Word: syriana
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Goss is concerned about the potential effects of books written by those with inside knowledge of agency operations. Citing the book Jawbreaker, by a former CIA field commander who hunted for Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, and the movie Syriana, based on a retired CIA officer's book, an intelligence official says part of the worry is a possible "chilling effect" on both U.S. and foreign intelligence officials?as well as on secret assets. "You don't want people who sit down with an intel officer in confidence to be concerned it will end up in the guy's memoirs...
...That conversation came to mind recently as I watched a slew of new films-a veritable jihad film festival-dealing with terrorism: Syriana, Munich, the excellent Palestinian film Paradise Now and, for kicks, a dvd dash through the fourth season of the television series 24. I watched with new eyes, however, mindful that we are at war and that these sorts of entertainments can influence the public's sense of the struggle, especially serious films that purport to show the reality of the conflict, as Syriana and Munich...
...represents the classic conservative fantasy-the myth of American competence and omnipotence-then Syriana represents the Michael Moore left's myth of American venality and omnipotence, as perpetrated by producer and star George Clooney, who usually knows better. The film aspires to arty complexity, but its purpose is simple-minded in the extreme. The oil companies and their lawyers control everything, including the CIA, which turns out to be an incredibly effective and diabolical agency. In Syriana, not only does the CIA assassinate foreign leaders-which is banned by Executive Order-but impeccably so. The target is, of course...
Good Night, and Good Luck, North Country and Syriana came out of Participant's partnership with Warner Bros. Entertainment (a division of Time Warner, which owns TIME). "I know these movies carry more risk than something like Dukes of Hazzard, but they are movies with a purpose," says Warner Bros. president and coo Alan Horn. Although Horn is also actively involved in myriad political and social causes, he was able to partner with Skoll because of the entrepreneur's willingness to put up half the money and assume half the risk, which made the partnership more appealing...
Skoll's bet on movies with a message may pay off yet. Syriana, Participant's venture with Clooney, and its third and most ambitious movie to date, opened nationwide in late November and has received favorable reviews and plenty of buzz. Based on the book See No Evil by former cia operative Robert Baer, the film looks at the danger of U.S. reliance on Middle Eastern oil. The film may earn back its investment. But Skoll cares even more about its spurring a serious discussion on alternative energy. In partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sierra Club...