made with the assumption that the bulk of the audience knows ultimately how the story ends, but how can this assumption be made? We, the movie-going audience, are left at a dead end.

So why 4 stars? Because up until the dead end, it is one hell of a ride. For those of us who do know, more or less, how the bigger story ends, it is a glimpse at the Hughes who is less likely to be remembered than the reclusive nutjob occupying the top floors of assorted hotels for half a year at a time. It is a remarkable story of a driven man, whose self-destructive demons were nonetheless the source of much of his achievement. As the movie concludes, Hughes himself seems to accept that these warring aspects of his personality are interwoven to the point that he cannot have one without the other, and whatever may be in store for him in the future, it will be worth the price paid.

So --- a qualified 4 stars. Normally, I hate sequels. However, if ever there were a movie which needed a sequel, it would be this one.

It took me a while to see `The Aviator' since word from my friends and family was that the running time was exhausting. While they have some reason to feel that way personally I feel that the film is so well put together that it more than makes the running time worth while. Leonardo DiCaprio is at his best here and delivers an award worthy performance as the legend Howard Hughes. Martin Scorsese delivers as well, directing powerhouse performances with great effects and amazing storytelling capacity. `The Aviator' truly is a mesmerizing biopic and is probably, but don't quote me on this, the best of the bunch to be released in `the year of the biopic'.

The film gracefully covers most of Hughes adult life, exposing his love life and his business escapades not to mention his quarks and obsessions. Along the way we are introduced to some of Hollywood's most elite, from Katherine Hepburn, played magnificently by Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, to Jean Harlow and Ava Gardner. His relationships with these women is dissected, mostly when it comes to Hepburn, and the chemistry between both DiCaprio and Blanchett is so effortless that it makes the whole experience comfortable and believable to the viewer.

The film, as is apparent by the title, focuses in large part on Hughes obsession with aviation, but it's his other strange obsessions that make a great canvas for DiCaprio's in-depth and articulate performance. I've always known that there was a great actor underneath those pretty boy looks and thankfully Leonardo took advantage of that when he took this role on full speed ahead. The way that he delves deep into the madness that overtook Hughes was pure genius, and the way he was able to keep his head, making it believable as apposed to over the top, his commendable and noteworthy.

The supporting cast including John C. Reilly, Alec Baldwin, Gwen Stefani, Kate Beckinsale and Jude Law is very impressive, and everyone is on key, but none so much as Alan Alda who plays Senator Brewster, the enemy as you could label him. The court hearings towards the end of this film where Brewster and Hughes square off are exciting and real and they really show the brilliance of these two actors. Watching them debate back and forth is so effortless it transcends acting. It's actually, don't take this wrong, beautiful to watch.

Scorsese really outdoes himself here, combining a great true life story with a powerful script that does it's best to flesh out a man who had a lot to uncover, not to mention the fantastic acting and fluid chemistry, making `The Aviator' one of the must see movies of the given year. I remember watching it and wondering how anyone could walk away feeling indifferent. Sure, it's not perfect, but it's one of the best films of the year and surely one of the best showcases for pure acting genius. Scorsese and company is truly to be commended for delivering one great work of art.

One of the greatest compliments to any film, IMHO, is when it can be called a great work of art. And this one is just that, a great work of art. Leonardo DiCaprio was great, as usual, in this film. I've read, in some places, that the film took a few liberties with facts about Hughes, but it's still a great film. It also highlights the rather unknown facts of Hughes' excentricities, OCD, which can be devastating for some, and greatly misunderstood by those around them. But the art and craftwork that went into creating the period are just fantastic.

"The Aviator" carries more similarities with earlier Martin Scorsese's masterpiece -- "The Raging Bull" -- than might be obvious at first viewing. Both the aviator and film producer Howard Hughes (Leonardo di Caprio) and the boxing pro champ Jake LaMotta (Robert de Niro in the 1980 movie) achieved much in their lives, but were prevented to reach even higher heights -- partly due to their own mistakes, partly due to circumstances that were against them. But the most striking similarity between the two films lies in the way Scorsese masterfully injected them with understated compassion with the characters -- Interestingly, even the names of the two Scorsese's favorite actors are similarly Italian.

There are some differences, too. While Jake LaMotta's demons are an integral part of the film and its events, Howard Hughes' mental illness does not really carry the film forward and is the main reason why "The Aviator" feels a little too long. But not too long, rest assured. You can devour it, time flies with it -- so irresistibly watchable this is. Also due to the stellar cast headed by di Caprio. And the word to Cate Blanchett -- when Katharine Hepburn, so far the only actress (or actor, for that matter) who owns 4 acting Oscars, passed away at 96 in 2003, it could not occur to many that in just a year there will be such a great incarnation of HERSELF on film.

Blanchett earned the Oscar of her own for this role and the film got four more statues, but the most prestigious ones went to Clint Eastwood's sombre and more intimate "Million Dollar Baby". Indeed, "The Aviator" has not as high emotional resonance as some other big prize winners and as such does not stay with you for days after you see it, but solely for its sheer, classy filmmaking craft it easily ranks among the best works of the century so far.

Wow.... just got done watch the Aviator, and that is one word I can absolutely describe the movie. The picture/scenes, for a minute I thought I was watching HD, but it was only 420p. I had to rub my eyes because I thought I was robbing HD :). Anyways, this movie by far, on a scale of 1 to 10. This movie is hmmm let me think a second, forget it, it breaks the SCALE! I couldn't believe my eyes through out the whole movie. Leo playing Howard, and here I thought he did an amazing job (which he did) in Blood Diamonds, but WOW!! Leo did an unbelievable acting job. At times, I was like, this is Howard Hughes!! Wow! The determination of Howard. The passion of Howard. The unwilling to give up on his Goal! Leo definitely brought out in Howard! It was shear entertainment! RENT ATLEAST! Just get to know Howard through Leo! But not be everything accurate of Howard, but you get the gist. I bought it and it was well spent, for $4? Come on! I just robbed someone! It was a great bargain!! I would give this movie 10 stars, 20 stars, no amount of stars would justify how great this movie was overall. I am impressed with the man that is called "Mr. Howard." The rest of the cast was just as good.... but Leo, wow, I felt like it was a one man show and it was him trying to let me to get to know who Mr. Howard was. And his eccentrics, felt so sorry for him especially at the end all naked with a bunch of tissue warzone. It undoubtablely (if thats even a word) the movie one have to watch. Great Job, Leo, might of not won an Oscar, but you definitely deserve an ovation of a great performance! RENT THIS MOVIE! OR BUY IT! Either way . . . you WIN!!!! :)

I knew nothing about Howard Hughes before watching the movie, and I think this movie did a good job of introducing me to this historical figure. DiCaprio did an amazing job, his acting talents never cease to amaze me! Wonderful movie!