10 Films to re-watch that celebrate Black excellence

In the last few years, the silver screen has been graced with many films that not only feature predominantly Black casts but were created by Black writers, directors, and producers.  This year, to celebrate Black History Month from home, we’ve rounded up ten films you really should re-watch that celebrate Black excellence. 

One Night in Miami (2021)

Regina King's, One Night in Miami is catching critical attention and recently received three Golden Globe nominations. The film is a fictional account, inspired by true events, of a marvellous night where Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown all joined together for a poignant, powerful and political conversation. 

Becoming (2020)

As a follow-up to her memoir of the same name, Becoming explores the life of former First Lady Michelle Obama. The documentary takes viewers behind the scenes on the Becoming book tour and unpacks the former FLOTUS’s inspiring journey from her upbringing on the Southside of Chicago to the White House to the Obamas’ post-WH life. 

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom received critical acclaim and was tragically the late Chadwick Boseman’s last role. Released after his passing, the film is an adaptation of August Wilson’s play that follows Ma Rainey, a legendary blues singer played by Viola Davis, and her band during a recording session in Chicago in 1927. 

The Photograph (2020)

The Photograph was released in theatres last year on Valentine’s Day, giving viewers the nostalgic and romantic film starring Issa Rae that we’ve all been waiting for. The movie flashes between present-day Rae in New York City and scenes of her mother as a young adult in Louisiana to put together the pieces of her estranged mother's past. The film was written and directed by the award-winning Toronto-native Stella Meghie, whose debut film, Jean of the Joneses is also a great watch.

Stream The Photograph and Jean of the Joneses on Crave today.

The Forty-Year-Old-Version (2020)

Multi-hyphenate Radha Blank wrote, directed and stars in The Forty-Year-Old-Version and proves there are no age restrictions when it comes to launching your career. Blank portrays a playwright who reinvents herself as a rapper at 40 to get that big break she had been working towards. This film has received critical acclaim, winning the directing prize at its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)

Even though this film is for children, and is meant to be watched around Christmas, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey does more than just lift your spirits with the catchy soundtrack. The movie has an almost all-Black cast and is set in a Dickensian world with the characters donning natural and intricate hairstyles – something not only ground-breaking for a Christmas film, but an important step in representation for family films in general. 

US (2019)

After his directorial debut with Get Out, Jordan Peele continued to receive critical praise for his second film, US, which solidified his place within the horror genre. Known for his comedic acting roles, his true talent is creating mesmerizing films that provide a critical lens to American race-relations while lacing in frightening scenes that will make you squirm. This film has a star-studded cast with actors like Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke (known best for his portrayal of M’Baku in Black Panther).

Queen & Slim (2019)

Every moment of Queen & Slim was crafted to perfection. This is demonstrated best in the movie’s soundtrack (which ranges from Duke Ellington to Ms. Lauryn Hill) and the stellar costumes curated by Shiona Turini (known for her work on HBO’s Insecure). It is the details that make this harrowing drama – directed by Lena Waithe and Melina Matsoukas and starring Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith – so poignant despite not winning the critical acclaim it rightfully deserved.

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Dolemite Is My Name is a biographical comedy where Eddie Murphy tells the story of Rudy Ray Moore who was one of the stars of the Blaxploitation film era. This movie is a celebration of one of comedy’s greatest showmen who was a mainstay in Black films in the ‘70s with the rise to fame of Moore’s stage character Dolemite

If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

There are some movies that you can watch that will stay with you forever, and If Beale Street Could Talk is one of them. Based on James Baldwin's 1974 novel and directed by Barry Jenkins (who also directed the Oscar-winner Moonlight), Scarborough-native Stephan James was the breakout star in the film for his portrayal of Alonzo Hunt – a man who was falsely accused of a crime that he did not commit. 

BEFORE YOU GO: Donald Glover signs huge new Amazon deal, hires Malia Obama to writing staff

[video_embed id='2142546']BEFORE YOU GO: Donald Glover signs huge new Amazon deal, hires Malia Obama to writing staff [/video_embed]