The Aviator

Martin Scorsese finally delivers the movie that lives up to his promise as a master of his craft. After a string of miscalculated films such as "Kundun," "Bringing Out The Dead" and "Gang's Of New York" audiences have an opportunity to grasp the brilliance of Scorsese's encyclopedic knowledge of filmmaking and his visionary ability to work with a broad dramatic palate of passion, personality and milieu. Leonardo DiCaprio gives an eloquent and sympathetic portrayal of Howard Hughes, as one of the 20th century's most creative and tragically flawed figures, that is as credible as it is a pure joy to behold. Screenwriter John Logan ("Gladiator") deserves special praise for his terse script that emphasizes Hughes' life from his 1920s independent directorial movie effort to his 1940s congressional showdown over military contracts with the U.S. government to provide airplanes during WW II.

Rated PG-13, 168 mins. (A) (Five Stars)