Black Movies Matter!

[DoomYoshi]

So what are the best black movies?

There's quite a few over the years. 2d and I both love us some blaxploitation.

For the classics, check out Carmen Jones (with H. Belafonte) or Imitation of Life.

For moderns, you can't escape mentioning Love Jones. It's a cult classic for one reason - it was the first movie to suggest that black people are just normal humans.

In recent years, Belle was probably the best one you haven't heard of.

Of course, there are tons of Samuel Jackson/Denzel Washington, etc. movies that are really good too.

Get Out!

[mrswdk]

Get Out was weak.

If you're talking about movies where the main cast members are black, Queen & Slim and Weapons of Ass Destruction 2 are both pretty good.

[2dimes]

Have you watched Dolemite is my Name? Eddie's Netflix biopic of the guy that made the original Dolemite films.

I made my best white buddy watch it. I don't think he liked it.

You know I loved it! 10/10. Two thumbs up. 5 stars...

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8526872/

[mookiemcgee]

SMJ's finest work was clearly Snakes on a Plane, but I'm not sure what a Black movies even means? Like conceptually I understand but need some guidelines on what's an acceptable answer. Would Snakes on a Plane qualify? If not I would change my answer to Soul Plane.

[mrswdk]

I think in North America if something involves any black people then it is deemed 'urban culture' and therefore not for mainstream consumption?

Or maybe DY is talking about movies like Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption etc

[DoomYoshi]

Ideally it would have a black writer, director or producer.

Secondarily it should be about being black.

Thirdly it will qualify if it has black actors.

Finally, if it would be played on BET (or Bounce), it can qualify.

[2dimes]

I have not seen Snakes On A Plane, I'm guessing it's not going to count but it's probably much closer than Shawshank Redemption.

Soul plane would count for sure.

Doom, does Snakes On A Plane count?

Black Movies might not be available there in China. Can you even watch this preview?

[mookiemcgee]

Ideally it would have a black writer, director or producer.

As far as I can tell Snakes does not qualify to this standard

Secondarily it should be about being black.

Generally speaking Snakes is not about being black (it's about snakes on a plane)

Thirdly it will qualify if it has black actors.

It has multiple black actors with the main protagonist being black

Finally, if it would be played on BET (or Bounce), it can qualify.

I've actually watched in on BET, Soul Plane aired right afterwards.

Two out of four isn't a passing grade, so we shall stick with Soul Plane.

My second nomination will now be B*A*P*S*, a true classic. Perhaps Halle Berry's finest work, and overall a much better film than Shawshank. Entirely snubbed by the academy, but it was different time and very difficult for black films to get the best picture nomination.

[jonesthecurl]

What about The Help? and Hidden Figures?

[2dimes]

Possibly off topic I love everything Sam L Jackson has done on film including the attempted robbery of McDowells.

[saxitoxin]

What about Blacula, Dracula's soul brother?

I guess this movie isn't PC anymore because it's Black appropriation of Romanian culture.

[2dimes]

I never gave Blackula a try but it's probably the first title I ever saw in the genre.

Like back around 1986 in the video rental stores on VHS and BetaMax before Block Buster opened here.

[Dukasaur]

Hidden Figures was really good.

[mrswdk]

Secondarily it should be about being black.

Ah okay, then yes I also nominate Green Mile.

[saxitoxin]

I also can't believe no one has mentioned the Wayans Bros. White Chicks.

[mrswdk]

OMG stop whitewashing you WASP patriarch unwoke piece of shit.

[saxitoxin]

OMG stop whitewashing you WASP patriarch unwoke piece of shit.

THANKYOUVERYMUCH.

[mrswdk]

OMG stop whitewashing you WASP patriarch unwoke piece of shit.

THANKYOUVERYMUCH.

And no I'm not being 'hypocritically racist' by calling you shit because you get white shit too!!

[mrswdk]

But you never see yellow shit. Worth noting.

[jonesthecurl]

Did anyone see Lenny Henry in "True Identity" (1991)? Amusingly, ImDb describes him as an "African-American man".

[mrswdk]

They're all Africans, everyone in America knows that. The UK are the real racists for failing to define all non-white people by the nationality of the long-lost ancestors.

[jonesthecurl]

They're all Africans, everyone in America knows that. The UK are the real racists for failing to define all non-white people by the nationality of the long-lost ancestors.

Yeah, but he's not American.

[Dukasaur]

One movie that I really love, although it doesn't check all the boxes for this thread, is The Wilby Conspiracy.

Sidney Poitier is the lead, it was filmed in Kenya and set in South Africa and Botswana, but it doesn't have a black producer or director.

The struggle against apartheid is an important component of the plot, although not the main component.

[mrswdk]

They're all Africans, everyone in America knows that. The UK are the real racists for failing to define all non-white people by the nationality of the long-lost ancestors.

Yeah, but he's not American.

If all black people are African then all white people are American. That's just logic.