December 21, 2008.

Line Up The Sheep, It's Time To Shop.

Rating: 5
I've always been skeptic about Wal-Mart, yet still shopped there. The workers looked unhappy, tired. I asked a few what was wrong (just out of curiosity) and got the answer "tired."

This movie, along with The Corporation, give insight as to what huge companies really care about: themselves. The shutting out of small businesses, the exploitation of workers (here and overseas), the stripping of "benefits," and just the overall competition to make more are explored in this film. Some reviewers complained about the low quality of the film, but they might be used to documentaries with a bigger budget. What this movie lacks in flash they make up with information.

I haven't been to Wal-Mart since watching this. And I know it really doesn't make a difference to them. Millions of other sheep are herded into their stores with the "Low Price" advertizing, and especially the economic trouble we're in right now, that concept of "saving" is being exploited. People don't care anymore about anything except money...that goes for us too!

You don't have to believe anything I or the filmakers say about Wal-Mart. Do your own research and see what you find. I did, and would rather be homeless than be associated with Wal-Mart.

December 01, 2008.

dishes the dirt on Sprawl-Mart.

Rating: 4
Would it surprise anyone to know that Wal-Mart disputed the factual accuracy of some statements made in this film? LOL. I expected them to say, "Yes, we are a ruthless, souless, corporation driven simply by pure greed, our neverending mission being to open more and more stores around the globe while destroying all competition and increasing profits forever and ever until the return of Jesus. Amen". You know what? I would at least respect that answer. It might actually work. But of coarse what they ended up doing was creating a public relations "war room" (-their term. Btw, "public relations" replaced the term "propaganda" to describe the exact same practices after the latter term became so tainted as to no longer be usable.)in late 2005 specificly to discredit this fair and objective -but passionate- critic of their business practices. On the same day as the release of THE HIGH COST OF LOW PRICE Wal-Mart released a DVD film defending its practices entitled WHY WAL-MART WORKS; AND WHY THAT DRIVES SOME PEOPLE C-R-A-Z-Y ("Crazy" already written in all caps with hyphens). A very funny and highly ironic incedent latter occured with the director of the pro-Wal-Mart propaganda, Ron Galloway. Galloway publicly criticised Wal-Mart for it's disgusting labor practices stating, "They just instituted a wage cap for long-term employees--people making between thirteen and eighteen dollars an hour. It's a form of accelerated attrition. They can't expect me to defend that." Heh, well you just gotta love that one.

This is an important film because Wal-Mart is the biggest public corporation by revenue in the entire world, the biggest private employer in the world, and the fourth biggest utility employer. They are also now the biggest grocery store in America and the biggest toy seller. They also run and own Sam's Club. So, it is only the right thing to do as a consumer AND a citizen to give a fair hearing to the critics and their arguments.

How much scrutiny has the world's biggest corporation received by our major media institutions? We have heard much more from Wal-Mart in their ubiquitous TV advertisements and cheerful right-wing pundits on the wonderful benefits to America and the world of Wal-Mart's business model. With WAL-MART: THE HIGH COST OF LOW PRICE we get the other side of the story, and I'd argue a more accurate one.

December 17, 2008.

Where you spend matters..

Rating: 5
Good movie that should make people think about the power of their spending dollars.

Wal-Mart is as dirty as they come. Watch this movie and see what they don't want you to think about.

December 17, 2008.

Somewhat repetetive and tedious.

Rating: 2
The topic is very interesting and the stories of the victims were interesting and instructive. Multiple views of the same shot were tedious. I began to feel that I was being treated as a rather dim bulb.

December 16, 2008.

A Must See Eye Opener.

Rating: 5
A superb documentary highlighting Wal-Mart's criminal human rights practices both here and abroad (and you've gotta love their union busting tactics that harken back to the '30's), total lack of regard for any environmental laws, their utter lack of concern for the safety of their customers, our tax dollars subsidizing Wal-Mart, the fact that Wal-Mart gives more to lobbying than charity (altho, sadly, neither party is preferred - Republican or Democrat - they're all whores these days) ... there is little that is not touched on in this well-made film. What IS the true cost of low prices?

Urge everyone to see it.