Movie house wars

Independent movie theater accuses megachain of putting it out of business

In the wake of its sudden closure in November, an independent movie theater in Sharpstown is blaming megachain AMC Theatres for alleged unfair business practices.

Viva Cinema opened in May as an innovative new outlet for the city's Spanish-speaking film buffs. Located in a long-vacant space at the PlazAmericas mall, the start-up theater sought to showcase a mix of first-run Hollywood features with Spanish subtitles as well as Latin American films completely in Spanish — all for just $7 a ticket.

But Viva claims AMC — which operates a 30-screen multiplex two miles north of PlazAmericas — spent months blocking the small theater from showing first-run films by using a tactic dating back to the early days of cinema.

According to a recent statement from Viva, AMC "firmly requested" major Hollywood studios to give it a special allowance known as "clearance" — a common industry practice in which certain theaters are granted exclusive rights to show newly-released films within a given area.

Thanks to AMC's maneuvering, Viva was left offering films months long after their opening weekends. The theater closed its doors on Nov. 10 showing movies like Elysium and The Butler, both of which were released in August.

"No other choice"

When single-screen theaters were the mainstay of the film industry, clearance policies guaranteed customers and studios that a profitable blockbuster like Gone With the Wind wouldn't be playing on every block.

But in today's world of multiplex cinemas, small theaters like Viva find themselves at a constant disadvantage against the big national chains, which have thousands of screens across the nation to secure the best deals with studios and distributors.

Adding insult to injury, Viva says the nearby AMC Studio 30 started offering films with Spanish subtitles three weeks before it opened. Without first-run films or the corner on the Spanish-language market, Viva says it had "no other choice" but to close.

In a statement provided by the company, AMC tells CultureMap that it was the studios (not AMC itself) that decided where new feature films would be permitted to play.

"Viva Cinema clearly, and we assume knowingly, entered into a competitive film zone by opening a first-run location in close proximity to AMC Studio 30, which has a long-established reputation of playing Spanish-language films, as well as first-run films with Spanish subtitles or dubbing," the statement reads.

Viva Cinema owners were unable to be reached for comment.

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Movie Review

Jodie Foster brings depth and wit to French thriller A Private Life

Photo by Georges Lechaptois

Jodie Foster in A Private Life.

Jodie Foster has been a member of the Hollywood community for almost 60 years, first as a child actor on TV, and then branching out into movies. She earned an Oscar nomination at the tender age of 14 for her role in Taxi Driver, and she’s gone on to be nominated five times, winning twice. Now, at age 63, she’s showing she’s still capable of surprises by fluently speaking another language in the French film, A Private Life.

Foster plays Lilian Steiner, a psychiatrist who sees patients out of her Parisian apartment. When she learns of the death of one of her patients, Paula (Virginie Efira), she’s sad but otherwise unaffected until a few suspicious things start happening. This includes the robbery of her apartment, in which a recording of Paula’s last session with Lilian goes missing.

With the help of her ex-husband, Gabriel (Daniel Auteuil), Lilian becomes an amateur private detective, tracking the movements of Paula’s husband, Simon (Mathieu Amalric), whom she increasingly suspects of murder. At the same time, Lilian must navigate a tense relationship with her son, Julien (Vincent Lacoste), along with an unexpected rekindling of romance with Gabriel.

Written and directed by Rebecca Zlotowski, and co-written by Anne Berest, it is a psychological thriller that at times feels like an Inspector Clouseau movie. With little to go on but her own perhaps misguided suspicions, Lilian digs herself deeper into a situation of her own making. And she further clouds her mind by indulging in a tryst with Gabriel, who’s all too eager to help Lilian pursue her criminal theories. While the film is not a comedy, there are elements of humor that pop in to keep the story light.

Zlotowski plays with the competing tones of the story well, keeping viewers on Lilian’s side even as she indulges in things that might not be the healthiest for her. Lilian’s various eccentricities - an adherence to recording on old-fashioned mini discs instead of fully digital, keeping an emotional distance from her son and grandson - make her a fascinating character whose vacillating motivations keep viewers guessing as to what she’ll do next.

In a lot of ways, the film is a study of how Lilian needs to try to find ways to heal herself. The possibility of Paula being murdered wakes Lilian up to the idea that she has not been as attentive a doctor as she should be. The sessions with different patients that Zlotowski shows give the impression that there’s a general level of dissatisfaction with her, with one patient outright breaking up with her.

Foster is no less compelling speaking mostly in French than she is in English language movies. Her fluency is never in doubt, and she fits in seamlessly with the actual French actors in the film. Auteuil is a fun counterpart for Foster, showing an unexpected chemistry with her that keeps their scenes crackling with energy. Amalric, a Wes Anderson favorite, has a relatively small role but still stands out when he gets a chance.

A Private Life is not the type of thriller that American audiences might be used to, but its slow, methodical storytelling and subtle humor make it an interesting watch from beginning to end. The film is not up for any awards, but Foster’s performance shows she remains a top-tier actor.

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A Private Life is now playing in select theaters.

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