Matt and I went to see the new Indiana Jones movie the other day, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The movie takes place in 1957 during the Cold War, and the antagonists in this film are some hot headed Russians seeking a weapon to help them (of course) dominate the world. We got a kick out of the movie--were even willing to look beyond a few over-the-top CGI scenes--and left without thinking a heck of a lot about it.

The next day I saw an article about the new film titled: "Indiana Jones makes Russian Communists see red." The article describes how Russian Communist Party members condemned the film as as "crude, anti-Soviet propaganda that distorts history and called for it to be banned from Russian screens."

The article goes on to quote Communist Party member Viktor Perov as saying, "What galls is how together with America we defeated Hitler, and how we sympathized when Bin Laden hit them. But they go ahead and scare kids with Communists. These people have no shame." Another party member, Andrei Gindos states, "Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchett (are) second-rate actors, serving as the running dogs of the CIA. We need to deprive these people of the right of entering the country."

Now, part of me kind of laughs at this because this is clearly a fictional movie, using hyped up, stereotyped villains and subplots like all Indy films. So, you'd think that the Russians could just see the film and laugh it off for what it is, you know?

I'd like to think that the members of the communist party could go to the movie, get out and go to the local bar, pound some Vodka, slap each other on the back and laugh: You know, Comrade, we really had some good times with the Americans back then, didn't we? Remember good ol' nuclear proliferation? What a riot that was, huh? And man, the KGB--remember how we couldn't say anything about the current regime? Wow, that Indy film sure brought back some memories.

But no, they have to go and get offended by it.

I'm mostly joking here, because when you really think about it, their reaction is sort of understandable. I don't think too many Americans would like to have themselves depicted unfairly, running about U.S.S.R. looking for a weapon that would help us take over the world, destroying ancient ruins and Russian super heroes in the process. If roles were reversed, perhaps we might take offense (some of my Freedom Fry munching compatriots probably would, at the very least).

But this brings me to my point--and yes, there is one--what are the consequences of depicting another nationality as our enemy in our films? These days it seems hip to make (insert Muslim country here) our enemy in films, but is that appropriate? What does that do to further damage our relationship with those nations? And after we've healed our rift with the Middle East like we have with Russia, then what? Who will be the next enemy in our films?

Now that we are connected through the internet, through trade agreements, through travel and journalism, it is increasingly cringe-inducing to make some other nationality depicted as "The Enemy." Not only are there repercussions in our relationships with those nations, it's also really juvenile and over simplified. We the viewers buy into the same cliche stereotypes less and less now that we've traveled there, met coworkers from there, or read the latest New York Times bestselling novel that takes place there.

So in some way, the Russian Communist member's response, while a clear overreaction, also gives me a bit of hope. It seems that we've come to a place where there's a bit more accountability to how we portray other nationalities in the media, both in history and the present. In short, we have to be nice to each other if we want to get along.

It reminds me of being in third grade. I gossiped about about another friend of mine, only to have her find out and have her feelings bruised (as well as our friendship) as a result. We are now so inextricably linked internationally that we have a new responsibility to respect each other; to speak well of one another. I'm curious to see how this changes our political and cultural landscapes as a result.

And as for our film making--perhaps global warming will be the new enemy or some other human-induced natural destruction. Or maybe we're in for something fresh: unknown killer deep sea jelly fish that plan to take over the world, forcing us to unite and destroy their killer stinging tentacles.

Now that I'd pay 10 bucks for.