Best Foreign Language?

The intriguing politics of the best foreign-language Oscar. The NY Times explains why City of God was nominated for four Oscars this year, but wasn't for a foreign language award last year. Art meets commerce meets diplomacy meets governmental bureaucracy meets yearly Academy Award silliness.

Strictly Adults Only!

Here's the U.S. Catholic Bishop's take on Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. Strictly adults only.

Exorcistland!

The United States Army is setting up attraction in Iraq called "The Exorcist Experience, which will link several locations in Iraq where scenes of The Exorcist were filmed. As tremendous fan of the movie, a little bit of me thinks this is a little bit cool, but it's interesting and sad that we (speaking as Americans) can only grasp and comprehend history through and by Hollywood movies. It's as if a history as grand and ancient as Mesopotamia's can only be seen and understood in the context of how it fits into the narrative of a horror movie.