April 25, 2024
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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?
So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.
And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.
There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.
I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.
So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.
But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”
My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher
“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.
~ David Simon
Fuck Little Miss Sunshine. There just isn’t any love for The Departed.
Where’s the love for The Departed??? I hope the Oscars have the final say…and give the The Departed some love.
It’s pretty boring at this point. I’m still hoping that the Academy pulls through for The Departed, but it’s not looking great :-/
Wow, I’m shocked as well that The Departed didn’t win. Sure looks like Little Miss Sunshine is a real contender for Best Picture. Then again, every film except The Queen looks like it has a legitimate chance to win…
The individual acting awards all look like Oscar locks…
I haven’t seen Sunshine but I’m really rooting for the Departed. I agree with The Carpetmuncher. The acting awards do really look like Oscar locks, as people have predicted.
I’d say The Queen even has a shot. I mean, it’s got six nominations and is the only film with a lead nomination.
But, yeah, there really is a big chance Little Miss Sunshine could become the first film since Driving Miss Daisy to win Best Picture without a director nomination. Funny how they’re both about driving.
I figured The Departed wouldn’t win when it only received one acting nomination.
But, I think if Little Miss Sunshine does win Best Picture then it’ll also get Screenplay from The Queen as well as Alan Arkin.
I like Little Miss Sunshine, but if the Academy gives it Best Picture, on the heels of Crash, then they will have really just stopped trying. I mean, even Driving Miss Daisy was about an Issue and more than just a pleasant road comedy.
The Departed won’t win. I’ve come to terms with it. We all knew it anyway but all these nominations made us feel that it could win. It’s too cold and ruthless for mainstream award lovin’. I’ll be happy to see Scorsese and Monahan win.
And throw the “no director nom = No BP win” theory out of the window. Looks like it’ll happen this year.
A boring snooze fest. Jennifer Hudson = a great singer but still didn’t belt “I am telling you” with the same intensity as the broadway babe. LMS – cute, adorable and SO NOT A BEST PICTURE. I still believe the Oscars will boil down to a two-horse race between The Departed and Babel, a race that Babel will win. It is the most accomplished film of the bunch in terms of sheer filmmaking prowess, powerful performances, a tight script, great crafts… my money is on BABEL.
Does the Best Picture HAVE to be about a capital-I Issue to be worthy? Isn’t that the kind of thinking that produces incredibly turgid nominees? What I wouldn’t give for, say, an Out of Sight or some other well-made, intensely pleasurable genre flick to get nominated for once.
That said, FUCK Little Miss Sunshine. FUCK it in its ear.
It’s the thinking that produces such winners as Crash, don’t argue with me, I’m not in the Academy.
Why all the anger towards LMS? It is truly a great film. EVERYONE that I personally know who has seen it has fallen in love with this movie. It’s a great screwball comedy in the vein of You Can’t Take It With You. It has an airtight script, many terrific performances (hence the SAG award), a great central visual metaphor with the bus, and the film says a lot more about families than any current film I can remember. The last scene of this family, after this devastating road trip, working together to push this bus out of the parking lot, then hoping inside of it to take the long journey home, had me in tears.
The Departed? Come on. It is actually Scorcese’s worst directed film in years. It takes a simple story and blows it out into operatic excess. The performances are hammy all the way. And the accents are laughable.
The Queen has a better shot than people seem to think. Mirren and Frears have consistently gotten nominated for this, it is still in theaters plugging away, and, as was mentioned above, is the only BP nominee also with a leading performance nomination.
Babel-also seems to be a contender–but who is it that loves this movie so much? I don’t know anyone. It is artistically made, but painful to sit through, without much redemption. It is a film about several characters making bad choices and WE have to live with their consequences. The audience I saw it with started turning against it (many walk outs, but several people talking back to the screen. Example: Cate Blanchett lays in a pool of her own blood (which is what she does for most of her screen time), looks at Brad Pitt and says something to the effect of, “Please take care of the children”. The person sitting in front of me yelled out, “Too late, bitch!” The whole theater cracked up.
Of all the BP nominees, LMS is the only one that connected with me emotionally…and for that I think it should win.
“But, I think if Little Miss Sunshine does win Best Picture then it’ll also get Screenplay from The Queen as well as Alan Arkin.”
Not really… like with SAG ensemble, BP could be the same as giving the movie its due overall and they can still honor The Queen for Mirren and its script.
I’m not sure why all the fanboys out there think Departed has a chance when the only actor who got any love was Wahlberg. Scorsese will get his Oscar for being overlooked for Aviator (a much better and more ambitious film) and something else will win BP, probably LMS since not everyone can get behind Babel.
“It’s the thinking that produces such winners as Crash”
No, it’s the fact that the actors make up the biggest branch of the Academy. A movie only needs 20.000000001% of the vote to win BP and the acors make up around 20.6% of the group.
“Scorsese will get his Oscar for being overlooked for Aviator (a much better and more ambitious film)”
I don’t get the whole “Scorsese’s return to form!” because, as you say, The Aviator was a better film, and even those who think The Departed is better, just seem to have forgotten that he made that movie and that it very nearly won the Oscar. Crazy.
“Not really… like with SAG ensemble, BP could be the same as giving the movie its due overall and they can still honor The Queen for Mirren and its script.”
But is a movie really going to win Best Picture and that’s it? I think if people are putting their votes down for Little Miss Sunshine in the BP category, then they’ll vote for it at least somewhere else. Screenplay seems most logical, supporting actor next. It could easily get all three.
Remember, SAG voters were voting two or three weeks back, not now with the current buzz.
Can someone please explain why makeup gets only 3 nominees at the Oscars? I can understand why animated gets only 3 since there are comparatively few animated films released to begin with. But since just about every film utilizes makeup, why limit things to just 3?
I realize I’m in the minority, but as much as I loved THE DEPARTED, I really LOVED BABEL! I wasn’t expecting to (based on so many of you guys), but it was the one that moved me and touched me the way I always hope EVERY movie will. And so few do.
Time is short here at work and I’m not a critic so please don’t ask me to elaborate other than to say that it just “got” me. Right here (I’m pointing at my heart). And here (now pointing at my head). Plus I loved the score enough to buy the soundtrack and I’m really cheap.
Best Picture winners don’t need to be Issue-oriented, but they should have a certain level of gravitas — the presence and/or definition of, I’m sure we could all debate for days. For me, LMS just didn’t have it and will keep it from winning the big prize. All of the other four have it in varying degrees, which is why the race is so wide open and such fun to speculate about.
(But BABEL will win.)
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m actually pulling hard for a Babel Oscar win at this point. It appears to be the only film with the muscle to beat LMS (the rest of the field just ain’t gonna get there), and while I didn’t love it, I’ve loved all of the Innaritu/Arriaga stuff that’s come before, and thought that there were elements of greatness in Babel. While I’d much prefer The Departed or The Queen (still haven’t seen Letters), I’d be ok with this. But sweet Jesus, not LMS.
The Departed is a bad movie.
The Departed is a lazy movie.
The Departed is a half-ass remake of a movie that ripped off Scorsese in the first place.
The final scene in Departed is an actual rat. Holy crap. That’s something Uwe Bol or Michael Bay would do.
It deserves no love. It deserves scorn. And if the Academy honors Scorsese simply because they “overlooked him” in the past, that’s a bigger travesty than Crash’s win last year. The Departed isn’t even this year’s best directed Alec Baldwin film. It’s an overstuffed turkey. I hope it goes Zero-for-Eternity on Oscar night, and Scorsese cries on camera.
I can’t believe there are Departed-haters actually questioning the accents. I’ll give you Nicholson, but Damon and Wahlberg were right on and, frankly, they should know.
Locks – Mirren and Hudson; Forrest Whitaker for best actor. No upsets there.
Not locks – Eddie Murphy – it will go to Mark Wahlberg for the Departed; why you ask? Because the Academy will feel that Murphy’s been rewarded ENOUGH and his ‘arrogance’ and the fact that he’s still making crappy movies. I saw both movies, and actually Murphy blew me away, he was funny and did a dramatic turn which was out of his element.
As for picture – it looks like LMS. I have to see it again to feel the love for this movie. I thought it was cute; okay? But when it was over, it was OVER. When the Departed was over, I kept thinking about it and had more questions than any movie other than Casino Royale – which should have been nom’d too – at least for SOMETHING!
Both movies kept me in my seat way past my bladder burst limit.
Having sat on it for a few days after catching Letters on Friday night, I’ve decided that it would be my pick if I had a vote. It is a beautiful and powerful film and speaks to humanity better than Babel or LMS (somethng I think all three have in common). And for those issue oriented folks, it makes a very strong anti-war statement without actually coming right out and saying it.
That said, I think my Amigofest scenario could be setting up. Babel and Pan’s take Best Pics, Children of Men gets at least one and Pan’s and Babel get at least one additional. It makes for great morning after commentary.
Not that I’m boycotting the Oscars or anything because I’m really over that whole Crash winning thing, but it seems like this year will be really boring.
I’m hoping for a Babel win just to see Salma Hayek sobbing in the audience the following day on Youtube.
I saw Letters from Iwo Jima last night and was a bit underwhelmed. It was well-made and looked beautiful, but it was just another war movie to me. Nothing special about it.
I was also irritated by the flashback structure. It was kind of like Lost: everybody’s stuck on an island, and we see, like, the totally meaningful memories they have. Ugh.
So having seen all the BP nominees, I think The Queen is the best of the bunch. But I’d be happy to see Departed win, too.
Babel and Letters don’t deserve the award, but Little Miss Sunshine is the only one that would really upset me if it won. Talk about bland.
Why all the anger towards LMS? It is truly a great film. EVERYONE that I personally know who has seen it has fallen in love with this movie.
Babel-also seems to be a contender–but who is it that loves this movie so much? I don’t know anyone.
Because remember, the worth of a film is judged only by those Glamourboy knows.
It’s a great screwball comedy in the vein of You Can’t Take It With You.
Or you know, freakin’ National Lampoon’s Vacation. Right down to the dead grandparent and cop stop.
The last scene of this family… had me in tears.
O… OK…
The Departed? Come on. And the accents are laughable.
Well we can tell who has never been to Boston before.
Cate Blanchett… says something to the effect of, “Please take care of the children”. The person sitting in front of me yelled out, “Too late, bitch!” The whole theater cracked up.
Why am I questioning that this even happened?
LMS is easily the least deserving of the nominations in my view. And that is why it will win.
Michael Bay is not nearly intelligent enough to come up with the last shot of The Departed. It’s one of the best endings of the year. It reminds me of another controversial closer, the brilliant final episode of Seinfeld: a huge ‘screw you’ to the audience members who aren’t on the right wavelength.
i wasn’t excited about anything since almost no one I wanted actually won.
i think this is the first year that almost everything I saw that is “considered” a contender was underwhelming, and I wish U93 got a little more love because on 2nd viewing, when you get past reliving 911 in your head it actually is a good movie.
After touching the void I had really high hopes for Last King of Scotland (re. the director) but the story didn;t sit well with me. devolved into complete BS and whining (I didn’t work in Uganda but near enough) Forest was scary-good at times, still though, I wasn’t happy he won SAG either.
I can hope for director and cinematography to go ‘my’ way but I have a feeling the only fun thing about Oscars this year might be Ellen.
Helen Mirren looks great and is great. It’s about time, and she won twice.
LMS was okay but Best Picture? Well since LA confidential didn;t win BP I guess I have complete faith that the lukewarm offering will always emerge victorious. Better start shopping for Oscar alcohol.
Actually, I loved every part of The Departed EXCEPT the final shot.
At least Little Miss Sunshine is better than Crash. Of course, Scary Movie 4 is a more deserving Best Picture winner than Crash.
on the subject of awful Boston Accents:
Costner in 13 Days.
WORST USE OF BOSTON ACCENT, EVER.
Seriously, he sounds like Elmer Fudd. I was laughing out loud in the theater when i saw it.
“Little Miss Sunshine” isn’t giving itself all of these nominations and awards. If you want to say,”Fuck Little Miss Sunshine!”, because SAG gave them something and the Oscars might give them Best Picture, then you ought to be saying,”Fuck the Screen Actors Guild!”, or,”Fuck the Academy!”. It’s THEIR failing, not this movie’s.
Otherwise you sound like every girl that got dumped that can’t stop telling everybody in earshot what a BITCH her ex’s new girlfriend is.
Heaven forbid someone doesn’t like Little Miss Sunshine. Sounds like you need to relax a little Hallick.
To Josh Massey:
I hear what you’re saying about the last shot. What might make it less jarring for you is knowing that it’s a reference to the 30s gangster films (kind of like the last shot of Goodfellas is a reference to Great Train Robbery). It’s not meant to convey any message of corruption, etc. – It’s there just for fun.
Exactly. It’s a punchline, especially after that final scene where you-know-who is so disliked that even nis neighbor’s dog doesn’t want to have anything to do with him.
This is my first year on the movie forums and one thing I’m learning is that nobody’s favorite won…even mine…but we can all agree to disagree…just don’t go off the deep end with the anger.
I DONT GET THE INTENSE DISLIKE OF BABEL – EVEN IF YOU FOUND THE STORYLINE CONVOLUTED – ONE HAS TO ADMIT INARRITTU IS A FILM-MAKER WITH A GREAT VISUAL SENSE – THE FILM IS CLEARLY LOVED BY SOME – HATED BY OTHERS – WONDER IF THIS IS A LEFT BRAIN-RIGHT BRAIN KIND OF THING??
LMS IS AN ENTERATINING TOUCHING TOTALLY UNORIGINAL CLICHE RIDDEN FILM – IF IT WINS BP IT WILL MAKE THE CRASH WIN SEEM LIKE NOTHING –
SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF THE PROJECTED WINNERS THIS YEAR – ARE NOT THE BEST OF EVEN THE OTHER NOMINEES- WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF EXCELLENCE – OTHERWISE THE OSCARS ARE GONNA BE WAY IRRELEVANT – HOPING FOR EITHER THE DEPARTED OR BABEL WIN IN BP – AND A SURPRISE IN AT LEAST THE SUPPORTING CATEGORIES –
“I’m not sure why all the fanboys out there think Departed has a chance when the only actor who got any love was Wahlberg. Scorsese will get his Oscar for being overlooked for Aviator (a much better and more ambitious film) and something else will win BP, probably LMS since not everyone can get behind Babel.”
Right cause you know everything, Ed.
I love how people have to take down Departed even when it’s losing. Incredible. Someone called it lazy – lol. None of the five BP nominated films are lazy. Not by the longest shot. They are all carefully written, artfully made films. Don’t even get me started, pal.
None of them are lazy, but certainly some of them are more clearly thought-out in their intentions and execution than others.
$$$$$Spoiler Warning for Departed (though who hasn’t seen this yet)$$$$
My biggest problem with the Departed was Damon getting killed by Wahlberg at the end. How did Wahlberg know Damon was the mole? Was this established? Vera knew but how would she know to get in touch with Wahlberg? My problem isn’t just that plot hole but that if I remember Infernal Affairs correctly Damon’s character lived (and possibly reformed for the sequals). I not saying they have to follow the plot exactly but I thought the orginal’s ending of him having to live with all those deaths he was responsible for worked better. It reminds me of the conversation in Crimes and Misdeamenors where Woody talks about how the audience would not accept a story where the bad guy wasn’t punished at the end.
Hey Tofu,
First, I saw the Departed with 3 friends of mine who are from BOSTON. I thought the accents sounded odd….they told me the accents were laughable. EVERYTHING about the Departed was over the top and unrealistic.
LMS may have plot elements that are similar to the National Lampoon film but it is so simple-minded to say that they are the same film.
And yes, the Babel incident did happen…at the arclight theater in fact (usually a pretty upscale crowd).
And I am not saying that I can only judge a film based on what my friends say…but if a large group of people (all in LA…all in the industry)…are very negative about a film and I haven’t personally talked to anyone who has any love for it, then it makes me wonder.
But then again, Rex Reed loved Babel, so the two of you have something in common, Tofu.
Spoiler Alert on Departed
It seemed pretty clear that Vera knew and that when she walked by Damon at the funeral Third Man style that she was up to something. So it seemed implicit that Vera told Wahlberg. The other possibility, discussed on this blog back when the picture was released, is that Leo actually called Wahlberg before the rooftop scene (apparently Leo says he called him but he didn’t show up…)… I’m partical to the first interpretation, but either way, I’m not sure it matters…
People complaining about the accents in The Departed are being ridiculous…having grown up right outside of Boston, the accents were perfectly fine…the people complaining probably traveled through Logan once and think they’re experts…
The thing about Little Miss Sunshine is, as much as I liked the film, I just don’t see it as being a great film, the kind of film that deserves an Oscar. While you walk away with a smile on your face, the film is just super-thin, with one-dimensional characters, and rips off a Chevy Chase movie, which should lose it at least a few points on the originality scale.
I do agree that after Crash winning last year, anything is possible…
But for me, I’d take, in order, The Departed, Babel, Little Miss Sunshine, The Queen, Iwo Jima.
With the caveat that Little Children was robbed off a nomination by the Academy’s love of all things Clint, even the medicorities…
“EVERYTHING about the Departed was over the top and unrealistic.”
So? That was part of what made it so good.
I still don’t get why so many people think Little Children is anything other than a mediocrity, on the subject.
Born and raised in Boston here. I can go ahead and agree, the accents in The Departed are friggin ridiculous. They’re all over the map. Walberg is the only one who gets it right, but even so his is so friggin exaggerated that it is obviously someone putting on a show. Anyone who thinks those accents–especially Nicholson and DiCaprio’s–are realistic is a knucklehead. Scorcese should stick with what he knows. New Yawk. Departed was his worst film since New Yawk, New Yawk
Re: the accents in The Departed… who gives a fuck? The acting was great across the board and I don’t care if the accents were “authentic” or not. They all sounded fine to me. Maybe that’s just a curse for those who live in or around Boston that keeps them from enjoying the film as much as the rest of us. Kind of like how the Mandarin accents bothered Chinese audiences in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
Re: Babel… I thought it was great. Probably not up to the level of Amores Perros, but better than 21 Grams. Inarritu is a gifted filmmaker and few movies this year came close to the power and artistry in much of Babel. The Japanese nightclub sequence alone earned this film its nominations.
Re: Little Miss Sunshine… perfectly fine film. Not Best Picture material, but so what? It’s not cringe-worthy like Crash.
Re: Little Children… overrated. Winslet was wonderful, as always, and there were some great shots (loved the overhead of Haley in the pool). But the narration was silly and inconsistent and the ending was pat and rushed. I much preferred the novel.
Re: the TRUE best picture of the year… CHILDREN OF MEN was friggin’ robbed.
“EVERYTHING about the Departed was over the top and unrealistic.”
“So? That was part of what made it so good.”
No. That’s what made it ridiculous. It worked on Taxi Driver when it was a commentary on something. It doesn’t work on Departed because it becomes a director just showing off and signaling that he doesn’t care about the basic plot. Great directing should be seamless. You come out of that movie humming Scorcese, not the story, characters or message.
Wrong on all accounts, I’d write more but I’m at work.
It is beyond time to move on from Typekey…
Posted by: Hallick “Little Miss Sunshine” isn’t giving itself all of these nominations and awards.
I would say, however, that the LMS is the most relentless next to the Dreamgirls campaign.
Posted by: Glamourboy First, I saw the Departed with 3 friends of mine who are from BOSTON.
This may sound ‘out there’, but I often don’t take a person’s word on accents if the are directly from that area. Tone and pitch are different for those who live and grow in environments, and I’ve felt a better judge of accents if I’ve visited the area myself.
Posted by: GlamourboyLMS may have plot elements that are similar to the National Lampoon film but it is so simple-minded to say that they are the same film.
Thank goodness I never said that. Afterall, Vacation was actually funny. (ha!)
Posted by: GlamourboyAnd yes, the Babel incident did happen…at the arclight theater in fact (usually a pretty upscale crowd).
Ouch.
Posted by: GlamourboyBut then again, Rex Reed loved Babel, so the two of you have something in common, Tofu.
We both have great hair? Hehehe. No, I didn’t find Babel much more watchable than LMS. Children of Men was my movie for the nominations, and after seeing Pan’s Labyrinth tonight, I can say that is evermore the case.
Sorry if I’m a bit, er, forward here. I just disagree.
“Heaven forbid someone doesn’t like Little Miss Sunshine. Sounds like you need to relax a little Hallick.”
Truer than you know, SB.
It’s fine somebody doesn’t like LMS and it’s all fair if they hate it for what it is. That’s all in the game. It’s when the movie gets beat on HARDER for the actions of the Screen Actors Guild or AMPAS that gets me unrelaxed.
“Wrong on all accounts, I’d write more but I’m at work”.
I’m not wrong on any account, jerk. It’s MY OPINION. My opinion is NOT WRONG. It is just different than yours.
Okay. But then, my opinion is that you’re wrong. So that opinion is probably different from yours too.
(don’t get too annoyed, I’m half-joking about all of this.)
Anyway, I agree about the accents thing. I don’t care if DiCaprio didn’t get Boston right anymore than I would care if he got South African right (which I understand he didn’t, really). It’s beyond the point of the movie. If that ruins the movie for you, I’m sorry.
I never thought things could get as bad or worse as where this blog was during the Brokeback vs. Crash bashing last year.
I guess it just oges to show why movies are great…because we can all be so passionate about them.
I’m still for Letters even though Children of Men was my top choice.
Let me properly address BostonPauley’s comments re: The Departed. Scorsese is and always has been an expressionistic filmmaker, and none of his films should be taken as being completely ‘realistic’. Obviously there’s a range, with Mean Streets on one end of the spectrum and perhaps Bringing Out the Dead at the other end of stylization. But to accuse Scorsese for being ‘over-the-top’ is like accusing Spielberg of making blockbusters. That’s what they are best at.
Next, I always say that a filmmaker shouldn’t let caring about ‘the plot’ get in the way of making a good film. Scorsese cares just enough about plot but he knows that dialogue, performance, and style are often more important. The ‘story’ of The Departed is told in many ways beyond what you could read in the screenplay.
The final thing I want to say is that, like Goodfellas or so many of Scorsese’s movies, people don’t notice that they’re half-comedies. If you want to end a movie with solemn feelings about the meaning of life, you don’t stick a visual pun at the end of your movie; you do that as the capper of a series of dark jokes.
Probably the rat at the end would have made more sense if the film had stayed true to itself, but if you think about the first scenes you can realize that the Departed wanted to be a serious yet funny film that nevertheless lost all seriousness. Also, the complex camera work is lost halfway through the film to the point that one could swear the third act was directed by a much less experienced (almost bad) director. That inconsistency is what puts me off about this film.
Yup, understand that Scorcese is an expressionistic filmmaker. So is DePalma and Verhoeven. In fact, their movies are often over the top, half-comedies, not to be taken completely serious…but would anyone call The Black Dahlia or Showgirls good cinema?
You hit the nail exactly on the head with what is wrong with The Departed…it’s not a film, it is a series of dark jokes. And I’m sorry, but I’ve been to film school…I’ve even seen Scorcese speak to a class of film students…and in it he said that a film must be greater than the sum of all its parts. And The Departed…with great moments, great filmmaking in several parts throughout the film, is just not a great film, in my opinion.
And for all of those who say that Little Miss Sunshine is a cliched plot, well, let’s see–a movie about a cop who goes undercover to infiltrate the mom—think I’ve seen that before.
Little Miss Sunshine is just pure mediocrity. The acting is uniformly very strong, but the characters themselves are all one-dimensional and there is nothing fresh in the story aside from a couple ‘indie quirks’ that would only exist in a movie. If it wins best picture I will eat my face.
“I would say, however, that the LMS is the most relentless next to the Dreamgirls campaign”
NEWS ALERT – there is NO CAMPAIGN FOR DREAMGIRLS, it was called off. See today’s NYTs. Condon admits that because DG didn’t get the BP nom they are saving a bunch of money and it was somewhat of a relief – I interpret this to mean: We spent a bundle of money on promo before and during the lead-up to Awards campaign, and now that we’re no longer contenders, we can put the dollars back in the pocketbook.
I love Verhoeven and think he has a warped mind but a wonderful one, and see DePalma as a stylist but not an Original talent so I can;t bear to see them compared as if they are cut from similar cloth, but that’s just my stupid ass opinion.
I can see Martin S also, like Verhoeven, seeing societal structures in a very black comedy way, but I think Scorsese is more fatalist and can’t let his characters share or live with the irony as much as Verhoeven’s do. King of Comedy is my most favorite-est of Scorsese’s movies and was the greatest thing I think he ever did. A dark and great movie with no self-consciousness, like that which crept into Departed (even though I like the movie). The accents don;t bother me, but the archness at times does. Or maybe I just hate Bostonians 🙂
Black book is my most anticipated movie of 2007.
Has Poland packed it in with the comments section? He hasn’t posted in the comments section since the Oscar noms were announced.
He’s bummed out.
Anyway, back to this “The Departed/Little Miss Sunshine aren’t original” conversation: can anyone name me a single really original movie concept from this year? Don’t say Babel – It’s Altman lite/Syriana 2/Crash done better. You can’t say Dreamgirls, it’s a movie adaptation of a musical. You can boil any movie down if all you care about is the bare concept. It’s the layers on top of that of performance, subtexts, music, etc. that make a movie art, and all of that was present in The Departed.
DePalma isn’t ‘original’ because he’s essentially post-modern. He exists to screw around with existing movie and narrative formulas, not to invent new ones.
Well, I said dePalma was “not an Original talent” which is a little different.
Hahaha…..all the crap about the accents is hilarious because who gives a flying you-know-what. If an accent works for you, then it works. If it doesn’t, tough doodoo. I’ve heard folks all over the place – from Boston to wherever who loved The Departed AND THE FRIGGIN’ ACCENTS didn’t friggin’ matter. Same thing for DiCaprio and his S. African (Rhodesian whatever) accent — some felt it was great, others felt it wasn’t quite right, but most of what I’ve read from the S. African standpoint was pretty positive overall. The important thing about any accent shouldn’t be whether it’s absolute perfection anyhow — but does it ground the character in a particular place and time or not. It’s a creative process after all, isn’t it? It also depends on how good YOUR EAR really is when you’re listening to it. And if your ear is made of tin — it could be perfection incarnate and still sound bad.
I’m not sure what you mean then, Lota…that he’s not original or that he’s not talented?
I just hope that this is the year that the Academy decides to spread some golden love across the board. Those DEPARTED patriots are deluded or desperate – I can’t work out which. Count me as a huge loyal fan of Mr bushy brows but even I won’t lay down for this, possibly his most contrived work since CAPE FEAR.
DEPARTED is energetic and fairly entertaining but should not win any awards for its flaws are legion. And please.. LMS – we all liked it better when it was called VACATION and at least that underrated flick didn’t jam its cast of characters with some of the worst stereotypical dysfunctional nuts since Albert Brooks last farted.
So go Gosling! You’ll lose but deep down you know Whittaker thinks you piss gold.
And Eddie… you could be having sex with Lee Tamahori and we all want you to win. But this is your last chance bro… no more Doolittle shit capiche?
It’s an interesting idea Mr Boam’s doctor, that perhaps the Oscars’ golden love ends up being a golden shower. After Adrien Brody wins he’s doing the jacket & the Village, Halle Berry does Catwoman etc. So maybe it’s better that Gosling doesn’t win and Eddie Murphy does. Go Eddie.
Jeff, I am being a thug I guess. I was meanly implying that dePalma doesn;t have talent. but he is a stylist, he is distinctive, I just don;t think he does the one thing I want a director to do for me.
Which is what, out of curiosity?
The ghost of F. Murray Abraham’s Best Actor win should hang over all Oscar wins: Completely deserved. Completely predicted. Completely incapable of turning the rest of his career into gold.
It’s not what you win, it’s what you do with it. A win can end a career. A loss can inspire new greatness. It can also inspire middlebrow nothing-much.
If Howard Hawks’ and Alfred Hitchcock’s and Stanley Kubrick’s last thoughts were “I never won an Oscar! My life is meaningless!” then maybe we could work up some ire over who wins or loses.
As it is we have to do what we always do: Take great pleasure/inspiration/bliss from the wins we approve of and trying to forget the wins we hate.
Terrance Howard may die without winning and Oscar. That’s nonsense. Samuel L. Jackson may win one some day to pay him back for his overall work. Neither one matters much because Andre Baugher will probably never be nominated.
It’s meaningless. It’s a horse race. Just enjoy it and it will serve its purpose.
Or ignore it and will serve just as much of a purpose.
“Neither one matters much because Andre Baugher will probably never be nominated.”
But he got the Emmy for “Homicide”, goddamn it. That was about the happiest I ever felt for an award winner in any genre. When he was playing Frank Pembleton, that man was my hero.
Mine too, Hallick. Hands down.
An actor of that calibre should have at least nominations in every arena. This being an Oscar-centric blog, you should understand my sentiment.
Addec to which, for better or worse, nobody really takes the Emmy all that seriously in the industry.
Stanley Kubrick won an Oscar. Not Best Director, Picture or Screenplay, but he did win an Oscar. Just… ya know. fyi.
“Little Miss Sunshine is just pure mediocrity. The acting is uniformly very strong, but the characters themselves are all one-dimensional and there is nothing fresh in the story aside from a couple ‘indie quirks’ that would only exist in a movie.”
Okay, The Departed also has strong acting, and the characters are all one-dimensional and if you’ve seen Infernal Affairs there’s not that much fresh apart from some Scorsese traits thrown in for good measure, all of which are very movie-onlyish.
I wouldn’t have a problem with either of these two winning best picture (I really hope Babel doesn’t win is all), but I actually kind of want Little Miss Sunshine to win. Some say it’ll be slight and ridiculous if it wins, but maybe – just maybe – it’s a way of saying that sometimes comedies are good! That you don’t need to have big names behind you and that sometimes it’s fine to vote for the movie you want to win instead of what you’re being told should win.
On the matter of accents in The Departed, I wouldn’t have minded (I’ve never been there) but what bugged me was that on certain actors it kept going in and out of the accent. One minute jack would be speaking one way and then another the next.
Some of Scorsese’s best films, for me, are the left-of-centre ones. Sure, Taxi Driver and Goodfellas are brilliant, but stuff like Last King of Comedy and New York New York say more about him than The Departed.
“Stanley Kubrick won an Oscar. Not Best Director, Picture or Screenplay, but he did win an Oscar. Just… ya know. fyi.”
And if Scorsese won a Supporting Actor Oscar for Taxi Driver no one would care that he’s never been recognized for directing a film.
Come on, Kamikaze, you know what I was talking about. Stanley didn’t go down in history primarily as a special effects designer. Just, you know…fyi.
Oh I know, I’m just having fun. At least they saw fit to reward him for that though. If that film was released today it’s effects probably wouldn’t even qualify (ala The Fountain)
Although, it would be interesting to see how much Kubrick’s Oscar would sell for at an auction? No doubt it would go for much more than Carol Reed who, much like Scorsese this year, won for a film that wasn’t his best. Although The Departed is much much better than that dosh Oliver!
God. Thinking of that movie makes me shudder.
(eep, another reply, sorry)
I say that previous comment on the assumption that Scorsese already has this year’s trophy in the bag. I’m terrified he’s gonna lose.
Oliver! is a masterwork.
Hating on The Departed because YOUR FRIENDS tell you the accents were bad is about the most ridiculous thing ever.
Equating Scorsese with DePalma because they both go over the top is tied for the most ridiculous thing ever.
In the context of a debate, the words “Sorry, but I’ve been to film school,” mean “I hereby lose the debate.”
Some say it’ll be slight and ridiculous if it wins, but maybe – just maybe – it’s a way of saying that sometimes comedies are good!
KCamel, it’s a nice sentiment– I agree with it– but Little Miss Sunshine isn’t the right movie to make that point. Comedies really ought to be funny.
Oliver is a masterwork? First I’ve heard.
You’re right, there are better reasons to equate Scorsese with DePalma: they’re both New York-based American New Wave filmmakers with Catholic upbringings, huge cinephile backgrounds, and loads of visual flair. The biggest difference between them is that DePalma knows he’s never going to win an Oscar and is over it.
Little Miss Sunshine is funny, but it’s not the funniest movie of the year. Or second or third.
I guess it’s all subjective. But I laughed once– once— during Little Miss Sunshine. And probably dozens of times at Borat.
I’m not sure I saw any other comedies this year, now that I think about it. I usually skip stuff like You, Me, & Dupree. Am I forgetting anything?
Talladega Nights, the highest-grossing comedy of the year (and the best).
Ah. I did see that, and I very much hated it. I couldn’t reconcile the mocking with the pandering. And I thought Will Ferrell was just kind of asserting the jokes instead of actually making them work.
Sacha Baron Cohen did have some nice moments in it, though.
The only pandering I saw in the movie were the cameo appearances by actual NASCAR drivers, which kind of flitted by since I didn’t know who any of them were.
John C. Reilly is the standout performer in it.
Thank You for Smoking and Borat were the only comedies this year had me laughing through the entire movie. Talladega Nights had some laughs but they didn’t know when to end each scene. That crepe arguement alone went on for about 5 minutes.
Love that Reilly, but didn’t think he had enough to do. That whole arc seemed a bit abbreviated.
Upon first viewing of Talladega Nights, I was disappointed that it wasn’t as funny as I hoped/expected, but I still laughed a lot and enjoyed it. However, it gets worse with repeat viewing. Watching it at home, I was bored and amazed at how much time transpired in between laughs. I have less than no desire to ever sit through it again. It isn’t nearly as funny as Borat or Thank You For Smoking.
To each his own, I watched TN a second time and liked it more than ever, while I thought that TYFS was definitely a step down on second viewing – and I have no need to see Borat a second time at all.
Not many things more subjective than comedy right.
Can’t believe everybody’s getting bent out of shape about the accents in DEPARTED. What about all those David E. Kelley shows set in Boston? Haave you ever heard anyone on any of those shows speaking in anything even remoting resembling a Boston accent? No, you haven’t, and nobody cares, because the shows are so well-written and -acted that accents don’t matter.
As far as I’m concerned, the Oscars this year are going to be amazingly predictable. Of the top 10 categories, the only one that doesn’t look like a lock is Supporting Actor: I think the Academy’s older voters will carry the day for Arkin over Murphy. For the rest: BABEL, Scorsese, Whitaker, Mirren, Hudson, SUNSHINE (orig scr), DEPARTED (adapted), HAPPY FEET (animated) and LABYRINTH (foreign). Your mileage may vary.
The funniest movies of the year were Borat, Kenny, The Devil Wears Prada, Snakes on a Plane and Ten Canoes.
Cadavra, Foreign Film is never a lock. NEVER! And considering Cars has won the PGA and Globe, I would think it would be the frontrunner. Original Screenplay, too, could be a real contest between LMS and The Queen.
Listen, nothing would make me happier than to see CARS pull it out from the criminally overrated HAPPY FEET, but I just suspect Pixar fatigue will send them to a (relative) newcomer. I agree to the extent that Foreign is hugely unpredictable, but PAN just seems to have the Big Mo. As for Screenplay, the writing awards tend to be consolation prizes (e.g., SIDEWAYS, LOST IN TRANSLATION), which is why I believe the quirky LMS wins it over the mainstream QUEEN (which will already have Mirren’s win to crow about).
I think The Queen will get Original Score, too. DESPLAT!!
I liked Cars and Happy Feet equally, but hope Happy Feet wins. Firstly, I’m biased towards it (being Australian and all), but as Cadavra said, Pixar are going to start winning it every year. Get some diversity in there. Ratatouille looks pretty good for next year, too, so…