Let's hope that restless American audiences can muster the patience to piece together the riveting and convoluted plot of Syriana. If so, this explosive thriller may inspire much-needed mainstream awareness of – and resistance to – America’s energy-lavish habits. The movie is a white-knuckled, edge-of-your-seat romp through the hidden consequences of the oil industry – corporate corruption, political hypocrisy, and terrorist ties, to name a few.

On the face of it, Syriana focuses on the political aspect of oil alone, and leaves virtually untouched the environmental implications (well, aside from the fleeting fact that one character is a vegetarian). But now George Clooney and the other producers of Syriana have teamed up with environmental organizations NRDC and Sierra Club to sponsor Oil Change, a website advocating efficient vehicles and policies that support energy independence. It enables visitors to send letters to leaders in Washington and Detroit demanding more efficient cars and trucks and get tips on how to curb their own oil consumption.

Image credit: Oil Change