The Departed

Apple's iChat can be quite addictive when chatting with friends and family, but who knew that an Oscar winning director could use it for work? In The Departed, Martin Scorsese used iChat to help him direct the final "rat shot" scene from a Mac in New York.

According to Macenstein, in an interview with visual effects supervisor Rob Legato, he explains how Scorsese wanted to do a reshoot of a scene filmed in LA, even though he was in New York at the time. So Scorsese and the director of photography, Michael Ballhaus, used a Mac to watch the shoot. Legato says "A speaker connected to the Mac was placed on the camera dolly, and iChat allowed Scorsese to direct the scene with the crew listening to him in realtime."

This calls for a "lights, camera, iChat, action!"

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Now that we know who won at the 2007 Oscars, a lot of you are probably looking to catch up on your Oscar-movie viewing. Well, you're in luck, because most of the winning movies that aren't still in theaters are out on DVD and just waiting to be added to your Netflix queue. Here's a look at all of the Oscar-winning films now available for home viewing.

The Departed
Oscars: Best Adapted Screenplay, Achievement in Film Editing, Best Director for Martin Scorsese, and Best Picture

Trust me: Just watch The Departed once, and you'll understand what all the fuss is about. The fast-paced drama isn't terribly deep: A good cop (Leonardo DiCaprio) goes undercover with a mobster (Jack Nicholson), who has his own man (Matt Damon) inside the force. But the intricately woven plot and masterful performances, particularly by supporting cast members like Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin, prove that this movie deserves all of the Oscars it won.

Little Miss Sunshine
Oscars: Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Alan Arkin

Skillfully mixing pathos with absurd comedy, Little Miss Sunshine tells the story of one family's quest to get bespectacled Olive to the Little Miss Sunshine competition on time. In an astounding cast (Alan Arkin, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear), Steve Carrell is perhaps the most impressive as a suicidal Proust scholar forced to live with his sister's bizarre family. As a special bonus, the DVD features four alternate endings to the movie.

Four more, so read more

There were so many great moments at last night's Oscars that it's tough to choose a favorite. But after watching Martin Scorsese's acceptance speech again, I have to say, it's definitely one of the high points of the ceremony. He strikes such a perfect balance between self-deprecating humor and genuine excitement over his victory that it makes me even happier that he finally won. To watch the clip from his speech, read more

Were last night's Oscars some of the best in years or what? Not only were the winners a mix of deserving and surprising, but the ceremony was also one of the most entertaining — if still overlong — I've seen in a while. You can read my insta-commentary from last night, or if you prefer a more reflective look at the awards, here's a recap of some of the biggest shocker and more entertainment moments. (Or, check out the full list of 2007 Oscar winners.)

Biggest Surprises

• After all the pre-Oscar hype, Babel won nothing but Best Score.
• The on-stage banter was actually funny.
• Happy Feet beat Cars, proving that the Academy likes penguins even more than it likes Pixar.
• The Lives of Others took home the award for Best Foreign Film, renewing my hope that the Oscars aren’t just a popularity contest.
• A good Melissa Etheridge number beat out all three of Dreamgirls' shameless attempts to score a Best Song Oscar.

For more highlight and tons of photos, read more

This week I've been breaking down the good and bad qualities of each 2007 Best Picture nominee. Just in case you need a refresher, here is a recap of all five Best Picture breakdowns; hopefully they will help you make an educated guess on the Oscar ballot!

Letters From Iwo Jima
The Academy are suckers for these historical dramas — and for director Clint Eastwood — yet there are no other big names involved and not many people actually saw it.
Chances of winning: Moderate

The Queen
Having already won tons of critics' awards, the film may or may not be just a vehicle for Helen Mirren.
Chances of winning: Slim to Moderate

Three more, so read more