Grand Lake Theatre
3200 Grand Avenue, Oakland
April 28, 2026
Even though it was opening night of the 69th San Francisco International Film Festival, there was no line to get into the century-old Grand Lake Theatre when we arrived for the early showing of Boots Riley’s “I Love Boosters.” Unfortunately, once inside the lobby, there was a lengthy wait for popcorn.
This was the West Coast premiere of Riley’s star-studded second theatrical release, and the already-swelling sold-out crowd looked like your typical Grand Lake gathering, but with the occasional celebrity sprinkled in.
When called out onto the stage before and after the movie, the always aura-farming Oakland-raised filmmaker was greeted with enthusiastic applause.
There couldn’t have been a more perfect venue for the event than this legendary theater known for its wurlitzer organ, large neon sign, and owner Allen Michaan’s marquee editorials.
Both the theatre and the filmmaker are Oakland icons.
Growing up in a town that has produced more than its share of sigmas, O-High alumnus Raymond “Boots” Riley has always given main character energy. The son of social justice organizers, he was an activist by the time he was a teenager.
I first heard of him when he was involved in the Mau Mau Rhythm collective, but I really started to stan when he featured two of my friends on The Coup’s 1998 release Steal This Album.
After three decades in the rap game, he pivoted to film. He made his directorial debut with the science fiction dark comedy film Sorry to Bother You (2018), and followed that up with the surrealist comedy series I'm a Virgo (2023).
Boots talks about boosters.
His latest offering is an ode to dialectical materialism, set in the context of the fashion industry.
On brand, Boosters is humorous, weird, and visually engaging storytelling. Replete with extreme contrasts, the film explores the desperately resilient struggle of poverty juxtaposed against the uniform absurdity of privilege. It touches on subjects such as diversity, good hair, and the supernatural, and effectively conveyed the soul crushing-ness of financial instability, housing insecurity, and militarization. There is labor organizing, organized crime, third world solidarity, and cunnilingus.
Essentially, Boosters is hella Oakland.
If you’re basic and/or are just looking for cliche brainrot, this type of content might not be for you, even though it is pretty to look at.
As a director, Riley relentlessly challenges his audiences. His seemingly unserious caricatures of modern day society are, sadly, more factually correct than what regularly passes for news these days.
The cinematography is visceral, accomplishing Riley’s goal of “heightening the contradiction.” In two different scenes, I for real felt short of breath as layers of flowing fabric engulfed the screen.
“I’m just trying to make the audience feel what the characters are feeling,” he said after the movie.
No cap, the based auteur cooked and ate on this one.
20 years ago, The Coup released a song called I Love Boosters on the album Pick a Bigger Weapon. Last century, the band released albums with timeless titles like, Kill My Landlord, Genocide and Juice, and Steal This Album.
Throughout all of his artistic success, Riley has remained consistent in his politics and his commitment to art as revolution. He is no less of an activist today than when he organized a student walkout in high school. Only his technical and financial capacities have changed.
After the screening, he told the audience, “I think it’s my best work.”
During the post-screening panel discussion, we also learned that he likes to be a situational accelerator, LaKeith Stanfield is a method actor, and Eiza González has eyebrows. We also learned that Poppy Liu was feeling that liquor, was coming off her period, and is taking a break from therapy.
As we filed out of the movie house, two long lines of patrons waiting to attend the late show wrapped around the building in either direction. Even though everything was already way behind schedule, there was absolutely a positive buzz in the air.
During the post-screening panel discussion, Boots asked actress Polly Liu to tell her story about losing a job because of her opposition to genocide.
“I Love Boosters” opens in 2,500 theaters nationwide on May 22nd.
