The Aviator (movie)

I had no desire to see The Aviator. As the movie was starting, I still had no desire to watch it. Just goes to show me not to judge a movie by its movie poster or my own preconceptions. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Watching the mental demise of Howard Hughes was sad yet riveting. DiCaprio is cursed (or blessed) with a young face, so my friends could not get over that aspect. Who cares. I think he did a great job. The passion of Hughes was admirable.

There were two scenes of mind over matter that sealed the deal for me. 1) When Alan Alda's character purposely places the thumb pring on the glass and 2) the hearings where he had to drag himself out of his mental state and present himself before the world. Any movie that makes me want to read is worthy of my vote. I'll have to pick up a Hughes biography one of these days.

I've known the Hughes name for almost as long as I've known my own. My mother worked 22+ years for Hughes Aircraft. All the kids, of the people who worked there, would eagerly wait for those yearly (sometimes longer) visits where they allowed the "public" to even enter the premises. Then we'd get to see the cool satellites and demos. It was a WOW experience. I sent my resume to Hughes Aircraft (if in name only) while I was still a student. I didn't get past the second interview. ;)

The Spruce Goose. All those years in Long Beach, CA and I never went to see it. I went to see the Queen Mary, but not the Spruce Goose which was her neighbor! Now I wish I had.