As Hollywood strikes put productions on pause, now’s your chance to go back and watch some of those movies you’ve always wanted to see, but haven’t had time to. We’re talking about the classics. These are the films that set the standard for all your modern-day favorites. Since you can find almost anything on one of the various entertainment platforms out there, we’ve gathered a helpful list of where you can stream all the most essential Black movies.
Suggested Reading
The Color Purple – Prime Video, YouTube
The Color Purple is the kind of movie that makes you feel something different every time you see it because your understanding of the story changes as you age. It will always be a classic.
Hollywood Shuffle – Prime Video, YouTube
Robert Townsend’s brilliant satire on how Black actors are treated in Hollywood is still hilarious and still uncomfortably relevant.
Selma – Paramount+
The masterful way Ava DuVernay told the story of our struggle, moving from humiliation to devastation to anger to triumph was beautiful. Unfortunately, it’s all still happening today.
Black Panther – Disney+
We will never get over the feeling of watching T’Challa and his people celebrate as they danced down the river and then gathered all the tribes together. The pride was overwhelming.
The Five Heartbeats – Prime Video, YouTube
The Five Heartbeats is really a story about an enduring brotherhood that bends but never quite breaks. And yes, the music is timeless.
Carmen Jones – Prime Video, YouTube
Dorothy Dandridge had an undeniable star quality that wasn’t fully appreciated until after she was gone.
The Last Dragon – Prime Video, YouTube
Listen, kids. All you need to know is when someone asks, “Who’s the master?” you respond with “Sho’nuff!”
Friday – Prime Video
The first film in the Friday trilogy is a fun, authentic, day in the life story of two friends. It’s also endlessly quotable and is always entertaining.
Buck and the Preacher – Prime Video, YouTube
I love Sidney Poiter’s work so much. Almost everything he did was an artistic triumph. However, my absolute favorite Sidney Poitier is cowboy Sidney Poitier. He brings a class and dignity to the Western genre that no one else could even approach.
The Princess and the Frog – Disney+
Anika Noni Rose isn’t a role model because she voiced the first Black Disney princess, she’s a role model because of how she keeps Tiana in the conversation. She makes sure that everyone puts some respect on our princess’ name.
Foxy Brown – Paramount+
Pam Grier gave generations of Black women an iconic hero to look up to. In a world where Black women are constantly undervalued, we can always ask ourselves WWFBD: “What would Foxy Brown do?”
Malcolm X – Prime Video
I will go to my grave arguing that Denzel Washington was robbed at the Oscars. With all due respect to Al Pacino, we all know his performance in Scent of a Woman was not better than what Denzel did here. Every time I watch Malcolm X, I discover a new brilliant moment to admire.
Imitation of Life – Prime Video
If you don’t get teary—or at least a little emotional—at this 1959 drama where a young Black girl rejects her mother’s love and spends her life passing as white, then you’re clearly a robot.
Do the Right Thing – Prime Video
This Spike Lee classic literally changed the landscape of filmmaking. It inspired a generation of writers and directors, both Black and white, to tell fresh, authentic new stories. Everyone from John Singleton, to Quentin Tarantino has cited the film as essential to their careers.
Sounder – Peacock
I know it’s easy to choose new releases on family movie night, but if your kids haven’t seen Sounder, the 1972 classic should definitely be in the rotation. It teaches them about resilience, self-belief and of course, the importance of family.
The Greatest – Prime Video
Only Muhammad Ali could play himself in a biopic and everyone just accepts it, because of course, he did. The man invented swag before it was a thing.
What’s Love Got to Do with It – Hulu, Prime Video
Angela Bassett gives one of the greatest performances in film history as the legendary Tina Turner. There is not a single scene where we don’t feel how much pain the singer is in. The true beauty of it is that she doesn’t necessarily need to yell and scream to convey it. Most of the time she does it with a small movement or a quick glance.
Waiting to Exhale – Prime Video
Every Black woman who’s ever been wronged by a man has a special attachment to Waiting to Exhale. Guys, if you ever walk in a room and see a Black woman watching this movie or listening to the soundtrack, just turn around and walk away.
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