Latest News

23 / 01 / 2012
Fantasy Rally: Teams are now open for editing again. Ogier and Mikkelsen are entered into Sweden in S2000 cars, but they're not eligible for the SWRC championship. You can choose them as WRC drivers for Sweden if you want.

22 / 01 / 2012
Fantasy Rally: Results from the Monte are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. The second rally is in Sweden and starts on 9th Feb. Teams will be frozen at midnight GMT on the night of Thursday 9th Feb.

18 / 01 / 2012
Fantasy Rally: Rally teams are now frozen for the Monte. You can still pick a team and it will start scoring from Sweden on 9th Feb.

11 / 01 / 2012
Fantasy Rally: The 2012 Fantasy Rally season is now open for entries! Read the rules or dive straight in and pick a team. You can change your team as often as you like so you may as well create one now in case you forget later. Cutoff for the first race in Monte Carlo is midnight GMT on the night of TUESDAY 17th January.

27 / 11 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from the final F1 race at Brazil are in and the championship has been decided! Check the results or see how your team did. First race of 2012 is Australia on 18th March. Entries for the new season will open a week or two before that date.

14 / 11 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: Shock rally drama! Martin Semerad was excluded from the PWRC, so our results change too, which gives us a new champion! Check the results or see how your team did.

13 / 11 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally GB are in and the season is over! Check the results or see how your team did. The 2012 season will be open for entries in early 2012 in time for Monte Carlo on 17th January.

13 / 11 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from F1 race 18 at Abu Dhabi are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Only one race to go - the final race is Brazil in two weeks on 27th November.

30 / 10 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from F1 race 17 at India are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Only two races to go - next race is Abu Dhabi in two weeks on 13th November.

24 / 10 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Spain are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. The next and FINAL rally of the year is Wales Rally GB on 10th November. Entries close on the night of WEDNESDAY 9th November (a day earlier than usual).

16 / 10 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from F1 race 16 at South Korea are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is India in two weeks on 30th October.

09 / 10 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from F1 race 15 at Suzuka are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is South Korea next weekend on 16th October.

02 / 10 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally France are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Spain on 20th October.

25 / 09 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from F1 race 14 at Singapore are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Suzuka in two weeks on 9th October.

11 / 09 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Australia are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is France on 29th September.

11 / 09 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from F1 race 13 at Monza are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Singapore in two weeks on 25th September.

28 / 08 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from F1 race 12 at Spa are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Monza in two weeks on 11th September.

21 / 08 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Germany are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Australia on 8th September.

01 / 08 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Finland are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Germany on 18th August.

31 / 07 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from F1 race 11 at Hungary are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Spa in a month on 28th August.

24 / 07 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from F1 race 10 at the Nurburgring are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Hungary next weekend on 31st July.

10 / 07 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from F1 race 9 at Silverstone are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Nurburgring in 2 weeks on 24th July.

26 / 06 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from F1 race 8 in Valencia are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Silverstone in 2 weeks on 10th July.

19 / 06 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Acropolis are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Finland on 28th July.

12 / 06 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from F1 race 7 in Canada are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Valencia in 2 weeks on 26th June.

30 / 05 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Argentina are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Greece on 16th June.

29 / 05 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from F1 race 6 in Monaco are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Canada in 2 weeks on 12th June.

22 / 05 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from F1 race 5 in Barcelona are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Monaco next weekend on 29th May.

08 / 05 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Sardinia are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Argentina on 26th May.

08 / 05 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from the fourth F1 race of 2011 in Turkey are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Barcelona on 22nd May.

17 / 04 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from the thrilling third F1 race of 2011 in China are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Turkey on 8th May.

16 / 04 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: The results from the rather shortened Rally Jordan are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Sardinia on 5th May.

10 / 04 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from Malaysia have been updated to reflect the penalties applied to Hamilton and Alonso. Of course, being a Ferrari, Alonso's didn't actually make any difference.

10 / 04 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from the second F1 race of 2011 in Malaysia are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is China on 17th April.

28 / 03 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Portugal are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Jordan on 14th April.

27 / 03 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from Australia have been updated to reflect the disqualification of the Saubers.

27 / 03 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The results from the first F1 race in Melbourne are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Malaysia on 10th April.

14 / 03 / 2011
Fantasy F1: The 2011 Fantasy F1 season is finally open for entries! Pick your team now as the first race is on 27th March!

07 / 03 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Mexico are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Portugal on 24th March.

14 / 02 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Sweden are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Mexico on 3rd March.

06 / 02 / 2011
Fantasy Rally: At last! The 2011 Fantasy Rally season is open for entries! Pick your team now as the first rally starts on Thursday!

14 / 11 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The results from the final round, Wales Rally GB, are in! Check the results or see how your team did in the final standings.

14 / 11 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the final race at Abu Dhabi are in! Check the results or see how your team did. Please come back and play again next year!

07 / 11 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the eighteenth and penultimate race at Brazil are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. The final race is Abu Dhabi next week on 14th November.

03 / 10 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Spain are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next and final rally is Wales Rally GB on 12th November.

24 / 10 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the seventeenth race at South Korea are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Brazil in two weeks on 7th November.

10 / 10 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the sixteenth race at Suzuka are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Korea in two weeks on 24th October.

03 / 10 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally France are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Spain on 22nd October.

26 / 09 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the fifteenth race in Singapore are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Suzuka in two weeks on 10th October.

14 / 09 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Japan are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is France on 1st October.

12 / 09 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the fourteenth race in Monza are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Singapore in two weeks on 26th September.

30 / 08 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The scores from Spa have been updated to reflect Alguersuari's 3-place penalty.

29 / 08 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the thirteenth race in Belgium are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Monza in two weeks on 12th September.

22 / 08 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Germany are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Japan on 10th September.

01 / 08 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the twelfth race in Hungary are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Spa in four weeks on 29th August.

01 / 08 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Finland are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Germany on 20th August.

25 / 07 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the eleventh race in Germany are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Hungary next weekend on 1st August.

11 / 07 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Bulgaria are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Finland on THURSDAY 29th July (a day earlier than usual!).

11 / 07 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the tenth race in Silverstone are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Hockenheim on 25th July.

27 / 06 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the ninth race in Valencia are in, including the penalties for the naughty boys driving too fast. Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Silverstone on 11th July.

13 / 06 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the eighth race in Canada are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Valencia on 27th June.

30 / 05 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Portugal are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Bulgaria on 9th July.

30 / 05 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the exciting seventh race in Turkey are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Canada on 13th June.

16 / 05 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The Monaco scores have been updated to reflect Michael Schumacher's ridiculous penalty for daring to overtake a Ferrari. Check the updated results, see how your team did or enter a new team.

16 / 05 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the sixth race in Monaco are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Turkey on 30th May.

10 / 05 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the fifth race in Barcelona are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Monaco on 16th May.

10 / 05 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally New Zealand are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is Portugal on 28th May.

19 / 04 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Turkey are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next rally is New Zealand on 7th May.

18 / 04 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the fourth race in China are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Barcelona on 9th May.

06 / 04 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The JWRC driver lineup has been released, so you can make your selection before teams are frozen for Turkey on the night of 15th April. If you don't pick anyone, you'll get Aaron Burkart by default.

05 / 04 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the third race in Malaysia are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is China on 18th April.

03 / 04 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Jordan are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Turkey on 14th April.

29 / 03 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the second race in Melbourne are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Malaysia THIS WEEKEND on 4th April.

14 / 03 / 2010
Fantasy F1: The results from the first race in Bahrain are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Australia on 28th March.

09 / 03 / 2010
Fantasy F1! Yes, there's a brand new Fantasy Formula One game! Check the rules or enter your team by Friday night to qualify for the first race in Bahrain!

08 / 03 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Mexico are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team. Next race is Jordan on 1st April.

17 / 02 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The points awarded for a win have changed in the real WRC, so we've reflected the changes in our scoring too. Check the rules to see the details. Next rally is Mexico on 5th March, teams will be frozen at midnight on the night of Thursday 4th March.

16 / 02 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The results from Rally Sweden are in! Check the results, see how your team did or enter a new team.

31 / 01 / 2010
Fantasy Rally: The new rally season is upon us - 2010 Fantasy Rally is now open! Check the rules or pick a team ready for the start on 12th Feb.

25 / 10 / 2009
Fantasy Rally: All previous years' Fantasy Rally results are online - Check the 2009 season.

02 / 08 / 2009
Reviews: Sorry, there won't be any more movie reviews for the foreseeable future. Events have overtaken me. Catch up on reviews you may have missed.

18 / 08 / 2005
Sudoku! Have a go at the online Sudoku game.

The Departed

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin, Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga. Directed by Martin Scorsese, adapted from the huge Hong Kong hit Infernal Affairs. Story: Spies in the police, spies in the underworld. Running Time: 2hrs 27 minutes. UK Certificate 18.

The Departed is a pretty good gangland crime tale in true Martin Scorsese style, but it's not without its flaws.

Firstly is the speed at which the plot begins. You'd better be paying attention or you'll lose the fact that Matt Damon is a copper secretly playing for the bad guys, and Leonardo DiCaprio is a bad guy who's secretly a cop, and Jack Nicholson is ... umm ... is he a secretly good baddie or a secretly bad goodie? Then he beats the snot out of shiny little Leo and it all becomes clear. Crosses and double-crosses follow, people die and it all goes a bit Scorsese towards the end. But then, you'd be surprised if it didn't, right? What you don't expect is for two of the main characters to have such similar names - Costillo and Costigan - adding to the confusion that was already rampant in my head. It all shook out in the end - well, nearly all - one of the key characters we were supposed to recognise at the end looked completely unfamiliar to me - but it shouldn't really have needed shaking in the first place. I daresay a second viewing will improve the experience, should the opportunity arise.

Jack Nicholson is, as always, immensely watchable and never more so than when he's playing a nasty piece of work. Matt Damon, who to me has looked like a retard ever since I saw Team America, is excellent in a role that is a little out of stereotype for him, but Leonardo DiCaprio seemed a little out of his depth - maybe that was the point given his character's Donnie Brasco-esque role, but seeing him as a wiseguy just didn't flow. Worst is Mark Wahlberg, who I've had some praise for in the past, but here he can't muster the credibility for his obnoxious detective, and his delivery is too rapid, each line beginning before the previous one has sunk in. And it's too late for Ray Winstone to experiment with an American accent, we all know him too well as a Cockney by now.

Having concentrated largely on its flaws, The Departed nevertheless has much going for it. It's still well worth seeing and the long running time passes very quickly. The performances are varied, but the story's good and there are several surprises tucked away in there. Worthy, but it could have been so much better.

I enjoyed this film: 3/5

I think the average moviegoer will enjoy it: 4/5

Testosterone Satisfaction Rating: 4/5 - plenty of mafioso style action, shootings, no Reservoir Dogs style nastiness, over 200 uses of the F word.

To enjoy this film you should be: paying close attention from the outset.

Your comments

The comments printed here are not necessarily the views of Forwardcharm!

Once upon a time there were two little boys who joined the police force....... but would have been better off becoming professional rat catchers.

The Departed is an excellent film from start to finish Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) and Colin Sullivan (Damon) both start out life on the streets of Boston's Irish American community, which is governed by gangster Frank Costello (Nicholson). Eventually both lads arrive in the police force and end up in a special unit dealing with organised crime led by Captain Queenan (Sheen) and Sgt. Dignam (Wahlberg). Without giving the story away Costigan goes deep undercover to get Costello and Sullivan is the rat in the unit riding shotgun for Costello.

The cast list of The Departed is exceptional and there is a lot of talent for director Scorsese to draw on. Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg, and Alec Baldwin actually have supporting roles in this film (just as well for Wahlberg), it's DiCaprio and Damon with the leads and they don't disappoint, Nicholson (as always) is in top form but no-one is overpowered by the other and the film flows very nicely indeed over it's entire length, even Ray Winstone does not seem to mind his lower role.

The film has massive amounts of intrigue and tension and once the first 10 minutes is done the audience knows where the battle lines are drawn and the cat-and-mouse games begin, the suspense begins to grow slowly (which is good) and you're kept on this crescendo till the very end.

It's a gangster movie with lots of bloodletting and profanity with a good story and plot you won't be disappointed in seeing this, it's a great film.

Mike G

As others have said it's a good gangland movie, the real disappointment for me was the ending, the editor & director obviously couldn't work out a better way to intelligently close the film off and as the time was running on had to get to the point sharpish. whilst it was a very good twist I still think it could have been done better.
PM