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Author Topic: Departed, The (2006) Jared Thornton Film Handler Posts: 58 From: las vegas, NV, USA Registered: Jan 2006 posted 10-06-2006 05:45 AM                     I don't want to ruin the film for anyone so I'll keep this review spoiler free. All I can say about this film is WOW what an amazing piece of film making. This is by far and without a doubt the best film I've seen this year, possibly this decade . Scorsese is back in his element and it really came through in a big, big way. I normally don't like recommending films but this one is a definite must see. ***** five stars out of five  |  IP: Logged Edwin Sheldon Film Handler Posts: 95 From: Mobile, AL, USA Registered: Sep 2006 posted 10-06-2006 06:46 AM                     That's what I wanted to hear. Our local film truck delivered our prints late YET AGAIN, so I missed the pre-screening. I'll have to catch it before work sometime this weekend.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 10-06-2006 07:04 AM                     This one isn't worth 5 out of 5, and it certainly isn't the best film of the decade, but it was pretty good. My beefs with the movie are that the first half hour was too slow to get going, and there was no reason to put all of the big name actors in it. For example, every time Alec Baldwin or Martin Sheen appeared on screen it seemed so out of place that it brought me out of the movie thinking "well we gave Alec Baldwin a few lines so now we can advertise him as starring in the movie". Leonardo DiCaprio was very good. Matt Damon was as good as I've ever seen him. Jack Nicholson seemed out of place at first, but ended up making the role work well for him. Mark Wahlberg's performance worked, but it would've been much more effective had it been given to Peter Sarsgaard. Then there is Alec Baldwin...ugh! I think he forgot how to act. The sound mix wasn't anything to write home about, and there were a few sequences here and there that had some sloppy sound mixing on it, but oh well. It's still a movie worth seeing in the theater. 4 out of 5 stars  |  IP: Logged Chris Hipp Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1462 From: Mesquite, Tx (east of Dallas) Registered: Jul 2003 posted 10-06-2006 12:22 PM                     I did not like the ending. Other than that it is good.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-07-2006 01:00 AM                        Excellent film. I had been looking forward to this for a while and it did not disappoint. I can pretty much echo Brad's comments above. This is one of the best films released this year.  |  IP: Logged Mike Schindler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1039 From: Oak Park, IL, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 10-07-2006 06:56 PM                     I liked this film quite a bit, but I was disappointed. I thought that with Scorsese at the helm and with the cast they had, it would surely be better than the original movie. Sadly, it wasn't. This one tried too hard to add depth to the characters. But the other movie had that depth, too. It was just more implicit. The new one takes an extra 45 minutes to spell everything out when it doesn't need to. Also, wouldn't William Shatner have been great in Alec Baldwin's role?  |  IP: Logged Dennis Benjamin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1445 From: Denton, MD Registered: Feb 2002 posted 10-07-2006 09:34 PM                        quote: Mike Schindler I liked this film quite a bit, but I was disappointed. I thought that with Scorsese at the helm and with the cast they had, it would surely be better than the original movie. I guess you are meaning "Infernal Affairs". You ever noticed that we Americans rip off, err, I mean borrow the plots from a lot of films coming out of Hong Kong and the Far East? Funny part is - it's usually our great directors doing it. "The Departed" will probably go on to get nominated for best picture. It won't get nominated for best original screenplay - that's for sure. But this is why there are sooo many films in my personal collection that are imported from Hong Kong.  |  IP: Logged Chad Souder Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 962 From: Waterloo, IA, USA Registered: Feb 2000 posted 10-07-2006 09:52 PM                     I liked this movie quite a bit and I liked the job most of the actors did. I think the reason for the cast selection might be that it ended up being a who's who of outspoken, liberal hollywood (Wahlberg possibly excluded). Alec Baldwin seems to love playing the stupid, conservative prick. He's best energy was when he delivered the line about the Patriot Act. I think those guys are kind of a tight-knit group and that may have something to do with the assembly of this cast, but I completely agree with Brad. It was more of a distraction than anything.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 10-07-2006 10:25 PM                     William Shatner would have been AWESOME in Alec Baldwin's role!  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 10-08-2006 01:13 AM                     I'm sorry to rain on anyone's fashionable Hong Kong celebratory parade, but that whole industry of film-think is very much badly over-rated. John Woo is chiefly among the culprits there. Granted, the guy can give you a movie with as many variations as possible on the slow-mo over-gradisose entrance ala isn't my character's dick 12 miles long kind of manneristic bullshit sort of thing. But that does not build up to a decent movie. Need I mention Windtalkers? Nuff said on that whole Hong Kong movie making thing is great sort of thing. Overrated. Blah. Now, concerning The Departed: I liked it. I never watched Infernal Affairs and considering the way I've been pissed off by the bullshit filmmaking of so many other Hong Kong crime saga movies I have little desire to see it. This movie isn't nearly as good as Goodfellas or even Casino for that matter. But it is still made for an enjoyable night at the movies. quote: Chris Hipp I did not like the ending. Other than that it is good. I thought the way the movie ended was excellent. It certainly was not what the audience expected. Quite a few gasps erupted from the audience on that scene by the elevator. Overall, the character and story arcs completed themselves rather nicely. Also, it should be said that in any Scorsese crime saga at least a few of the principal characters are going to buy it before the film's end. In this case, I guess I'm kind of surprised those who died didn't do so in a more gruesome manner. Sound and picture wise, this looked pretty good. Although some scenes made me wonder if a 2K digital intermediate was used. Vera Farmiga, who played the character Madolyn whom both Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon were pursuing, was in a couple scenes where her hair had this sort of soft and pixellated look to it. I watched this movie at the Carmike 8 in Lawton (in one of the last 35mm-based presentations I may see there). I don't know. That whole thing had me wondering. The sound mix was not anything over the top in nature at all. Even the few gunshots in the movie didn't register very loudly at all. I wondered about that, especially since I've been doing a good amount of target shooting with my own SigSauer P226 .357 caliber handgun. The shots are damned loud in real life. Without ear plugs or muffs your ears will be left ringing and feeling like they're filled with cotton. I'm not expecting piercingly painful blasts from the sound system on gunshot sound effects. But something a little more dynamic in nature would lend itself more toward realism. A minor complaint. Overall though, I recommend this movie. 3.5 out of 4 stars.  |  IP: Logged Chris Hipp Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1462 From: Mesquite, Tx (east of Dallas) Registered: Jul 2003 posted 10-08-2006 02:28 AM                     I think it was more of the WHO in the ending rather than the HOW that I didn't like. I don't want to give any spoilers.  |  IP: Logged Edwin Sheldon Film Handler Posts: 95 From: Mobile, AL, USA Registered: Sep 2006 posted 10-08-2006 04:50 AM                     I agree with Chris. I was thoroughly impressed with the acting from everyone except Alec Baldwin. I was especially impressed with Mark Walberg, since this is the first time in history I have not completely despised him for ruining another otherwise decent movie with his horrid acting. He managed to reach far enough up his ass that he found some tolerable acting, and for that I am grateful.  |  IP: Logged Chad Souder Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 962 From: Waterloo, IA, USA Registered: Feb 2000 posted 10-08-2006 08:52 AM                     quote: Bobby Henderson The shots are damned loud in real life. Without ear plugs or muffs your ears will be left ringing and feeling like they're filled with cotton. I agree, Bobby (and Sig makes a nice gun, by the way). That's one problem I have with a lot of movies involving shooting guns indoors. Outside many calibers can be loud, but indoors one shot can leave your ears ringing for hours. Especially unrealistic is when someone shoots someone else in a car. That would be unconsionable.  |  IP: Logged Mike Schindler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1039 From: Oak Park, IL, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 10-08-2006 01:00 PM                     quote: Edwin Sheldon I was especially impressed with Mark Walberg, since this is the first time in history I have not completely despised him for ruining another otherwise decent movie with his horrid acting. Whoa, Whoa, Whoa! What about BOOGIE NIGHTS?  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 10-08-2006 05:08 PM                        I'll be the lone contrarian. The movie sucks for these reasons: Jack Nicholson Matt Damon Alec Baldwin I could not get past the issue of these well-known "stars" acting. Jack Nicholson? Give me a break. He's a total parody of himself now and nothing but a distraction. He ruins every scene he's in because he's Jack Nicholson doing his schtick. I guess I'm the only one who's tired of his shit-eating grin. Leonardo DiCaprio was OK, he gets a pass. The way the movie is structured is like "I'm so smart, look at me". I left after about an hour and I wasn't the only one who walked out (though I suspect others had different reasons). This is a big-budget Hollywoodized piece of shit. A total waste. * out of ***** (for the first hour anyway). Regal Cinema World 8 in Eugene. Show started 10 mins. late, with countdown leader projected on the screen, raggedy-assed assembly of the rolling stock, and too many trailers. Feature looked good (for the first hour at least). [ 10-08-2006, 06:33 PM: Message edited by: David Stambaugh ]  |  IP: Logged

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