Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price (2005) (V) - 3.5/5

Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price (2005) (V)

I thought this was a well-done version of a biased documentary. They presented the arguments and didn't really seem to hide their stance (Heck, even the title implies they have something negative towards WalMart).

However, the did it in a classy way so that you want to try to see their side and give their arguments some credit.

I was afraid this movie was going to focus too much on low wages and poor benefits which is hard to blame on WalMart. They're just giving us what we want: low prices at the cost of our economical future and local jobs, etc.

They wd pay a higher wage if fewer people were willing to work there. They wdn't run local businesses out if local residences didn't shop there, etc.

I'm not fan of WalMart and I don't shop there. I don't think their policies (from what I understand) are generally illegal (though they have lost more than their share of law suits on not paying employees for overtime, EPA violations, etc.), but I'd have to say they are somewhat immoral.

The several former WalMart managers they have in the movie describe the practices and many are clearly wrong and illegal. Who's to say they are accurately telling the truth, but if they are...

The biggest thing about this to me is that people shop there thinking they're getting a good deal when really the cost is just coming from somewhere else: higher taxes to pay for subsidies paid to WalMart, lost jobs to overseas factories, lower quality products, larger drain on social programs, etc.

Mystic River (2003) - 3.5/5

Mystic River (2003)

This movie had a lot going for it and it went pretty well for the most part.

If kinda felt like a good attempt to copy a Scorsese movie... almost there, but never got 'big' enough.

The premise was good and the acting was very good. A well made movie that kinda got a little loose at times.

SPOILERS

The twist was cool, but I expected it too much. Laura Linney's speech about "you cd rule this town" - a lot of people seem disappointed w/ this, but I thought it was good.

The shunning of Celeste at the end was out of place to me.

Sean's reconciliation w/ his wife felt a bit forced and fast. I did like, however, the mirrored aspects of his wife's silence and Brendan's brother's silence. Kinda like each of their counterparts had to figure something out to get them to communicate... or something. Not sure it worked, but...???

Gosford Park (2001) - 2.5/5

Gosford Park (2001)

Like "Gangs of New York" - good acting, characters and setting, but nothing I really wound up caring about. They did a good job of really building up the reality of the house/people/servants/etc. That was great, but then they didn't do a ton w/ it.

SPOILERS

The murder just didn't really matter to me. The idea of the "who dunnit" in this setting is clever and original, but maybe not a great result.

The scene w/ the 2 sisters near the end was the best part of the movie, IMO.

The Simpsons Movie (2007) - 2.5/5

The Simpsons Movie (2007)

I was pretty disappointed. The first few mins were great (the "Itchy and Scratchy" cartoon), but there wasn't too much after that for me.

There were funny parts, but like w/ many TV-to-movie cases, it seemed like a drawn out episode w/o proportionally enough gags/jokes/etc.

The animation was technically better than the episodes (though I haven't watch the show in a while) which was fun to see.