What it’s about: Also based on a true story, The Pursuit of Happyness follows single father Chris Gardner as he fights to survive after he and his son are evicted from their home right when he is set to begin an internship that has the potential to change both of their lives for the better. On DVD; for rent on Apple, Google Play and Vudu. Why you need to see this: OK, hear me out — I know this is one of those ridiculously loud comedies, but it’s really, really funny. By Wallace McKelvey | WMckelvey@pennlive.com. (PS: You should read the book too!). Director: Spike Lee | Stars: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Topher Grace Votes: 210,058 | Gross: $49.28M For Love of Ivy marked his first effort behind the camera. Beyoncé (or perhaps the team around her) clearly has good taste. Every item on this page was chosen by a Woman's Day editor. Working on a shoestring budget, director Charles Burnett's film follows a slaughterhouse worker earning a meager living for his family in the Watts section of Los Angeles. It recounts the last day in the life of Oscar Grant, an unarmed black man shot dead in a California transit station in 2009. Or Ava DuVernay’s ... Black Panther (2018) 96% #1. Check out these other movie-related lists: Did we miss one of your favorites? But all her talents were on display in I Will Follow, a super low-budget indie about a woman packing away her recently deceased aunt's possessions. Van Peebles' career, starting as a writer and quickly veering into filmmaking, is a fascinating one. It is, frankly, a compulsively watchable film that contains one of the most iconic (and most frequently ripped off) images of the '90s—that of a jilted Angela Bassett walking away after setting fire to all of her ex-husbands possessions. © 2020 Advance Local Media LLC. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). These films were very much a product of the growing black power movement of their time. Director James Gist and his wife Eloyce were Christian evangelists who brought their message movies to black churches around the D.C. area. In many ways, Gordy was a trailblazer, who used his position as a music mogul to become one of the first black producers in Hollywood. This 2018 documentary follows a group of 12 Black and Latino police officers who worked to expose some of the harmful policing practices implemented by the New York Police Department. The Force focuses on the Oakland Police Department and its efforts to disseminate corruption, reform the force, and hold members accountable during a time of social unrest.

On DVD and Blu-ray; for rent on Apple and Vudu. It marked the film debut of singer and civil rights icon Paul Robeson, one of the first stars to cross the cultural divide, who played an escaped prisoner who comes to a Georgia town in the guise of a preacher and falls in love with a local girl. You’ll also get to witness the beginning of the major chemistry between Cookie and Lucious, er, I mean Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard. Things come to a head when students throw a blackface-themed Halloween party. A few modern classics that will make you laugh, cry, and feel black AF. Landmark films by non-African-American filmmakers. A look into the decade leading up to the 1992 Rodney King trial and the events that followed, this documentary pinpoints the rising tension between the Black community and the LAPD. Three years later, he would step up as director of Mahogany, another (far less successful) musical with Motown's brightest star. Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Nate Parker, and Denzel Whitaker will leave you inspired. A journey into the book that prolific writer James Baldwin never finished, ‘I Am Not Your Negro finds a solid and easily digestable way to connect the Civil Rights Movment to the current Black Lives Matter efforts. This 2018 documentary follows a group of 12 Black and Latino police officers who worked to expose some of the harmful policing practices implemented by the … It finally resurfaced, thanks to Netflix, in 2015.

On DVD; for rent on Google Play and Vudu. Why you need to see it: What the film may lack in plot, the cast makes up for with great acting. (Note that This Christmas is the only one on this entire list.) It was initially rejected by film censors in New York state because its plot would "tend to incite to crime.". Why you need to see this: I could sit here and talk about how the film adds depth to a character that’s usually depicted as a flat stereotype, blah blah blah, but the real reason you really need to watch this is TARAJI P. HENSON! Photo: 20th Century Fox. Directed by Damon Davis, Whose Streets? Why you need to see this: The soundtrack in this musical will have you wanting to sing along to the entire movie. Also, Gabourey and Mo’Nique give the performances of their lives. In 2018, we brought a new lineup of films AND turned a lens on you to celebrate the moments, memories and people in Black history that inspire you. So, if you’re looking to begin the path to building a healthier relationship with the history of Black Americans, here are some streamable documentaries that can teach you about the constant fight for racial equality in the United States. A few modern classics that will make you laugh, cry, and feel black AF. In fact, Burnett worked as cinematographer on one of Gerima's earlier films. Rees, the talent behind last year's Mudbound, brings nuance and sensitivity to this story of a young black girl's coming out. In the film, Bobby Taylor (played by Townsend) dreams of playing Rambo or reciting Shakespeare. What it’s about: One of the greatest modern romances — Nina Mosley (Nia Long), Darius Lovehall (Larenz Tate), and their gang of friends attempt to figure out one of life's biggest mysteries: love. Sweetback is his most famous work, the film that launched a decade of Blaxploitation flicks with outrageous antiheroes (Sweetback, played by Van Peebles, is a hustler) and hyper-stylized visuals. What it’s about: Based on the best-selling novel by Sue Monk Kidd, the film follows 14-year-old Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning) as she runs away from her abusive father with her caregiver (Jennifer Hudson). Let us know in the comments! However, the airline’s maiden flight has more than a few obstacles thanks to some last-minute passengers. Or Ava DuVernay’s ... Black Panther (2018) 96% #1. Why you need to see this: A rough but necessary reminder of this country's horrid relationship with black people. Plus, Long and Tate have amazing chemistry. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Many of Spike Lee's films could just as easily be included on this list but his masterpiece, at least to this writer, is Malcolm X.