Do The Right Thing (1989)
Showtime subscription or rent on Amazon Prime for $3.99
Tyler Nice ’23, Asst. Sports Editor
Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” chronicles the racial tension in a Brooklyn neighborhood. Lee dedicates the comedy-drama film to six victims of racial violence: Eleanor Bumpurs, Michael Griffith, Arthur Miller Jr., Edmund Perry, Yvonne Smallwood and Michael Stewart.
13th (2016)
Netflix subscription
Maggie Brennen ’22, Asst. Opinions Editor
This documentary, directed by Ava DuVernay, looks at how Black Americans have faced systemic racism throughout history, from Jim Crow laws to the war on drugs. It is titled “13th” for the 13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime, which the film describes as a loophole to keep Black people oppressed through mass incarceration.
Mahogany (1975)
Philo subscription or rent on Amazon Prime for $1.99
Tayler Washington ’22, Opinions Editor
“Mahogany” stars Diana Ross as Tracy, an aspiring fashion design student facing discrimination in the fashion industry. Her chance meeting with a famous fashion photographer gives her a “rags to riches” story that allows her to live out her dreams; but it comes with a price.
Moonlight (2016)
Netflix subscription
Celia Hegarty ’21, Copy Editor
Directed by Barry Jenkins and winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, “Moonlight” is a coming-of-age film that follows the story of the main character Chiron through three different stages of his life. “Moonlight” explores the intersection of race and sexuality, and depicts the hardships Chiron experiences growing up and his journey to accept his own identity.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
Netflix subscription
Devin Yingling ’22, News Editor
Based on August Wilson’s 1984 play “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” this 2020 film adaptation starring Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis takes place in a 1920s Chicago recording studio where Ma Rainey and her band are recording her newest record. The movie underscores the brutal effects of systemic racism, white economic exploitation of the Black community, the human condition and the art of blues.
Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)
HBO Max subscription and playing in theaters
Eddie Daou ’22, Asst. News Editor
“Judas and the Black Messiah” is based on the true story of Fred Hampton, chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, and Bill O’Neal, an FBI informant who goes undercover in the Black Panthers. Lead actors Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield give incredible performances as Hampton and O’Neal, respectively, in this film that tells a shocking, untold piece of history and handles themes of systemic racism, police brutality and social revolution.
Get Out (2017)
Rent on Amazon Prime or
Youtube for $3.99
Christine DiSanti ’21, Asst. News Editor
Jordan Peele established himself as one of the best horror movie directors in the 21st century with his film “Get Out,” which follows Chris Washington as he meets his white girlfriend’s parents for the first time, and the increasingly disturbing occurrences during his weekend with the family.
Malcolm X (1992)
Hulu Premium subscription or rent on Amazon Prime for $3.99
Nenagh Sheehan ’21, Asst. Features Editor
Starring Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Angela Bassett, Delroy Lindo and Al Freeman Jr., “Malcolm X” is a biographical epic detailing the life and death of Black Liberation leader and civil rights activist Malcolm X.
Black Panther (2018)
Disney+ subscription
Carly Calhoun ’21, Copy Editor
Starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o and Letitia Wright, “Black Panther” follows T’Challa as the king of the nation Wakanda and the challenges he faces. The director Ryan Coogler’s movie features a predominantly Black cast and a predominantly Black soundtrack.
