2020 was a rough year for all of us, but specifically for Black people it was not a walk in the park. I don’t speak for the entire Black community, but I think all of us are still reeling from what we just went through.
Between this last presidency, the shootings of unarmed Black people, the endless flood of Karen’s seeping through the cracks and of course, this worldwide pandemic that has us all stuck inside, Black people have been going through quite a lot recently.
During this Black History Month it was understandable many people weren’t in a celebratory mood, but we have to acknowledge the contributions made by Black men and women, LGBTQ+, straight, Black people all over the diaspora.
Although Black History Month is over that doesn’t mean we get to stop highlighting Black stories and I cannot let another month go by without shedding light on the ten best films (in my opinion, of course) written by or directed by Black filmmakers.
I’ve put together a list of Black films that have had a positive effect on me in some way and added a few honorable mentions because truthfully, I couldn’t stop at just ten movies.
- Beyond the Lights (2014)
This is probably one of my favorite movies ever. And I typically don’t love romantic movies, but this film holds a special place in my heart. Starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate Parker and Minnie Driver.
Written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, Beyond the Lights, tells the story of Noni (Raw), a new up and coming artist who appears to have it all: looks, rapper boyfriend, the voice, everything little girls dream of.
That would appear so, until she is on the balcony of her hotel room ready to let go. Kaz Nicol (Parker) the police officer assigned to be her bodyguard saves her and encourages her to live. Instantly, the two are attracted to each other and as a result, are thrusted into each other’s worlds and finding out what they truly need is each other.
2. Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)
If there was ever a story of about a Civil Rights leader that everyone should know about, it would be Fred Hampton, chairman of the Black Panther Party.
This film has been in development for years and director Shaka King was finally able to bring it to the big screen. Or small screen depending on where you’re watching. Judas and the Black Messiah, deals with the FBI recruiting William O’Neal to infiltrate the Panthers to gather intel on Hampton.
Daniel Kaluuya stars as the titular role, alongside Lakeith Stanfield and Dominique Fishback in this compelling and disruptive drama about the legacy of a long fight for justice and equality.
3. Moonlight (2016)
Another one of my favorites, Moonlight, is a film I would make it a law to watch if I ran the world. Moonlight, became the first in a multiple areas. In 2017, it became the first film with an all Black cast and the first LGBTQ-related film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Mahershala Ali became the first Muslim to win an Oscar when he won for Best Supporting Actor. Joi McMillon became the first Black woman to be nomianted for Best Film Editing.
Directed by Barry Jenkins and written by Tarell Alvin McCraney. Moonlight, is based on McCraney’s unpublished play, In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. Jenkins and McCraney went on to win the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.
The film is told in three chapters and follows the life of a young boy named Chiron, as he struggles to come to terms with his sexuality, all the while living in Liberty City, Miami in the height of the crack epidemic. The first chapter, Little, follows Chiron as a child who finds a mentor in Juan, a local drug dealer. Next chapter, Chiron, takes us through Chiron’s journey experiencing high school with the realization that he is gay, with his crack addicted mother Paula at home. The film closes with the final chapter titled, Black, and Chiron’s life comes full-circle when he gets a chance to heal old wounds.
4. Black is King (2020)
My favorite Disney movie is The Lion King, and in my personal opinion, Beyoncé did a fantastic job of adapting the film into a musical film and visual album serving as a companion piece to the 2019 album The Lion King: The Gift. Serving as the director Beyoncé showcases the talent circulating through the African diaspora, as well as giving fans like myself some much needed nostalgia.
Black is King, premiered on Disney+ and if I may be so bold there’s really no other reason to subscribe. Well, this and WandaVision, but I digress!
5. Soul Food (1997)
You grow up in any Black household, odds are you’ve been exposed to the George Tillman Jr film, Soul Food. If you thought this film was about a full-course meal you would be correct, sort of.
The film revolves around 12 year-old Ahmad Joseph and his struggle to keep his family together through a long-time family tradition of Sunday dinner. The matriarch of the Joseph family, “Big Mama,” is having serious health issues and as a result, Ahmad is left picking up the slack to bring his family together.
Ahmad’s mother, Maxine and her two sisters Teri and Bird go back and forth on what is truly best for the family, but will come to learn that when times are rough the one’s to turn to are your family.
6. Eve’s Bayou (1997)
Written and directed by Kasi Lemmons, this Southern gothic film is a staple in almost every Black household. And if it isn’t, it very well should be. Ten year old Eve Baptiste uncovers secrets about her family during one long Louisiana summer in 1962.
A mix of Black aristocracy, Creole culture, infidelity, violence and voodoo, Eve’s Bayou, takes you on a whirlwind of emotions that are kind of traumatizing but are also cathartic. At the end of the film you’re left kind of scarred, but you ask: “Is there more?”
7. Selma (2014)
Ava DuVernay’s historical drama starring David Oyelowo as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. tells the story of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights Marches.
David Oyelowo stars as Dr. King and delivers a groundbreaking performance along with a stellar cast of Oprah Winfrey, Andre Holland, Tessa Thompson, Carmen Ejogo, Common, Stephan James, Lorraine Touissant and many more phenomenal actors.
DuVernay became the first Black woman to be nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Director and became the first Black woman director to have her film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. She absolutely deserved both I might add.
8. Black Panther (2018)
Wakanda forever! I couldn’t keep this film off of my list. Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther, is Marvel’s second highest grossing film and it became the #2 movie at the box office in 2018. The film was the first in many areas. It was the first superhero film to score an Oscar nomination for Best Picture and the first to win an Oscar period! Black Panther, was also the first Marvel film with both a predominantly Black cast and Black director.
All star cast: Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Michael B. Jordan, Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya, and the late Chadwick Boseman. Rest in Power, King!
9. One Night in Miami (2020)
Kemp Powers wrote the screenplay, based on his play of the same name. The story is a fictionalized account in 1963 where Sam Cooke, Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X and Jim Brown meet together at the Hampton house after Ali won the title against Sonny Liston. All four men discuss the responsibility of being successful Black men during the Civil Rights movement.
One Night in Miami, marks Regina King’s feature film directorial debut. The film garnered rave reviews and numerous nominations, including a Golden Globe nomination for Best Director, making King the second Black woman to be nominated in this category.
10. Girls Trip (2021)
Girls Trip, was a massive commercial success making $140 million worldwide on its $20-$28 budget. Domestically the film made $100 domestically making it the first comedy of 2017 to do so. It was also the first film written by a Black woman to cross the $100 million mark.
Directed by Malcolm D. Lee and written by Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver, Girls Trip is about four friends who go to New Orleans for Essence Music Festival to reconnect after five years. Starring Jada Pinkett-Smith, Regina Hall, Queen Latifah and Tiffany Haddish, this film is full of non stop laughter, love and Black girl magic. I’ve easily seen this movie at least ten times during quarantine.
Honorable Mentions
Like I previously mentioned there’s no way I can stop at just ten films, so here’s a few of my favorite films that aren’t on the list.
The first is Spike Lee’s, Malcolm X (1992). My favorite Spike Lee film and arguably his best movie if you ask me, starring Denzel Washington as the title character. Based on The Autobiography of Malcolm X, written by Malcolm X and Alex Haley. The film revolves around the renowned civil rights leader from his not so good beginnings and his journey into converting to Islam and joining the fight for Black lives. Running at about three hours long and fully worth every minute of viewing. Denzel Washington was definitely robbed of his Oscar, but I digress.
The Hate U Give (2018), based on the novel of the same name, written by Angie Thomas. The protagonist is Starr Carter, a young Black girl living in a poor neighborhood, but goes to a predominately white school in a wealthy neighborhood. Starr attracts a lot of attention after she witnesses her childhood friend Khalil’s murder by a cop. Having to deal with the pressures of both sides of her identity, Starr finds the courage to use her voice and stand up for what’s right. George Tillman Jr. crafts a beautiful story about love, justice, identity and family.
Next we have, The Old Guard (2020), based on the graphic novel series written by Greg Rucka. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, who just might be my favorite director, this action-packed thriller follows Andy and her team of immortal warriors who travel the world remedying the woes of the world. When a greedy pharmaceutical CEO gets wind of their abilities he hunts them down to gain the secret of their immortality. Unbeknownst to him, there’s a new addition to the team that is one step ahead of him.
Lastly, I cannot end this without mentioning, The Color Purple (1985). Based on the Alice Walker novel, the story is about a woman named Celie who has lived a life of torment and finds the will to keep going on looking for a better day. Although, this film was written and directed by white men, this movie is a staple in the Black community and it would be a crime for me to leave it off.
What other films would you have loved to see on this list? Let me know in the comments or DM on Twitter/Instagram: @liddo_bill
