Let the Season Begin!

I just got home from seeing my first heavyweight Oscar-bait movie of the fall, Martin Scorsese's The Departed. Guess what? I LOVED it. I walked into the theater really *wanting* to like it, because the cast is incredible and the trailers gave me hopes for a good story. But I was keeping my expectations mid-to-low because I freakin' HATED The Aviator, the last Scorsese-DiCaprio joint venture. But all my fears were for naught, cuz this is a damn good movie. The kind that you stay in the dark theater through all the credits to keep talking about. Wow.

So, here goes...my first Oscar picks for 2007... I think this little old Boston cops-and-corruption flick stands a pretty good chance at the following:

--- Best Actor: I predict nominations for one or the other (but probably not both) of the main duo, Damon and DiCaprio. Both have proven their acting chops before so they're not quite ingenues - I think the Academy could be ready to acknowledge both their smart performances here and their good career choices overall.

--- Best Supporting Actor: Wow, there are 4 good performances to choose from here. Jack Nicholson, of course, plays what Jack plays best: a riveting, charismatic, semi-psychopath. Martin Sheen does well in his first post-Bartlet role. But the real surprises, the real treasures, here came from two somewhat unexpected sources: Alec Baldwin, who is hilarious, and Mark(y Mark) Wahlberg, who is riveting. They both steal whatever scenes they're in, and when they're actually in a few scenes together - watch out! :-)

--- Best Screenplay: This is based on a previous movie, Infernal Affairs, so it would be going for the Adapted Screenplay slot. The story is layered and complicated and filled with twists and turns -- at one climactic scene near the end, I actually said out loud "I DID NOT see that coming!" -- but still it all held together. Even with our post-credits analysis, we were all impressed at how well the story unveiled itself and yet kept us guessing 'til the very end. It's not hyperbole to say the story is Shakespearean, filled with hubris, retribution, and grand tragedy.

--- Best Picture: Depending on what else comes out of the chute the next few months, this one definitely stands a chance at the big nod. The pedigree is incredible and if our experience was any indication, it feels like there's pretty strong audience response to a smart, well-written, well-acted film.

and, finally.... I am gonna go out on a limb and say that this may FINALLY be the movie that gets Marty his own statue. How many nominations has he had? This time, he may actually go home with Oscar.