Although the Lumiere Brothers released the first motion picture in 1895, it took at least 30 years for the first black person, Stepin Fetchit, to earn screen credit. Later, Hattie McDaniel would become the first African-American person to win an Academy Award, and 24 years after that, Sidney Poitier would win his, becoming the first African-American man to win.
Decades after that, there were still few roles for people of color: if black people wanted to make it to the big screen, they would have to start making films themselves. The result? Black movies, and specifically, some of the best black movies of all time. From the blaxploitation era of the ‘70s, into the ‘80s with Prince’s Purple Rain, and continuing with iconic black movies like Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing, these classic black movies put black people and their stories center stage, through the lens of people who had actually lived them.
In the past few years, we’ve seen black creators push the boundaries of black cinema into superhero and horror genres, while also expanding on romantic comedies. From the work of Samuel L. Jackson to Denzel Washington to Viola Davis, to newer talents like Tessa Thompson, we’ve seen black film evolve from a niche genre to a necessary component of Hollywood. To celebrate that, here are the best black movies of the last 30 years.
Queen & Slim (2019)
Image via Universal Pictures/Andre D. Wagner
Director: Melina Matsoukas
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Jodie Turner-Smith, Bokeem Woodbine, Chloë Sevigny, Flea, Sturgill Simpson, Indya Moore
From the mind of Lena Waithe and the eye of Melina Matsoukas came Queen & Slim, a road trip-crime drama-date film like no other. With one of the greatest opening sequences of 2019, Matsoukas brought the central conflict of the film—two black people shoot and kill a police officer during a traffic stop—to life, painting black beauty on the run as wonderfully as imagined when rumors of this flick, which many flatly described as a “Bonnie & Clyde” film, Waithe likened it more to Set it Off. Kaluuya brings the drama, proving he’s strong enough to lead, and the one and only Bokeem Woodbine shines as he always does (give this brother his flowers!). While it wasn’t without controversy, Queen & Slim continued in the modern tradition of expertly featuring black skin and black stories on the silver screen.
Straight Out of Brooklyn (1991)
Image via Samuel Goldwyn Company
Director: Matty Rich
Stars: George T. Odom, Ann D. Sanders, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., Mark Malone
If you want to talk about classic black cinema, you have to bring up Straight Out of Brooklyn. Matty Rich’s directorial debut took you inside the real life struggle in some of the places where your favorite rapper calls home. Shit’s real out in Brooklyn, and for many, this film was the first place you saw that life. Lawrence Gilliard Jr. (who you may remember as playing D’Angelo Barksdale in HBO’s The Wire) was the real standout; his performance as Dennis was heartbreaking. He was at his wits end, trying to scrap some money together to fulfill his aspirations for a better life. It’s a sad tale, in a cold and bleek film, one that portrays some of the realness mad rappers put in their rhymes. An early indie hip-hop banger.
Fresh (1994)
Image via Miramax Films
Director: Boaz Yakin
Stars: Sean Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito, Samuel L. Jackson, N’Bushe Wright
A film like Fresh might get dismissed by many as another street crime drug film…which it is. The problem is most of those films end in a hail of gunfire; Fresh has its share of violence, but its really about the chess game being played. Sean Nelson, who you may remember from The Wood and HBO’s The Corner, starred in this one early, playing Fresh, a street-wise kid who has big aspirations and a lot of connections to the streets. He is also an avid chess player, and its the scenes with his absentee father (played by Samuel L. Jackson!) that helps him devise a plan after experiencing some of the harsher sides of life: can he escape the drug game as masterfully as he would on the chessboard? Also featured is acting legend Giancarlo Esposito as the big bad, and N’Bushe Wright (who you definitely remember from Blade) in a smaller, powerful role.
BlacKkKlansman (2018)
Image via Focus Features
Director: Spike Lee
Stars: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Topher Grace
The film that got Spike Lee his Oscar (Best Adapted Screenplay), BlacKkKlansman was based on the absolutely true story of a black police officer who went undercover as a Klansman. Lee cast frequent collaborator Denzel Washington’s son John David Washington (Ballers) as that officer in a film whose tale mirrors the current political climate we’re in. Hilarious and true, this is another satire on American culture, with powerful performances from Washington and Adam Driver as his white face in the Klan. For fans of Lee’s who felt like he wasn’t bringing in with his last few outings, he received much acclaim for his “return to form,” mixing humor with drama, using reality to expose society. The fact that he included footage from the Unite the Right rally from 2017 before the credits roll is intentional; the game may have a different name, but it’s still wholly the same. And that’s the quintessential truth, Ruth.
Poetic Justice (1993)
Image via Columbia Pictures
Director: John Singleton
Stars: Janet Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Tyra Ferrell, Regina King, Joe Torry
The second of Singleton’s “hood trilogy,” and his second film as a director, Poetic Justice showed the softer side of the hood. Following Lucky (Shakur), we saw how some unconventional romances come together. Dude drives the mailtruck, has a daughter, and is trying to make music to get out of the hood. She’s still wrecked over the murder of her boyfriend. One road trip later, we start to see true feelings blossom and develop. The streets still creep in, in a number of ways, but there’s a dope love story wrapped up in here. There’s also Regina King proving that she’s always been a boss, as well as an appearance from Maya Angelou. Hood love classic.
Juice (1992)
Tupac addresses Omar Epps in ‘Juice.’ (Image via Paramount)
Director: Ernest Dickerson
Stars: Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur, Khalil Kain, Jermaine “Huggy” Hopkins, Samuel L. Jackson, Queen Latifah, Cindy Herron
When Spike Lee’s longtime friend and collaborator Ernest Dickerson sat in the director’s chair for the first time to helm Juice, he created a harrowing story about four Harlem teens whose friendship is tested by a bitter power struggle. Known as “The Wrecking Crew,” Q (Omar Epps), Bishop (Tupac Shakur), Raheem (Khalil Kain), and Steel (Jermaine Hopkins) pass through their teens by cutting school and innocently bullshitting their way through life. This includes semi-regular truancy at a local arcade and stealing vinyl from a record shop to satisfy Q’s DJ aspirations.
After witnessing the aftermath of a local robbery, they agree to stick up a bodega, but things go wrong when Bishop inexplicably kills the owner. A debate between Bishop and Raheem, the two extremes of the group, ends in tragedy as Bishop succumbs to the dark side, terrifying his former friends.
Juice is about power because, well, “juice” is power. The crew, generally good guys, lack it initially. When they acquire it through the possession of a firearm, their morals are tested. Anyone with a gun is considerably more intimidating, if not downright frightening. If you were disappointed that Nas never made a video for “I Gave You Power,” realize that it arrived four years before It Was Written‘s release via Juice.
The performances are solid, with a young Omar Epps portraying a young man who goes along with his friends’ activities, but still has a conscience. Khalil Kain plays Raheem as the straight man; the level-headed one, presumably because he’s a teenage father. Jermaine Hopkins provides comic relief as the portly Steel, but it’s Tupac who steals the show as the sociopathic Bishop. He’s hungry for respect; he finally finds it through a gun, but he’s too unstable to handle it.
There’s one particular scene that stands out: Following Raheem’s death, Q is at his locker. When he shuts the door, an expressionless Bishop is standing there, nothing at all behind his eyes. Their calm conversation quickly escalates into a shouting match where Bishop (the holder of the gun, and therefore, the power) reminds Q that he holds his mortality in his hands. Tupac is able to express so much of Bishop’s anger and distance with his face, proving that he was already a stellar actor in his first starring role. Juice is a painful reminder that power should never be granted to those not equipped to harness it.
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Image via Annapurna Pictures
Director: Barry Jenkins
Stars: Regina King, Stephan James, Kiki Layne, Teyonah Parris, Dave Franco
Adapting a dynamic novel like James Baldwin’s If Beale Street Could Talk is a Herculean task, but when word hit that Moonlight director Barry Jenkins was taking on the project, many felt a sense of ease. Story aside, Jenkins proved in his Academy Award-winning debut that he knew how to make black bodies shine on the silver screen, and his eye is back in all of its glory in Beale Street. The film tells the stressful tale of two lifelong friends turned lovers who get hit with big news: on the one hand, they’re going to have a baby. They also have to figure out why Fonny (Stephan James) was accused of a rape he seemingly couldn’t have possibly committed. With powerful performances from James, Kiki Layne, Brian Tyree Henry, and Regina King (who received Golden Globe and Oscar noms for her performance in the film), as well as a story that is as relevant then as it is today, you need to make this film a part of your life.
Moonlight (2016)
Image via EPK
Director: Barry Jenkins
Stars: Mahershala Ali, Alex R. Hibbert, Janelle Monae, Naomie Harris, Ashton Sanders, Jharrel Jerome, Trevante Rhodes, André Holland
Based on Tarell Alvin’s In Moonlight, Black Boys Look Blue, Moonlight follows Chiron throughout three phases of his life: as a kid, as a teenager, and as an adult. Through each phase, he struggles with finding his identity while dealing with his crack-addicted mother (brilliantly played by Naomie Harris).
While following Chiron’s life, the film is able to touch on other themes like mass incarceration, the school-to-prison pipeline, bullying, the drug cycle, and death. But it’s his childhood friend, Kevin, who meets him at every stage of his life, and ends up contributing heavily to the turning points.
At its core, Moonlight is a love story that shows two black men being intimate with each other in a way that’s rarely—if ever—seen on screen. James Laxton’s cinematography work also allowed black bodies to not only be seen by the camera, but illuminated in all their richness, as well. The film also showed the gritty poor side of Miami that is rarely seen, along with the quiet beauty of the city. Plus, that chopped and screwed version of Jidenna’s “Classic Man” is awesome. There’s a reason Moonlight earned the 2017 Academy Award for Best Picture.
Get Out (2017)
Image via Universal Pictures
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones
When news hit that comedian Jordan Peele would be directing a horror film, the idea was met with skepticism. While Peele often comments on race with his comedic partner, Keegan-Michael Key, it’s usually on the silly side of things (like a black substitute teacher mispronouncing white students’ name because he’s used to different pronunciations). But with the backing of Blumhouse Productions, which produced horror heavyweights like Insidious, The Purge, Split, and Paranormal Activity, there was a good chance that it would be a hit. And it was.
Get Out follows a black man, Chris, who goes to meet his white girlfriend, Rose’s parents for the first time at their house the middle of the woods. What follows are hints to microaggressions, like Rose’s father telling him that he “would have voted for Obama for a third time” and a mind-bending twist that kept us away from anyone with a tea cup for days.
But it wasn’t just the story that resonated with viewers; it was the stark imagery, like the tears that roll down Chris’ unblinking eyes or Rose consuming her milk and cereal separately, that inspired countless artwork pieces. While giving us the best parts about the horror genres like the surprise pop-up, a heartless antagonist, and scary real consequences, there’s also social commentary that provided endless think piece material.
The film’s Easter eggs also spawned a series of fan theories that make it even more fun to watch each. Every time you watch it, you to catch new things. Basically, Peele is a genius.
Black Panther (2018)
Image via Marvel
Director: Ryan Coogler
Stars: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis
There have been black superhero films before, but none like this. We’ve seen campy superhero movies like Robert Townsend’s Meteor Man and Damon Wayans’ Blankman. Then of course there were anti-heroes like Spawn and Blade. But Black Panther is vastly different from its predecessors, in a good way.
Black Panther follows newly appointed king of Wakanda, T’Challa, as he confronts his father’s death and his responsibility to his people, as well as the rest of the suffering world that could use Wakanda’s resources. In the midst of this, he also has to confront villains like Klaw, who is after the country’s vibranium and Erik Killmonger, who’s after the throne. Even with all of this conflict, there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.
Ryan Coogler delivered the best black superhero film of all time with Shakespearean twists, epic chase scenes, and a palpable love between the characters. It’s no wonder it had one of the biggest opening weekends ever.
Malcolm X (1992)
Image via Warner Bros.
Director: Spike Lee
Stars: Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, Al Freeman, Jr., Delroy Lindo, Spike Lee, Theresa Randle, Roger Guenveur Smith, Wendell Pierce, Giancarlo Esposito, James McDaniel, Tommy Hollis
Spike Lee never cowers in the face of a challenge. In fact, he welcomes them, and has tackled subjects too many filmmakers haven’t had the guts for. In the early ’90s, he faced his biggest task to date: bringing the life of Malcolm X to the big screen. Lee had little room for error considering the subject matter, and he delivered because he had to.
Malcolm X is one of the most thorough and impressive biopics ever made. Lee’s expert direction begins with the opening scene, which features X delivering an anti-white America speech over grainy footage of the LAPD’s beating of Rodney King. As the crowd voices its support, an American flag catches fire, burning until it forms a perfect “X.” It’s spellbinding cinema.
Heavily inspired by Alex Haley’s The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Malcolm X begins with Malcolm Little (Denzel Washington) still a petty criminal. He’s sent to jail for burglary, but his incarceration proves to be a blessing in disguise, as he’s exposed to the teachings of Islam and learns discipline. Upon his release from prison, he adopts the last name “X” and rises within the Nation of Islam, but his ascent is met with resentment and opposition, especially when he and mentor Elijah Muhammad begin to feud. Suspended by the Nation, he makes his pilgrimage to Mecca, where he learns that there is good in all races. Upon his return to the United States, he denounces racism and becomes open to working with the civil rights leaders he had previously shunned. The film follows X up until his assassination at Harlem’s Audobon Ballroom in 1965.
Washington delivers what is possibly the finest performance of his career, portraying X at different stages of his life and capturing every nuance. The quiet moments leading up to his death are some of the most moving scenes he’s ever been involved in. It’s a crime that he didn’t win the Oscar for Best Actor that year.
The Wood (1999)
Image via Getty/Ron Galella
Director: Rick Famuyiwa
Stars: Omar Epps, Taye Diggs, Richard T. Jones, Sanaa Lathan, LisaRaye McCoy, Sean Nelson, Duane Finley, Trent Cameron, Malinda Williams, De’Aundre Bonds, Antwon Tanner
A wedding is the perfect time for reflection. In the underrated The Wood, three friends fondly recall several important moments in their lives, as well as their friendship, before one’s marriage.
It’s Roland’s (Taye Diggs) big day, and he’s nowhere to be found, much to the anger of friends Slim (Richard T. Jones) and Mike (Omar Epps). A drunk, cold-footed Roland is eventually discovered at an old girlfriend’s house, and Mike and Slim are forced to sober him up and rush him to the altar. The story, told from Mike’s perspective, flashes back to the first time they met in junior high school, and recalls important moments from their teen years growing up in Inglewood, California.
The Wood is a bright coming-of-age tale about firsts: the first time you met your best friends, the first time you thought your life was in danger, the first time you had sex, and the first time you realized you were in love. Mike narrates the story, occasionally breaking the fourth wall. During the flashback scenes, he grows from an awkward kid with a country accent to the glue that holds the trio together.
It’s a lighthearted, yet deep analysis of a friendship that’s lasted roughly half of the primary character’s lives. The flashbacks are easily the best scenes, capturing the awkwardness of being a teenager with hilarious accuracy. Music plays a key role in The Wood, with Ahmad’s “Back in the Day” introducing the film’s premise during the opening credits and Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s “If This World Were Mine” cover playing during two of the film’s most important moments.
In the 19 years since its release, The Wood has proven to be timeless. It never gets old because viewers will always compare Mike, Roland, and Slim’s experiences to their own. At some point, most people will have been in both positions: teenagers just trying to make sense of life, and adults reminiscing on those ridiculous antics while preparing for marriage, yet another milestone.
Bamboozled (2000)
Image via Getty
Director: Spike Lee
Stars: Damon Wayans, Savion Glover, Jada Pinkett Smith, Michael Rapaport, Tommy Davidson, Mos Def, Thomas Jefferson Byrd, Paul Mooney, Canibus, Gano Grills, Charlie Baltimore, MC Serch, The Roots
With Bamboozled, Spike Lee places racial stereotypes perpetuated by the media in his crosshairs and pulled the trigger. The film focuses on Pierre Delacroix (Damon Wayans), a stuffy executive at the fictional Continental Network System television network. He’s constantly harassed at work by his boss (Michael Rapaport), a white man who freely uses the n-word and fancies himself a black man (more black than Delacroix, as he reminds him) because he’s married to a black woman. He scoffs at Delacroix’s scripts, which depict blacks in a positive light because of their Cosby Show overtones.
Feeling trapped and tired of being degraded, Delacroix recruits his assistant Sloan (Jada Pinkett Smith) to help create a new-age minstrel show, convinced it will get him fired. To his horror, the network loves the idea of Mantan: The New Millennium Minstrel Show and it becomes a hit with audiences. A radical hip hop group known as the Mau Maus and led by Hopkins’ brother (Mos Def) is irate about the show’s concept and decides to bring it to a violent end.
From its 135-minute running time to the decision to film it in Mini DV digital video, Bamboozled is a flawed film. Yes, it can be heavy-handed, but Lee is still on point when the film satirically acknowledges the issues plaguing African-Americans in entertainment. Bamboozled reinforces the idea that television networks are only concerned with ratings and money, not with promoting intelligent portrayals of minorities. The success of Mantan: The New Millennium Minstrel Show across racial lines allows other races to feel entirely too comfortable with the use of the word n-word; this is Lee analyzing its power and the notion that sharing it with the masses makes it acceptable to use—a flawed notion, indeed.
Lee uses Manray’s (Savion Glover) tap-dancing as a metaphor for minorities abandoning their morals to please larger audiences. Aside from Manray’s assassination at the hands of the Mau Maus, the most powerful scene is arguably the Mau Maus’ death at the hands of the police. Only one life is spared: One-Sixteenth Blak (MC Serch), the lone white member. His pleas for police to kill him as well speak to a twisted need for acceptance. Bamboozled may be too layered and too intense at times, but that doesn’t make its points any less significant.
Next Day Air (2009)
Image via Getty/Alberto E. Rodriguez
Director: Benny Boom
Stars: Donald Faison, Mike Epps, Wood Harris, Omari Hardwick, Emilio Rivera, Darius McCrary, Cisco Reyes, Yasmin Deliz
Next Day Air is one of those films that you probably started watching randomly on a Sunday afternoon only to find out that it’s one of the most outrageously funny films ever. The underrated classic stars Donald Faison as a delivery man who accidently drops off a package of drugs to the wrong door. Instead of delivering to a Hispanic couple that’s expecting it from a ruthless drug lord, he delivers it to Wood Harris and Mike Epps’ door. The two decide that it must be a gift from God to get them out of their financial woes.
The film contains one of Yasiin Bey’s (then-Mos Def) rare film appearances, a pre-Power Omari Hardwick, and Darius McCrary as a drug dealer who’ll have you questioning his wholesome appeal as Eddie Winslow in Family Matters. Overall, Next Day Air is a solid film that’s not afraid to take risks, and spoiler alert, nobody’s safe.
While Benny Boom is mostly known for his music videos, he made a sleeper hit with this one.
Pariah (2011)
Image via Focus Features
Director: Dee Rees
Stars: Adepero Oduye, Aasha Davis, Kim Wayans, Charles Parnell, Pernell Walker, Sahra Mellesse
On the surface, Pariah is a coming-of-age tale, told from the perspective of a young woman. At its core, it’s a film about the struggle for acceptance. Based on writer and director Dee Rees’ 2007 short film of the same name, Pariah follows 17-year-old Alike (Adepero Oduye), who has accepted the fact that she is a lesbian. Her parents, Audrey (Kim Wayans) and Arthur (Charles Parnell) are less understanding. Her mother is angry at the sudden changes in her daughter’s life, and while her father is accepting, he’s convinced it’s all just a phase.
Hoping that religion can place her daughter on what she perceives to be the right path, Audrey encourages a friendship between Alike and Bina (Aasha Davis), a girl from her church. Unbeknownst to Audrey, Bina is bi-curious. She and Alike share a moment of intimacy, and when Alike finally comes out to her family, the resulting fight forces her to seek refuge with her friend, Laura (Pernell Walker). Following her father’s feeble attempt at reconciliation, paired with her mother’s staunch opposition to it, Alike elects (a point she reinforces) to find a home away from her native New York.
Alike’s parents, Bina, and Laura serve as her mirror. She’s comfortable with herself and while Laura and Bina accept her for who she is, her parents denial about her sexual identity is painful. She confuses her night with Bina as a relationship, and finds out that Bina was only interested in experimenting. After experiencing rejection following her first sexual experience and rejection from her family, Alike is pushed over the edge. She already feels like an outcast due to her race, sexual preference, and gender; being turned away by a love interest and her family are the final alienations she can take. Pariah displays brave filmmaking by Rees and brave acting by the cast, especially Oduye.
Menace ll Society (1993)
Image via New Line Cinema
Director: Allen Hughes and Albert Hughes
Stars: Tyrin Turner, Larenz Tate, Jada Pinkett Smith, MC Eiht, Samuel L. Jackson, Glenn Plummer, Clifton Powell, Arnold Johnson, Khandi Alexander, Too Short, Bill Duke
The debate over which film is better, Menace II Society or Boyz N the Hood, is much like the Nas and Jay Z argument. After decades, it hasn’t let up, and it still makes revisiting the material an enjoyable experience. Only to a certain extent, of course, as there’s nothing pleasant about watching Menace II Society. As the son of a drug-dealing father and drug-addicted mother, Caine (Tyrin Turner), the film’s protagonist, seems doomed from the start. He sees too much too soon, and by the time he reaches the end of high school, he’s following in his father’s footsteps. But compared to his unstable friend O-Dog (Larenz Tate), he’s damn near a saint. Just teens, they’re caught up in the very adult world of crime, and the consequences are devastating.
Boyz N the Hood has moments of brightness and some sense of hope; Menace II Society is devoid of both. It’s ugly and violent, a near nihilistic film from filmmakers who were just 21 at the time it was released.
When the film reaches its bleak resolution, you know that there’s little that Caine could’ve done to save himself from his fate, and it’s on the viewer to want more from the world.
Dead Presidents (1995)
Video via YouTube
Director: Allen Hughes and Albert Hughes
Stars: Larenz Tate, Bokeem Woodbine, Keith David, Freddy Rodriguez, Chris Tucker, Rose Jackson, N’Bushe Wright, Alvaleta Guess, James Pickens, Jr., Clifton Powell
Spanning nearly 20 years, the Vietnam War had a crippling effect on the young men involved. Anyone fortunate enough to return home did so changed forever, and in many cases, for the worse. Anthony Curtis (Larenz Tate) graduates from high school in the late ’60s and enlists in the U.S. Marine Corps, eventually accompanied by friend Skip (Chris Tucker); his other friend, Jose (Freddy Rodriguez) gets drafted by the Army. In Vietnam, Anthony witnesses the horrors of war, serving several tours before finally coming back to the Bronx in the early ’70s. Struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and the task of supporting his family, Anthony sees no choice but to resort to crime, and helps organize the robbery of an armored car, clad in face paint.
Dead Presidents analyzes how the U.S. government uses young men, only to abandon them when they return home from war broken. Veterans who fought for their country feel cheated in their struggle to readjust to the world with little assistance from Uncle Sam. Anthony, whose downward spiral into crime is also motivated by alcohol, expresses this struggle as he’s being sentenced for his role in the robbery. When the judge delivers his sentence, he launches into a violent tirade because the institution he committed to failed him. Add an amazing soundtrack of ’60s and ’70s classics and you have a strong film that encapsulates life for soldiers after the battle.
House Party (1990)
Image via New Line Cinema
Director: Reginald Hudlin
Stars: Christopher “Kid” Reid, Christopher “Play” Martin, Robin Harris, Martin Lawrence, Full Force, Tisha Campbell, A.J. Johnson, John Witherspoon
Kid ‘n Play were well known in the hip hop community for their lighthearted songs and dance moves, but their starring roles in Reginald Hudlin’s House Party exposed them to a larger national audience. Christopher “Kid” Reid and Christopher “Play” Martin play Kid and Play, friends and good-natured kids forever in search of fun with their more temperamental friend Bilal (Martin Lawrence). Play plans to host a party at his house while his parents are gone, but Kid’s strict father (Robin Harris, in one of his final roles) forbids him to attend after he gets into a fight at school with a trio of bullies (Full Force’s “Paul Anthony” George, Lucien “Bowlegged Lou” George Jr., and Brian “B-Fine” George). Kid of course sneaks out of the house and experiences a wild night that includes dancing, an impromptu rap battle, jail, and a near miss at sex.
Part of the reason House Party became such a hit is the universality of its situation. Kid doesn’t disobey his father because he’s a bad kid; he does it because he doesn’t want to miss out—a feeling we can all understand.
House Party‘s strongest scenes take place at the party, particularly the “dance off,” which has been duplicated at parties and school talent shows for the past 23 years. Though the scene is set to Full Force’s “Ain’t My Type of Hype,” it was miraculously filmed sans music. If you’re foolish enough to question House Party‘s impact, ask yourself these questions: How many parties has it inspired over the years? How many will it continue to inspire? There’s a generation born slightly after the film’s release who probably know little of Kid ‘n Play the rappers, but still represent for the film and the duo’s feel-good spirit.
Love Jones (1997)
Image via Getty/Archive Photos
Director: Theodore Witcher
Stars: Larenz Tate, Nia Long, Isaiah Washington, Lisa Nicole Carson, Bill Bellamy, Leonard Roberts, Khalil Kain
Love Jones is the story of Darius (Larenz Tate) and Nina (Nia Long). Darius, a poet, is awestruck when he comes across the aspiring photographer, but their meeting arrives at the wrong time—Nina is recovering from a recent breakup. Add the fact that Darius has never maintained a long-term relationship to the equation, and you have the predicament that so many 20-somethings find themselves in: wanting each other, but without wanting to fully commit. People often get what they want, yet don’t know what to do once they get it. Darius and Nina are confused about the next move, but it’s so obvious that they love each other that you want to see them make it.
In his directorial debut, Theodore Witcher creates a smart love story about smart characters. Darius, Nina, and their friends have intelligent conversations, but just because they’re knowledgeable doesn’t mean they have all of the answers. The film really works because of Tate and Long’s magnetic chemistry; if nobody bought their relationship, the entire film would’ve failed.
Remember that Love Jones was released just six years after Boyz N The Hood (which Long appeared in) and four years after Menace ll Society (which Tate starred in); the range they displayed provided a nice contrast to past roles, letting viewers see them in an entirely different light. That’s growth.
New Jack City (1991)
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Director: Mario Van Peebles
Stars: Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Judd Nelson, Allen Payne, Chris Rock, Mario Van Peebles, Michael Michele, Bill Nunn, Russell Wong, Vanessa L. Williams, Bill Cobbs, Tracy Camilla Johns
New Jack City begins in the mid-’80s, right around the time that crack hit New York City hard. Flash forward a few years to when police officer Scotty Appleton (Ice-T) volunteers to go undercover to learn more about the violent CMB gang who operate out of an apartment complex turned drug factory and are led by the ruthless Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes).
Scotty enlists the help of Pookie (Chris Rock), a recovering crack addict whom he uses to infiltrate the CMB and gain evidence. Unable to resist the temptation of drugs, Pookie has a relapse that costs him his life and nearly compromises the entire operation. Scotty is able to gain Nino’s trust, capitalizing on his right-hand man Gee Money’s (Allen Payne) erratic, drug-fueled behavior. The CMB begin to implode and Nino is arrested. And just when it appears as though he’s beaten the system, he becomes a victim to the street justice he’s lived his life by.
New Jack City is powered by Snipes’ performance as the brash drug kingpin. He gains power thanks to his remorseless nature, using the public and his own team’s fear of him to his advantage. He’ll stop at nothing to satisfy his thirst for total domination, and he’s unconcerned with the lives he destroys in the process. Chris Rock’s Pookie is a sad reminder of the realities of drug addiction; he’s unable to fight the temptation even when he wants to—even when he knows what’s at stake.
The film’s anti-drug message may seem forced, but remember, it’s a sign of the times. New Jack City begins during the Reagan era, when urban sprawl referred to the movement of crack throughout inner cities. Van Peebles’ film could’ve taken place in any city, and it was made out of a necessity to share its harsh realities with the masses.
Set It Off (1996)
Image via New Line Cinema
Director: F. Gary Gray
Stars: Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox, Kimberly Elise, John C. McGinley, Blair Underwood
Set It Off follows four black women who are fed up with their cleaning jobs and decide to rob a bank to earn some major cash. However, they quickly become a news sensation as the police gain on them.
Jada Pinkett-Smith’s character, Stony, shares a steamy scene with Blair Underwood’s Keith over the classic song En Vogue’s “Don’t Let Go (Love) that made us want to take a trip to the grocery store to pick up some chocolate syrup, ASAP. And let’s not forget the ending, which has us ugly crying to Brandy’s “Missing You” as Stony cuts off her braids and reminisces on the good times with her friends. Did we mention that the soundtrack is dope? It’s dope.
Best Man Holiday (2013)
Image via Universal Pictures
Director: Malcolm D. Lee
Stars: Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Morris Chestnut, Monica Calhoun, Harold Perrineau, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Melissa De Sousa
While The Best Man is a classic film about a man discovering that his wife cheated on him with his best man, it became even better when the exact same cast returned 14 years later (looking barely a day older, at that) to continue to storyline of the beloved characters. While the crew seemed to be over most of the drama of the first film, there was plenty more issues at hand in the Christmas-themed movie.
What truly makes this film stellar (aside from the star-studded ensemble black cast), is the heartbreaking ending that will change the crew for life. In the end, there’s plenty of black love, friendship, and pain to leave your heart full. Plus, that dance off scene is legit.
Crooklyn (1994)
Image via Universal Pictures
Director: Spike Lee
Stars: Zelda Harris, Delroy Lindo, Alfre Woodard, Carlton Williams, Sharif Rashed, Chris Knowings, Isaiah Washington, Spike Lee, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Joie Susannah Lee, Frances Foster
Spike Lee’s own experiences growing up in Brooklyn inspired Crooklyn, a film that takes a unique angle: a coming-of-age tale told from the female perspective.
Set in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood during the early 1970s, Crooklyn focuses on the trials and tribulations of the Carmichael family. Troy (Zelda Harris) is her parents’ only daughter and quite possibly the only level-headed member of the family. Her parents are constantly arguing over money and her brothers are always bouncing off the walls off their brownstone. After experiencing a different side of life following a stay with her more stable, more wealthy extended family, she returns to Brooklyn a different person. More mature, she finds herself forced to take a more active role in holding her family together.
Lee wrote Crooklyn with his sister Joie Lee and brother Cinqué Lee, but they say the film is only semi-autobiographical. Still, as the late Roger Ebert mentioned in his review, some scenes are so painfully accurate that they have to be drawn on real-life experiences. Once Troy returns from her southern vacation, her mother passes the torch to her and tasks her with the responsibility of watching out for the entire family—even her father. At a young age, she’s asked to fill a huge void, and Zelda Harris’ acting allows you to see the immediate change towards the film’s end.
Crooklyn may not be Lee’s most talked about film, but it’s his most personal and certainly one of his best.
CB4 (1993)
Image via Getty/Anthony Barboza
Director: Tamra Davis
Stars: Chris Rock, Allen Payne, Deezer D, Chris Elliott, Phil Hartman, Charlie Murphy, Khandi Alexander, Art Evans, Theresa Randle, Rachel True
Faking it until you make it works—until, of course, you make it and your past returns to haunt you. In Tamra Davis’ spot-on satire CB4, a group of wannabe rappers (Chris Rock, Allen Payne, and Deezer D) seek help from hilariously intimidating goon Gusto (Charlie Murphy). They appropriate his hardcore persona into their music, fashioning themselves CB4, or “Cell Block 4,” a far cry from their wholesome upbringing. Their thug appeal results in popularity, but when Gusto breaks out of prison, good sense makes them drop the act, but not before Gusto ends up back behind bars where he belongs.
CB4 excels at making fun of hip hop itself. The Wacky Dee character is a blatant reference to MC Hammer; CB4’s hit single “Straight Outta Locash” is a parody of N.W.A.’s “Straight Outta Compton”; and the idea that an image needs to be sold to the public is a faulty idea that still plagues hip hop to this day. Chris Rock helped to write the film, and being the self-aware genius that he is, he was smart enough to reference some of his past roles, including New Jack City‘s crack-addicted Pookie and the skinny, Jheri curl-wearing kid pestering the great Isaac Hayes for a single rib in I’m Gonna Git You Sucka.
Though hip hop doesn’t take itself too seriously (well, some artists do), it occasionally needs a good lampooning. This is why CB4 remains a trailblazing piece of filmmaking.
Girlhood (2014)
Image via Netflix
Director: Céline Sciamma
Stars: Karidja Touré, Assa Syllam, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré
While Paris is often thought of as the beautiful city of love, Girlhood showed that there is another site to the French capital. The 2014 film follows Marieme, a 16-year-old who’s slumming it in Paris while dealing with her abusive older brother as their mom goes to vocational school. It isn’t long before she finds herself immersed in gang life full of leather jackets and flashy jewelry. But within their criminal ways exists a story of sisterhood and an undying need to prove yourself in a ruthless world.
While gang life is often seen in several American films, this was one of the most popular films surrounding the topic to come from another country. With Céline Sciamma in the director’s chair, viewers also got to see black women as multifaceted people, who can be tough and loving at the same time.
Dope (2015)
Image via Open Road Films
Director: Rick Famuyiwa
Stars: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, A$AP Rocky, Zoë Kravitz
Dope follows Malcolm, a nerd trying to come up to gain the attention of Zoë Kravitz’ Nakia. But after A$AP Rocky’s character, Dom, secretly places bags of molly in Malcolm’s bookbag before heading off to jail, Malcolm is forced into a rat race as he tries to get rid of it while attempting to get into Harvard University at the same time. Oh, and he has to avoid Dom’s drug dealing rivals as well. Luckily, he has two friends, Jib and Diggy, who offer their help.
Overall, Dope is one of the freshest films to come out in the past few years. With a heavy ode to ‘90s culture, it became the black millennial coming-of-age story we didn’t know we needed. And spoiler alert, the spoken essay that Malcolm delivers on identity at the end of the film easily rivals The Breakfast Club’s ending.
Black Dynamite (2009)
Image via Getty/Kristian Dowling
Director: Scott Sanders
Stars: Michael Jai White, Salli Richardson, Arsenio Hall, Tommy Davidson, Obba Babatunde, Kevin Chapman, Richard Edson, Brian McKnight, Buddy Lewis, Miguel A. Nunez, Jr., John Salley, Kym Whitley, Mykelti Williamson, Bokeem Woodbine, Cedric Yarbrough, Nicole Sullivan
Michael Jai White made it up to all 13 people who saw the disaster that was the Spawn film with Black Dynamite, another blaxploitation spoof. The film stars White as Vietnam veteran and ex-CIA agent Black Dynamite, the afro-sporting hero who seeks revenge on the mysterious group responsible for his brother Jimmy’s death. After discovering that the same organization is supplying orphanages with heroin, Black Dynamite organizes his own team to take the evil faction down. Along the way, he charms activist Gloria Gray (Salli Richardson, who’s still strikingly beautiful), winning her over thanks to his stand-up-guy nature. His quest to stop “The Man” eventually leads to an epic showdown at the White House with President Nixon.
Aside from proving that White (who co-wrote the film) could be funny, Black Dynamite expertly parodied blaxploitation films just as I’m Gonna Git You Sucka did two decades earlier. If Pootie Tang let you down (which it almost certainly did), Black Dynamite provided comedy, action, and a story that, while ridiculous, stays in line with the traditional themes of the genre. For instance, Black Dynamite was shot using Super 16 film, and intentional errors were written into the film as references to the low production qualities seen in blaxploitation films. Additionally, actors would often hilariously recite their stage dialogue before their lines.
The score was also important to the film’s execution. Musical wizard Adrian Younge drew on inspiration from artists ranging from Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield to the Wu-Tang Clan to craft a soundtrack that truly drives the film. Released to critical acclaim, Black Dynamite‘s success led to the creation of an animated spin-off, which features original cast members White, Minns, Tommy Davidson, and Kym Whitley. Now, it seems that there might be a sequel in the works, too.
Girls Trip (2017)
Image via Universal Pictures
Director: Malcolm D. Lee
Stars: Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish, Larenz Tate, Mike Colter, Kofi Siriboe
In 2016, just 14% of female characters in the top 100 grossing films were black. So when a film about four black women heading to the black woman Mecca, aka Essence Festival, was announced, naturally it was going to be a movement. And when they announced the star-studded cast, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Regina Hall, and breakout star Tiffany Haddish, things really took off.
While 2017’s Girls Trip turned out to be an outrageous comedy that made us never look at a grapefruit the same way again, it was also a heartwarming story about sisterhood, learning to overcome pettiness, and owning up to your own bullshit while not letting anyone else force their bullshit on you. Not to mention, there’s that dope Set It Off reference as Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett-Smith returned to the screen together for the first time since the 1996 movie.
Girls Trip also saw the return of Larenz Tate, who looked like he just stepped out of the Love Jones time machine. Can you say hallelujah?
Straight Outta Compton (2015)
Image via Universal Pictures
Director: F. Gary Gray
Stars: O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Paul Giamatti
Straight Outta Compton tells the story of ‘80s gangsta rap group, N.W.A., comprised of Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, DJ Yella, and the late Eazy-E (in the film, Arabian Prince only makes a brief appearance). After teaming up and finding their sound, the crew must navigate their newfound success, shady record company people, and of course police brutality, which led to their smash hit single “Fuck The Police.”
But Straight Outta Compton wasn’t just another biopic. It showed that hip hop stories are more than worthy of being on the big screen. And after grossing $161.2 million in the United States and Canada, it revitalized the hip hop biopic, leading to films like All Eyez On Me, about Tupac, and to conversations on which other acts deserve to have their stories told on the big screen. Also, Ice Cube’s son, O’Shea Jackson Jr., rocked it in his portrayal of his legendary dad.
Love and Basketball (2000)
Image via Getty
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Stars: Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, Alfre Woodard, Dennis Haysbert, Debbi Morgan, Harry J. Lenix, Kyle Pratt, Boris Kodjoe, Tyra Banks, Regina Hall, Gabrielle Union, Monca Calhoun
Sticking to its basketball theme, Love And Basketball is split into four quarters and unfolds like a game. During the first quarter, young Quincy McCall (Omar Epps) and Monica Wright (Sanaa Lathan) meet when the latter relocates to Los Angeles during the early 1980s. Their antagonistic relationship quickly becomes a friendship due to their mutual love for the sport, but their careers are on divergent paths. Quincy, the son of a former NBA player, becomes a highly-touted college prospect in high school. Monica, meanwhile, struggles to gain attention as her emotions often get the best of her on the court, scaring college scouts away.
On prom night, they finally act on their suppressed feelings for one another, leading to a relationship at USC. Once again, Quincy has success from the beginning, while Monica continues to fight for respect and playing time. However, the thin-skinned Quincy is unable to deal with his parents’ dissolving marriage and takes his frustration out on Monica, ending their relationship and prematurely declaring for the NBA draft. During the film’s final quarter, Quincy and Monica have gone their separate ways, but are forced to confront their feelings for each other one final time.
Quincy and Monica are both driven by their love for each other, as well as their love of, yes, basketball. They both take the same approach to love as they do to the game, playing freely and with reckless abandon. It’s worth noting that life changes for them at the end of the third quarter: Quincy, who’s had it relatively easy his whole life, is the one who struggles in the fourth quarter, as Monica becomes the star. It’s Quincy’s difficulties since their breakup that eventually force him to realize that he needs her.
Though some moments venture into cheesy territory, Love And Basketball is a layered love story that runs the emotional gamut.
Brown Sugar (2002)
Image via Getty/New York Daily News Archive
Director: Rick Famuyiwa
Stars: Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, Mos Def, Nicole Ari Parker, Boris Kodjoe, Queen Latifah, Wendell Pierce
Can men and women ever truly be platonic friends? This is the eternal question that director Rick Famuyiwa ponders in Brown Sugar. Dre (Taye Diggs) and Sydney (Sanaa Lathan) have been friends since their childhood days in New York, but there have never been any romantic sparks between the two of them. Dre has become a successful A&R, while Sydney has become editor-in-chief at a hip hop magazine; their friendship has never been tested until Dre gets engaged to Reese (Nicole Ari Parker), an attorney who’s the antithesis to Sydney and the wrong woman for him.
Suddenly, Sydney realizes that her feelings for Dre may have been stronger than those of pure friendship, even though she’s currently being entertained by NBA star Kelby Dawson (Boris Kodjoe). Even though Sydney accepts Kelby’s proposal, jealousy between Sydney and Reese reaches a boiling point and, eventually the viewers (and the characters) get what they want: a Dre and Sydney hookup.
Brown Sugar is about choices—specifically, are Dre and Sydney making the right ones, personally and professionally? Both characters are forced to decide whether they’re willing to devote their lives to people and situations that are externally attractive, as opposed to following their hearts and doing what’s instinctively right. It’s obviously a love story, and Dre and Sydney’s mutual love for hip hop is as central to the story as their love for each other. Truth be told, hip hop might as well be the third lead character.
Soul Food (1997)
Image via 20th Century Fox
Director: George Tillman, Jr.
Stars: Vanessa L. Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long, Michael Beach, Mekhi Phifer, Brandon Hammond, Irma P. Hall, Jeffrey D. Sams, Gina Rivera
Soul Food is all about the importance and strength of family. Set in Chicago, it’s the story of an extremely close-knit clan told through the eyes of Ahmad (Brandon Hammond), who enjoys his family’s tradition of a large Sunday evening meal at family matriarch Big Mama’s (Irma P. Hall) house. Although they’re close, the family still has their issues, which are amplified when Big Mama suffers a stroke and falls into a coma. Without her wisdom, inner turmoil begins to tear the family apart, but Ahmad works to unite them once again in what could be the final opportunity to make Big Mama proud. Despite his youth, Ahmad seems to be the only one who never loses sight of that bigger picture.
The concept of family is very important to the black community, and Soul Food preaches this to near-perfection, emphasizing the notion that “it takes a village to raise a child.” Tillman, Jr.’s film also strikes a nerve with viewers because many of them observe striking resemblances to their own families. Chances are, you will, too.
Boyz n the Hood (1991)
Image via Columbia Pictures
Director: John Singleton
Stars: Cuba Gooding, Jr., Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, Laurence Fishburne, Nia Long, Angela Bassett, Tyra Ferrell, Regina King
John Singleton’s debut Boyz n the Hood examines the difficulties young black men face growing up in urban environments damaged by drugs and violence. Mainstream media was largely unaware, uninterested, or too afraid to touch on what was going on in these places, but Singleton was not. His debut follows Tre Styles (Cuba Gooding Jr.), a good kid, thanks to lessons instilled in him by his father (Laurence Fishburne). He has a job and both he and his girlfriend Brandi (Nia Long) are college bound. His friend Ricky (Morris Chestnut) is a highly coveted running back with the opportunity to attend USC on an athletic scholarship; Ricky’s half-brother Doughboy (Ice Cube) is a street-smart criminal who’s often the target of his mother’s ire, a reflection of her feelings about his father. Over a short period of time, Tre’s life begins to unravel due to factors he has no control over.
Boyz N the Hood and Kendrick Lamar’s major label debut album good kid, m.A.A.d city are cut from the same cloth. Both deal with the grim realities that a bright, properly raised black teenager can face, through no fault of his own. Like Kendrick Lamar, Tre Styles is just a product of his environment attempting to navigate the madness.
Both works of art also deal with loss. In Boyz N the Hood, the surviving characters—and the audience—are forced to deal with Ricky’s tragic death, which is particularly gut-wrenching when coupled with revelation that he got the required SAT score to qualify for the scholarship.
Written and directed by Singleton, who was fresh out of USC at the time, the film was nominated for two Oscars—Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Singleton was both the youngest person and the first African-American ever to be nominated for Best Director.
In the film’s final scene, Doughboy and Tre talk the morning after Ricky’s death has been avenged, and an insightful Doughboy delivers the line that defines the film: “Either they don’t know, don’t show, or don’t care about what’s going on in the hood.” They didn’t—until John Singleton made this film.
The Five Heartbeats (1991)
Image via Green Lighthouse
Director: Robert Townsend
Stars: Robert Townsend, Leon, Michael Wright, Tico Wells, Harry J. Lennix, Hawthorne James, Diahann Carroll, Theresa Randle, Lamont Johnson
Actor and director Robert Townsend followed his stinging satire Hollywood Shuffle up with The Five Heartbeats, which follows the rise and fall of a fictional R&B group. Co-written by Townsend and Keenen Ivory Wayans and loosely based on the lives of legendary R&B artists such as The Dells and The Four Tops, the film begins in the early ’90s with Donald “Duck” Matthews (Townsend) reminiscing on his time as a member of The Five Heartbeats, along with his brother J.T. (Leon), Terrence “Dresser” Williams (Harry J. Lennix), Anthony “Choir Boy” Williams (Tico Wells), and mercurial frontman Eddie King, Jr. (Michael Wright). The film flashes back to the group’s early days in the ’60s, long before the Heartbeats would grace the pages of Rolling Stone and be mentioned in the same breath as The Dells or The Temptations. It chronicles their rise to fame, their success, and their eventual dissolution due to inner turmoil.
The film is best defined by a scene that’s withstood the years. It happens at a singing competition, back when the Heartbeats were just amateurs: the announcer, who happens to be the cousin of rival group Bird and the Midnight Falcons’ frontman, forces the group to use a piano player they do not know, just before they’re about to perform “A Heart Is A House for Love.” The performance is flat, and the crowd voices their displeasure, until Duck pushes the piano player out of the way and begins to play the song as it’s intended. Possessed by the moment, Eddie loosens his tie and belts out a note from the depths of his soul, winning the crowd over and reducing Bird’s girlfriend (who’s seated in the front row) to a puddle. The Five Heartbeats win the competition, their first taste of success. 26 years later and the scene still gives us goosebumps.
Despite receiving mixed reviews, The Five Heartbeats was a success on many levels. In addition to succeeding at telling the stories of some of the period’s most important groups, it also created a magnetic frontman in Eddie King, Jr. reminiscent of other frontmen from that era. The character incorporated both the charm of Smokey Robinson and the volatile nature of David Ruffin. The Five Heartbeats‘ legacy lives on through “A Heart Is a House for Love,” which was performed specifically for the film by one of its inspirations, The Dells.
What’s Love Got to Do with It? (1993)
Image via Buena Vista Pictures
Director: Brian Gibson
Stars: Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, Khandi Alexander, Cora Lee Day, Jenifer Lewis, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Chi McBride, Richard T. Jones
Inspired by Tina Turner and Kurt Loder’s book, I, Tina, What’s Love Got to Do With It? tells the legend’s life story, from her upbringing in Tennessee to the moment she crossed the threshold to stardom. Born Anna Mae Bullock, Turner (Angela Bassett) realizes her dream to be a professional singer, thanks to the charming Ike Turner (Laurence Fishburne). Their relationship quickly becomes romantic and they wed, rocketing to fame as Ike and Tina Turner.
But when Ike grows jealous of Tina’s place in the spotlight, he takes his anger out on her physically, savagely beating her. As Ike descends deeper into drug use, his behavior worsens, as do the beatings, but Tina puts her best face forward for the public. She fights back, eventually divorcing Ike and winning the right to keep her stage name—essentially, her independence. With the help of producer Roger Davies, she goes on to become the icon she’s recognized as today—without Ike.
Loosely based on actual events and sharing the title of one of Turner’s biggest solo hits, What’s Love Got to Do With It? is powered by the performances of Bassett and Fishburne. The former portrays Turner with the strength that’s come to be known as her trademark. Take the limo scene, where Ike and Tina trade blows before she asks Ike, before pouncing on him, “Is that your best shot?” Fishburne’s Ike is a possessive man ruined by drug addiction and excess. In the infamous “Eat the cake” scene, a stoned Ike mushes cake all over Tina’s face, humiliating her in front of a diner full of people, showing no remorse.
Bassett and Fishburne, reunited following their appearances in Boyz n the Hood, both earned Academy Award nominations for their performances, and Bassett scored a Golden Globe, all of which were well deserved.
Boomerang (1992)
Image via Getty
Director: Reginald Hudlin
Stars: Eddie Murphy, Robin Givens, Halle Berry, David Alan Grier, Martin Lawrence, Bebe Drake, Chris Rock, Eartha Kitt, Grace Jones, John Witherspoon, Lela Rochon, Melvin Van Peebles
Karma is vicious, so watching a womanizing ad man simultaneously meet his match and his comeuppance has to be entertaining, right? Right. In Reginald Hudlin’s Boomerang, the arrogant Marcus Graham (Eddie Murphy) beds women with no remorse—until he’s introduced to his new boss, Jacqueline (Robin Givens). She’s a man-eater who devours Marcus whole and spits out everything except for his heart, which she crushes in the palm of her hand. Because Marcus is essentially following Jacqueline to his demise, he overlooks bubbly art department employee Angela (Halle Berry), but only temporarily.
Once Jacqueline sees that Marcus’ interest has gone elsewhere, she reels him right back in. This leaves Marcus forced to decide between the genuine love he feels for Angela and the lust that Jacqueline uses to manipulate him. To this point, Boomerang revealed a valuable life lesson: sometimes you have to face yourself and see the undesirable characteristics within to become a better person.
Music played a huge part in Boomerang‘s success. The soundtrack is objectively amazing, but it’s also important to the film. Toni Braxton’s “Love Shoulda Brought You Home” was ripped right from the script, echoing Angela’s frustration with Marcus and his issues with commitment. Hell, her “Love should’ve brought your ass home last night!” line inspired the song. P.M. Dawn’s “I’d Die Without You,” is sung from Marcus’ point of view, struggling as he discovers that Jacqueline has turned the tables on him and that Angela is the one he needs. Plus, Grace Jones appears as an exaggerated version of herself, and her Strangé commercial is essentially a visual depiction of how Yeezus sounds.
Friday (1995)
Image via New Line Cinema
Director: F. Gary Gray
Stars: Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Bernie Mac, Tiny “Zeus” Lister, Jr., John Witherspoon, Anna Maria Horsford, Regina King, Paula Jai Parker, DJ Pooh, Faizon Love, Tony Cox
After directing a few of Ice Cube’s videos, F. Gary Gray struck gold with his first feature film, the cult-classic comedy Friday. Cube plays Craig, who’s experiencing a long weekend after getting fired from his job, for allegedly stealing boxes. (Is this ever confirmed? Does it even matter?) Anyway, his pothead friend, Smokey (Chris Tucker), has a remedy for the situation: get high, because it’s Friday and there’s nothing better to do. Little does Craig know that Smokey, possibly the worst low-level drug dealer ever, has goaded him into getting high on his own supply when he’s already in debt to Big Worm (Faizon Love). They spend the day trying to raise the $200 Smokey owes Big Worm, all the while avoiding hulking neighborhood bully Deebo (Tiny “Zeus” Lister, Jr.) and trying to keep a close eye on everyone’s dream girl, Debbie (Nia Long).
Friday doesn’t force a deep message down your throat, the plot isn’t intricate, and a great portion of the film takes place on Craig’s front porch. But the characters carry this movie and make it a classic. The loud, animated Smokey provides constant comic relief; Debbie is that around-the-way girl that every dude covets; and Craig is the laid-back hero who knocks the neighborhood bully the fuck out and gets the girl in the end. It’s your average Friday in the hood, except this one is endlessly quotable and has infinite replay value.
