Black Films To Watch in 2021
To better understand the worldwide protests of 2020, watch the ones in bold.
10 min readDec 4, 2020
- Stormy Weather (1943)
For fans of musicals, this all-Black production features Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, and the Nicholas Brothers. - A Raisin in the Sun (1961)
Based on the Lorraine Hansberry play of the same name, this melodrama follows a Black family in Chicago who are striving for a better life. - Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
Truly a classic, a prerequisite to Jordan Peele’s Get Out. Sidney Portier visits his white liberal girlfriend’s house and her parents must confront their latent racism. - The Learning Tree (1969)
The first studio film with a Black director. The story loosely follows a Black teenage boy in 1921 in a small Kansas town. - Do The Right Thing (1989)
A Spike Lee joint, one of the best. If you want a deeper look into the more violent aspects of the BLM protests, check this one out. - Boyz in the Hood (1991)
The first modern “hood film.” This was the first depiction of the struggles of a Black boy from South Central LA that was widely seen by white audiences, though it’s been criticized for its Hollywood hero and happy ending. - Daughters of the Dust (1991)
The film that largely inspired Beyoncé’s Lemonade, this lyrical film chronicles a family in the Gullah community of coastal South Carolina who suffers a generational split. - Malcolm X (1992)
A biopic of the late civil rights hero, Malcolm X, a radical Black advocate and inspiration for the Black Panther Party. - Menace II Society (1993)
Another quintessential hood film. This, though lacking some of the critical merits of Boyz in the Hood, is praised for its unflinching look at life in the LA hood. - What’s Love Got To Do With It (1995)
The story of Tina and Ike Turner, adapted from Ms. Turner’s autobiography. TW: Domestic violence. - Friday (1995)
Think of this as the late-night comedy version of Boyz in the Hood. Ice Cube’s directorial debut is a cornerstone in Black comedy. - Waiting to Exhale (1995)
A comedy-drama about four Black female friends dealing with issues of romance, careers, and fulfillment. RIP Whitney. - Set It Off (1996)
If you love heist movies, this is a must-see. Four women rob a bank to provide for their families or make themselves a better life. - The Watermelon Woman (1996)
A hidden gem about a Black lesbian woman who wants to make a film about a Black “mamie” actress lost to history. The first feature to be directed by a Black lesbian. - Eve’s Bayou (1997)
A Louisiana family drama of epic proportions. It’s been described as “a beautiful portrait of Black identity” and “a tapestry that transparently depicts the burdens of young Black girlhood.” - 4 Little Girls (1997)
Four KKK members bombed a Black church in Birmingham on September 15, 1963. This is the story of the four little girls who were killed. TW: the KKK, terrorism, child homicide. - Bamboozled (2000)
A biting Spike Lee satirical joint, this comedy is a blistering satire of network TV’s prejudices and helps our understanding of historical and modern-day minstrelsy. - Ray (2004)
A biopic about soul music icon Ray Charles, played masterfully by Jamie Foxx. - Cadillac Records (2008)
An inside look at the Black music industry from the early 1940s to the late 1960s, featuring musicians including Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry, Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, & Etta James. - Good Hair (2009)
Chris Rock’s imperfect documentary is a great starter in exploring Black hair, the political and social implications, and our own societal and individual biases. - The Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975 (2011)
The Black Power movement in American society from 1967 to 1975 as viewed through Swedish journalists and filmmakers. - Pariah (2011)
A teenager from Fort Greene, Brooklyn comes of age as she struggles with her identity, sexuality, and relationship with her family. - Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
In a remote community in the Mississippi Delta, a six-year-old and her father struggle with the implications of climate change in a work magical-realist poetic genius. - Fruitvale Station (2013)
The life and story of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old Oakland man who was killed by a BART transit officer. TW: police brutality. - 20 Feet From Stardom (2013)
A long-overdue documentary about backup singers, featuring Darlene Love, Judith Hill, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Táta Vega, and Jo Lawry, and many more. - Selma (2014)
Ava DuVernay’s Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic, centering around the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. - Get On Up (2014)
This is worth watching if only for Chadwick Boseman’s (RIP) spot-on and magnetic performance as soul legend James Brown. It will definitely make you want to get up and dance. - Dear White People (2014)
Justin Simien’s Sundance winner about four Black students at a fictional Ivy League sparked outcries from disillusioned white people, who called the film out for “reverse racism.” If that doesn’t make you want to go watch it right now, I don’t know what will. - Anita (2014)
A documentary about Anita Hill, the Black attorney who challenged Clarence Thomas’s appointment to the Supreme Court when she accused him of sexual harassment. If you consider yourself a feminist, watch this. - Tangerine (2015)
A #BlackTransLivesMatter classic. This revolutionary comedy-drama, shot on three iPhone 5s, is a revenge story of a transgender sex worker who finds out her boyfriend and pimp has been cheating on her. - Straight Outta Compton (2015)
Now that “Fuck the Police” has become a 2020 protest anthem, it’s a good time to revisit the (slightly sanitized) story of iconic rap group NWA. - What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)
A passionate and honest look at the life of legendary soul signer and Black power icon, Nina Simone. It’s as inspiring as it is heartbreaking. - The Black Panthers: Vanguard Of The Revolution (2015)
Another important documentary that examines the rise of the Black Panther Party throughout the 1960s. - Moonlight (2016)
This Best Picture winner feels like a hood symphony in three movements. The life of Chiron, a Black boy/man in Miami, is told poetically as he comes to terms with his family, identity, and sexuality. - 13th (2016)
Ava DuVernay’s documentary explores the history of racial inequality in the American criminal justice system, explaining how the 13th Amendment abolished slavery except as a punishment for a crime. - I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
A documentary based on James Baldwin’s unfinished manuscript “Remember This House.” It’s an intimate look at James Baldwin, opening his writings up to wider audiences. - O.J.: Made In America (2016)
So technically, this isn’t a movie — it’s a four-part documentary series about the O.J. trial. But what sets it apart from other true-crime series is the context it provides, particularly surrounding race in America in the 1990s. - Lemonade (2016)
This also isn’t technically a movie. But Beyoncé’s breathtaking visual album tells the story of a broken relationship from the perspective of a wronged woman. - Loving (2016)
Did you know interracial marriage was illegal in the United States until 1967? This film dramatizes the story of Mildred and Richard Loving, the pioneers who changed everything. - Get Out (2017)
A 21st century take on Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner, but culty-er and more Jordan Peele. White liberals, this one’s for you. - Whose Streets? (2017)
Also known as “the #BlackLivesMatter documentary,” this doc tells the story of the Michel Brown murder and ensuing Ferguson uprising from the mouths of the activists on the ground. Truly a must-watch. - Strong Island (2017)
A true-crime documentary investigating the 1992 murder of a 24-year-old Black man named William Ford Jr., the filmmaker’s brother. - Step (2017)
A documentary about a senior year of a girls’ high school step team in inner-city Baltimore. It’s heartfelt, moving, and inspiring. - Black Panther (2018)
The story of how King T’Challa of the fictional African supernation, Wakanda, became the superhero known as the Black Panther. If you’re a Marvel fan and you haven’t already seen this, I don’t know what to tell you. - Sorry To Bother You (2018)
Boots Riley of CA hip hop collective, the Coup, makes his directorial debut in this wickedly funny and original anti-Capitalist comedy. Cassius Green is a telemarketer who learns to use his “white voice” to rise through the ranks of a mysterious telemarketing company, only to discover a dark secret at the top. - Blackkklansman (2018)
Another Spike Lee joint, criticized for being too pro-police, tells the true story of a Black detective named Ron Stallworth, who successfully infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado Springs in the 1970s. - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
“Anyone can wear the mask” perfectly sums up this Miles Morales Spider-Man origin story. Told with real emotionality and gorgeous animation, this is many fans’ favorite Spider-Man movie. - Blindspotting (2018)
This story is pressingly relevant for many right now. After a run-in with the police, two friends, one Black and one white, must face some uncomfortable truths about race in Oakland, CA. - The Hate U Give (2018)
When her childhood best friend is murdered by the police at a traffic stop, a Black teenager named Starr Carter must balance her upbringing in a Black neighborhood with her life at a white wealthy prep school and decides to use her voice to make change. Though not without its fair share of problematicness, this one is a great mainstream movie about a Black activist. - Quincy (2018)
If you listen to music, you’ve heard Quincy Jones. If you listen to music, watch this documentary about him. - Nappily Ever After (2018)
Rom-com lovers, this one’s for you. Take the classic, traditionally white, overly perfect rom-com lead who decides to break up with her shitty man and take her life by the balls, then add the burden of navigating Black hair. - When They See Us (2019)
Again, technically not a movie. But this unfaltering four-part series about Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, and Korey Wise — A.K.A. the Central Park Five. These teenage boys were wrongfully convicted for the rape of a jogger named Trisha Melli. Ava DuVernay doesn’t shy away from anything; not the brutality of the interrogations, not the horrors of solitary confinement, and certainly not the fact that our now President Donald Trump called for the boys’ execution. If you don’t watch anything else, watch this. Then you’ll understand why we’re so angry. - If Beale Street Could Talk (2019)
Based on a book by James Baldwin, this romance between two young Black Harlemites is poetic and tragic. It’s expressionist filmmaking at its finest, merging James Baldwin’s lyricism with a modern twist. - Us (2019)
Jordan Peele’s follow-up to Get Out is a showdown between the haves and the have-nots that will make you think twice the next time you look into a really clean mirror. - Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
Eddie Murphy is back as Rudy Ray Moore, A.K.A. Dolemite, a Blaxploitation legend and the godfather of rap. This movie is like Black Ed Wood if Plan 9 From Outer Space was actually good.
**If you want, watch the original Dolemite (1975) too. - The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2016)
A (wait for it) Black man in San Francisco reclaims the house built by his grandfather with his best friend. It’s a story of male friendship and gentrification in a city with a complicated past. - See You Yesterday (2019)
I’ll admit, I haven’t seen this. But I hear it’s like a Black Back to the Future, which sounds like a lot of fun. Michael J. Fox makes an appearance! - Amazing Grace (2019)
The story of this Aretha Franklin concert film is wild. The production team didn’t slate (with a clapper) the scenes, and because sound sync was so difficult back in the day, the footage sat untouched until a few years ago, when digital filmmaking software made sound sync possible. - Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé (2019)
Another concert film/documentary about Beyoncé’s HBCU-inspired Homecoming performance at Cochella. - Luce (2019)
Another one I haven’t yet seen, but I’m keen to watch. A Black high school athlete adopted by liberal white parents writes a disturbing essay for his history class. - Juanita (2019)
Alfre Woodard shines as a woman goes on a journey to heal and rediscover herself. - ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke (2019)
A documentary chronicling the mysterious circumstances and controversy surrounding the death of musician and civil rights activist Sam Cooke. - Toni Morrison: The Pieces Am I (2019)
First of all, read some Toni Morrison. In addition to Beloved, I recommend The Bluest Eye, Sula, and Tar Baby. Then, watch this documentary about her. - Uncorked (2020)
Haven’t caught this yet either, but it’s a Prentice Penny piece about a man who pursues his dream of being a sommelier rather than joining his family’s barbeque business. Sounds like a great wine night movie. - Who Killed Malcolm X? (2020)
Another one for true crime lovers, this Netflix docuseries apparently led to a reopening of Malcolm X’s case! While you’re watching, check out the work of the Innocence Project and donate, if you can. - Black is King (2020)
Beyoncé hit us with her third visual album this past summer, featuring music from “The Lion King” reboot. The album featured African artists and sounds, and the visuals reflect the diversity and vibrance of the continent. Also, they’re bops. - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion (2020)
HBO Max launched earlier this year, and it gave us the entire run of the iconic 90’s sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. If you loved the show, you have to watch this reunion. Not only does it take you behind the scenes in a hilarious and heartfelt retrospective, but it also addresses the OG Aunt Viv beef and sees Will and Janet Hubert finally reconcile. - His House (2020)
This film isn’t necessarily about race in America, but it does tackle the horrors (literally) that a Black couple fleeing Sudan encounters as they try to integrate into a small English town. It’s a must-watch to better understand how race factors into immigration and xenophobia, though it’s not for the faint of heart. - Between the World and Me (2020)
I haven’t watched this yet either, but if it’s anything like Ta-Nehisi Coates’s 2015 book reflecting on the Black experience in America, this will be well worth your time. - Trial 4 (2020)
Another one for true-crime lovers, this docuseries chronicles the story of Sean K. Ellis, a man accused of killing a Boston cop. But his trial helped unearth issues of police corruption and rampant racism. If you want to understand ACAB and #DefundthePolice, watch this.
