A Public Apology to Marty Scorsese: Entry 104

My valued vacation time spent in the Fall temperatures of a San Francisco summer has given pass to finally calm the torrents of tedious work and sleep deprivation. I have enjoyed the weather. I have enjoyed the realms of making plans that involve "no plans." For today (Thursday) my only plans involve traveling to Coit Liquor, purchasing a bottle of 6 dollar wine, a small triangle of sharp cheese, and walking directly across the street into Washington park to "drink with the bums and pidgeons." My own little Kerouac dream in the shadows of City Lights Books. Sounds fantastic, no? Well these are the last few vacation days of my roaring twenties. There are some that would openly state in astonishment, "Pffft, you're under 30? You have nothing to complain about." Well, do not misunderstand me good knight... I am not making complaints of gray hairs and old age (today anyway). I have to take this small moment of clear-headed opportunity to give accolades to a grand mind of film and the arts.
Martin Scorsese has bled scenes from films that have been wiped away by a handkercheif and tossed into the garbage that fair far better than the majority of crap that has been slung across the silver screen throughout the last 15 years. However, Marty has never won the love of the golden boy, Oscar. It's a shame, truly. There was a time when I thought Mr. Scorsese's time had come and gone... that the fantastic creative genius that he polished with RAGING BULL, GOODFELLAS, and TAXI DRIVER had been passed over and had stiffled somewhere on the rough and rugged path.
When seated in the theaters of my youth, I shook with excitement when BRINGING OUT THE DEAD was the next greatest project from Martin. We thought that it would be in a similar vein to TAXI DRIVER. This, unfortunately, was not the case. Although it was a film splashed with genius and humor, it was no TAXI DRIVER. I had truly hoped that that GANGS OF NEW YORK would be a masterful violent return to Scorsese's previous roots. Unfortunately, I felt that Martin's hope and love of Leonardo DiCaprio was perhaps overzealous. Leo, though a talented actor (at times - like the picture that I'm watching right now, ROMEO AND JULIET) didn't bring it home for me. Thank God, Daniel Day Lewis took time off from beign a shoe cobbler to actually put some decent acting in that film. My argument states that Martin was either slipping, didn't get as much out of the pictures as he was putting in, or had bloated his budgets to the point that the keen and sharp vision of his films had become a milky cloud of mediocrity.
His last film, THE AVIATOR, I skipped. I just didn't think that it was going to be worth the time and effort of sitting through a period piece/biopic. It also called on Leo to once again carry the film. I just let it slip on by without a further thought.
There were conversations that pointed the various elements of the film and whether or not it was true Scorsese material. Time went on and I still did not watch the film.
While in San Fran, I sat down during a late evening and finally watched THE AVIATOR. Martin, I'm sorry. I apologize for all of the ill comments that may have passed my lips about your film or film making ability. THE AVIATOR is a fine movie. I actually enjoyed it. Now, it was not the kind of element that stuck to the ribs as did your previous films. However, the sets were expansive and seemingly expensive. I did notice the CGI but it did not distract so far as to pull me out of the film. Even Leo's acting seemed to fall into place. Kate Blanchett's turn as Katherine Hepburn was frighteningly realistic. So, well done, my good man. Well done.
With this said, and hopefully accepted with a smile and proverbial handshake... I would like to add that I dearly look forward to your next film, THE DEPARTED. Even though it is a twist on a "Hong Kong remake" I will see it opening night. I love Hong Kong Cinema... and from what I've seen of the trailer, Nicholson f#(king rocks. Now, Leo should do fine... Damon will more than likely keep it interesting... but Nicholson... I'm impressed with what I've seen on a two minute trailer my good man...
So, kudos. We might have to talk about this later though. If you need to reach me... perhaps sending a message through the Steely Dan website will work. Apparently they've had some success with Wes Anderson.

-B