I admire greatly Martin Scorsese's body of work and his contribution to film preservation efforts, but if "The Departed" is the best American movie we made last year, Hollywood needs to take a long hard look at itself. I just finished watching the Chinese film on which "Departed" was based, 2002's "Infernal Affairs", which tells the same basic story but is tighter, more coherent, lighter on sex and violence, has a better ending- and is 50 minutes shorter, with no Nicholson mugging. OK- it's politics, and Mr. Scorsese certainly deserves an honorary Oscar, but last time I checked, the Best Picture Oscar involves the actual merit of the film. Wake up, la-la land: there is a discerning, growing, underserved group that wants leaner, more intelligent and more original pictures.
