Reds

Beatty’s Braveheart attempts to be timeless by lasting forever. Dull documentary clips used to separate bouts of brilliant banter only exacerbate pacing problem that not even Nicholson can fix. Keaton holds her own but clearly misses Woody’s wit and short run times. Forces viewer to consider communism, counter-revolutionaries, and clock.

The Departed

Scorsese directs incredible cast in brilliantly scripted adaptation of Korean crime caper. Nicholson and Wahlberg’s quirky caricatures provide an excellent contrast for Damon and Dicaprio’s impressively nuanced lead roles. A few moments of stylized editing feel out of place but don’t even come close to killing this nearly perfect picture.