Exploring Film Recommendations about the Black Experience
Hey everyone, we've recently had some people ask us whether we had recommendations for movies that we've enjoyed that were written/directed/starring black people. We don't necessarily feel as if it's our place to tell you what you should and shouldn't watch when it comes to black cinema. However, the African-American Film Critics Association made an expansive list of "110 Important Films About the Black Experience" ranging from 1919 to 2020 which its co-founder posted to Rotten Tomatoes. There's a similar list of "The Best Black Movies of the 21st Century" on RT as well. (Note: I've had a little bit of an issue accessing those RT links today, so let me know if there are any problems.)
We admittedly haven't seen many of these movies yet, but if you're looking for some to start with (and you trust our opinions), here are some from those lists that we've seen with a link to each movie's trailer, our brief thoughts on each movie, and where (if anywhere) you can access them on streaming services:
A Raisin in the Sun (1961): directed by Daniel Petrie, starring Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, and Claudia McNeil.
Where to find: rent
Our thoughts: This is a wonderful adaptation of an even more wonderful play. I highly recommend reading the play first, and reading Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem” before watching.
Do the Right Thing (1989): directed by Spike Lee, starring Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, and Ruby Dee.
Where to find: rent
Our thoughts: Even though this movie was made in the '80s (and definitely looks like it was filmed in the '80s!) the messages and impact are still relevant today. Highly recommend this film!
Glory (1989): directed by Edward Zwick, starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, and Cary Elwes.
Where to find: rent
Our thoughts: This is a movie that a bunch of people probably watched in history class. I don’t remember a lot of it, but I know that it told a story that isn’t discussed a lot, which is important.
New Jack City (1991): directed by Mario Van Peebles, starring Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Chris Rock, and Judd Nelson.
Where to find: rent
Our thoughts: This is a really fun, albeit cheesy and melodramatic look at the drug game in Harlem in the mid-1980s. Wesley Snipes plays a version of a gangster which we'd later see broken down more effectively in The Wire, but he delivers an electric performance. Plus this movie has one of Tom's favorite movie lines of all time. So began Ice-T's illustrious career of playing police in TV and movies.
Hoop Dreams (1994): directed by Steve James.
Where to find: Hulu and HBO Max
Our thoughts: This is one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. It is a fascinating look at the dreams of two inner city teens who dream of playing in the NBA. It was filmed over five years and is heartbreaking and inspiring all at once.
Waiting to Exhale (1995): directed by Forest Whitaker, starring Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, and Lela Rochon.
Where to find: rent
Our thoughts: This is a classic. If you are looking for a solid movie with excellent performances, this is one to watch. The scene with Angela Bassett and the car goes beyond the memes and is truly an iconic image in cinema.
Drumline (2002): directed by Charles Stone III, starring Nick Cannon, Zoe Saldana, Orlando Jones, and Leonard Roberts.
Where to find: rent
Our thoughts: This movie, about a college drumline at an HBCU, is so much better than the constant VH1 airings would make you assume. It’s a fun movie to watch, and goes beyond the surface level of “fun music movie!”
Akeelah and the Bee (2006): directed by Doug Atchison, starring Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, and Curtis Armstrong.
Where to find: HBOGo
Our thoughts: I love this movie so much. It is about a young girl who competes in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Even though it seems like a “kid” film, it touches upon some really important themes, like racism in education and the importance of community.
Dreamgirls (2006): directed by Bill Condon, starring Jamie Foxx, Beyonce, Eddie Murphy, and Jennifer Hudson.
Where to find: rent
Our thoughts: I saw this movie in theaters, and it was an awesome adaptation of a Broadway show. I have one of my “core movie theater memories” about this film. When Jennifer Hudson finished belting “You’re Gonna Love Me,” the audience in my theater gave her a standing ovation. I had never seen that in a movie theater before!
Inside Man (2006): directed by Spike Lee, starring Denzel Washington and Clive Owen.
Where to find: Netflix
Our thoughts: If you're into bank heist thrillers, this movie is your speed. Twists, some pretty funny moments that are typical of Spike's work, and awesome performances by the leads as well as Jodie Foster.
The Princess and the Frog (2009): directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, starring Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David, and Michael-Leon Wooley.
Where to find: Disney+
Our thoughts: I really enjoyed watching this movie as well! I love the New Orleans setting, and having a black princess, one who also had her own career ambitions, was a welcome change from previous Disney fare. I wish that Tiana was not in frog form throughout much of the movie, though. And I think that there needs to be more black representation in Disney films as a whole.
20 Feet From Stardom (2012): directed by Morgan Neville.
Where to find: Netflix
Our thoughts: This is an amazing documentary for anyone who enjoys music at all! It is about black background singers who have contributed to many of the most popular songs in our country (usually attributed to white artists). It smacked me in the face when I watched it, especially because these background singers were some of the most talented musicians I have ever heard.
Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012): directed by Benh Zeitlin, starring Quvenzhane Wallis and Dwight Henry.
Where to find: rent
Our thoughts: This was such a unique film! Quvenzhane Wallis is an amazing actor, and I cannot wrap my head around the fact that she was only six years old when she was filming this movie.
The Central Park Five (2012): directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon.
Where to find: Prime Video
Our thoughts: I haven’t seen Ava DuVernay’s “When They See Us” yet, but this documentary is extremely eye-opening when it comes to policing and race. Everyone should watch this film.
Selma (2014): directed by Ava Duvernay, starring David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, and Carmen Ejogo.
Where to find: Free on streaming services until the end of June
Our thoughts: We watched this one last week for our project! This could have been an ordinary biopic but it really wasn't. It showed the strengths that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. possessed, which allowed him to be the face of the Civil Rights Movement, but the movie also didn't let him off the hook for his mistakes along the way. It's an inspired take on his story and it has an incredibly deep cast.
Creed (2015): directed by Ryan Coogler, starring Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, and Tessa Thompson.
Where to find: rent
Our thoughts: Honestly, if you like Rocky, you'll like this. Michael B. Jordan is more than a worthy successor to Stallone and the movie is just really fun to watch. Check it out for sure if you haven't.
Straight Outta Compton (2015): directed by F. Gary Gray, starring O'Shea Jackson, Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, and Aldis Hodge.
Where to find: rent
Our thoughts: This is one of our favorite biopics in recent memory. Even if you aren't a huge fan of hip-hop, this movie puts the phenomenon of N.W.A. into cultural context and shows how very little has changed since they burst onto the scene in the late 1980s.
Tangerine (2015): directed by Sean Baker, starring Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor.
Where to find: Hulu
Our thoughts: We watched this one a few weeks back and were blown away by the energy of the cast, who are essentially a bunch of non-actors. It's part-drama, part-comedy about trans sex workers in Florida and it overflows with heart. An amazing Christmas movie too.
Fences (2016): directed by Denzel Washington, starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis.
Where to find: rent
Our thoughts: This is based on an August Wilson play about a garbage collector in the 1950s and how his bitterness about his own life affects his family. The acting is absolutely incredible and Denzel easily could have won an Oscar for it. Davis did win Best Supporting Actress, and she deserved to.
Moonlight (2016): directed by Barry Jenkins, starring Trevante Rhodes, Naomie Harris, Andre Holland, and Mahershala Ali.
Where to find: Netflix
Our thoughts: You've definitely heard good things about this movie, and we agree. We were blown away by this movie. It's a gripping, heartfelt coming-of-age story of a boy in Miami who discovers his sexuality and seeks to break the chain of abuse in his family. We think it's going to go down as one of the most important films of our time.
Get Out (2017): directed by Jordan Peele, starring Daniel Kaluuya, Alison Williams, Catherine Keener, and Bradley Whitford.
Where to find: rent
Our thoughts: This is one of the only movies that I saw in theaters twice. It is a movie that needs to be seen on the big screen, with an audience. The end of this film, which I am not going to spoil here, ended in an audience reaction that nailed the social commentary that Jordan Peele so expertly explored. Everything just clicked. It is a true marvel--I can’t say enough about this movie.
Girls Trip (2017): directed by Malcolm D. Lee, starring Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Queen Latifah, and Jada Pinkett Smith.
Where to find: rent
Our thoughts: This was so much fun to watch! I laughed so hard throughout the entire movie, and it’s awesome if you want a film that is going to be a good time.
Hidden Figures (2017): directed by Ted Melfi, starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, and Kirsten Dunst.
Where to find: Hulu through FXM
Our thoughts: I really liked that this movie touched upon little known historical figures in our country, even though I didn’t agree with some of the changes that were not accurate (Kevin Costner’s character knocking down the bathroom sign, anyone?) The performances were top notch, and I think it is a story that will hopefully be told more in and out of schools.
Mudbound (2017): directed by Dee Rees, starring Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Mary J. Blige, and Rob Morgan.
Where to find: Netflix
Our thoughts: Here's another one we just saw for the first time. It's about a white family and a black family in the Mississippi Delta after World War II and tackles a variety of issues including the disparate treatment of the white soldier and the black soldier after they return from war. Subtle, powerful, compelling.
BlacKkKlansman (2018): directed by Spike Lee, starring John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, and Topher Grace.
Where to find: Hulu and HBO Max
Our thoughts: Spike has never been known for his subtlety, and this one takes an outrageous true story (a black undercover police officer infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan) and turns it up to eleven. Washington portrays the officer who also struggles to balance his work for the police department and his relationship with an activist. It's a great, entertaining movie.
Black Panther (2018): directed by Ryan Coogler, starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, and Lupita Nyong'o.
Where to find: Disney+
Our thoughts: You've already seen this one! Pick a different one! But seriously, if you haven't seen it, it feels extremely socially relevant as it tackles the debate between violence and peace for the good of the people. Killmonger is the most compelling villain the MCU has put forward and it actually might be worth rewatching for that reason alone.
The Hate U Give (2018): directed by George Tillman Jr., starring Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, and Russell Hornsby.
Where to find: Hulu, Prime, Google Play
Our thoughts: I loved this book so much, and was blown away by the film adaptation. Amandla Stenberg was perfect as Starr, the witness of a murder of her unarmed black friend by a police officer. It’s essential viewing.
Sorry to Bother You (2018): directed by Boots Riley, starring Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, and Armie Hammer.
Where to find: Hulu
Our thoughts: This movie is off the wall. Lakeith Stanfield is a telemarketer who uses a white voice (David Cross) to make sales. He rises up the ranks of his company and tries to balance his allegiance to the company with his loyalty to his coworkers protesting for better working conditions. It turns into almost a dark fantasy-comedy. Definitely a genre bender that keeps you on your toes.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018): directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, starring Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, and Mahershala Ali.
Where to find: Netflix
Our thoughts: This is the best Spider-Man movie ever made. If for some reason you haven't seen it, you need to change that. It has groundbreaking animation, fully formed characters, a wealth of imagination, and an incredible cast. It might have been Tom's favorite movie of 2018.
Widows (2018): directed by Steve McQueen, starring Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, and Cynthia Erivo.
Where to find: Hulu
Our thoughts: We saw this in theaters and it was so entertaining. It's a twist on a classic heist thriller with a whole bunch of major turns along the way. The rest of the cast includes Liam Neeson, Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, Daniel Kaluuya, and Brian Tyree Henry, among others. It's legitimately star studded. Not enough people saw this movie!
Dolemite is My Name (2019): directed by Craig Brewer, starring Eddie Murphy, Wesley Snipes, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps.
Where to find: Netflix
Our thoughts: What I really loved about this movie was that it wasn’t a typical biopic. I wasn’t even sure that it was a true biopic until after I finished watching! Eddie Murphy was incredible, and this was a true pleasure to watch.
If Beale Street Could Talk (2019): directed by Barry Jenkins, starring KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, and Colman Domingo.
Where to find: Hulu
Our thoughts: I don’t think there was a more gorgeous film than Beale Street last year...maybe in the last decade? Barry Jenkins is a master at his craft, and James Baldwin’s work transcends decades.
Just Mercy (2019): directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx
Where to find: free on streaming services (we used Prime) until the end of June
Our thoughts: We just watched this one last week and really enjoyed it. It's a bit of a throwback to '90s courtroom dramas. If you want to know more about the death penalty, this is for you. Michael B. Jordan puts in an inspiring performance as Bryan Stevenson, an optimistic civil rights attorney trying to get inmates off of death row.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019): directed by Joe Talbot, starring Jimmie Fails and Jonathan Majors
Where to find: Prime Video
Our thoughts: Oh man, this was one of our favorites of 2019. We just talked about it recently, but it's a beautiful story of a man whose father lost his family home in the 1990s, but he still returns to it and cares for it although a white family has moved into it. Highly recommend.
Us (2019): directed by Jordan Peele, starring Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, and Evan Alex.
Where to find: Hulu and HBO Max
Our thoughts: If you liked Get Out, you will probably like Us, but this movie is a lot more esoteric and abstract. Peele put together an awesome horror/thriller film on a massive scale and the four main family members put together incredible dual-threat performances. Plus the movie ruined "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys forever. In a good way.
While these are the movies we've seen so far, we definitely recommend checking out those lists at the top for other movies you might be interested in. We definitely are going to take the lists into consideration as we continue to choose movies to watch, and we will definitely keep you guys posted, as we always do, with reviews and our thoughts on those movies.