Always low prices—always, Sept 29, 2006
Global Justice Film Series, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price
Tuesday, October 3, 3pm, Teatro Santa Ana, Insurgentes 25
50 pesos
The Center for Global Justice’s Pre-Election Film Series opens with a popular-demand rescreening of Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. This controversial film by director Robert Greenwald effectively exposes the actions of America’s largest retailer that have driven scores of small stores out of business, encouraged its employees to go on public assistance for their health care, sapped the tax base of whole towns no longer able to provide essential services and added to the nation’s foreign indebtedness by importing cheap goods from abroad.
The story is told through the personal experiences of Wal-Mart employees (“associates”) who face retaliation for speaking out, local businesspeople driven into bankruptcy, former Wal-Mart managers, and local leaders struggling with Wal-Mart’s impact on their community.
Greenwald’s film has caused such a public stir since its release that scores of state legislatures are discussing new ways to make the chain more socially responsible and forced it to spend millions of dollars on public relations gestures in an attempt to repair its image. It has also spawned picket lines from coast to coast (and even here in Mexico) protesting the building of new stores. The film makes you ask what would happen to San Miguel de Allende should a Wal-Mart spring up here.
The film has a running time of 98 minutes. A discussion follows.
Cinemateca
José Luis’s Pick and Tips:
The pick: The Rules of the Game
Directed by Jean Renoir, is now ranked number 1 on many film critics' lists. Renior built a comedy of manners around old stories. When this film was viewed in Paris in 1939 there was a near riot. The critics hated it for political reasons, but also because characters were walking about the chateau at amazing speeds and angles. Somehow in an upstairs-downstairs comedy, Renoir described the failed French society. "So simple and so labyrinthine, so guileless and so angry, so innocent and so dangerous, that you can't simply watch it, you have to absorb it."
The tips:
Please note that in order to provide the best viewing experience, the show times for some movies may be adjusted to accommodate their length. So double-check the times in your schedule. Also, please remember our new ticket price is 50 pesos.
Discount cards are 450 pesos for 12 shows.
On Monday after 4pm, buy your tickets for any selection of the week. Don’t take the risk of being locked out! Nos vemos en el Cine….
Classic Special
The Rules of the Game (La Règle du Jeu, 1939)
Monday, October 2, 4pm
Tuesday, October 3, 6pm
French with English subtitles, 106 minutes
Director: Jean Renoir
Cast: Nora Gregor, Jean Renoir, Paulette Dubost.
When the affluent Marquis Robert de la Chesnaye (Marcel Dalio) hosts a party at his sprawling property, emotions run high. Guests include Robert's mistress Genevieve (Mila Parely) and pilot Andre Jurieu (Roland Toutain), who fancies Robert's wife, Christine (Nora Gregor). Meanwhile, Schumacher (Gaston Modot) is trying to keep Marceau (Julien Carette) from hitting on his wife (Paulette Dubost). All the while, the servants watch with great interest.
My Father's Glory (La Gloire de Mon Père, 1990)
Monday, October 2, 6pm
Wednesday, October 4, 7pm
French with English subtitles, 110 minutes
Director: Yves Robert
Cast: Philippe Caubere, Nathalie Roussel, Therese Liotard
Based on the best-selling memoirs of French novelist and filmmaker Marcel Pagnol, this humorous and captivating recollection of a young boy's life in turn-of-the-century southern France focuses on his memorable summer holidays. Mystified by nature, Marcel turns to his father for an education on the ways of the wild. But his father comes up short in Marcel's eyes when Uncle Jules, an experienced woodsman, proves to be far more knowledgeable.
My Name Is Bill W. (1989)
Tuesday, October 3 (last show), noon
English with Spanish subtitles, 100 minutes
Director: Daniel Petrie
Cast: Gary Sinise, James Woods, JoBeth Williams, James Garner.
Based on the inspiring true story of the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, this moving drama stars James Woods in an Emmy-winning performance as Bill Wilson, a successful stockbroker who loses everything in the 1929 stock market crash. After succumbing to depression and drink, he eventually sobers up with the help of fellow recovering alcoholic Dr. Bob (James Garner). With newfound hope for the future, the two create the now-famous support group.
Alfred Hitchcock shorts: Bon Voyage/Aventure Malgache (1944)
Tuesday, October 3, 4pm
Thursday, October 5, 6pm
French with English subtitles, 57 minutes
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock originally created Bon Voyage and Aventure Malgache—twin tales of espionage, suspense and murder—to aid the Allied war effort. But upon the films' release, the British government considered them inflammatory, and they were subsequently locked away for more than 50 years, receiving only limited play in France. With this collection, fans will finally get to enjoy these lost Hitchcock gems.
Suzanne Farrell: Elusive Muse (1996)
Wednesday, October 4, noon
English, 105 minutes
Director: Anne Belle, Deborah Dickson
Cast: Suzanne Farrell, Jacques d'Amboise
For over 20 years, ballerina Suzanne Farrell was the last muse and quintessential interpreter of choreographer George Balanchine. This documentary traces the dramatic story of their relationship and the years following his death.
Cinemateca for Mexican Youth
La Mujer de Benjamín (Benjamin's Woman, 1991)
Wednesday, October 4, 5pm
Spanish with English subtitles, 107 minutes
Director: Carlos Carrera
Cast: Eduardo Lopez Rojas, Arcelia Ramírez, Eduardo Palomo
When overweight, fiftyish bachelor Benjamin becomes obsessed with a beautiful 17-year-old girl named Natividad, Benjamin's friends tease him, telling him he should kidnap her—which he does. Once he has her, though, he's much too shy to do anything with her; the far-from-innocent girl, on the other hand, seeing how good a catch Benjamin is and how easily he can be manipulated, quickly makes herself the dominant figure in his household.
Cinemateca Series: The Singing Detective (1986)
Chapters 3 & 4
Friday, September 29, 4pm
Chapters 5 (Pitter Patter) & 6 (Who done it)
(Last 2 chapters)
Friday, October 6, 4pm
Director: Jon Amiel
Cast: Michael Gambon, Imelda Staunton, Joanne Whalley, David Ryall, Janet Suzman and more
Mystery writer Philip E. Marlow (Michael Gambon) is suffering a bout of psoriasis in a British hospital. Unable to move without pain, he escapes into his imagination, plotting out a murder tale in which he's both a big-band singer and a super-sleuth. Mix in flashbacks of Marlow's youth and his unhappy marriage, and you have a gripping murder mystery and a lavish musical rolled into one.
Musical Saturdays
This series has been discontinued until further notice.
Kids’ cartoons
Saturday, October 7, noon
Free
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