Hi, my name is Sally-Anne and I'm a Departaholic

No spoilers. But if you're worried about spoilers, then you haven't seen it yet, and that is just unacceptable. Go!

I am addicted to The Departed. I wrote a rave review of it on here after I first saw it almost three months ago, and I just went to see it twice more this weekend. (I had friends who had not yet seen it and wanted to, and I graciously and selflessly offered to accompany them.)

It gets better and better. The shock that so dramatically affects first-time viewers at several points in the film is replaced by the rush of knowing what's coming and still being anxious to see it. The best part is the audience's reactions; this makes me worry I won't get the same high watching it at home on DVD. (Of course, that doesn't mean I won't be buying and watching the DVD.)

I still maintain Leonardo DiCaprio should continue to be recognized for his acting in this. He did get a Golden Globe nomination (didn't win), but he didn't receive an Oscar nomination for this -- only for Blood Diamond, which I've not seen. I am also unsure as to how I feel about the supporting actor nods. I'm ambivalent toward Jack Nicholson -- to me he's always just Jack, whether he's obsessive-compulsive Jack, Joker Jack, or Irish Mob Boss Jack. He was probably the right person to play this larger-than-life character, but I don't know that he deserves acting accolades for it. (He did receive a Golden Globe nomination, but not an Oscar nomination.)

The supporting actor who was nominated for both major awards was Mark Wahlberg (standing, right). I'm undecided about this one, too. Initially, his struck me as a one-note character, and while that was an entertaining one note, I'm still not sure the character was much of a challenge to portray. I'm still mostly of the same opinion. The Dude thinks that he was nominated pretty much entirely for his role in one brief, pivotal scene -- and that it was the actions of the character that got him the nomination, as opposed to acting ability. That is, what was written in the script for the character to do, not Marky Mark's interpretation of it. I think there might be some truth in this.

I'm also starting to think that Martin Sheen (seated, right) was robbed. He was really quite good in his supporting role as a state police captain. I've even named a teddy bear after his character, but that's another story.

In sum, see this. Well, unless you're very much opposed to foul language and/or violence. Or Boston accents. But I'm a Yankee fan and despise the entire city of Boston, and I still love this movie. I described it to a (New Englander) friend as Good Will Hunting but with more blood.

And if you're in the DC area and need someone to go see it with, I might be able to accommodate you. :)