At least, that's what Martin Scorsese is thinking after directing such classic films as “Taxi Driver,” “Raging Bull” and “Goodfellas.” His most recent film, “The Departed,” earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, as well as his sixth nomination for Best Director.

Scorsese, widely considered to be one of the greatest directors of all time, has never been recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences. If he loses this year, he would gain the dubious honor of being the director with the most losses in Oscar history.

“The Departed” is a crime drama that revolves around a cop who infiltrates the mob, and a mobster who becomes a member of the Massachusetts State Police. The film is seen by many as Scorsese’s best chance at winning an Oscar due to his win at the Golden Globes, coupled with the star-power of the film. Featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin and Martin Sheen, the film is truly a tour-de-force.

However, Scorsese is facing perhaps the strongest competition of his career at this year’s ceremony.

Coming off a win two years ago for “Million Dollar Baby,” Clint Eastwood is nominated for his work on “Letters from Iwo Jima.” Alejandro González Iñárritu is also nominated for his film “Babel,” which won the Golden Globe for Best Picture. The other nominees include Stephen Frears for “The Queen” and Paul Greengrass for “United 93.”

As for best picture, “The Departed” is nominated alongside “Letters from Iwo Jima,” “Babel,” “The Queen” and “Little Miss Sunshine.”

Regarding those artists who’ve never won an Oscar for direction, Scorsese is in good company. Cinema pioneers and legends such as Orson Welles, Akira Kurasawa, Ingmar Bergman and Stanley Kubrick are just a few of the all-time great directors who were continually snubbed come Oscar night.

It boggles the mind that these men, who have created countless masterpieces and have done so much for the advancement of their art, were never granted the Academy Award for directing.

At the same time, someone like Kevin Costner (who won the award in 1991, beating out Scorsese’s “Goodfellas”) is able to sit at home, polish his golden idols, and remember the better days. The days before “Waterworld” and “The Postman.”

Maybe one shouldn’t place so much importance on the coveted golden statue. Seeing as how an argument can be made for nearly every one of the awards given in their 78-year history, the Oscars are obviously not the perfect system for judging movies.

Further calling their validity into question, the utterly banal “Click” received a nomination for best makeup, while a film like Darren Aranofsky’s “The Fountain,” one of the most brilliant and mesmerizing of the past decade, was snubbed from all categories.

As flawed as they may be, the Oscars are still the highest regarded competition that exists for film. As much as it may irk the viewer, it is still undeniably compelling at every turn.

The lack of Oscars on his mantle does nothing to detract from the brilliance of Scorsese’s career. In time, he will be remembered as the defining director of his generation.

One way or the other, Martin Scorsese will make history at the Academy Awards on Feb. 25.

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