23 Syriana A very personal project for George Clooney, the 2005 cinematic bombshell of a movie had as a starting point a mem- oir “See No Evil,” written by a former CIA operative Robert Bauer. Clooney, who execu- tive-produced the film, made no secret of his political fist shaking in this fearless story that tackled global oil corruption, roots of fundamentalism and the governmental collusion. Hot Coffee A documentary on tort reform. How the infamous McDon- ald’s hot coffee lawsuit and similar cases were exploited as part of a corporate crusade to weaken civil justice. Borgen- Danish TV series 2010-2013 An amazing Danish TV series about a prime minister’s rise to power, and how this power changes her political and private life. Every episode is extremely entertaining, smartly written and textbook clear when presenting chal- lenges of governance and the ways collaboration between political parties and factions takes place. House of Cards 2013-2017 – Recommend- ing especially season 1 and 2 This political thriller shows a ruthlessly pragmatic congress- man who takes revenge on the people who betrayed him. The original BBC series was remade to perfection when portraying the Washington scene during the Bush and Clinton dynasties. The Godfather – Parts I, II and III This Oscar-winning master- piece saga is the best descrip- tion ever of American orga- nized crime from the turn of the century to 1979 and the relationship between the US government, the Catholic Church and crime empires. Godfather Part I Marlon Brando won an Oscar for his role as Vito Corleone, an aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty who transfers his clandestine empire to his reluctant son Michael. A story of the Ma- fia’s transformation from the Prohibition era liquor smug- gling into gambling, union racketeering and protection schemes. Godfather Part II The early life of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York, juxtaposed with his son’s expansion of the family crime empire in 1960’s. Godfather Part III The last installment of the trilogy takes place in 1979 when aging Mafia Don Michael Corleone is deter- mined to legitimize his businesses and ensure the generational transition. The Vatican is one of his business partners.