THE LAST PICTURE SHOWS is playing at SBIFF (Santa Barbara International Film Festival), and I had the opportunity to see an early look. Here’s my spoiler-free take:
“A trip to the cinema expands the world and stretches time; the cinema remains a place of wonder.”
– Esther Kindky
THE LAST PICTURE SHOWS is a loving, nostalgic homage to a time when small, Independent movie theaters covered our country. It is a sweet, dedicated look at what is gone and what remains, hanging on by a thread. The documentary is filled with facts and beautifully filmed small-town and suburban cinemas. It is a thoughtful depiction of the movie industry today, played with somber folk music in the background.
The message was delivered clearly. Over and over, audiences heard how important it is to teach the next generation to watch films on a big screen. It reinforced a sense of sharing a community experience, with emotional highs and lows, felt together in a darkened theater. It can’t be remembered if it is not practiced. How will our children and grandchildren know what they are missing if they are not taught? These are powerful concepts that were reinforced through the startling empty, abandoned movie houses. The cinematography was simply stunning and poignant.
THE LAST PICTURE SHOWS touched my heart and made me remember all the years I sat with my children watching films together. It was something we did several times a week and always brought us closer together. These snippets nurtured our souls and fostered a shared love of film that we are introducing to our own children. I am glad they listened.
My only criticism was the pacing. It moved very slowly throughout the decades of information and history. It perhaps needed a faster stroll to keep the viewer’s attention, but in the end, THE LAST PICTURE SHOWS was a film I will remember. I mourn the loss of a forgotten time while remaining hopeful for the movie house owners who are committed to keeping their doors open to the public for years to come.
THE LAST PICTURE SHOWS premiered at SBIFF on Mon 2/9 – 11:40 AM
