THE CINEMA OF:
JOHN SINGLETON
A panorama celebration of pioneer John Singleton with a marathon showcase of eight quintessential classics that feed cinema history and stick to our cultural ribs.
SATURDAY
10.26
12:00PM
HIGHER LEARNING
Year: 1995
Country: USA
Language: English
Run Time: 2hr 7min
A powerful portrait of college life in the 1990s among a group of incoming freshmen at Columbus University. Varsity athlete Malik, awkward outcast Remy, and wide-eyed Kristen struggle to find themselves and adjust to their newfound independence. When Remy finds acceptance among a group of neo-Nazis, tensions rise even higher on a campus already divided along racial, socio-economic, and gender lines.
3:00PM
FOUR BROTHERS
Year: 2005
Country: USA
Language: English
Run Time: 1hr 49min
When an inner-city Detroit foster mother is murdered in a botched holdup, four of her now-grown adopted children suspect it was no random killing. Rising musician Jack, former-Marine Angel, hotheaded hockey player Bobby, and settled-down husband and father Jeremiah investigate the murder themselves and hunt for the killers. But not all is what it seems.
6:00PM
BOYZ N THE HOOD
Year: 1991
Country: USA
Language: English
Run Time: 1hr 52min
Tre is sent to live with his father, Furious Styles, in a tough Los Angeles neighborhood where gangs and drugs are rampant. Although his father instills proper values and respect in him, Tre's friends Doughboy and Ricky aren’t lucky enough to have the same kind of support. Together, the three teens struggle to survive in South Central where friendship, pain, danger, and love form a humanistic picture of urban life in this critically acclaimed coming of age story.
9:00PM
SHAFT
Year: 2000
Country: USA
Language: English
Run Time: 1hr 39min
New York City police detective John Shaft (nephew of the original 1970s detective) goes on a personal mission to make sure the son of a real estate tycoon is brought to justice after a racially-motivated murder.
SUNDAY
10.27
12:00PM
ROSEWOOD
Year: 1997
Country: USA
Language: English
Run Time: 2hr 22min
Rosewood, Florida, is a small, peaceful town with an almost entirely African-American population of middle-class homeowners. That is until New Year's Day 1923, when a lynch mob from a neighboring white community storms the town. Among the carnage, music teacher Sylvester and mysterious stranger Mann stand tall against the invaders, while a grocer, John, attempts to save the town's women and children. The film is based on a true story.
3:30PM
BABY BOY
Year: 2001
Country: USA
Language: English
Run Time: 2hr 11min
Misguided, 20-year-old Jody is really just a baby boy who is finally forced to face the commitments of real life. Streetwise and jobless, he has not only fathered two children by two different women, Yvette and Peanut, but still lives with his mother. He can't seem to strike a balance or find direction in his chaotic life, much to the distress of the women in his life.
6:30PM
POETIC JUSTICE
Year: 1993
Country: USA
Language: English
Run Time: 1hr 49min
Grieving after the murder of her boyfriend, hairdresser Justice writes poetry to deal with the pain of her loss. Unable to get to Oakland to attend a convention because of her broken-down car, Justice gets a lift with her friend, Iesha and Iesha's postal worker boyfriend, Chicago. Along for the ride is Chicago's co-worker, Lucky, to whom Justice grows close after some initial problems. But is she ready to open her heart again?
9:00PM
2 FAST 2 FURIOUS
Year: 2003
Country: USA
Language: English
Run Time: 1hr 48min
Ex-police officer Brian relocates from Los Angeles to Miami to start over. Becoming involved in the street-racing scene in his new city, Brian befriends car-savvy Tej and Suki, but his competitive streak ends when federal agents apprehend him and he must enter into a deal with the FBI. Working with new partner Roman, Brian begins a dangerous mission to take down a powerful drug dealer.
About the Filmmaker:
Los Angeles native, John Daniel Singleton’s iconic film canon spans 20 years with deep roots that present personal portraits of life in his home of South Central. As a film student at USC, he won three writing awards from the university, and was signed by Creative Artists Agency during his sophomore year. His 1991 feature debut Boyz n the Hood made history with twin Oscar nominations for Best Screenplay and Best Director, making Singleton the first African-American (and the youngest filmmaker at age 24 for the latter) to receive those Academy accolades. Subsequent work includes producing films Hustle & Flow and Woo as well as directing episodes for television series “American Crime Story,” “Empire,” and “Snowfall.” Working with all-star casts that included Angela Bassett, Don Cheadle, Lawrence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., Taraji P. Henson, Samuel L. Jackson, Janet Jackson, Regina King, Nia Long and Tupac Shakur, Singleton’s beautiful legacy of titles will be watched, studied and treasured for years to come.