Must-see movie

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Just got back from seeing “The Aviator.” Any aviation enthusiast has gotta see it.

It contains the inevitable targets for nitpickers (watch the insignia on the F-5, and the cockpit enclosure on the Hughes racer). But what a wonderful assortment of aircraft! The runway full of Constellations (some of them probably phony) in TWA colors is worth the price of admission. I imagine FSM will do an article revealing that most of it was faked (the flight of the Spruce Goose was obviously computer-generated), but my wife and I both enjoyed it thoroughly. The story is fascinating (I’ll have to do some reading to find out how accurate it is) and the acting, to my taste, is excellent (Kate Beckinsale makes at least as good an Ava Gardner as Ava Gardner did). Great fun.

2

I’ll probably go see it just to see the airplanes. That alone would be worth the ticket price. Too bad Hollywood couldn’t find someone besides Leo to do the Howard Hughes part. [alien]

3

You may be pleasantly surprised. I’ve tended to think of Leo as the ultimate pretty face, but this one’s a bit out of character for him. The resemblance to Hughes, especially in the last half hour or so, is pretty remarkable.