Whether you’re looking for some cultural immersion or you’re just tired of seeing the same old Hollywood productions, Netflix’s Black Stories collection offers a litany of Black films that run the gamut of genres. If you feel like something different this movie night, we’ve rounded up the best Black movies on Netflix right now.
Looking for more films and shows that illustrate the Black experience? Check out our roundups of the best Black shows and movies to stream across all platforms.
Recently added to Netflix
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Blue Streak1999 -
The Nutty Professor1996
93m
Genre
Action, Comedy, Crime
Stars
Martin Lawrence, Luke Wilson, Dave Chappelle
Directed by
Les Mayfield
A Martin Lawrence classic, Blue Streak casts Lawrence as jewel thief Miles Logan, who hits it big by stealing a massive diamond. But before he can turn that diamond into the sweet life, he’s incarcerated for two years. Fortunately, he hid the diamond before heading to jail. Unfortunately, the construction site he hid it in is now a police building. To try to get the diamond back, Logan kicks off a long con by posing as an LAPD detective.
95m
Genre
Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, Science Fiction
Stars
Eddie Murphy, Jada Pinkett Smith, James Coburn
Directed by
Tom Shadyac
Before Eddie Murphy was playing every member of the Klump family, he was just Dr. Sherman Klump … and Buddy Love, the smooth-talking, womanizing, macho alter ego who Klump accidentally turns himself into when testing a self-devised weight loss formula on himself. Hoping that slimming down will help him attract the attention of the beautiful Carla Purty (Jada Pinkett), Sherman soon finds himself in a war over control of his body as Buddy Love has no intention of letting Sherman be the dominant personality.
132m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey
Directed by
Lee Daniels
Lee Daniels tells an epic tale of American history from an unusual perspective: Through the eyes of Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), the White House’s Black head butler from 1952 to 1986. Serving eight presidents, Gaines had a front-row, nonpartisan seat through some of America’s most politically and racially tumultuous years.
108m
Genre
Comedy, Crime
Stars
Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Obba Babatundé
Directed by
Ted Demme
Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence team up for this epic comedy that begins in 1930s Mississippi when two men are sentenced to life in prison together for a crime they didn’t convict. Serving their time together, Rayford Gibson (Murphy) and Claude Banks (Lawrence) build a unique friendship over sixty years of unjust incarceration.
135m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Margaret Avery, Harry Belafonte, Charles Burnett
Directed by
Elvis Mitchell
Film critic Elvis Mitchell directs and stars in this Netflix Original documentary about the history of Black cinema. Focusing primarily on a Black revolution in ’70s cinema, Mitchell uses archival footage and new interviews with key players from the area to analyze and celebrate the diversification, politicization, and star-making turns of the era. New interviews with luminaries like Harry Belafonte, Samuel L. Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery, Laurence Fishburne, and Charles Burnett make this doc a must-see for cinema lovers.
120m
Genre
Romance, Drama
Stars
KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King
Directed by
Barry Jenkins
In 1970s Harlem, lifelong friends Tish Rivers (KiKi Layne) and Fonny Hunt (Stephan James) fall in love and attempt to start a life together despite most New York landlords refusing to rent to Black people. When they finally do find a place, it isn’t long before racism finds them again, as Fonny is accused of raping a white woman and thrown in jail. Despite an obvious alibi, the false testimony of a racist officer with an ax to grind against Fonny sways the jury. Undeterred and surrounded by the support of her family, Tish begins a crusade to overturn Fonny’s wrongful conviction in order to ensure that their unborn child doesn’t grow up without a father.
96m
Genre
Crime
Stars
Duane Martin, Tupac Shakur, Bernie Mac
Directed by
Jeff Pollack
A cult classic for basketball fans, Above the Rim is considered the conclusion to Barry Michael Cooper’s Harlem Trilogy (after Sugar Hill and New Jack City). Duane Martin stars as Kyle Lee Watson, one of Harlem’s most promising high school basketball stars. While waiting to hear if he received a scholarship to Georgetown, Kyle decides to play in a local tournament. Both his beloved coach Mike Rollins (David Bailey) and local drug dealer Birdie (Tupac Shakur) recruit Kyle, but Rollins’ decision to bring on Shep (Leon), a former high school star to whom Kyle’s mom is drawn, drives Kyle to join Birdie. As both teams beat up the competition on the way to meeting in the finals, Kyle discovers that his choice to play with Birdie has come with bigger consequences than expected.
111m
Genre
Drama, Western
Stars
Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, Jharrel Jerome
Directed by
Ricky Staub
This modern Western centers on a North Philadelphia block where people live a little more simply. When 15-year-old Cole (Caleb McLaughlin) can’t stop getting in trouble at school, his mother drives him from Detroit to spend the summer in Philadelphia with his estranged father, Harp (Idris Elba). Cole is shocked to find that despite the urban environment, Harp is a bonafide cowboy. Frustrated by his father’s strict rules and confused by the urban-cowboy lifestyle, Cole initially tries to find somewhere else to stay for the summer, only to find himself slowly being drawn into the rustic allure of Harp’s life.
103m
Genre
Crime, Drama, Comedy
Stars
Shameik Moore, Kiersey Clemons, Tony Revolori
Directed by
Rick Famuyiwa
Malcolm (Shameik Moore) is a straight-A student trying to keep his head down to survive high school in a tough neighborhood of Inglewood and get into Harvard. Juggling his college applications, interviews, and the SAT is challenging enough, but it’s all complicated by a latent desire to still be dope to his peers. So when Malcolm and his friends are invited to an underground party, they can’t help but jump at the opportunity to gain some social clout. But what should be a fun night takes some odd turns into a gritty adventure in which Malcolm begins to figure out who he really is.
112m
Genre
Fantasy, Science Fiction, Comedy
Stars
Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler
Directed by
Boots Riley
Boots Riley’s modern-day cautionary tale is a unique take on the Black experience in corporate America. Telemarketer Cassius Green (LaKeith Stanfield) soon finds himself shooting up the ranks after he discovers a special key that leads him to material glory: A white voice. With this superpower-like skill, Cassius’s career skyrockets despite his friends and coworkers organizing against the corporate giant that keeps them dependent and desperate. Cassius must choose between the cocaine-snorting CEO who indulges Cassius’s material dreams and the friends who are fighting the system that’s enabling Cassius’s rise.
94m
Genre
Drama, Music
Stars
Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Glynn Turman
Directed by
George C. Wolfe
Adapted from August Wilson’s classic Century Cycle play, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom takes place in a 1920s Chicago recording session. As musicians await the legendary “Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey (Viola Davis), tempers begin to flare when Ma finally arrives. Ma enters into a battle of wills with her white manager and producer over control of her music while cornet player Levee (Chadwick Boseman) stokes the fires and prods his fellow musicians into stories and truths that will change their lives.
118m
Genre
Drama, Comedy, History
Stars
Eddie Murphy, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps
Directed by
Craig Brewer
Eddie Murphy returned from a lengthy acting hiatus to star as Rudy Ray Moore in this Oscar-nominated biopic of the comedian who created the character Dolemite. Dolemite is a pimp, comedian, and nightclub owner who became an iconic character in blaxploitation films. In Dolemite Is My Name, Moore grapples with the character and the success that comes with being an underground sensation.
98m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, André Holland
Directed by
Rebecca Hall
Based on the 1929 novel of the same name, Passing stars Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga as Irene and Clare. Old friends that reconnect after a chance meeting at a hotel, Irene is Black and is married to a Black physician. Clare, also Black, is able to “pass” as white because of her lighter skin color. As the two women grow closer, their personal lives, insecurities, and secrets start unraveling and weaving together. The directorial debut of actress Rebecca Hall, Passing is an emotionally close-knit chamber drama with mesmerizing and intricately-layered performances from both Thompson and Negga.
90m
Genre
Drama
Stars
André Holland, Zazie Beetz, Melvin Gregg
Directed by
Steven Soderbergh
In the wake of an NBA lockout, sports agent Ray Burke (Andrè Holland) is at risk of losing his entire career. Hoping to turn things around, the agent has less than 72 hours to pitch a controversial business plan to one of his rookie players, a business venture that will have major ripple effects across the entire NBA hierarchy of power. From director Steven Soderbergh, High Flying Bird combines the ingenuity of richly scripted sports dramas like Moneyball and infuses the narrative with energies that only a Soderbergh film can deliver. This is also Soderbergh’s second film to be entirely shot on an iPhone (Unsane being the first).
92m
Genre
Drama, Comedy, Crime
Stars
Ashleigh Murray, Rachel Crow, Tim Blake Nelson
Directed by
Sydney Freeland
When their mother gets thrown in jail, teen sisters Deidra (Ashleigh Murray) and Leina (Rachel Crow) are at risk of being thrown into foster care. To avoid such a fate, Deidra hatches a plan to begin robbing trains to build up enough of a nest egg to bail their mother out of jail, while providing enough funds for the siblings to survive. A lively blend of comedy and drama, Deidra & Laney Rob a Train finds its heart and soul in the upbeat performances of both Murray and Crow — a dazzling dynamic that propels this social hybrid out of the run-of-the-mill Netflix dramedy vault.
90m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson
Directed by
Fernando Villena, James D. Stern
The August Wilson Monologue Competition is an annual theater competition and much-lauded opportunity for aspiring high school artisans. With thousands of submissions every year, the crowned winner will be able to perform on Broadway. James D. Stern and Fernando Villena’s amazing documentary follows six students on their journey through the audition process, culminating in an edge-of-your-seat final round between the youths. Featuring appearances from Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, and other noteworthy talking heads, Giving Voice is an inspiring showcase of up-and-coming talents and a reminder that the arts are always here for us to lean on.
101m
Genre
Drama
Stars
David Oyelowo, Maya Gilbert, Sharon Lawrence
Directed by
Ava DuVernay
In writer-director Ava DuVarney’s Middle of Nowhere, Emayatzy Corinealdi stars as Ruby, a med student on course to become a doctor. In between practicing and her studies, she spends time visiting her imprisoned husband, Derek (Omari Hardwick). Hoping to get him paroled early, Ruby’s family and friends fight against Ruby’s convictions at every turn. When she meets a friendly bus driver (David Oyelowo), her life takes a new turn as the two begin dating. A sharply acted drama, Middle of Nowhere tells a story of personal empowerment and how one can find hope in the most unlikely of places.
89m
Genre
Drama, Thriller, Action, Science Fiction
Stars
Jacob Latimore, Seychelle Gabriel, Storm Reid
Directed by
J.D. Dillard
A street magician named Bo (Jacob Latimore) is the sole source of income for him and his kid sister, Tina (Storm Reid). By day, he performs magic tricks for spectacle and a dollar here or there from passersby. By night, Bo takes to the streets to sell drugs. What seems to be working quickly falls apart when a rival drug kingpin infringes on Bo’s dealer’s turf, sparking a war that Bo finds himself at the center of. Combining elements of serious drama with bits of magic realism and coming-of-age notes, Sleight brings its story home in more ways than one.
139m
Genre
Drama, Music
Stars
Chadwick Boseman, Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd
Directed by
Tate Taylor
Get on Up is a mesmerizing biopic about the rise and musical domination of James Brown, played with ultimate conviction by the late Chadwick Boseman. Charting Brown’s career from his early days in gospel singing to his transformation through jazz and blues, the film explores the numerous personal hardships that the prolific musician would overcome on his journey of stardom. Rich with heart, soul, and showmanship, director Tate Taylor’s Get on Up is a winning mixture of energies with an electrifying Boseman at its core.
123m
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Radha Blank, Peter Y. Kim, Oswin Benjamin
Directed by
Radha Blank
In writer-director Radha Blank’s feature film debut, the auteur plays a version of herself. A down-on-her-luck New York playwright who can’t gain enough traction because her most recent play doesn’t emphasize “Black suffering” enough, Radha unearths a new artistic path after hearing rap music outside her apartment walls. Putting her playwright aspirations on the backburner, albeit only for the time being, Radha teams with a music producer and DJ named D (Oswin Benjamin) to record her first series of rap songs — tunes with a metaphoric focus on Radha’s hardships as a Black artist. An authentic and moving portrayal of life as a starving artist, The Forty-Year-Old Version seems to allude to a forthcoming prolific career from its writer-director-actor. We can only wait and see what Radha’s filmic future may bring.
32m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Joey Bada$$, Andrew Howard, Zaria Simone
Directed by
Martin Desmond Roe, Travon Free
Carter James (Joey Bada$$) is a New York cartoonist who needs to get home to his hungry dog after a date night out. On his return home, the artist is confronted by a police officer named Merk (Andrew Howard). Upon questioning Carter, the altercation between cop and cartoonist quickly escalates to Carter being shot dead, only to reawaken in his date’s bed. Stuck in a time loop, Carter must relive his tragic end again and again. An Oscar-winning short film, Two Distant Strangers shares a narrative time-loop structure with many other films but builds upon the formula with a meaningful message about systemic racism.
106m
Genre
Drama, Romance, Fantasy, Mystery
Stars
Mame Bineta Sane, Ibrahima Traore, Amadou Mbow
Directed by
Mati Diop
Ada (Mama Sane) awaits the date of her arranged marriage to Omar (Babacar Sylla), but her heart truly lies with Souleiman (Traore), a Senegal refugee in search of a better life for him and his lover. When the bodies of Souleiman’s companions wash up on the shore, Ada assumes her soul mate has perished — but through nothing short of a miracle, the lovers are reunited in the most unexpected of ways. The feature debut of writer-director Mati Diop, Atlantics has the profound designation of being the first film to play the Cannes Film Festival that was directed by a Black woman.
98m
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Kelvin Harrison Jr., Jeffrey Wright, Jennifer Hudson
Directed by
Anthony Mandler
Based on the Walter Dean Mayers novel of the same name, Monster stars Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Steve Harmon, a 17-year-old charged with murder. Shining a light on the teen’s journey from a bright and promising future through a bevy of legal proceedings and the possibility of jail time, the Harlem youth must rise against the odds to clear his name. With a commanding lead performance from indie stalwart Harrison, Jr., Monster follows a traditional dramatic formula, delivering rich results.
137m
Genre
Drama, War
Stars
Abraham Attah, Idris Elba, Emmanuel Nii Adom Quaye
Directed by
Cary Joji Fukunaga
Adapted from the 2005 novel of the same name, Beasts of No Nation stars Idris Elba as Commandment, a towering West African guerilla warfare leader. As civil war breaks out, a young boy named Agu is recruited by Commandment to join his battalion after attacks on the boy’s settlement are initiated by rebel forces. Leaving his family behind, Agu begins an immense coming-of-age journey through his militaristic training. Securing several awards and nominations when first released, Beasts of No Nation is a tremendous piece of cinema with bold visuals, deep performances, and an impressive narrative.
104m
Genre
Drama, Comedy
Stars
Mamoudou Athie, Courtney B. Vance, Niecy Nash
Directed by
Prentice Penny
In writer-director Prentice Penny’s Uncorked, Mamoudou Athie stars as Elijah, an aspiring sommelier with dreams of leaving the family barbecue business behind in pursuit of his wine connoisseur dreams. When a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presents itself, the young man must choose between a life of tradition and family ties or a new world filled with major personal opportunities. An energetic Black comedy-drama with familiar but elevated family undertones, Uncorked looks and feels like a number of other films in the “stay-or-go” subgenre, but its performances and relatable narrative push it above the rest of its counterparts.
109m
Genre
Drama, Music
Stars
Anthony Anderson, Khalil Everage, Uzo Aduba
Directed by
Christian Robinson
Eighteen months after a devastating tragedy, Chicago youth August (Khalil Everage), afflicted by PTSD, struggles to find a meaningful life outside of his bedroom. When school principal Vanessa runs up against personnel cuts if her school’s attendance doesn’t improve, she hires her soon-to-be-ex, Romelo (Anthony Anderson), as a security guard. Tasked with encouraging August to return to school, Romelo discovers that the teenager is a talented musician. As a friendship begins forming between the two, Romelo and August discover that their fraternal bond is the meaningful relationship that both men have been searching for their entire lives. With a fairly by-the-book narrative, Beats truly shines through the onscreen chemistry between Anthony Anderson and Khalil Everage.
118m
Genre
Documentary, Music
Stars
Clarence Avant, Quincy Jones, Barack Obama
Directed by
Reginald Hudlin
The Black Godfather is a riveting documentary about Black music legend Clarence Avant. A record label founder, concert curator, political activist, and a cherished mentor to several other executives that were inspired by his quiet but esteemed reign over the arts, Clarence truly did it all. Buckle up for this profanity-laced tell-all: It’s a raw and honest portrait of an essential entertainment figurehead. Don’t let the F-bomb drops deter you though — this is a top-notch documentary with an ensemble of noteworthy talking heads and a mighty arcing narrative to seal the deal.
124m
Genre
Documentary, Music
Stars
Quincy Jones, Rashida Jones, Tom Hanks
Directed by
Rashida Jones, Alan Hicks
It’s hard to encapsulate the life of a legend, especially one as prolific and regarded as musician extraordinaire, Quincy Jones. But co-directors Rashida Jones (Quincy’s daughter) and Alan Hicks do a remarkable job of wrangling the life of the icon. Chronicling Quincy’s early life and eventual rise to stardom in both the professional film and music communities he would come to dominate, Quincy paints an immense portrait of the artist, activist, husband, and father, featuring interviews and recollections from those closest to him. An immersive and incredibly human film, Quincy went on to win a Grammy for Best Music Film at the 2019 Grammy Awards.
113m
Genre
Drama, History, Family
Stars
Maxwell Simba, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Aïssa Maïga
Directed by
Chiwetel Ejiofor
William Kamkwamba (Maxwell Simba) is a young boy with humongous dreams and an incredible knack for electrical engineering. When his parents can’t keep up with his school’s tuition, the wunderkind blackmails his science teacher into letting William continue his studies. As famine sets into his village, tearing families apart, William devises a genius plan to construct a windmill to power an electric water pump. The odds against him and lacking resources, William builds his machine without ever looking back. As director Chiwetel Ejiofor’s powerful feature debut, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a beautifully constructed film about the struggles of humanity and what we do to overcome hardship even under the most hopeless of conditions.
74m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Sam Cooke, Jim Brown, Quincy Jones
Directed by
Kelly Duane de la Vega
Influential soul singer, entrepreneur, and activist Sam Cooke gave a lot to the world. In this emotionally-stirring Netflix doc, we revisit the legacy and impact of the artist by way of those he loved most and that loved him in return. Featuring a talking-head ensemble of family, friends, journalists, academics, and other cultural movers and shakers, director Kelly Duane’s provocative film shines new light on Sam’s murder by way of Bertha Franklin in 1964, exploring the crime from multiple vantages. A chronicling of a profound artist and the mark he left on Black culture, this is one you don’t want to miss.
86m
Genre
Science Fiction, Drama, Adventure, Crime, Action
Stars
Eden Duncan-Smith, Dante Crichlow, Astro
Directed by
Stefon Bristol
Based on writer-director Stefon Bristol’s 2017 short film of the same name, See You Yesterday stars Eden Duncan-Smith and Dante Crichlow as CJ and Sebastian, two science nerds who spend their time inventing — specifically, time machine backpacks that will blast the youths across the space-time continuum. When a tragedy befalls CJ, she and Sebastian will do whatever it takes to turn back time to save someone they love (and have lost). Seamlessly blending science fiction and social drama, See You Yesterday is led by powerful and endearing performances from its leads while never straying from its racial undertones.
123m
Genre
Romance, Drama
Stars
Joel Edgerton, Ruth Negga, Michael Shannon
Directed by
Jeff Nichols
Based in part on the 2012 HBO documentary The Loving Story, writer/director Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter, Mud) goes for a more streamlined and air-brushed approach to the Richard and Mildred Loving civil rights debacle. Native Virginians, the interracial couple was arrested for trying to marry outside of their segregated state, sparking a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court. What we get in Nichols’ vision of their hardship is a story about a family that just wants to be a family. Earnest performances from Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga really sell the heartfelt script, making this an integral and emotional entry in our roundup.
89m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, Phoebe Robinson
Directed by
Nadia Hallgren
If you find that you’re missing the grace, compassion, and normalcy of the Obama administration, Becoming is a refreshing watch. A companion to Michelle Obama’s autobiography, Becoming sheds light on her journey to become America’s first African American First Lady. While it’s not quite as personal as some might like, Becoming is nonetheless an endearing, often provocative discussion of race, hope, and connecting with those of different backgrounds and beliefs. It’s a keen reminder that leaders can inspire by positive example.
100m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Jelani Cobb, Angela Davis, Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Directed by
Ava DuVernay
“If you’re in the prison business, you don’t want reform. You may say you do. But you don’t.” Ava DuVernay’s eye-opening, at times harrowing, 13th is a pivotal documentary that explores the centuries-old criminalization of disenfranchised African American communities, but by way of tracing the steps of American racism to its very roots. Over the course of the film, DuVernay and many activists, lawmakers, and academics unfold decade after decade of politically motivated legislation, and the lobbyists often behind these laws, that have led not only to the privatization of the American prison system but also to the staggeringly disproportionate incarceration of millions of African American men and women. The film can be difficult to watch, but DuVernay’s grim realizations are made to be blatant. What is also apparent is that there is still hope for fundamental change, a message echoed by the film’s ensemble of progressively minded confiders, figures both left- and right-leaning.
121m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Ashton Sanders, Jeffrey Wright, Isaiah John
Directed by
Joe Robert Cole
In All Day and a Night, Ashton Sanders plays Jahkor Lincoln, a once-aspiring rapper serving a life sentence for murder. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn of Lincoln’s troubled upbringing. An adolescence riddled with abuse and dire straits leads to petty crime, which evolves into something far more sinister when Lincoln begins offering his services to a gangster named Big Stunna. As present-day Jahkor looks back on his dark past from behind bars, an old accomplice is admitted to the same prison. This time around, though, the man is a foe, not a friend. Praised for its performances and meditative qualities, All Day and a Night is indeed a richly-textured drama. Ashton Sanders is particularly impressive as Jahkor.
90m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Kerry Washington, Steven Pasquale, Jeremy Jordan
Directed by
Kenny Leon
Kerry Washington is electric in Kenny Leon’s racially charged drama about a mother, father, and the police officers that serve as the gatekeepers to their son’s safety (or lack thereof). The film is minimalist in terms of set pieces, but the true gravitas of this 90-minute, escalating panic is in the claustrophobia of the police station, a bunker clinging to its segregated past by way of demarcated water fountains and a quiet regional disparity covered with a law book and a grin. The true joy of the film is in watching Washington claw her way through the narrative, channeling a polarity of emotions that are all backed by the all-too-relatable fear of a mother worried because her child didn’t come home. Sparse editing and an emotional score are the backbones of these three acts, each of which plays out like a theater piece, sans intermission.
137m
Genre
Documentary, Music
Stars
Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Kelly Rowland
Directed by
Beyoncé, Ed Burke
A concert film for a new generation, HOMECOMING won a Grammy for Best Musical Film. Beyoncé has become something of a musical film savant, with Lemonade, Black Is King, and HOMECOMING all earning rave reviews. It’s HOMECOMING, however, that stands uniquely as a concert film. The film takes an in-depth look at Beyoncé’s 2018 Coachella performance, revealing the incredible creative depth and cultural significance of the show.
87m
Genre
Drama
Stars
John Boyega, Glenn Plummer, De'Aundre Bonds
Directed by
Malik Vitthal
In co-writer/director Malik Vitthal’s Imperial Dreams, John Boyega plays Bambi, a gangster looking to put his violent past behind him. But as Bambi makes steps to leave Imperial Courts, the projects rope him right back in, against his will. Vitthal actually shoots the film at the real Imperial Courts housing projects in Watts, Los Angeles, creating a true-to-life arena for all of the film’s powerhouse performers. Every role in the ensemble is richly lived in by the respective actor, creating an honest and nuanced depiction of everyday life in the community. Visually, cinematographer Monika Lenczewska’s camera keeps everything in widescreen, with a majority of our focus on Bambi as he hovers in and out of scenes. At its heart, Imperial Dreams is a film about the redemption of a man, a sprawling odyssey that keeps two feet in reality throughout the entire film. The film has plenty to say about disparity, and it says it all quite naturally. In Dreams, the story feels just as real as the projects it’s set and shot in.
84m
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Stars
Tracy Camilla Johns, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell
Directed by
Spike Lee
Black-cinema savant and activist Spike Lee’s version of a rom-com is a whole lot more provocative than the standard Hollywood romantic drivel. Famously shot in 15 days on a budget of $175,000, She’s Gotta Have It became Lee’s coming out party, introducing him to the world as a fearless filmmaker with a unique voice and a profoundly different perspective. The film follows Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) on a familiar quest of trying to figure out what kind of man she wants to date. Indecisive, she decides to date three at once: Greer Childs, the rich, handsome narcissist; Jamie Overstreet, the stable, overprotective alpha male; and Mars Blackmon, the timid geek with a heart of gold. While she can’t make up her mind, it is very clear that Nola has gotta have it all.
104m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Devon Terrell, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ashley Judd
Directed by
Vikram Gandhi
You might think Barack Obama is still too recently out of office to have his own biopic, but the circumstances surrounding the nation’s first Black president’s rise to power are worthy of this 2016 film. The story follows a young Barack Obama as he arrives in New York City in the fall of 1981 for his junior year at Columbia University. Echoing many of the themes expressed in his autobiography, Dreams of My Father, Obama struggles to stay connected to his mother and his estranged father and build new connections with his classmates. Simultaneously, he battles an identity crisis and becomes critical of the injustices he sees in his day-to-day life, ultimately motivating him toward a career in organizing and, eventually, politics.
156m
Genre
War, Drama
Stars
Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters
Directed by
Spike Lee
Spike Lee’s first movie under his new Netflix deal is a modern masterpiece. Simultaneously about the stasis of the movement for Black justice and the enduring villainy of the Vietnam War, Da 5 Bloods bounces between eras to illuminate how little has changed in 40 years. The film follows four Black vets as they return to Vietnam seeking the remains of their fallen squad leader and a buried treasure they vowed to one day return for. What they discover is their own “Heart of Darkness” as they battle the forces of man and nature, confronting the lasting legacy of the war and its impact on Vietnam and one another.
135m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell
Directed by
Dee Rees
The expertly lensed Mudbound — written and directed by Dee Rees and photographed by Rachel Morrison — explores the personal, economic, and racial tensions of two rural families living by way of the land in World War II-era Mississippi. A respective son from each family goes off to war. These are Jamie McAllan (Garrett Hedlund) and Ronsel Jackson (Jason Mitchell), two boys who leave a world of racism and other struggles behind. The battle ends. They return home, Jamie with newfound trauma, and Ronsel to a country that looks down at him for the color of his skin, regardless of his valor. What’s to truly savor in Rees’ masterful period drama is Morrison’s language of framing. Rees and Morrison were after a kind of camera work that reflected the feeling of the American Dream, and so we get beauty in shades. But under the flora is loud and vibrant cinematography that enhances our connection with both families, one white and one black. Mudbound is illuminating in more ways than one, an epic racial drama led by a master class of actors that all own their roles.
107m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Yance Ford, Harvey Walker, Kevin Myers
Directed by
Yance Ford
Director Yance Ford’s investigation into the 1992 murder of her brother, 24-year-old William Ford Jr., is an examination of judicial prejudice like no other, and an incredible film experiment. Courageously, Ford toes the line between essay film, personal memoir, and true crime exposé, seamlessly blending each type of documentary form in an effort to best capture her 22-year story of pain and loss. Ford spends time with the friends, family, and willing judicial entities that were involved in her brother’s life and in the courtroom for his killer’s trial, 19-year-old Mark P. Reilly. These many emotional recollections weave a rich tapestry of William Ford Jr.’s life, ambitions, fears, and frustrations. Underneath the records, talking heads, and scrapbook photos is a story about a family that lost their son, and his little sister’s lifelong quest for familial and personal closure.
101m
Genre
Music, Documentary
Stars
Nina Simone, Lisa Simone, Dick Gregory
Directed by
Liz Garbus
What Happened, Miss Simone? explores the life of prolific singer-songwriter and pianist, Nina Simone, through recollections composed of archived interviews, photographs, commentaries, musical performances, and journal entries. Plagued by racism from an early age, Simone’s rise to stardom served as a platform for the activism that would define much of her career. Liz Garbus’ film is an introspective journey into the always-racing mind of an artistic genius, and a black woman who desperately wanted black voices to be heard and understood the world over. Conversations with friends, family, and those that worked with Simone professionally round out the documentary, each contributor adding a new layer of Nina, a complicated but enduring individual with a calling that never ceased, and a talent like no other.
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