Oscar Race Update

USA Today has an Oscar race update, with everyone thinking "The Departed" looks like Martin Scorsese's next chance to hit the jackpot with a Best Director statue. The movie's continued success (huge, by his standards) and across the board positive reviews bodes well. But I still don't think this will be the final winner. Maybe they'll say the movie peaked too early or whatever. But it doesn't have the emotional wallop at the end that Oscar films should have and it doesn't feel "important." Plus, DiCaprio and Damon both have major Oscar type movies coming out that will overshadow their performances here. And while it won't upset me if Scorsese gets the Oscar for this, I'd rather it were for an unqualified success. No movie with the amateurish final shot of this film -- a rat crawling across a banister that is so symbolic you're embarrassed -- should get an Oscar for direction.