Better Late Than Never

No, I'm not just referring to my delayed link to this article.

In Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Middle East, American movies like "Forrest Gump" are still blockbusters--on meticulously translated DVD, swapped for other American films.

"By Allah, the film is awesome and most unusual, and anyone who watches it is going to enjoy it immensely," wrote a fan on the Libyian site www.trables.com, about "Keeping the Faith."

And what's more, the critics love these cinamatic Americans, despite their nationality. The Muslim lady film buff who posted the comment above also declared her love for the Jewish-Ameican Ben Stiller.

Arab audiences have taken the American movies as their own: analyzing the "Devil's Advocate" for religous plausibility, and revealing substatiation for Koranic passages in "The Matrix". The article is worth a read.

I have confidence that Speilberg flicks will always win more hearts and earn more cache abroad than any US propaganda purchased by the Pentagon, as was recently revealed by an LA Times piece.