Fri 3/31
Selena
Seemingly stronger with each passing year, the legacy of slain Tejano icon Selena Quintanilla-Pérez thrives in the modern era, inspiring heartfelt tributes, imaginative fan art, big-name covers (by everyone from Solange to Bruno Mars), diverse impersonations and even a MAC cosmetics line prompted by an online petition. Adoring fans celebrate her birthday, observe the anniversary of her death and bond over a shared disgust for incarcerated murderer Yolanda Saldívar. Filmed partly in San Antonio and released two years after her untimely death, Gregory Nava’s 1997 biopic Selena spread the native Texan’s inspiring story and timeless songs to a global audience while her chart-topping crossover album Dreaming of You was still in heavy rotation. Likened by Variety to both “a contemporary fairy tale with an unhappy ending” and a “sentimental, rose-colored portrait,” the film may not be perfect but still stands the test of time as a major peg in the Selena timeline. Inciting a ripple of online excitement, Selena’s widower Chris Pérez recently watched the movie for the first time since its release, “reviewing” it via Facebook posts that pointed out inconsistencies but also applauded then-rising star Jennifer Lopez for a convincing performance. Likely to inspire spontaneous singing and cries of “Anything for Selenas,” Slab Cinema and the City of San Antonio’s free outdoor screening is one of several events timed to coincide with the film’s 20th anniversary. Free, 7:30pm Fri, La Villita, Arneson River Theater, 418 Villita St., (210) 207-8614, slabcinema.com. — Bryan Rindfuss
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