06.20.19

PW OPINION PW NEWS PW LIFE PW ARTS
•FILM•
BY CARL KOZLOWSKI
Total Winner
‘THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO’ SPOTLIGHTS
HUGELY TALENTED NEWCOMER JIMMIE FAILS
It’s no secret that San Francisco is beset
with all manner of troubles these days,
from rampant homelessness to terribly
unsanitary conditions in much of its prime
locations. Yet its huge hills and beautiful historic
architecture still hold a magical allure
for millions, and a young actor-writer named
Jimmie Fails makes a dramatic stand for
its preservation in the stunning new drama
“The Last Black Man in San Francisco.”
Fails has come out of seemingly nowhere
with the film, in which he plays a somewhat
fictional version of himself and co-wrote the
story with his best friend and director, Joe
Talbot. The story follows Fails and his best
friend, Monty (Jonathan Majors), as Jimmie
tries desperate and inventive measures to
reclaim his childhood home after 12 years
when its owners are forced to leave the
premises.
Jimmie has had the deck stacked
against him his entire life, with a mother
who abandoned him years ago and a father
who is a former junkie and subsists by
making and selling pirated DVDs in a dingy
hotel room. Monty is stuck working in a
fish shop while dreaming of becoming a
playwright, and spends much of his time
outside of work listening to the conversations
and arguments of the people he sees
on the streets around him.
When Jimmie realizes that the older
white couple who took over the house when
his family fell apart are being evicted due to
a familial property dispute, he and Monty
break in and start squatting there. He has
always been told his grandfather built the
fantastical house, and even manages to
reclaim his grandfather’s assortment of odd
furniture and other possessions to fill its
massive empty space.
On the one hand, this brings Jimmie great
happiness. On the other, it also creates a
Jimmie Fails, left, and Jonathan Majors in “The Last Black Man in San Francisco“
slow-building tension as they struggle to remain
unnoticed and wonder when the other
shoe is going to drop.
“Last” doesn’t rely much on conventional
narrative, but rather is a mesmerizing visual
poem and mood piece that grabs viewers
from the start and never lets go. Co-writer
and director Joe Talbot, the real Fails’ reallife
best friend, kicks things off with an aweinspiring
opening sequence in which Jimmie
and Monty hop on the same skateboard and
soar through the streets of San Francisco on
their way to work.
As they zip through the streets and soar
up and down its incredible hills, numerous
images of the people they pass are freezeframed
or slow-motioned as they stare at the
two young friends flying by. This visual trick
and many others are employed by Talbot
throughout the film, creating a unique look
from start to finish that recalls and even surpasses
the dazzling cinematography of Spike
Lee’s visionary early work.
With Emile Mosseri’s stirring musical
score that combines orchestral power with a
jazzy undertone, “Last” becomes a feast for
the senses. Fails is making his literal feature
film debut here as both writer and actor, and
the result caused a sensation at this year’s
Sundance Film Festival.
In fact, The Hollywood Reporter critic
Todd McCarthy regarded it as “by far the
best narrative film I saw at Sundance…Every
scene is fresh and unpredictable, visual
poetry and realism are exquisitely woven together.”
Such high praise is richly deserved,
and if you’re looking for an intelligent and
compelling film amid the bombast of summer
blockbusters, this is likely your best bet
of the season. n
“THE LAST BLACK MAN IN
SAN FRANCISCO”: A
FLICK FINDER
SHOWTIMES
Friday June 21 to Thursday June 27 Note: Times are p.m., and daily, unless otherwise indicated. All
times are subject to change without notice.
PASADENA
ACADEMY 6
1003 E Colorado Bl, (626) 229-9400.
Princess Mononoke Tues. only, 7:30 p.m.
IPIC THEATERS AT
ONE COLORADO PASADENA
42 Miller Alley, (626) 639-2260.
Men in Black: International Fri.-Sun., 1, 4:30, 7:30,
10:30 p.m.; Mon.-Tues., 1, 4:15, 7:30, 10:30 p.m.; Wed.
1:20, 4:30, 7:30, 10:30 p.m.
Rocketman Fri.-Tues., 1:15, 4:15, 7:15, 10:15 p.m.; Wed.
1:10, 4:15, 7:15, 10:15 p.m.
The Secret Life of Pets 2 Fri. 1:15, 3:45, 6:45, 9:15 p.m.;
Sat. 1, 3:45, 6:45, 9:15 p.m.; Sun. 1:05, 3:45, 6:45, 9:15
p.m.; Mon.-Tues., 1, 3:45, 6:45, 9:15 p.m.; Wed. 1, 3:30,
6:30, 9 p.m.
Shaft Fri.-Wed., 1:45, 4:45, 7:45, 10:45 p.m.
Toy Story 4 Fri.-Sun., 12:30, 12:45, 3:30, 4, 6:30, 7, 9:30,
10 p.m.; Mon.-Tues., 12:40, 12:45, 3:30, 4, 6:30, 7, 9:30,
9:45 p.m.; Wed. 12:45, 1, 3:45, 4, 6:45, 9:30, 10 p.m.;
Thurs. 12:50, 3:50, 6:45, 9:45 p.m.
LAEMMLE’S PLAYHOUSE 7
673 E Colorado Bl, (626) 844-6500.
Kinky Boots the Musical Tues. only, 7 p.m.
The Taming of the Shrew Mon. 7:30 p.m.; Tues. 1 p.m.
Yesterday Thurs. only, 7:20, 10:10 p.m.
ARCLIGHT PASADENA 14
280 E Colorado Bl, (626) 568-8888.
Annabelle Comes Home Tues. 5, 7:15, 9:30, 11:45 p.m.;
Wed.-Thurs., 11 a.m., 1:15, 3:30, 5:45, 8, 10:15 p.m.
Child’s Play Fri.-Sun., 10:30 a.m., 12:30, 2:30, 4:30,
6:30, 8:30, 10:30 p.m.
Toy Story 4 Fri.-Sun., 10 a.m., 4:45, 7, 9:15 p.m.
Toy Story 4 3D Fri. 3:30 p.m.; Sat. 1:15, 3:30 p.m.; Sun.
3:30 p.m.
Yesterday Thurs. only, 7, 9:30, 12 midnight
GLENDALE
PACIFIC GLENDALE 18
The Americana at Brand,322
Americana Way, Glendale
(818) 551-0218.
Annabelle Comes Home Tues. 5, 7:30, 10 p.m.; Wed.
11:45 a.m., 2:15, 5:30, 8, 10:30 p.m.; Thurs. 11:45 a.m.,
2:20, 5:30, 8, 10:30 p.m.
Child’s Play Fri. 5:45, 8 p.m.; Sat. 5:45 p.m.; Sun. 5:50,
8:05, 10:20 p.m.
Toy Story 4 Fri.-Sat., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1, 2, 3:30,
4:30, 6, 7, 8:30, 9:30, 11, 12 midnight; Sun. 10:30 a.m.,
11:30 a.m., 1, 2, 3:30, 4:30, 6, 7, 8:30, 9:30 p.m.
Yesterday Thurs. only, 7:15, 10 p.m.
UA LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE
1919 Verdugo Bl, (818) 952-1940.
Annabelle Comes Home Tues. 5, 7:50, 10:30 p.m.; Wed.-
Thurs., 11:50 a.m., 2:30, 5:10, 7:50, 10:30 p.m.
Toy Story 4 Fri.-Thurs., 11:10 a.m., 4:30, 7:10, 9:50 p.m.
Toy Story 4 3D Fri.-Thurs., 1:50 p.m.
Yesterday Thurs. only, 7, 9:50 p.m.
ARCADIA
AMC SANTA ANITA 16
Westfield Shoppingtown Mall,400 Baldwin
Ave, (888) 262-4386.
Anna Fri.-Thurs., 10:30 a.m., 1:30, 4:30, 7:30, 10:30 p.m.
Annabelle Comes Home Tues. 5, 8, 11 p.m.; Wed.-
Thurs., 11:25 a.m., 2:15, 5, 7:45, 10:30 p.m.
Child’s Play Fri.-Thurs., 10:15 a.m., 12:45, 3:15, 5:45,
8:15, 10:45 p.m.
Forrest Gump 25th Anniversary Sun. 3, 7 p.m.; Tues. 3,
7 p.m.
Kinky Boots the Musical Tues. only, 7 p.m.
Men in Black: International Fri. 10:45 a.m., 12:15, 1:30,
3:15, 4:30, 7:30, 10:30 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 10:45 a.m.,
12:15, 1:30, 3:15, 4:15, 7:15, 10:15 p.m.; Tues. 7 p.m.
Men in Black: International 3D Fri.-Sun., 6:15, 9:15 p.m.
MET Summer Encore: La Boheme (2010) Wed. only, 7
p.m.
The Secret Life of Pets 2 Sat. only, 11 a.m.
Shaft Fri.-Sun., 10:30 a.m., 1:30, 4:15, 7:15, 10:15 p.m.
Toy Story 4 Fri.-Sat., 9:45 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 12:30, 2,
3:15, 4:45, 6, 7:30, 8:45, 10:15, 11:30 p.m.; Sun. 9:45
a.m., 11:15 a.m., 12:30, 2, 3:15, 4:45, 6, 7:30, 8:45,
10:15, 11:15 p.m.; Mon. 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1:15, 1:45,
4, 4:30, 6:45, 7:15, 9:30, 10 p.m.; Tues. 10 a.m., 10:30
a.m., 12:45, 1:15, 3:30, 4, 6:45, 9:30 p.m.; Wed.-Thurs.,
10:30 a.m., 1:15, 4, 6:45, 9:30 p.m.
Toy Story 4 3D Fri.-Sun., 10:45 a.m., 1:30, 4:15, 7, 9:45
p.m.; Mon.-Thurs., 11:30 a.m., 2:15, 5, 7:45, 10:30 p.m.
Toy Story 4: The IMAX 2D Experience Fri.-Sun., 10:15
a.m., 1, 3:45, 6:30, 9:15 p.m.; Mon. 10 a.m., 12:45,
3:30, 6:15, 9 p.m.; Tues.-Thurs., 11 a.m., 1:45, 4:30
p.m.
ALHAMBRA
EDWARDS ALHAMBRA RENAISSANCE
STADIUM 14 & IMAX
1 E. Main Street,
(626) 300-0107.
Annabelle Comes Home Tues. 5, 7:35, 10:15 p.m.; Wed.-
Thurs., 9:45 a.m., 12:25, 3:05, 5:45, 8:25, 11 p.m.
Child’s Play Fri.-Sat., 10 a.m., 12:30, 3, 5:30, 8, 10:30
p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m., 12:30, 3:05, 5:30, 8, 10:30 p.m.;
Mon.-Thurs., 10 a.m., 12:30, 3, 5:30, 8, 10:30 p.m.
Forrest Gump 25th Anniversary Sun. 3 p.m.; Tues. 7 p.m.
Kinky Boots the Musical Tues. only, 7 p.m.
Met Summer Encore: La BohËme Wed. only, 1, 7 p.m.
Paddington 2 Tues.-Wed., 10 a.m.
Teen Titans GO! to the Movies Tues.-Wed., 10 a.m.
Toy Story 4 Fri.-Thurs., 9:30 a.m., 12:10, 2:50, 5:30, 8:10
p.m.
Toy Story 4 3D Fri. 10:45 p.m.; Sat.-Thurs., 10:50 p.m.
Toy Story 4: The IMAX 2D Experience Fri.-Thurs., 11:10
a.m., 1:50, 4:30, 7:10, 9:50 p.m.
Yesterday Thurs. only, 7, 9:55 p.m. n
Enjoy the show.
For more reviews, check
out pasadenaweekly.com
06.20.19 | PASADENA WEEKLY 23