[Alex]

Lani and I just got back from seeing The Departed.

I feel pretty bad for Martin Scorcese. For a decade he makes classic after classic and gets no love. He has one last gasp in 1990 with Goodfellas and gets no love. Then he spends the last 15 years chasing that love and making mediocre movies pretty much every time.

Finally he just sat back and focused on simply making an entertaining movie. And in the process made something that is up there with the best that he has done.

An amazing cast where even the borderline annoying actors (*cough* DiCaprio *cough*) excel. Taught writing. Tension throughout so that you never notice that it is 2 1/2 hours long. A satisfying conclusion.

If you're a fan of movies, go see it. If you're a Scorcese fan (and shame on you if you're not) you can go see it safe in the knowledge it isn't another Aviator, Kundun,or Bringing Out the Dead.