The very next year saw the release of Keenen’s directorial debut, the Blaxploitation satire I’m Gonna Git You Sucka. But then again, Keenen Ivory Wayans is in the film and also co-wrote the script. It’s also notable for being a satire that predates the reign of the Wayans comedy dynasty, if only by a year. His satire of Hollywood and the way that it stereotypes Black actors is just as relevant as it was back in 1987. Hollywood Shuffle (1987)ĭirector Robert Townsend is a legendary Black talent, with Hollywood Shuffle being his crown jewel. This is a ’90s gem that deserves its due. Cundieff, who also directed the classic horror anthology Tales From the Hood, continues his engagement with Black masculinity in both thoughtful and humorous ways. This is the kind of film begging for reexamination from critics, especially considering how much rap has changed over the years.
We all know the 1993 comedy CB4, but what about the rap mockumentary released that same year? Rusty Cundieff’s Fear of a Black Hat takes a more intellectual approach to its satire, engaging with the ways that early rap groups performed Blackness. This documentary puts you right in the church and makes you feel at home there. Amazing Grace is a full-bodied spiritual experience with one of the most astonishing voices the world has ever seen at its center. Experiencing the film through streaming doesn’t interfere with the film’s power at all. This documentary showcasing the late great Aretha Franklin coming home to gospel music in the middle of her mainstream success is an image so beautiful that it brought me to tears in the theater when I saw it. While we are all at home, we can still go to church.
There has been so much talk over the years of Grace Jones being intimidating or hypersexual, but the time in her homeland reveals her as a woman who is trying to be a symbol of strength for the world. The scenes in her homeland of Jamaica with her mother are the best. This is the kind of documentary you can put on when you’re lonely and it feels like you’re spending private time with Jones. Grace Jones is an enigmatic woman, but in this documentary, viewers are privileged enough to get to know her, her ideas, and how they were influenced by troubled family history. This long, immersive concert documentary gives viewers an intimate look at the artistic process of one of our most precious Black entertainers. Like living legend Loretta Devine - looking as fine as her Different World days - romancing Gregory Hines. I find something new to love about this film every time I watch it. Then every time you revisit the film, it feels like a surprise. Is there anything more cathartic than watching four iconic actresses bond with the scenic Arizona landscape as a backdrop? The great thing about Waiting to Exhale is that you always remember it as an emotional film, but forget how funny it is. This is a film where the bloopers at the end are worth sitting through. Fox, Morris Chestnut, Mo’Nique, Gabrielle Union, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Tamala Jones, and - sigh - Anthony Anderson are one of the best Black romcom ensembles since 1999’s The Best Man. Two Can Play That Game is the rare modern romantic comedy that feels timeless, with an easy chemistry among the performers that comes through even when their dialogue is a bit corny.
“The CIA ain’t got shit on a woman with a plan.” Every quote in this film is an Instagram caption. The less I say about this film the better its melancholy tonal shift and poetic ending speak for themselves. Newcomers Eden Duncan-Smith and Dante Crichlow are charismatic as two nerdy best friends trying to change the world. Director Stefon Bristol and co-writer Fredrica Bailey’s script is both authentic, hilarious and, eventually, heartbreaking. See You Yesterday tells the story of two smart, young Black teens who are working on a time machine. This heartfelt little indie just won an Independent Spirit Award this year and yet it still doesn’t get enough love. Dolemite is My Name is a film that feels like a love letter to Black comedy as a whole, and I’m so glad it’s in the world. He’s just bursting with energy and playing off every character and extra he encounters. There’s so much love and consideration in his performance. His performance as real-life comedian and director Rudy Ray Moore is transcendent. And it would be way more than a comeback award, because he really gives his all in this film. This is the film that should have gotten Eddie Murphy an Oscar.