(I posted this first to Progressive Historians , thus the focus on history. But I thought it could make an interesting discussion here, as well, provided anyone buys my argument!)

What do the films Syriana, United 93, and A Mighty Heart have in common?

Quite a lot, actually.  Though their topics are roughly connected, it's the style of the films that really strikes me: could they be saying much more under the surface?  What do these films say about us as viewers, and can we make some inferences about our culture(*) based on the way they present information?  I think we can, in fact.

(*) "our culture" interpreted broadly, since two of the three directors are British.

I'm following Ender's lead here, because this isn't really front page material. Still, some of you might find this interesting:

No, this isn't going to be one of those diaries about how my Republican father has suddenly seen the light, nor will it be about how he repeats crazy FOX news talking points while my brother and I laugh and tear them to shreds. Instead, this is just a portrait of one guy who still considers himself a strongly conservative voter, faced with what he knows is a declining Republican party.

We talked for about a half hour, covering the Presidential campaigns and the situation in New Orleans. Here are a few of the more interesting points:

I posted this in the diary section instead of the front page, because it's intended as something lighter than the usual fistacuffs. Although given Specter's diary topped 100 comments this week, the diary list seems to be the place to be!

At any rate, here's a rundown of some of my favorite films of the season, with a note about their ideology. I'm not doing any deep analysis here: if you disagree, you're more than welcome to take back the banner of whatever film I misrepresent. Also feel free to add your own!