The Aviator

If The Aviator lacks the punch of Martin Scorsese's earlier biopic Raging Bull, it's perhaps because Howard Hughes presents him with too much raw material. A millionaire at 18 (he inherited the Hughes Tool Company from his father), Hughes went on to become an aircraft designer and movie mogul, set air-speed records, date Hollywood's top stars and create Jane Russell's push-up bra in The Outlaw. Hughes's childhood is dismissed in a brief prologue that sets up his obsession with cleanliness, then it's straight on to the beginning of his Hollywood career. The film may not always be sure if its protagonist should be regarded as hero or villain, but Leonardo DiCaprio brings an impressive intensity to the role of Hughes that makes this superbly crafted biopic an utterly compelling experience - it thoroughly deserved winning four Oscars in the technical categories. Cate Blanchett is a treat as a rather Emma Thompson-like Katharine Hepburn (and won an Academy Award for her performance), but Kate Beckinsale pales in comparison as Ava Gardner.