A letter from the Academy

Dear Mr. Scorsese,

Can we call you Martin?

How are you?

Hope the holidays find you well. I bet you're wondering why we've written. Well we would like to apologize. It seems we've kind of screwed you in the past in the "best director" category. If it were just for Raging Bull, that would be one thing, but for Goodfellas too. That's pretty unforgivable. Who watches Dances with Wolves anymore? Our bad. But hey, this is Hollywood. Forgive and forget right?

The good news is that you've dumped the period pieces and gotten back to your roots with gangster movies. The Departed is a mighty fine movie. Di Caprio seems at home, and Nicholson is... Nicholson. Sure it's a remake, but it's a good one.

Anywho, the best director category is wide open this year and we were thinking maybe just maybe. Don't hold us to it, but baring some actor turned director in the category, you should do just fine. Oops, we forgot Clint Eastwood is up for Flags of our Fathers. Well, good luck.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences