The Aviator

Director Martin Scorsese has been making great films for over 50 years. "The Aviator" is among his best. It is not often that a bio-pic about well-known Hollywood insiders wins an Oscar. This one won 5 of the 11 nominations it earned.

While Leonardo DiCaprio (What's Eating Gilbert Grape, The Quick and the Dead, and Titanic) had the title role here, and played it brilliantly, he was not the top attraction. His work here may be his widest range thus far however. From amazing inventor, aviator, and captain of industry to the whacked-out germophobe living in the top floors of a Vegas casino, DiCaprio allows the audience forget it's acting.

Cate Blanchett (LOTR series, Babel, and the Elizabeth series) on the other hand, takes his work here to the next level and becomes Katherine Hepburn of the 1950's and beyond. For this she got to give an Oscar acceptance speech. if you have not seen this movie yet, watch it just for he performance as a lesson to all actors about having your character get into you rather than you getting into character. She is a complete Hepburn; voice, mannerisms, expressions, attitude, and moxie.

This project drew a big list of stars in support: Alan Alda, Alex Balwin, John C. Reilly, Kate Beckinsale, Gwen Stefani, and Jude Law to name just a few you might recognize, and each played a real person you might also have heard if. Everyone does a superb job of teaching real history in a real interesting way.

If you skipped this movie during the winter of 2004-2005, I highly recommend watching it now. If you have not seen it since, it is certainly worth a watch again, if for no other reason than to catch all the funny goofs which somehow made it into the final edit.

Watch this movie with a healthy dose of respect for how high it sets the bar.

Hitch

Why is this movie on my blog you ask? Good question! It was not a huge box office hit. It was not a critical favorite. It was not an artistic masterpiece. Still is was a good story well told. And, every woman I know says every man they know should watch this movie at least once, and some may need to see it additional times to get the message.

Director Andy Tennant (Ever After, Anna and the King, and Sweet Home Alabama) does a great job showing all American men in the form of either Will Smith (Independence Day, Men in Black series, and I Am Legend) or Kevin James (King of Queens series). While these 2 guys are not the extremes of American men, the do cover the vast majority of us. The message? Somewhere in the middle it what most women want.

Smith's character is a dating consultant who is super suave and a total winner. James' character is his client who has the nots for a super model type, way out of his league. But, "Hitch" takes on the challenge. Along the way, they both get what they want in a very amusing, and educational manner. Yes, it's totally predictable, but the journey is plenty fun for both genders.

This was billed as a great data movie, and I heartily endorse that concept.

Watch this movie with someone who can laugh at themself without spraying popcorn all over.