MSCL.com

I'm going to a private preview of this tonight... Mr. S and I won a competition to get free tickets at some posh London cinema. I've a suspicion it's a press preview - there's a drinks reception beforehand.
It's quite exciting really The last time I went to a private showing, it was the theatre, and I was interviewed for comment by the Independent newspaper! I didn't know they'd published my comments until about a month later though when someone told me they'd seen my quote.

I will let you guys know what I think, anyway! Has anyone else seen this?

I'll probably have to wait for the DVD on this one. I never have enough time or money to go out to the cinema. But The Aviator is a film on my list of films-to-see. Please do let us know what you think, starbug!

ooh, that sounds like a lot of fun, Starbug!! the film didn't really appeal to me, but it's nominated for a lot of awards here in the states. so I might just check it out afterall. tell us what you think!

I can't resist the thought of Jude Law, Kate Beckinsale, Gwen Stefani, and Cate Blanchett all together in one movie.

Well, it was a good night! We arrived to the drinks reception, but there was no food so we left to try and find some, got as far as the snackbar at the cinema where the guy told us there was a tab running so we could have whatever we wanted It wasn't a press thing, it was a promotional night for a magazine we subscribe to (http://www.theweek.co.uk). After half and hour the film started, no opening credits, no trailers, no nothing. just film. it was so refreshing...

Now, about the film. It was good. It definitely didn't feel like 3 hours. But don't go expecting most of the big names to be lighting up the screen. Cate Blanchett was excellent, as was Kate Beckinsdale, but Gwen Stefani and Jude Law were in it for about 8 seconds each. Seriously, blink and you miss it; I'm not sure how you're supposed to assess someone's acting debut on that basis. Gwen had 2 lines or something. Leonardo I usually hate, but he managed to conjour up a surprising amount of sympathy, and much was made of Howard Hughes' OCD, which probably helped. Personally though, Alan Alda and John C Reilly were the stars of the show for me. Both gave really excellent performances.
Another surprise was a bit-part for Ruth from 6FU. She was good.
The special effects were good, but quite obvious, which always annoys me, but it wasn't overbearing.
The only thing I would say is that the ending was rather strange, and not in a good way.

That said, it was a good film, beautifully shot, IMHO, and will probably win a handful of awards. It probably is Leonardo di Caprio's best work. I would say go and see it!

starbug wrote:The only thing I would say is that the ending was rather strange, and not in a good way.

Heh, "His ending was rather strange, and not in a good way" could be on Howard Hughes' tombstone. You know, what with the uncut nails, and the tissue-box shoes, and the broken hypodermic needles, and the grotesque emaciation...

http://figures.nohomers.net/Customs/Cus ... urns_2.jpg

This movie was really good. It showed the success story of a very haunted man, Howard Hughes, and his ability to be a major player in both Hollywood and with TWA. Yes Howard Hughes was an eccentric man but what person doesn't have habits that would seem strange to somebody else. We are all indivdual people who have different drives that would seem strange to other people.

I just read on the internet that The Aviator got 11 Oscar nominations, the most noms so far for one film this year...

Eleven Oscar nominations puts it with movies like Amadeus, The Godfather, West Side Story, Oliver!, The Color Purple, Out of Africa, Saving Private Ryan, and LOTR: ROTK, all of which received eleven Academy Award nominations. Interestingly (and sadly), The Color Purple won NONE.

Although eleven nominations is a lot for a single movie, the record is fourteen. So far, only two...wait for it...Titanic, which won eleven.

so I finally got around to seeing this movie tonight. I thought it was pretty good. mostly though, I was pleasantly surprised by Cate Blanchett's performance as Katherine Hepburn. literally the moment she began to speak, I sat up. she sounded so much like Hepburn that I wondered at first if her voice was dubbed. her acting was great too. go Cate! ha ha