stuckonlife, thanks for the Sarris review. It's so great to know he loved the film. One thing that he mentions: Madolyn and Colin's relationship also starts out as doctor/patient. Wonder if he means that this is what interests Madolyn in the first place... a desire to cure Colin. Or if they actually have therapy sessions together. arnzilla, the 'patriot act' bit has someone (Wahlberg ?) overjoyed in its advantages. I took it to mean that it makes it so much easier nowadays to authorize a wire/bug/eavesdrop on anybody.

An ocassion for rejoicing...
Thanks for more reviews. 8) I especially liked the review by Andrew Sarris. Thanks, stuckonlife! Here's my theory I had several months ago...again. :wink: The Departed strikes unexpectedly deep chords of tragic poignancy with the emotional fallout from an atmosphere of perpetual paranoia so characteristic of our post-9/11 world. No one can completely trust anyone else. WHOA. ONLY 8 days away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8)

Sasha Stone from OscarWatch has just seen it... *it's FUCKING RAD* What can I say - I walked out of there going, holy fucking shit - that was one of the best movies I've ever seen. It's AMAZING. Nicholson is SO good he might be the frontrunner for best actor. Mark Wahlberg, incredible. The script, tight as a drum. I can't WAIT to see it again. Damn!

Post from Ocarwatch site He hasn't written a review yet, but The Onion A.V. Club's Scott Tobias (who happens to be one of our best critics) has given it an 'A' and ranked it as the best film so far this year on his personal website. Will Thanks for comments from Sasha of Oscarwatch :) Look forward to her entire review

One may have predicted that Sasha would go batty over it since she's a die-hard Scorsese fanatic, not that there is anything wrong with that, mind you. Sounds like Jack will pull a Brando here and perhaps go lead just as Marlon did in The Godfather (and won, of course). Which makes me wonder, would Leo et al go supporting in such a situation, ala Al Pacino (who was none too happy to be pushed in that category given that he actually was lead) but stranger things have happened I suppose. It'll be interesting reading her entire review, but it's clear that she also liked Wahlberg a lot, too, as a several other reviewers have. So are these guys gonna be the big standouts? It's possible.

Sasha added a little more ---- says Leo and Matt are REALLY good, but Jack just goes a little further in this performance than she's ever seen him. She feels Scorsese will get plenty of accolades whether or not AMP-ASS recognizes his achievement or not. Compares this film to Mystic River - plot is wound very tight like that one was and Scorsese never drops the ball just as Eastwood didn't with that one.

Scott Tobias gave TD an A?? That's HUGE. If he's the Scott Tobias that writes for The Onion, I am stoked. josephc - Mark's gotten a lot of great accolades but I'd say in the reviews so far, Leo's also gotten his share of them too and being noted as a standout. Seems like the majority of reviews so far have been enthusiastic about the cast as a whole with that one exception of that rotten tomato fan reviewer who really hated Leo's perf. but it seems out there since everyone else (so far) has either loved his perf or said he was good. Yes, just saw it is the Tobias from the Onion. His list of movie ratings: http://home.comcast.net/%7Estobias1/2006grades.html

Josephc Thanks for more comments from Sasha :) Abstract Yes...DiCaprio certainly has gotten his share of raves as well... To me the review comment that seems to echo the general consensus so far is the comment by Rene R of Miami Herald The Departed is class-A pulp - grave, resonant, psychologically complex and acted to the skies. I can't wait to see it again.

More commentary from Sasha of Oscarwatch **Personally don't share her perceptions that "Gangs/Aviator" were not truly Oscar worthy..but as always...different folks=different storkes The Departed - A Slam Dunk The Departed is one of those films that just gets better as it goes along. One could argue that Scorsese's last two films had moments of greatness but were flawed, especially in the third act. The Departed, because of its strong script and brilliant performances, does not falter but just gets better up to the very last second. Scorsese is one of the last of the grea-*test*-('") generation of American directors. Along with Eastwood, he has just proved he has more life in him than ever before. But he is the only director working in American film - with the possible exception of David Lynch -- whose work you can recognize the first minute of screentime. His camera waits for no one. He has always played around with film speeds; adhering strictly to 24fps is just not a consideration. So you better keep up. Who else but Scorsese would put on the soundtrack "Comfortably Numb" sung by Van Morrison, The Band and Roger Waters? Funnily enough, though, while The Departed could be by no other director, it could stand on its own with anyone directing it - meaning, the script and actors are so good they could probably withstand just about any decent enough director. BUT with THIS director, and THESE actors - it adds up to what will likely be one of the best films of the year. Now the disclaimer - anyone who's been around this site for more than a few years knows that I, we, whatever have a "thing" for Scorsese. Both Gangs of New York and The Aviator got close enough to Oscar to warrant coverage however, we're willing admit that okay, fine, whatever, we lost all credibility pushing those films. I don't know what was more embarrassing - Scorsese never having won and Oscar or everyone saying he'd never won one - either way, that is happily taken off the table this year with The Departed. Here's why. Scorsese isn't "going for Oscar" with this one. And as a result, his bird has been let out of its cage and he seems to be back to doing what he loves: making kick-ass movies. It's like that scene in Shawshank Redemption where Red keeps coming up for parole and getting stamped "rejected." Red didn't need anyone to tell him he was free or not free; freedom was a state of mind that film. Likewise, and this goes for any artist across the board, what a few thousand Hollywood types think of your movie is meaningless in the grand scheme of things. We've been down this road too many times to go there again. Another Career Performance for Nicholson It's quite something to have veteran actors like Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep and Helen Mirren doing their very best work in the later stages of their careers. Jack Nicholson does things in The Departed that are beyond what he's done in the past. He goes to a dark place here - he is like a star that burns its brigh-*test*-('") just before it's snuffed out - all the while, never losing what makes him so great: his humor. Nicholson's Frank Costello is a mystery. Nicholson is at the top of his game here. He is rotten, charming, violent, scary - a spectrum of odd qualities in one character. It could be that the critics react well to this film and it will, as everyone is already saying ad nauseum, be on the table for Oscar consideration. I can't imagine it NOT getting a Best Pic nomination, no matter what the studio does. It will be beloved across the board.

Another wonderful review, thanks Pea :D I'm really looking forward to seeing Jack in this film. Initially I worried as there were so many comments about him going all out. But I've been happpily surprised by the previews... he really is acting, and not just 'playing Jack'.

I don't see any water cooler forum. I don't think I ever activated my membership. I'll do that now. Thanks, will.

Another blogger weighs in: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 I got to see a screening of the new Martin Scorsese film The Departed tonight. Holy hell. What a great movie. So many great lines/scenes. Anyone who likes movies will get pumped when you hear that same rolling stones song from Goodfellahs kick in at the start. And Jack? This movie might result in a new wave of hacky impersonations of the guy. His line about pussy ("I don't need it, but I like it") is friggin hysterical. Even your Mark Walbergs & Leos were great. Oh and Martin Sheen & Alec Baldwin! Great! I want to memorize the driving range scene between Baldwin & Matt Damon. I'm not normally this much up a movie's ass when it comes out, but I just had to spread the word on this one. The Hong Kong flick this is based on (Infernal Affairs) is going right to the top of my Netflix Queue. I won't give away anymore. See it. Like you weren't already.