More Blood for Oil

Don't sit near anyone who talks during movies if you see "Syriana." This geo-political thriller, which focuses on the CIA, multinationals, Middle East oil, and D.C. lawyers, is very heavy on exposition. If you are one bit distracted while watching the flick, you will have a hard time following it. "Syriana" feels like the movie "Traffic," but it is much less didactic. Although George Clooney's face is plastered on all the ads, this is very much an ensemble piece. (Clooney--who gained 35 pounds for the role--is surprisingly OK.) Worth seeing simply because it is reminiscent of all those great 1970s political thrillers, like "The Parallax View."