In search of good movies to watch? As the lights dim and the popcorn crackles, get ready to be transported to another world. Indeed, we’ve all experienced that moment when the opening credits roll and the magic of a great film takes over. But with endless streaming choices, finding those unforgettable movies that leave a lasting impression can be a challenge.
Cinema has long been a powerful medium for storytelling, reflection, and cultural expression. Over the years, Black actors and actresses have delivered unforgettable performances that not only entertain but also provoke thought and inspire change.
From heart-pounding thrillers to laugh-out-loud comedies to mind-bending sci-fi, we’ve handpicked a collection of films guaranteed to delight every movie lover.
So, turn off your phone, settle in, and get ready for a cinematic adventure. Whether you’re planning a solo movie night or a cozy evening with friends, these selections are sure to hit the mark. Ready to find your next favorite movie?
Here’s a list of 20 exceptional movies that feature Black talent, spanning various genres and eras:
Black Panther (2018)
Filming Locations: Atlanta, Georgia; South Korea
Box Office: $1.34 billion worldwide
Awards: Won 3 Oscars (Best Original Score, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design); nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Picture.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, “Black Panther” is more than just a superhero movie. With Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, the film explores themes of identity, heritage, and responsibility, all while celebrating African culture. The stellar cast includes Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan, and Danai Gurira.
12 Years A Slave (2013)
Filming Locations: New Orleans, Louisiana; Felicity Plantation, Vacherie, Louisiana
Box Office: $187.7 million worldwide
Awards: Won 3 Oscars (Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress for Lupita Nyong’o, Best Adapted Screenplay); nominated for 9 Oscars.
Based on the true story of Solomon Northup, a free Black man who is kidnapped and sold into slavery, this film is a harrowing yet essential watch. Directed by Steve McQueen and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong’o, and Michael Fassbender, it is a powerful depiction of endurance and humanity.
Get Out (2017)
Filming Locations: Fairhope, Alabama
Box Office: $255.4 million worldwide
Awards: Won 1 Oscar (Best Original Screenplay for Jordan Peele); nominated for 4 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Actor for Daniel Kaluuya.
Jordan Peele’s directorial debut is a brilliant social thriller that tackles racial tensions through the lens of horror. Daniel Kaluuya delivers an exceptional performance as Chris, a young Black man who uncovers disturbing secrets when he meets his white girlfriend’s family.
The Color Purple (1985)
Filming Locations: North Carolina; Anson and Union counties
Box Office: $142 million worldwide
Awards: Nominated for 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Whoopi Goldberg, and Best Supporting Actress for Oprah Winfrey and Margaret Avery.
Directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, this film features outstanding performances by Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, and Danny Glover. It is a poignant story about the struggles and resilience of African American women in the early 20th century South.
Hidden Figures (2016)
Filming Locations: Atlanta, Georgia; Morrow, Georgia
Box Office: $236.2 million worldwide
Awards: Nominated for 3 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress for Octavia Spencer.
This inspiring film tells the true story of three African American women mathematicians—Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson—who worked at NASA and played crucial roles in the space race. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe bring their incredible stories to life.
Malcolm X (1992)
Filming Locations: New York City; Mecca, Saudi Arabia; Cairo, Egypt
Box Office: $73 million worldwide
Awards: Nominated for 2 Oscars (Best Actor for Denzel Washington, Best Costume Design).
Directed by Spike Lee, this biographical epic stars Denzel Washington in a career-defining role as Malcolm X. The film chronicles the civil rights leader’s life from his early days to his assassination, offering a complex and nuanced portrayal.
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Filming Locations: San Francisco, California; Oakland, California
Box Office: $307.1 million worldwide
Awards: Nominated for 1 Oscar (Best Actor for Will Smith).
Based on a true story, this film stars Will Smith as Chris Gardner, a homeless salesman who rises above his challenges to find success. The heartwarming story also features Jaden Smith, Will’s real-life son, playing Gardner’s son.
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Filming Locations: New York City; Harlem, New York
Box Office: $20.6 million worldwide
Awards: Won 1 Oscar (Best Supporting Actress for Regina King); nominated for 3 Oscars.
Directed by Barry Jenkins, this adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel is a beautiful and heartbreaking love story set against the backdrop of racial injustice. The film stars KiKi Layne, Stephan James, and Regina King, who won an Oscar for her role.
Loving (2016)
Filming Locations: Richmond, Virginia; Central Virginia
Box Office: $12.9 million worldwide
Awards: Nominated for 1 Oscar (Best Actress for Ruth Negga).
Directed by Jeff Nichols, “Loving” tells the true story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple whose challenge to Virginia’s ban on interracial marriage led to a landmark Supreme Court decision. Ruth Negga’s portrayal of Mildred earned her an Oscar nomination, with Joel Edgerton co-starring as Richard.
Harriet (2019)
Filming Locations: Richmond, Virginia; Powhatan, Virginia; Petersburg, Virginia
Box Office: $43.3 million worldwide
Awards: Nominated for 2 Oscars (Best Actress for Cynthia Erivo, Best Original Song).
This biographical film, directed by Kasi Lemmons, stars Cynthia Erivo as Harriet Tubman, the iconic freedom fighter who escaped slavery and helped lead hundreds of enslaved people to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Erivo’s powerful performance earned her nominations for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.
Queen & Slim (2019)
Filming Locations: Cleveland, Ohio; New Orleans, Louisiana
Box Office: $47.9 million worldwide
Awards: Nominated for multiple awards, including Best First Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards.
Directed by Melina Matsoukas and written by Lena Waithe, “Queen & Slim” follows a couple whose first date takes a dramatic turn after a traffic stop spirals out of control. Starring Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith, the film is a gripping and poignant commentary on race and police brutality.
Marshall (2017)
Filming Locations: Buffalo, New York
Box Office: $10.1 million worldwide
Awards: Nominated for 1 Oscar (Best Original Song for “Stand Up for Something”).
Chadwick Boseman stars as Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice, in this biographical legal drama. Directed by Reginald Hudlin, the film focuses on one of Marshall’s early career-defining cases, showcasing Boseman’s remarkable talent.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
Filming Locations: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Box Office: Released primarily on streaming platforms (Netflix)
Awards: Won 2 Oscars (Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling); nominated for 5 Oscars including Best Actor for Chadwick Boseman and Best Actress for Viola Davis.
Based on August Wilson’s play, this film, directed by George C. Wolfe, stars Viola Davis as the legendary blues singer Ma Rainey. Chadwick Boseman delivers a phenomenal final performance as Levee, a talented but troubled trumpet player. The film explores themes of race, art, and exploitation in 1920s Chicago.
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Filming Locations: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Chiang Mai, Thailand
Box Office: Released primarily on streaming platforms (Netflix)
Awards: Nominated for multiple awards; Delroy Lindo received critical acclaim and several nominations for his performance.
Spike Lee’s Vietnam War drama follows four African American veterans who return to Vietnam decades later to find their squad leader’s remains and a buried treasure. The ensemble cast includes Delroy Lindo, Clarke Peters, and Chadwick Boseman in another standout role.
The Hate U Give (2018)
Filming Locations: Atlanta, Georgia
Box Office: $34.9 million worldwide
Awards: Won several awards, including Best Youth Performance for Amandla Stenberg at the Seattle Film Critics Awards.
Directed by George Tillman Jr., this adaptation of Angie Thomas’s novel stars Amandla Stenberg as Starr Carter, a teenager who witnesses the police shooting of her best friend. The film addresses issues of racism, activism, and identity, making it a powerful and timely story.
Just Mercy (2019)
Filming Locations: Atlanta, Georgia; Montgomery, Alabama
Box Office: $50.4 million worldwide
Awards: Won multiple awards, including the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture; nominated for several awards including Best Supporting Actor for Jamie Foxx at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Based on a true story, “Just Mercy” follows civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, played by Michael B. Jordan, as he fights to free a wrongfully convicted death row inmate, portrayed by Jamie Foxx. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the film highlights the systemic injustices in the American legal system.
Us (2019)
Filming Locations: Santa Cruz, California; Pasadena, California
Box Office: $255.2 million worldwide
Awards: Won several awards including the Saturn Award for Best Horror Film; nominated for numerous awards, with Lupita Nyong’o receiving significant acclaim for her dual role.
Jordan Peele’s follow-up to “Get Out” is a psychological horror film starring Lupita Nyong’o in a dual role as Adelaide Wilson and her terrifying doppelgänger. The film’s exploration of duality and societal issues, combined with Nyong’o’s gripping performance, makes it a must-watch.
Eve’s Bayou (1997)
Filming Locations: Louisiana
Box Office: $14.8 million worldwide
Awards: Won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature; named Best Film of 1997 by the National Board of Review.
This critically acclaimed film, directed by Kasi Lemmons, explores the secrets and lies within a Southern Black family. With a stellar cast including Samuel L. Jackson, Lynn Whitfield, and Jurnee Smollett, “Eve’s Bayou” is a haunting and beautifully crafted story of memory and betrayal.
The Great Debaters (2007)
Filming Locations: Mansfield, Louisiana; Shreveport, Louisiana
Box Office: $30.2 million worldwide
Awards: Won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture; nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama.
Directed by and starring Denzel Washington, this film tells the true story of the debate team from Wiley College, a historically Black institution, who challenged Harvard in the 1930s. With a strong supporting cast including Forest Whitaker and Jurnee Smollett, the film is an uplifting tale of perseverance and intellectual triumph.
The Help (2011)
Filming Locations: Greenwood, Mississippi
Box Office: $216.6 million worldwide
Awards: Won 1 Oscar (Best Supporting Actress for Octavia Spencer); nominated for 4 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Actress for Viola Davis.
This film, directed by Tate Taylor, is set in the 1960s and follows the lives of Black maids working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi. Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, and Emma Stone deliver powerful performances, with Spencer winning an Oscar for her role as Minny Jackson.
