Every day in my pandemic shell of a life, I think of movie theaters. The leather of the seats, my slight annoyance of strangers, my desire to be engulfed whole by high definition sound, the hankering to be moved by images of places unknown and familiar. And every day, I look to my half imitation set up at home, hoping the media I watch transports me elsewhere... counting down the days I can freely be amongst friends and strangers in the cinema again.
In times of instability, familiarity becomes an art all its own. For my first monthly newsletter, I want to celebrate the art of the familiar by creating a streaming guide for Black films from the 1920s to today. Even if you aren’t familiar with the Black films listed below, I’ve added descriptions to the list so you can chart your own path through them. That’s what this newsletter is all about: I’ll let you know what I like across film, TV, music, and whatever else... so you can chart your own way. That’s the only way.
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1920s: Eleven P.M. (1928) Dir. Richard Maurice
“Eleven P.M.” (1928) is a bizarre film that moves like freeform jazz. The movie follows a struggling violinist through a series of dreams. Come for that description and stay for the element of reincarnation. Streaming on Criterion Channel.
Other 1920s Black films worth your time and streaming: The Flying Ace, Within Our Gates, and The Melancholy Dame.
1930s: The Emperor Jones (1933) Dir. Dudley Murphy
Paul Robeson is in this. Do I have to say more? Well, if you insist: In his breakthrough performance, Robeson plays a railroad porter and improbably ascends to King. Come for a familiar story, stay for Robeson singing. Streaming on Amazon, Criterion Channel, HBO Max, and Kanopy.
Other 1930s Black films worth your time and streaming: Birthright and The Girl from Chicago.
1940s: Dirty Gertie from Harlem U.S.A. (1946) Dir. Spencer Williams
If “Dirty Gertie from Harlem, U.S.A” (1946) was just a few years later, Francine Everett would be a star. The film follows the titular singer-dancer as she leaves NYC and takes her talents to a warmer climate after being caught cheating on her rough and tough boyfriend. Streaming on Amazon, Criterion Channel, and Epix.
Other 1940s Black films worth your time and streaming: Cabin in the Sky and The Blood of Jesus.
1950s: Black Orpheus (1959) Dir. Marcel Camus
This retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is triumphant and shot lovingly in Brazil. The film pulsates with vibrancy, beauty, and celebration of its story and location to the tempo of a Bossa Nova dream. Streaming on Criterion Channel, HBO Max, and Kanopy.
Other 1950s Black films worth your time and streaming: Anna Lucasta and Take a Giant Step.
1960s: Black Girl (1966) Dir. Ousmane Sembène
I can’t talk enough about “Black Girl” (1966) itself nor how much I’ve been thinking about it in ~this moment.~ It sharpens a question I’m always pondering: How long must We manage the slow simmer of everyday oppression and anger We have to deal with? The film is effective at drawing its conclusion quickly as the film is just under an hour. Come for cinematography, stay for how it challenges assumptions on colonialism, classism, and racism. An essential film. Streaming on Criterion Channel and HBO Max.
Another 1960s Black film worth your time: Nothing But a Man.
1970s: A Dream is What You Wake Up From (1978) Dirs. Larry Bullard and Carolyn Johnson
“A Dream is What You Wake Up From” (1978) examines what the American dream means for three black families as they deal with the weight of racism, gendered emotional + physical abuse, and economic plight. To say it’s timely feels like an understatement. Streaming on the Criterion Channel.
Other 1970s Black films worth your time and streaming: Aaron Loves Angela, The Wiz, and an endless trove of Blaxploitation films.
1980s: Sidewalk Stories (1989) Dir. Charles Lane
A nearly silent film that endearingly portrays the relationship between an artist and the child he is forced to play surrogate to. Streaming on the Criterion Channel and Vudu.
Other 1980s Black films worth your time and streaming: Hollywood Shuffle, The People’s Account, Tongues Untied, and Symbiopsychotaxiplasm.
1990s: Daughters of the Dust (1991) Dir. Julie Dash
Without question, the 90s is the Golden Age of Black Film. In choosing which film to highlight from the decade, Dash’s “Daughters of the Dust” (1991) came immediately to mind. This film — the first theatrically released independent film directed by a Black woman — centers the Black woman gaze and experiences of three generations of Black women as they prepare to travel up north at the turn of the 20th century. Streaming on the Criterion Channel.
Other Black films from the Black film boom worth your time and streaming: Mo’ Better Blues, Just Another Girl from the I.R.T, and Crooklyn.
2000s: Chisholm ’72: Unbought and Unbossed (2004) Dir. Shola Lynch
A documentary as passionate as the icon herself. Streaming on Amazon.
2010s: An Oversimplification of Her Beauty (2012) Dir. Terrance Nance
A visual feast: wondrous and complex. A universe worth returning to time and time again. Easily one of my favorite films. Streaming on Criterion Channel.
Other Black films 2010s streaming: Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am, If Beale Street Could Talk, Luce, Jezebel, Fast Color, The Black Power Mixtape, and Pariah.
2020: Time (2020) Dir. Garrett Bradley
“Time” (2020) is mesmerizing. Everything works in perfect harmony: the storytelling, the score, and structure. Simply one of the best films in a standout year. Streaming on Amazon.
Other Black films from 2020 streaming: The Forty-Year-Old Version and Lovers Rock.