Go and see Babel - if you haven't already. That such a masterly piece of life-enhancing, thoughtful, cinematic art should have been ignored out of sentimentality towards a director of immense talent but very little artistic soul is as predictable as it is disappointing.

Don't get me wrong, in my view, on grounds of sheer talent, Scorcese is long overdue for an Oscar and the Age Of Innocence was good enough to win against almost any opposition. But The Departed is a good excuse to give him an Oscar not a good enough reason. It is an entertaining but ripped off re-make of a better film (Infernal Affairs) and though entertaining is full of visual cliche (viz that bloody rat) and way OTT acting led of course by Joker Jack. It is good to see Monahan's great, sharp, mordant script rewarded, no complaints there. But it still reflects Scorcese's ambiguous obsession with violent gangster-chic.

Haven't seen Lives of Others but if its's better than Pan's Labyrinth it's gotta be worth a look. And no real complaints about Hudson if only for two absolutely magical musical moments equalling the best of her 'Aretha Fanklin' character. And that's some standard to meet. But for sustained, luminous acting Rinko Kichuchi's performance in Babel is in another league.

regards all

Zettel