The Departed or The Good Shepherd?

[mickill]

Which do you think will ultimately rule harder?

Let's consider a few things:

The cast for The Departed includes a lot of a-listers. Among them, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin and Ray Winstone. The Good Shepherd, on the other hand, features even more big names: Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Alec Baldwin, William Hurt, Timothy Hutton, John Turturro, Billy Crudup and Jason Patric. Cast-wise, I think The Good Shepherd has it beat.

As far as directors go, it can really go either way. I haven't cared for any of the movies Scorsese's done since Casino. Meanwhile, De Niro's only ever directed one movie. But I liked A Bronx Tale. Then again, De Niro's no Scorsese. That's really the bottom line. I guess I'm leaning in favor of The Departed here.

I do think that The Good Shepherd has a bit of an advantage in terms of screenplay. Eric Roth can take credit for writing Munich, The Insider and even crap like Forrest Gump. Meanwhile the dude who wrote The Departed only has Kingdom Of Heaven under his belt. Which sort of sucks for him. Then again, the source material that The Departed is based on (Infernal Affairs) kicks ass. So really, as long as they don't try too hard or Hollywoodize the hell out of it, The Departed should ultimately triumph. Not that they're actually competing or anything.

The Good Shepherd Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaKGCLTmqTg)

The Departed Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqKZ8ARPgC4)

[Poster Boy]

Departed

hands down

Scorsese finally gives up fishing for Oscar and gets back to fucking business.

[mickill]

Yeah, you'd think he'd finally get the hint; they just like making him think he's really going to be taking an actual statue home this time.

[Drederick Tatum]

I am really looking forward to The Departed. I have enjoyed anything Scorcese has done really. I hope he ups the violence on The Departed, that was my only minor complaint with Infernal Affairs.

[mickill]

When you say "enjoyed", you're not including Kundun are you?

And no doubt, I think there was more actual violence in Kindergarten Cop than in Infernal Affairs.

[Drederick Tatum]

I don't really dislike Kundun, but it's pretty lame.

[Poster Boy]

Yeah, you'd think he'd finally get the hint; they just like making him think he's really going to be taking an actual statue home this time.

he'll end up getting the same "honorary" award that Altman got last year.

[mickill]

It's not even like I think Scorsese entirely deserved to win for The Aviator or Gangs Of New York, since they were both less than perfect, but they keep teasing the guy with dozens of nominations and then send him home with nothing.

It's tragic when you think about how we live in a world where masters like Martin Scorsese, Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick have all been denied an Oscar for Best Director on more than one occasion each, but Kevin Costner was able to get one on his first try.

[abcdefz]

Poor Marty, man. Ever since he got that Oscar itch, man, he's had something to prove. It did result in one great movie, though -- The Age of Innocence.

My fear with The Departed is he's now trying to prove he can "keep it real." Just a different type of slumming, really.

Whereas I don't think Bob would dircet a movie unless his heart was kind of in it.

Soderbergh's The Good German might matter, though.

My fwiw predictions:

Departed: B-
Shepherd: B
Good German: B+


The Good German Shepherd still to come (several jokesters have said already)

[hpdrifter]

I don't know, I am excited about both of them and I hope they are both good, but doesn't it seem that sometimes when there are that many big names in a movie, it inevitably sucks?

Either way, I'm probably looking more forward to the Departed. I don't know, I like Angelina Jolie, but she's just made such crap movies lately (except for Mr and Mrs Smith, which I liked).

[mickill]

Yeah, movies with a big ensemble cast of good actors tend to have a lot more to prove, but a lot of them have worked. But true, a lot of them prove to be quite underwhelming (Ocean's 11/Ocean's 12, for example).

I'm not a huge Soderbergh fan, but I do think The Good German looks promising. Cate Blanchett's probably the best actress of her generation. And Clooney's sort of on a roll (and literally, in Syriana). I'm not looking forward to it quite as much as the other two, but I'm definitely going to see it.

[Loppfessor]

It's too close to call so I'll stay home and rent Howard The Duck instead (y)

[Maisailana]

i enjoyedd both Ocean's 11 & 12. i think a lot of people are just too uptight about movies like that. they're not perfect. but theyre just meant to be fun and cheesy anyway.

[Lyman Zerga]

no need to tell that i love oceans 11 but my sister told me to not watch oceans 12 so i wont

story of my life

[Documad]

I'm not a big fan of Scorsese movies. Even in the so-called great ones, his tricks distract me. I like movies that pull me inside and Scorsese movies push me away. His movies are always reminding me that I'm watching a Scorsese movie -- "oh, isn't he clever!" It's like when a writer of novels uses too many big words. Having said that, this movie is encouraging because I loved Goodfellas and it reminds me of that. The trailer has the worst music. Scorsese used to be good at picking music. I can't believe he used Gimme Shelter again. I guess to try and make me think it's Goodfellas. And I fell for it!

I have a strong dislike for DeNiro as an actor but maybe he can direct a movie. The trailer looks good. Both trailers look good. I'm excited to see both. I probably won't because I don't go to movies at the theater anymore.

As for cast: I also find Jack Nicholson distracting. But sometimes he's good and he looks good in the trailer. Will he be an actor for once, or just play Jack again? Maybe he'll half try for Scorsese. I really hate Angelina Jolie and I think it will bug the shit out of me just to see her face in the other movie. The same way that Sharon Stone ruined Casino because she was Sharon Stone even though she did a good job. I'll just always be thinking that it's Angelina Jolie and she's been on the cover of US Magazine too often I want her to go away for about 10 years before I see her again. And she can act. She was good in Gia and that movie with Winona Ryder. I think it will be easier for me to overcome the Jack factor.

Man, I love Matt Damon. I've gotta say it. I like him in everything. He looks really good in that DeNiro movie. Plus I love movies set in the 1950s. And maybe I'll learn something I didn't know about the CIA. (Quiz Show was a great movie. Hopefully it will be like Quiz Show.)

[abcdefz]

no need to tell that i love oceans 11 but my sister told me to not watch oceans 12 so i wont

story of my life


I actually liked Ocean's 12 a bit more than 11. They've both got problems, but 12 is so cheekily unnecessary it's easier for me to like. Damon also gets to show off great comic timing.

At this point, the ideal Ocean's movie would just dispense with plot altogether and let these folks just hang out, but I think I'm alone on that one.


In other news and boy I'm glad

The Tomatometer rating on The Departed (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/departed/) is much higher than my naysayer bones would've ever guessed. Whew.

[abcdefz]

Man, I love Matt Damon. I've gotta say it. I like him in everything.



God bless you. Damon's way underrated, even in pieces of piffle like Stuck on You, he brings something. (y)



(Quiz Show was a great movie. Hopefully it will be like Quiz Show.)


God bless you x2. (y) (y) That's a FANTASTIC movie. Fiennes is terrific, and Paul Scofield just blows the doors off, and Redford's direction is pretty much 99.1% dead perfect.

"Your name is mine, Charlie!"

-- I even got the pastor in my former church to use one of the scenes as a sermon illustration. I'm a fan.

[Tzar]

what is with scorsese's obsession with dicaprio? or just his over-use of actors.. (like he did with de niro/pesci) and now he's doing it again. i've never liked dicaprio - his pretty boy image just... i can't take him seriously.

i do wanna see both movies a lot though. (y) i got expectations for Departed.. just because it's scorsese but good shepard - none... so far.

[abcdefz]

I think part of it is just that DiCaprio can get movies made. Seriously. Why else do script re-writes of Gangs of New York to tailor the movie to his character's story so much? DiCaprio's guy (in Gangs) is the least interesting male lead Scorsese's probably ever had.

Also, The Aviator was Leo's movie (with Michael Mann). He just brought Marty on board.

Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, and The King of Comedy were all movies that DeNiro talked Scorsese into doing. So maybe Marty's a pushover for another person's strong vision. Something also tells me there's a degree of panic to him -- that he still sometimes will just hop the train because it's something that's going to get produced (Aviator, Cape Fear, Color of Money). Some of his bigger passions either fell through (Last Temptation, circa 1982; Gangs of New York, repeatedly) or busted, anyway (NY NY, Last Temptation, Kundun, Age of Innocence, King of Comedy, et al). I think he's kind of stuck -- too proud to take studio crap (a la Coppola's Jack or Peggy Sue Got Married) but too nervous to assume he can bend the money to his will.

Man -- this is a guy who should hang out with Herzog. :D

[abcdefz]

For what it's worth -- I think DiCaprio has been great: see Gilbert Grape for that. He was miscast but better than he deserved to be in The Aviator.

[Tzar]

oh gilbert grape was crazy-good - he pulls it off so well... match in the gas tank!

i agree with everything you just said - i can't think of anyone else pulling off Taxi Driver

[abcdefz]

match in the gas tank!




boom boom!

WE'RE NOT GOING ENNYWHERE



i can't think of anyone else pulling off Taxi Driver


...it was going to be DePalma's movie for a little bit, there. That kind of scares me.

You know what would've been interesting? If Hitchcock would've snagged it. The script got set up at Universal, and that's where his studio was, so it's not utterly impossible. He was already going grittier (Frenzy), he definitely had interest in perversions, and an interest in cinema verite (The Wrong Man). It could've been his Truffaut movie. Who knows?

[mickill]

The Departed is easily the most entertaining movie I've seen all year. And I think it was better than the original. I was very surprised. Scorsese didn't just pull a Vanilla Sky; he actually made his own movie altogether. The stuff from Infernal Affairs that he does incorporate into this film, apart from the basic premise of course, is generally minor. Little things, mostly. There were a few added contrivances that the original never resorted to which I could have done without, but he did leave out a lot of the overly sentimental aspects of the original.

Damon was excellent in it, but I think it was DiCaprio's movie all the way. Mark Wahlberg did an awesome job as well. The whole cast was great, really.

[abcdefz]

You should add your rating (http://www.beastieboys.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=72201&highlight=departed)

[abcdefz]

Couldn't care. If Ashton Kutcher isn't in it, I ain't seeing it.



Ashton's a cute little buoy out on the water. (y)

[abcdefz]

...gotta hand it to somebody, though: "I'm 'man-pretty'!" is a pretty great line. (y)

[Mr Films]

yeah, Departed was excellent. Just a flat-out good movie, nothing overly fancy.

I also think DiCaprio is one of the best working actors today. I watched Catch Me if You Can the other day- fuck that movie's great.

back to Departed, I liked the whole cast. Nicholson was doing the normal good work he does. Damon was good but essentially playing evil Will Hunting and this could have been Wahlberg's movie if his role were bigger.

and Scorsese using the whole iris in/out made me geek out a little bit.

[abcdefz]

...he started the iris in/out on.... was it "Life Lessons"?

I liked Damon a lot more than DiCaprio in this. I don't think Dicaprio did the journey of his character very well. He was good, but it could've been way better.

[roosta]

When you say "enjoyed", you're not including Kundun are you?

And no doubt, I think there was more actual violence in Kindergarten Cop than in Infernal Affairs.

Kundun is quickly becoming one of my favourite films. I can see why people mightn't get it, but for me its great. Its not a typical narrative film, I think its best to think of it more as "an experience", which sounds super-wanky but its the best way I can put. Or its kind of like a song. Possibly you need an interest in Tibet/Buddhism/the Dalai Lama, but i'd like to think not. The visuals, the acting, the score, all work for me.

Anyway, this is an old threat isn't it.

[abcdefz]

Wow. The Good German really sucked.

[funk63]

damn, i havnt seen either. :(

[BBboy20]

...um...well, apparently the writer of Kingdom of Heaven got his act straight.

The Good Shepperd was good but...the Departed just was spewing out unique flavors.

Technically, this would be Matt Damon vs. Matt Damon...and Scorsese vs. De Niro (as in very connected buddies being "rivals")

Oh wait, this was back in '06. =/