The Departed (Widescreen Edition) Martin Scorsese makes a welcome return to the mean streets (of Boston, in this case) with The Departed, hailed by many as Scorsese’s best film since Casino. Since this crackling crime thriller is essentially a Scorsese-stamped remake of the acclaimed 2002 Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs, the film was intensely scrutinized by devoted critics and cinephiles, and while Scorsese’s intense filmmaking and all-star cast deserve ample acclaim, The Departed is also worthy of serious re-assessment, especially with regard to what some attentive viewers described as sloppy craftsmanship (!), notably in terms of mismatched shots and jagged continuity. But no matter where you fall on the Scorsese appreciation scale, there’s no denying that The Departed is a signature piece of work from one of America’s finest directors, designed for maximum impact with a breathtaking series of twists, turns, and violent surprises. It’s an intricate cat-and-mouse game, but this time the cat and mouse are both moles: Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is an ambitious cop on the rise, planted in the Boston police force by criminal kingpin Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a hot-tempered police cadet who’s been artificially disgraced and then planted into Costello’s crime operation as a seemingly trustworthy soldier. As the multilayered plot unfolds (courtesy of a scorching adaptation by Kingdom of Heaven screenwriter William Monahan), Costigan and Sullivan conduct a volatile search for each other (they’re essentially looking for “themselves”) while simultaneously wooing the psychiatrist (Vera Farmiga) assigned to treat their crime-driven anxieties.

Such convenient coincidences might sink a lesser film, but The Departed is so electrifying that you barely notice the plot-holes. And while Nicholson’s profane swagger is too much “Jack” and not enough “Costello,” he’s still a joy to watch, especially in a film that’s additionally energized by memorable (and frequently hilarious) supporting roles for Alec Baldwin, Mark Wahlberg, and a host of other big-name performers. The Departed also makes clever and plot-dependent use of cell-phones, to the extent that it couldn’t exist without them. Powered by Scorsese’s trademark use of well-chosen soundtrack songs (from vintage rock to Puccini’s operas), The Departed may not be perfect, but it’s one helluva ride for moviegoers, proving popular enough to become the biggest box-office hit of Scorsese’s commercially rocky career. –Jeff Shannon
Customer Review: Thank You Mr Scorsese
This is just an amazing movie. For absolute Scorsese fans, it’s an unforgettable experience beyond all superlatives: superbly written, brilliantly directed, wonderfully acted, cleverly edited. Beautiful music, powerful dialogs, sex, drug and blood, we’re so close to perfection. What craftmanship!

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Stranger Than Fiction An IRS auditor suddenly finds himself the subject of narration only he can hear: narration that begins to effect his entire life, from his work, to his love-interest, to his death.

System Requirements:
Running Time: 113 Mins.
Customer Review: Ehhhh…..
I’m a huge fan of Will Ferrell. I also adore the work of Emma Thompson. To pair these two together had the potential to create one of the best comedies ever. Sadly, the writing on this flick was less than comedic. Will Ferrell’s comic timing was dead on, and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s appearance as his would-be love interest was perhaps the single most believable aspect of this movie, due to spectacular onscreen chemistry. The story, however, failed to deliver all that it promised in the previews. It’s sad when the only funny moments in a comedy are those presented in the 30 second commercial advertising its release, but that is the case with this movie. As a writer, I had such high hopes for this flick. It was an interesting concept which flopped big time in the hands of a writer that stopped with the conception of the idea rather than seeing it through to development.

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