dzagar

Another strong message by Robert Greenwald of "Outfoxed" fame. Similar to that doc, however, it is a quickly done, and somewhat less than fully polished film. Too shticky at times, it occasionally comes close to a parody of propaganda films, especially when dealing with the lives of Chinese workers. However, there are some moving portrayals of those affected by Walmart, including former employees, and some powerful testimonials by former management who feel betrayed by a company they gave their loyalty to.

I was most shocked by some facts about the Walton family, who are some of the richest people on the planet, and apparently some of the stingiest. You'd think they'd be more generous just for to get positive P.R., even if they couldn't care less about "the little people". For a more sober depiction of the Walmart phenomenon, I also recommend the Frontline documentary "Is Walmart Good for America".

While the movie is visually quite inventive, overall it is a big disappointment. I'm really shocked by the gushing of virtually all reviewers, most of whom I'm assuming saw it at a young age, possibly when it first came out.

To start, the weakest aspect is Julie Harris' character, who I would agree stands as one of the most irritating leads of all time. This is compounded by the unfortunate choice of making her thoughts audible, which rarely do more than repeat the obvious, in the "wow, I'm really scared and what am I doing here" mode--hey, thanks for filling us in on that! Lastly, absolutely nothing happens for the entire movie! I enjoy slow build-ups, but that is all this movie has to offer. Visually creative, but stick with Psycho or Rosemary's Baby for good examples of '60's horror films...

Don't be put off by the talk of poor production values, bad dubbing, goofy Benny Hill-esque slapstick, and questionable acting. Once you get a look at the enormous smile on Xi's face, you'll forget all of that. This is one of the most gentle, pleasant, and likable movies I've seen in a long time (all of that in a good way).

I'd always heard about it, but somehow managed to miss it over the years. Finally saw it this weekend, and it's a real gem.

For you DVD viewers, there's a documentary with interview footage of Xi. The only problem--no subtitles! Some bozo obviously blew it on the transfer, making it possibly the most frustrating doc ever produced...Be warned!