A few quick reviews

The Aviator (1st viewing)

Martin Scorsese returns to form with a fabulous biopic of the life of Howard Hughes, but it's DiCaprio who steals the show here. His portrayel is refreshingly human, and even moving in Hughes' worst moments, and The Aviator represents his move into decidedly more adult territory. He is supported by a never-better Cate Blanchett, who may be acting a little too hard, but makes up for it with her hilarious portrayel of Katherine Hempburn. Beckinsale is less interesting, but at least she has improved on Van Helsing. The rest of the cast is huge, and you'll be shocked at the massive amount of small roles and cameos that have been taken up by famous actors and actresses. Even Willem Dafoe and Danny Huston show up along the way. Bladwin and Alda work well together and independently, especially Alda, turning what could have been straight 'villain' roles into something a little more interesting.

The techinical aspects of the film also deserve mention. The visual effects (not something you're used to seeing in a Scorcese picture) are very well done, and all the flying sequences are truly terrifying, especially the crash scene, which had me flinching and groaning throughout. Scorsese also utilises split-screen techniques very effectively. Some parts may be difficult to sit through, but The Aviator is one of the best crafted films of the year and deserves mention in almost every catagory of this year's Oscars.

***** out of 5.

Birth (1st viewing)

Jonathan Glazer delivers a haunting tale of love and inner feelings. Or, he throws together a ridiculously contrived piece of trash that wants to be smart but isn't. Birth was always bound to split audiences right in two - it is the definition of a love it or hate it movie. Personally, I loved it.

Kidman plays Anna, whose husband Sean died ten years ago, and who is now remarrying to Joseph, played by Danny Huston. She resides in her mother's apartment/mansion, her mother being Lauren Bacall. It's quite an ensemble, but it is broken apart by the arrival of a boy claiming to be Sean. He doesn't use the word reincarnation, he just says that he is Sean. I won't ruin the plot, but needless to say things soon take a turn for the worse.

The whole experience is extremely disturbing, or I found it to be, anyway. Cameron Bright, as the young boy, is creepy but also very human. Considering his age, he does a fantastic job with a complex role. Kidman gives the best performance of her career as Anna. Everything about her is simply perfect, from her delivery to her deepest facial expressions. She is dazzling.

The conclusion of the film is haunting, especially the final scene, and the whole experience is deeply affecting. Far better than I had ever expected. ***** out of 5.

The Iron Giant (5th viewing)

Living proof that director Brad Bird, behind the recent animation masterpiece The Incredibles, is not a one trick pony. After seeing The Incredibles twice in the cinema, I decided to re-visit one of my other favourite animated movies, also directed by Bird - 1999's criminally underrated The Iron Giant. Not only is it entertaining and instantly re-watchable, it's also one of the most touching and smart animated movies of the last decade.

We have a paranoid governement agent who sees conspiracies wherever he looks, and whose fall from grace and refusal to believe the giant is friendly represent much more than appears on the surface, as does Hogarth's friendship with the giant and the army's immediate violent response to the sight of him. Much like The Incredibles, this is an amazingly multi-layered and beautifully animated tale, further boosted by great voice performances from Eli Marienthial, Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jnr., John Mahoney and Vin Diesel. ***** out of 5.