Just in time for holiday viewing is “Promised Land”, a film starting Matt Damon, Frances McDormand and a star-studded cast that pits a small Pennsylvania town against a company planning to drill and hydraulically fracture some gas wells. As you might expect for feel-good, holiday fare the locals banish personal greed – think of all that leasing money – and band together to stop the drilling.

I have not seen the movie but I can’t imagine why the movie needs to be “R” rated. The setting is a small town near Pittsburgh, an area more known for Amish buggies than sin. At least the rating will keep youngsters from seeing the evils of hydraulic fracturing. But enough of the corny remarks.

As expected, the movie has already attracted significant industry attention. Readers can easily serf the web for more information on this movie and the industry response.

In addition to feature movies, prime-time sitcoms have gotten in on the hydraulic fracturing craze. ABC’s “Last Man Standing” recently explored how unpopular hydraulic fracturing is to high-school students. On the positive side, Nancy Travis’ television character is a geologist working for an energy company.