To make a great movie, you need a winning combination of writers, directors, and producers, as well as onscreen talent. To make a strong film that authentically portrays its Black characters, you need Black creatives in those decision-making positions. It is a very simple concept.
We put together a list of must-see movies on the internet that were made by Black creators, to shed light on the incredible writers, directors, and producers that put their hearts and souls into crafting our favorite flicks. It's time to load that queue.
Credit: Steve Dietl
Mudbound is based on the novel of the same name and follows two American soldiers who return from WWII changed men. Their rural Mississippi town has not changed.
Dee Rees is the first black woman to ever be nominated for an Academy Award for a best adapted screenplay. Mary J Blige is the first person in history to be nominated for an acting and song award in the same year. Mudbound is a historical drama about two intertwined families navigating an era of intense social change.
You can watch Mudbound on the internet.
Do not mess with Treacherous Trudy. Credit: David Lee / Netflix
The Harder They Fall has an incredible cast, including Jonathan Majors, Isreal Elba, Zazie Beetz, LaKeith Stanfield, and Delroy Lindo. A tale of heroes and villains, the film follows Nat Love on a quest for revenge against the formidable Rufus Buck. He will have to make his gunslinging way through the other two.
The Western introduces some of the fascinating Black cowpokes who made their mark on the Wild West. While the events of this story are fictional, Jeymes Samuel resurrects their legends with style, attitude, and an opening title card that teases. People. Shannon Connellan is the UK Editor.
The Harder They Fall can be watched on the internet.
C.J. Walker (Eden Duncan-Smith) tinkering on her time machine. Credit: Netflix
C.J. Walker is a gifted high school science genius who builds a time machine after her brother is killed by the police. She tries to save her brother's life with the help of her best friend.
This science-fiction adventure is a perfect combination of teenage hijinks and emotional depth. We are on one hell of a ride, but we never forget the stakes these young characters are facing. It is captivating, fun, and a fresh take on a classic genre. Science-fiction films that center Black lives and Black stories have been a rarity, but with more A+ entries like See You Yesterday, they will hopefully become the norm.
You can watch See You Yesterday on the internet.
Spike Lee at New York's Greenwich Village Theater in 1986. Credit: Ted Dully / The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Thirty-one years before it was a streaming service, She's gotta Have It was a daring comedy that launched Spike Lee's career and became a landmark in America's emerging independent film scene. The film was shot on black-and-white stock and centers on a charming Brooklyn-based graphic artist who is juggling three lovers. Nola is forced to consider what she wants from her relationships when these jealous men demand she choose just one of them. The side of Black experience rarely shown in mainstream movies was championed by critics. He received the Award of the Youth from the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, and the Independent Spirit Awards gave him the award for best first feature.
She's gotta have it is available on the streaming service.
Credit: Aimee Spinks / Netflix
Theron is the leader of a group of warriors who cannot die in the movie The Old Guard. They have done what they can to influence history and nudging humanity in the right direction. They have found a new member who desperately needs their guidance, just as a persistent investigator is close to uncovering their secret.
Gina Prince- Bythewood is the director of Love and Basketball and The Secret Life of Bees. The Old Guard is a gripping, nonstop adventure that will leave you begging for more.
The Old Guard is on the streaming service.
Rial (Wunmi Mosaku) and Bol (Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù) aren’t alone in their house it seems. Credit: Aidan Monaghan / Netflix
One of the best British films to come out of 2020 is His House, a horror film written and directed by Remi Weekes. Two refugees from South Sudan arrive in London after their daughter was killed. A supernatural presence in their home keeps them from forgetting their past, even though they try to move forward with their new life. His House is an impressive debut film from Weekes, which blends the dread of the refugee experience with the horror of a supernatural visitor. It is unique, it is socially conscious, and it is frightening.
His House is on the streaming service.
Melvin (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), Eddie (Norm Lewis), Otis (Clarke Peters), Paul (Delroy Lindo), and David (Jonathan Majors). Credit: David Lee / Netflix
In the midst of widespread social upheaval that many hope will finally start to undo the trauma wrought by centuries of deeply embedded prejudice, this new movie delivers a powerful sense of perspective.
You can watch Da 5 Bloods on the internet.
Kofi is an artist who is trying to make a name for himself in Washington D.C.
Really Love is a love story written and directed by Williams. The supporting cast is top notch, with Uzo Aduba, Mack Wilds, Naturi Naughton, Suzzanne Douglas, Jade Eshete, Blair Underwood, Michael Ealy all sparkling on the sidelines as the two young lovers explore their place in the world. Really Love is Black romance is sweet, touching, and authentic.
You can watch Really Love on the internet.
Credit: Netflix
The 13th educated audience nationwide about mass incarceration and the wrongful imprisonment of Black Americans was created by the 13th educated audience by the 13th educated audience by the 13th educated audience by the 13th educated audience by the 13th educated audience by the 13th educated audience by the 13th
The 13th Amendment, the amendment that abolished slavery, is the subject of a documentary that exposes those who made the system possible. 13th shows how a majority of Black Americans unfairly serve time in the prison industrial complex.
13th is available on the internet.
Chanté Adams takes on the role of Roxanne Shanté. Credit: Netflix
Roxanne Roxanne was written and directed by Michael Larnell. In the late 80's and early 90's, a teenage Roxanne carves out a name for herself as a fierce battle MC while navigating the dangers of living in the Queensbridge Houses in Queens, New York. Adams received the Special Jury Prize for her fiery portrayal of the young rapper. Roxanne Roxanne has a production team that included Forest Whittaker, and music by RZA, as well as a supporting cast that includes Mahershala Ali and Nia Long.
Roxanne Roxanne is on the streaming service.
Credit: Courtesy of Parkwood Entertainment
It is not often that we get to see behind the curtain when it comes to Beyonc, but that is what we get with Homecoming.
The film follows the legendary performer as she dominates the festival, but it also shows her biggest gig since giving birth to twins. The show pays homage to historically Black colleges across the country and over the course of two hours you can watch Beyonc ascend the stage like a Phoenix rising. She talks about how the vision comes to life in the creative process. It is the closest we will ever get to a Beyonc concert, and we feel at home.
You can watch the show on the internet.
Credit: Ilze Kitshoff / Netflix
Chiwetel Ejiofor is the first-time director of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, which is based on a true story and a memoir. William Kamkwamba is a young boy who loves to tinker with science and technology but cannot attend school because his family cannot afford it.
The village of William was in dire straits in the mid-2000s. He has a plan to save his village from a dry spell by building a windmill, but his father is not sold on it. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a touching, heartbreaking and uplifting story of a young boy finding his own way to triumph over adversity.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind can be watched on the internet.
The entry comes from a previous list.
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