6) The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Equally as sincere as it is passionate, Last Black Man in San Francisco goes above and beyond with using cinematic language to showcase the emotions of the characters. The story of a man trying to keep the house that his grandfather built, is told with beautiful cinematography and a bellowing soundtrack. Joe Talbot makes the most of his debut feature, telling a small story with a large scale. The film captures the frustration and heartbreaking of living in a city that doesn’t feel like it loves you back, bringing real emotional weight to the issue of gentrification. The film gives a political subject that affects people across the country raw emotion, so it resonates with the audience without feeling lectured too. The film is based on the life of Talbot’s friend, Jimmie Fails, who makes his acting debut. You feel his raw energy in every scene he’s in, a passion that is only heightened by the fact that he’s acting out real moments in his life, real emotions he felt. Like a number of the films on this list, Last Black Man of San Francisco feels like a true labor of love.
