I saw Syriana this weekend, which Bradley Steinbacher reviewed in this week’s paper. Bradley dug the movie, which, he’s informed me, puts him in the minority.

Well, I’m with Brad. It’s a wonderful movie. As my best friend Tom Nissley said to me when we were leaving the theater, and I was gushing about how much I liked the movie: “Well, any movie that name checks Mossadegh and Peter Parker!…”

And that’s exactly what’s so good about this movie: It’s sprawling, and yet, obviously, Mossadegh and Peter Parker are so totally related.