Saw Scorcese's latest today, and even at 2 hours and 45 minutes the film seemed to fly by. We had a delightful cinematic experience despite the old people who wouldn't shut the fuck up behind us.
Crone: Oh, dear, there it is. Remember the Spruce Goose, dear?
Codger: Sure do. What audacity!
Crone: There he is, peeing in milk bottles. He sure was nutty!
Codger: I'll say!
They'd quiet down when I turned full around in my seat to glare at them, but only for a few minutes before a new pointless conversation.
The Aviator is not a deep film, and doesn't really tie in thematically with the body of Scorsese's work, but it breezes along on the strength of lavish sets, grand characters (Hughes, Kate Hepburn, Eva Gardner, etc) and fantastic performances by Blanchet, Baldwin, DiCaprio (yes, this is the Gilbert Grape DiCaprio, not the The Beach DiCaprio), and that guy who's in every film made the last five years--John C. Reilly. There are small roles featuring big stars like Willem Dafoe and Jude Law which spice things up. A big movie about a big man whose manias changed the world, a movie about movies and celebrity and money and America. Kate Blanchet looks nothing like Kate Hepburn, but somehow channels her spirit--very convincing. Worth seeing at the Senator if you can, but it's only there thru tomorrow, when Clint Eastwood's latest Million Dollar Baby opens. Can't wait for that, either. I like Hillary Swank.
Crone: Oh, dear, there it is. Remember the Spruce Goose, dear?
Codger: Sure do. What audacity!
Crone: There he is, peeing in milk bottles. He sure was nutty!
Codger: I'll say!
They'd quiet down when I turned full around in my seat to glare at them, but only for a few minutes before a new pointless conversation.
The Aviator is not a deep film, and doesn't really tie in thematically with the body of Scorsese's work, but it breezes along on the strength of lavish sets, grand characters (Hughes, Kate Hepburn, Eva Gardner, etc) and fantastic performances by Blanchet, Baldwin, DiCaprio (yes, this is the Gilbert Grape DiCaprio, not the The Beach DiCaprio), and that guy who's in every film made the last five years--John C. Reilly. There are small roles featuring big stars like Willem Dafoe and Jude Law which spice things up. A big movie about a big man whose manias changed the world, a movie about movies and celebrity and money and America. Kate Blanchet looks nothing like Kate Hepburn, but somehow channels her spirit--very convincing. Worth seeing at the Senator if you can, but it's only there thru tomorrow, when Clint Eastwood's latest Million Dollar Baby opens. Can't wait for that, either. I like Hillary Swank.
2 comments:
I saw Blanchett in an interview talking about how it was a hard part because you wanted to convey Hepburn but didn't want to do a Hepburn impression. But naturally she nailed it - she's pretty good.
The film was FABULOUS - now I see why Hell's Angels was among Kubrick's list of ten favorite films. God how AUDACIOUS!!
Cate Blanchett - deserves an Oscar.
Alan Alda was GREAT - and Kate Beckinsdale VA VA VOOM!!!
(In fact, serious VA VA VOOM shows up again and again in this film!)
But DiCaprio STEPPED UP and ruled this film - he really showed what he's capable of! (He also deserves an Oscar!)
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