Syriana and Paradise Now

A look at how two new films confront the Middle East issue | Andrew Coffin

Disney takes on The Chronicles of Narnia, and The New York Times, among others, nearly trips over its feet in a rush to expose a conspiratorial web of religious and political connections. Everyone from financiers (Christian billionaire Phil Anschutz—how dare he use his money for propaganda!) to marketers (Disney advertises the film to churches!) comes under distrustful scrutiny.

But where are these stories when a film like Syriana (rated R for violence and language), which actually is absurdly conspiratorial in itself, hits theaters? It's easy to trace the financing for the film. The first company credit onscreen is for "Participant Productions," a company with this mission statement: "Participant believes in the power of media to create great social change. Our goal is to deliver compelling entertainment that will inspire audiences to get involved in the issues that affect us all."