What's your most vivid memory of "The Departed" and the 2006 Oscar Race?

by Nathaniel R

Ten years ago today Martin Scorsese's smash hit The Departed opened in theaters. I remember that day well especially that beat just past this still above when the entire sold out movie theater exploded simultaneously with shock, excitement, screaming, whooping, collective chills. A master playing the audience perfectly so it's no wonder that Martin Scorsese finally won the Oscar for it. Strangely I have few other vivid memories of the movie other than the feeling that that deep line in Leonardo DiCaprio's perma-angst expression had never and would never be put to better use again. Also something about Vera Farmiga flirting in an elevator, and the movie's perfect final shot.

The Film Experience was definitely having an "off consensus" year -- we were all about Marie Antoinette, The Fountain, & Volver so the Oscars were kind of a let-down -- but at least it was one of those interesting years where the Best Picture contenders didn't hog all the nominations. In fact only 1 of the 10 leading acting contenders came from a Best Picture nominee. Strange, right?

What do you remember most about The Departed? And how comfortable were you with the 2006 Oscar's lineup. As a reminder the Best Pictures were:

• Babel (7 noms / 1 controversial win - for the barely there Original Score) 
• The Departed (5 noms / 4 wins including Picture)
• Letters From Iwo Jima (4 noms / 1 win)
• Little Miss Sunshine (4 noms / 2 wins)
• The Queen (6 noms / 1 win)

Comments

[Roger]

PICTURE
Inland Empire
Volver
Conversation(s) With Other Women
The Science of Sleep
Marie-Antoinette

DIRECTOR
Pedro Almodóvar, Volver
David Lynch, Inland Empire
Asghar Farhadi, Fireworks Wednesday
Sofia Coppola, Marie-Antoinette
Michel Gondry, The Science of Sleep

ACTRESS
Laura Dern, Inland Empire
Helena Bonham Carter, Conversation(s) with Other Women
Penélope Cruz, Volver
Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada
Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal

ACTOR
Gael García Bernal, The Science of Sleep
Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson
Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat
Aaron Eckhart, Thank You for Smoking
Ulrich Mühe, The Lives of Others

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Emily Blunt, The Devil Wears Prada
Mia Kirshner, The Black Dahlia
Margo Martindale, Paris, je t'aime
Rinko Kikuchi, Babel
Carmen Maura, Volver

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Mark Wahlberg, The Departed
Stanley Tucci, The Devil Wears Prada
Channing Tatum, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children
Anthony Mackie, Half Nelson

[Jessica]

@Kay I have to agree. People obsess over Leo in Romeo + Juliet and Titanic but he was at his most hottest in The Departed for me too.