[Carlhole]

From writer/director Stephen Gaghan, winner of the Best Screenplay Academy Award for Traffic, comes Syriana, a political thriller that unfolds against the intrigue of the global oil industry. From the players brokering back-room deals in Washington to the men toiling in the oil fields of the Persian Gulf, the film’s multiple storylines weave together to illuminate the human consequences of the fierce pursuit of wealth and power. As a career CIA operative (George Clooney) begins to uncover the disturbing truth about the work he has devoted his life to, an up-and-coming oil broker (Matt Damon) faces an unimaginable family tragedy and finds redemption in his partnership with an idealistic Gulf prince (Alexander Siddig). A corporate lawyer (Jeffrey Wright) faces a moral dilemma as he finesses the questionable merger of two powerful U.S. oil companies, while across the globe, a disenfranchised Pakistani teenager (Mazhar Munir) falls prey to the recruiting efforts of a charismatic cleric. Each plays their small part in the vast and complex system that powers the industry, unaware of the explosive impact their lives will have upon the world.

http://syrianamovie.warnerbros.com/#

[azreal60]

I wonder if they'll even mention peak oil?

[falser]

There's a trailer and synopsis at this page:

http://www.clooneynetwork.com/movies/sy ... ndex.shtml

Looks like an interesting movie. It sounds like it is basically about peak oil, but more specifically the power struggle for middle eastern oil reserves. There's a clip of Matt Damon saying 'oil is running out, and 90% of what's left is in the middle east', and the voice over meantions $20/gal gasoline.

[some_guy282]

I doubt they'll mention Peak Oil. It comes out in December. If it's cold by then, it'll be interesting to see where the oil prices are. A film that is even indirectly related to oil could make an impression on the public consciousness and stand to make a lot of money. That is of course, assuming the public has any money to spend.

[The_Toecutter]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')hat is of course, assuming the public has any money to spend.

[some_guy282]

True enough. But we'll see what kind of effect the new bankruptcy bill will have on the public consciousness as well.

[The_Toecutter]

Lets put it this way. I'm a college student who took out loans to stay in school after my dad was no longer able to work(and still isn't able to work). $26k/year university today. when I first started going there, it was $19k/year and scholarships payed almost all of it. Scholarships haven't risen with tuition prices. I'm an electrical engineering major, and a problem may occur in which all the available jobs for my position are in China or India, but that's the case with any job as mine is perhaps the most practical major one could choose. If a debtor's prison is instituted, whoever comes to my door will be shot on sight should they refuse to leave and heed a warning given, considering that when I originally took out the loans, the legal framework was that I could declare bankruptcy and maybe get out of trouble if I had to default.

To change the legal framework of the contract I signed was to also change the contract, ex post facto. If for some reason I risk being imprisoned for my debt that I intend to pay but somehow cannot due to unforseen circumstances, I will shoot anyone who tried to imprison me and would gladly die in a firefight which would be the most likely outcome of such a conflict.

I do not take that shit lightly, and by the government changing the framework of the contract I signed(and those companies who lobbied for them to do so and paid good money to politicians to pass an unconstitutional law), they are busting a deal.

The original legal framework in the contract also meant that the company I borrowed from was willing to take the risk I won't be able to pay in the future the moment the contract was agreed to. To change the legal framework of a binding contract AFTER I took the loans out is to basically absolve the company of their own responsibility that they took a risk that the borrower may not be able to pay in the future, with that risk already built into the interest payments before hand.

Further, this ex post facto law is unconstitutional.

So if I were to be thrown in debtor's prison for this? I take my freedom, and the original deal made seriously. I would kill whoever attempted to imprison me if there was even a .0001% chance I could keep that freedom, and I wouldn't give a shit if there was a 99.9999% chance I'd be killed trying at that point.

I'm sure other Americans share my sentiments, despite that unlike myself, many of them probably weren't willing to be responsible for their debts to begin with before the law was passed. Irregardless, this new bankruptcy law may make some people bitter enough to protect themselves and their rights should enforcement of this law and debt repayment tend to the extreme.

Myself? I'd be willing to take it to a level not commonly seen just yet, even given the likely scenario my brain would be splattered on my front porch courtesy of law enforcement.

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one. Should things turn bad, I hope others intend to do as I will just to spite those who changed the legal framework of a binding contract, and maybe get to shoot something while they're at it should it really come down to that or imprisonment.

[some_guy282]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('The_Toecutter', 'I')'m pretty sure I'm not the only one. Should things turn bad, I hope others intend to do as I will just to spite those who changed the legal framework of a binding contract, and maybe get to shoot something while they're at it should it really come down to that or imprisonment.

[falser]

That's interesting Toecutter, but how does that relate to Syriana?

[OilsNotWell]

If you watch the trailer, you'll hear it begin something like this:

"Imagine 30% of America in the cold..and $20/gallon gasoline....We are running out....and 90% of what's left is in the Middle East..."


Here's another link to the trailer:

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/syrianaqt.html



Picture posted for educational and discussion purposes only...

Hmmm....

[realeyz]

I think people's attitudes towards hollywood movies is that they are "just movies" - and designed for entertainment purposes only. They aren't reality - at least if it goes against the junk journalism they feed themselves on a daily basis.

I think there is a big difference between a movie that deals with historical events vs one that deals with possible future events in terms of perspective in an educational/speculative sense.

All too often we hear the statement, "This isn't a movie, this is reality". This solidifies the distiction of educational material vs entertainment. To take a fictional movie seriously enough to equate it to a likely future scenario would be too big a leap and would require a very siginificant linking component in the film itself. What exactly is the movie "Syriana" designed to accomplish? It's an interesting question when you look at participant productions and their apparent mission statement.

I think people will likely remain asleep to the world energy picture regardless of this movie or any other fictional hollywood material. The only way people are going to wake up is when it really hits them where it hurts.

- todd

[bobcousins]

Let's hope that Syriana does for understanding of Peak Oil what The Day After Tomorrow did for Global Warming

-- Contains scenes of sarcasm and fantasy horror --

[strider3700]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('bobcousins', 'L')et's hope that Syriana does for understanding of Peak Oil what The Day After Tomorrow did for Global Warming

-- Contains scenes of sarcasm and fantasy horror --

[realeyz]

One thing I am really curious about is whether or not this film will have some sort of non-fictional message separate from the fictional story about peak oil or foreign energy dependence or whatever other message they want delivered. I thnk this would really change how this movie is perceived.

In general I think there will be 3 different kinds of people coming out of the theaters after seeing Syriana:

1) People like us who already are well versed in peak oil and world energy scenarios looking to see how the film stacks up aginst current data.

2) People who dont know much about world energy who go home and start digging around on the Net to find out more.

3) People who think Clooney and Damon are sexy or interesting, loved them in Oceans 11 and want to take the hollywood ride again in this latest CIA thriller. Oil and energy will be the last thing to enter their minds, if at all.

- todd

[Keith_McClary]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('The_Toecutter', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')hat is of course, assuming the public has any money to spend.

[ubercrap]

Oh, for god's sake, I'll still have enough money to see movie this winter. Anyway, it looks quite good actually. I hope it's a sign we're entering into another period of gritty, cynical movies like the '70's...

[Elfstrom]

It doesn't have to say "peak oil" to be about peak oil.

Here is the campaign web site for the film: Oil Change!

Edit to add this for people who don't visit the above site:

The movie's promotional site
"PARTICIPATE - Our dependence on oil is bad news for our environment, economy, and national security, and it creates dangerous flashpoints in politically unstable regions around the globe. We already have the technology to start fixing the problem today with hybrid cars and renewable energies. These solutions reduce our oil demand, save money, and create new high-tech business opportunities. The energy decisions you make every day can have an impact."

"Check back soon for the official launch of the action campaign! Meanwhile, register your email address to be the first to know about new calls to action, Oil Change campaign progress, and news about the film."

[realeyz]

My sense is that this is just going to be a political thriller using oil as the underpinning for greed, power and corruption. I would be willing to bet that Damons line "It's running out... and 90% of whats left is in the middle east." will be about as much as is said about the true situation.

Clooney stated in an interview, "It's like 'Traffic', only with oil instead of drugs". Someone who has read Baers book is probably much more able to speak to this than I am.

[Euric]

There appears to be a new movie coming out by Warner brothers about the end of oil, or loosely based on it. Here is the trailer:


http://a.justmovietrailers.com/video/58 ... r_300.html

[threadbear]

Euric, It looks great! It will get a tremendous amount of press with Clooney and Matt Damon co-starring and will ramp the price of oil up further, is my guess. The trailer also had a bit about how arms dealers benefit from chaos. People will get the wake up call they need, because after all, a problem doesn't become real for most people until they see it on tv or on the big screen.