Watch Cities of Last Things

In Cities of Last Things, we follow the life of a man named Lao Zhang, played by Jack Kao, as he navigates through three different time periods in his life. The film is set in a future society where technology has advanced tremendously and the world is heavily surveilled. In the first timeline, Lao Zhang is a bitter and disillusioned man who works as a cop. He is struggling with his personal life and is dealing with a failed marriage. As he goes about his job, we see how he is faced with the harsh realities of living in a society that is constantly monitored.

In the second timeline, we see a younger Lao Zhang who has just started out his career. We see his early struggles and how he meets the love of his life, played by Louise Grinberg. He is a much kinder and hopeful person in this timeline, but we also see how his relationship with his wife starts to crumble.

In the third timeline, we see an even younger Lao Zhang, who is still a teenager. This timeline shows us how he lives in poverty and is forced to do some questionable things to make ends meet. We also see how he develops a close relationship with a trans woman, played by Hong-Chi Lee.

The film is a dark, gritty and dystopian take on society. It delves into themes of loss, regret, and how technology can change our world and ourselves. There is a strong sense of loneliness that permeates throughout the film, as we see the solitary lives of the characters.

The cinematography is stunning, with each timeline having its own unique color palette that sets the mood perfectly. The future timeline is dark and brooding, with neon lights illuminating the environment in sickly greens and blues. The past timelines are richer and warmer in color, emphasizing the nostalgia of the memories being portrayed.

The acting in the film is top-notch, with Jack Kao delivering a truly heartbreaking performance as Lao Zhang. He portrays a man who is struggling to hold on to his sanity, and the pain and anguish he feels is palpable. Louise Grinberg brings a quiet strength and vulnerability to her role, while Hong-Chi Lee gives an emotional and raw portrayal of a trans woman who is fighting against society's expectations.

One of the most interesting aspects of the film is how it subverts our expectations of what we think is going to happen. The film keeps us guessing until the very end and takes us on an unexpected journey.

Overall, Cities of Last Things is a thought-provoking, visually stunning and deeply emotional film. It is a story that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled, and is a testament to the power of cinema to explore complex human emotions.

Note: The description is based on a combination of user reviews and articles about the film, as no official plot summary was available.

Cities of Last Things is a 2019 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 47 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.3 and a MetaScore of 66.