The Aviator
The Aviator may finally get Martin Scorsese his Oscar; if it does, it will be more in recognition of past greatness than of this film. That's not to say The Aviator isn't a highly entertaining and engaging biopic, because it is definitely that. Despite all of Hughes' many disorders and phobias, Scorsese and DiCaprio savor the notion that Hughes was a fighter who, when his back was pressed against the wall, was able to overcome his mental illnesses to meet the challenges before him. Ultimately, of course, those diseases proved to be too much for him to handle, which led to Hughes' eccentric lifestyle in seclusion for the final years of his life. But it was his extraordinary accomplishments as a movie producer and, most importantly, an aviator, that Scorsese wants people to remember him by. For the film's brisk 169-minute running time at least—mission accomplished.