From the desk of The Movie Snob:

The Aviator (B+). The new Martin Scorsese biopic about eccentric tycoon Howard Hughes has been getting good reviews, and I’d say they are deserved. I enjoyed the film for several reasons. First, I really didn’t know much about Hughes’s life, and this almost-three-hour movie covers quite a chunk of it, basically from young manhood to middle age. Second, the movie is visually impressive, especially in the aviation scenes and the scenes of the extravagant nightlife enjoyed by Hughes and his Hollywood cronies. Third, the performances are very good. I thought Leonardo DiCaprio was impressive in the starring role, although his youthful appearance was a little jarring by the end of the movie when Hughes must have been in his forties. Cate Blanchett plays Katharine Hepburn, a pretty odd bird herself, with gusto. Kate Beckinsale is stunningly gorgeous (but has sadly little screen time) as Ava Gardner. It’s a long movie, no doubt, but worth the ride. Hop aboard the Spruce Goose and check it out.