I can't think of a single year where I would give out even 5 A's, let alone 10.

The only thing I can say for 2006 is:

Children of Men
Departed
Pans Labyrinth


All in the same year?

Seems like a great year to me.

Add on other films like the Casino Royale's etc and it becomes as good a year as any other.

I think all this 2006 slump is much ado about nothing. Then again, I consider CoM a true masterpiece, a film that sets out to do something, and does it perfectly in all facets.

Sad to hear you think that way -- that's a mighty depressing mindset...



(PS: I freakin' love goin' to the movies!!!)

I'm just thrilled that the moratorium on Babel mentions might begin sometime soon.

I'm still unclear why this matters to anyone other than the execs at Turner Broadcasting, especially when the crux of your point is that a movie where the profanity occured in far more poignant and important scenes (Little Miss Sunshine) will last.

Although perhaps I am mistaken, and Scorsese wakes up in cold sweats wondering if TNT will have qualms airing The Departed when it finally gets the rights to it circa 2011. He agonizes over how the underpaid and overwhelemed TNT editor can trim it to exactly 2 hours and 9 minutes worth of television (to provide for the 17 minutes worth of commercials), so that the end time of the cute and hilarious rerun of Two and a Half Men and the start time of the timeless wartime epic Delta Force 3 are unhindered.

Michael Mann wasn't happy when Heat got cut to ribbons and if Scorsese cares about his movies he'll be just as annoyed.

I'm with Loyal in The Departed not standing the test of time very well, its a bland movie about uninteresting jobbers and thugs nothing more then that.

Again. You describe me more disappointments.

C'mon now, just because you gave it a positive grade doesn't mean you haven't been consistently dogging it in the forum, just like I gave LMS a positive grade and have been doing the same. Anyways, judging from how it performed theatrically and DVD business so far I'm not worried in the slightest about it connecting with audiences.

Departed was an A the first time I saw it and now would be an A+, LMS was an A- when I first saw it, although now I'd be closer to a B. I try to not put too much weight into my feelings as they change over time, I don't think replayability should always matter that much, but easier said then done.

And as much as I respect that, this argument does really remind me of how we debated over whether or not Capote deserved a nomination despite you giving it an A on first viewing.

Does it really matter if it "stands the test of time"? All that matters is that you enjoyed it. I find it very funny that a lot of people get so heated over awards they will never see, over movies they didn't make, and over votes they never cast. I liked The Departed and Children of Men, one did well at the Oscars, the other not so well ( ). That doesn't mean I can't enjoy Children of Men (or any other movie that didn't win for that matter).

It was always going to win. I'll take this opportunity to modestly pat myself on the back as the person who called it first , as everyone else said it wasn't the type of film the academy would reward or that it was a remake or that *fill in the blank* was going to win. I'm glad to see that some of you saw what I saw and picked it to win. Congratulations! There was just never a doubt that it was Marty's year, and that didn't mean they'd insult him by giving him 1/2 an award when he finally won something and not reward the picture, as well. That is where common sense deduction had to come into play in the political arena that we know as the academy. It was his night to be celebrated. It was a credible and deserving BP winner with no controversy surrounding it's perceived quality. Everything the Departed had going for it = no brainer. (LOOOOOONG before the formalities of the season took place and had some running aroung declaring it as the most hard to predict year in ages. Maybe you were just trying to make the race more interesting by talking yourself into it not already being over, but I just never saw why it wasn't really clear that it was decided long ago that Marty would get his night.) Next time, just ask me!

Unfortunately, that political two headed snake came out and cost Eddie Murphy. I figured something like this would happen, but I thought Whitaker would get bounced. Poor Eddie, who EARNED that award, had to sit there with a lump in his throat. You could tell he wanted it. I guess we couldn't have 3 black winners in the acting categories. I think Arkin was great an all, but let's face it, his part didn't require nearly as much talent or work as what Murphy brought to his film.

Anyway, carry on. I'll give you an upcoming prediction. If Johnny Depp does indeed play Freddie Mercury in the upcoming biopic, and it gets any kind of decent reviews, I'm picking him to win Best Actor the year that comes out.

In that case, I must admit it's very hard for me to imagine how one figures, goofy cable TV argument aside, the cinematically rich Departed won't stand the test of time over the comparitively dry Little Miss Sunshine. Or do you think the directors were the reason the film worked so well?

Sports has nothing to do with it. Sports has a definitive end. March Madness crowns the best team, no ands ifs or buts. The Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals etc all do the same thing (You can't argue with it, it is fact). The Oscars are completely OPINION. Fact vs Opinion... I love sports and movies. I have to live with the fact the Indianapolis Colts won the Super Bowl, that is fact. However, just because The Departed won all of those awards doesn't mean it is the best. I think the Oscars is a good few hours, but its not worth getting so pissed about over someone else's opinion.

Even as someone who was backing LMS through this race, I really don't agree with The Departed not standing the test of time comment.

Departed has a huge cast, it's a big epic crime film, and it's the film Scorsese finally won for. Yeah on tv it won't be played as often, but since when is that the deciding factor into remembrance? In 15 years barring Steve Carrell being another Bill Murray type or Abigail Breslin being another Barrymore type, nobody will know the actors in LMS anymore, and people don't know who the directors are now. Jack and Leo and Damon and Scorsese directing is something that will be a lot more memorable when looking back at BP winners of this decade. As much as I love LMS, it would be another one of those smaller family-based winners that don't hold up as well next to the epic movies... the only reason it would be remembered in a great way would be because it was one of the only comedies to win Picture. There's a reason The Deer Hunter or The French Connection or One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is more remembered by the public than Ordinary People or Terms of Endearment. I don't even know what those last two movies are about. Also despite you or I's opinion, LMS was seen by most as a greatly enjoyable light picture, while Departed had people calling it worthy of a lot more praise, a masterpiece labelled by some. The Departed is the type of 'male' film, tough guys will be watching it for years to come. Best Picture win assures its place for a long long time in film history.

Do you have some sort of bat phone go off whenever there is a new post in this thread? Your average response time is like 4 minutes to whenever anyone posts something.

Of course it'll last a while, loyal's F5 key whittled to a nub nonwithstanding.

No I don't think you've mentioned that yet.

Just changed my avatar, but it was previously a very stylish Pan's Labyrinth's poster for all future readers who are wondering where Pan's entered the discussion.

Finally, we agree on something in this thread.

I disagree heartily for both movies.

Whether you want go by critics (Both Pan's and Departed received just about unanimous praise...Pan's having one of the highest metacritic scores ever), or by box office (Departed $130m and counting, Pan's $33m and counting, will end up the 4th biggest foreign language grosser), or by popularity by people who watched the movie (IMDB - Pan's #59, Departed #73)...the movies are considered great.

Or finally, we can by the awards of their peers. The only major award that The Departed didn't win was the "statement" by those goofs in the HFPA during the Golden Globes, as they tried and failed yet again to make their mark on the awards season. Pan's was awarded many times over as well, and probably would have won the foreign language award were it not for the restrictions. Of course The Lives of Others is a great film in it's own right, but Pan's would've easily won the category were it an open one.

So it seems that the main problem with The Departed, according to this thread, is that it's "generic" (anybody who knows what happens to two of the main good guys in the film knows exactly why it isn't generic, so I don't even see where you're going with that) and "won't play well on TBS in 10 years" because of all the edits. And I think neither of these are salient or relevent points, and are just brought up because you have no other avenue to turn to for bashing a great film.

I'm not sure I even want to know what you think is wrong with Pan's Labyrinth.

Uhm... Good post. As for Pan's Labyrinth, while I was entertained and found it to be well made technically, I just had issues seeing how it's considered to be the masterpiece people are referring to it as. It's very imaginative and imaginatively realized, but left me cold when the credits rolled.

And yeah, I realize those aren't very debatable arguments. Maybe that's because I don't feel like debating with you.

LMAO Little Miss Sunshine is gonna be remembered because it'll play well on TBS and Departed isnt LMAO

You just basically shitted on all of Marty's masterpieces (and a WHOLE lot of other films) with that comment Loyal, as if his movies arent remembered because they dont play very well on basic cable.

I think its also important to remember that Loyal has Pan's Labyrinth as an A and Departed as a B+, so even though he's playing contrarian, it doesn't mean he hates the films or anything. (Of course, B+ still leaves like, fifty films better, but yknow).

In any case, theres no way the Departed needs cable to be remembered. Shawshank made 30million...Departed, one hundred 30...coupled with the fact that many (not all, obviously, but many) believe its right up there with Scorsese's best, it will be remembered for years and years and ever to come.

PS, I just noticed what this thread was about and wanted to make it clear that 2006 was the best year of this decade so far. Thanks for listening.

Did I mention that Babel sucks? I know Loyal agrees with that.

Babel sucking is something we can all get behind.