http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syriana#Th ... Syriana.22

The movie's title is somewhat ambiguous. Some have suggested that it comes from Pax Syriana, as an allusion to the necessary state of peace between Syria and the U.S. as it relates to the oil business. In a December 2005 interview, Baer told NPR that the title is a metaphor for foreign intervention in the Middle East, referring to post-World War I think tank strategic studies for the creation of an artificial state (such as Iraq, created from the elements of the former Ottoman Empire) that would ensure continued U.S. access to crude oil.

hey, thanks for looking that up. interesting...

good concept, good actors, bad movie. this movie should be shown in film school as an example of having all the right ingriedients but ending up with a shitty movie. Every story was undeveloped and if you have any attachment to this movie or if you were drawn into this story at all, it was because you liked the politics. In fact this movie is alot like the middle east. lots of potential but completely entangled in crap. In the end, it was not well done enough to achieve it's lofty goals.

I saw this and it was good. Oldbullee's criticism seems to come from the lack of any narration, which I liked especially about it.

Also, don't bring a drunk date to this movie.

I was surprised to see so many in this thread praising this movie.

Funny Mark Clark should say that lack of a narrator was a plus, because this movie was DIEING for a narrator.

I chalk this up like Traffic. "YOU MEAN THE GOVERNMENT DOES BAD THINGS TO GET OIL???!! OMFG!!"

And stu, I could write you doctoral dissertation on why this will never change. Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss sums it up though.

I'd give this movie 2 stars, but I won't ever watch it again.

i saw this movie a couple days ago and i wasnt all that impressed. way too many storylines and not enough (if any) connections between them. it left me wanting to know more about the prince and less about pretty much everybody else.

i liked it. not great but good.

I loved going to the movies and putting my brain to work for a change.

Anyone else sit there and think of the complete 180 Affleck's and Damen's careers have gone?

Yeah, "WUTS GOIN ON. Y R DOSE ARAB KIDS GOIN TOWARD DAT BOAT?" "WHY IS GEORGE CLOONEY HAVE BEARD? IZ HE SUM TERRORSIST?!?!" "WHEER DID DA BUSINESSMANS GIT SPACE VIDEO GAYMZ, IS DAT DA PLAYSTATION 5?!?!!?!"

I'm sorry, I just couldn't see this movie being better with Matt Damon doing a voiceover letting us know his feelings the entire time, somehow being omniscent and explaining everything for us. "I SO SAD MY BABY DEAD, BUT WUT ABOUT DA $$$?"

that has to be in the top 5 best posts ever.

Yeah. I have a funny voice in my head when reading it too.
I like his "OMG HE NOT HIT HOME RUN, Y DAT?" from the baseball thread a while ago to.

Good point, tho, Mark Clark...but I guess maybe this movie needed some coherence, and that may have been provided. But I was thinking Clooney's character would be the narrator.

I still don't think this movie was all that thought provoking. Again, like Traffic, which the same dude wrote -- you mean rich kids do drugs, bitches whose husbands deal drugs might do some shit to stop them from going to jail, and girls will fuh for smack?? SHOCKING.

You mean the government gives with one hand and takes with the other, helps create terrorism, and manipulates oil so we can have our gas guzzlers and cds (mad from oil!) SHOCKING.

Next thing you're gonna tell me is that white people can't dance, and black people like watermelon.

Is the point really to be shocking, though? I mean, everyone should already know this shit. The same for Traffic. All both of these movies really are are character studies. You know, character has established routines/lifestyle, something happens to derail said established routine, situation builds to its conclusion. All accompanied by good cinematography and good acting. The end.

Nothing incredible or earth-shaking, but a good movie none the less (imo).

AGREED, SOMEONE AUGHT TO MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT IT!

It's like if you intentionally don't put something in your movie that you're suppose to (like a narrative or coherence), it makes it good because it's more difficult. BUT ON PURPOSE. OOOOh!

Wait this move doesn't have any sound, but it's really cool because he did it on purpose.

this has to be the worst saturday morning drink movie EVER.

5:42 into it and i'm terminally bored. they should've written a few zingers to throw in here and give it some zip.

george clooney is so caring. i can't believe he hasn't stopped this war with his giant heart.

i decided to mute it and blast the jesus lizard, who provide an interesting soundtrack to drowning children.

YES!

i stopped paying attention to the movie like a half hour ago. Liar however, continues unabated.

You made me put on Down. Saturday never sounded so good.

i have that sitting on top of the CD player for next.

this from the guy who's always stressing reading comprehension.

i liked it but it just kind of pissed me off because things are always gonna be this way, at least in my lifetime.

the only thing i wanted to know was why was that dad always pissed at bennett. guess he just wanted to be a drunk.