In the aftermath of the protests that followed the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Aubrey, and George Floyd, everyone is offering ways to assist in moving forward to a better nation. One of those ways is through film, which is a good thing because art can help us heal, learn, and possibly progress. However, there have been some downsides. The Help trending in Netflix’s top 10 last week is problematic because it sugarcoats the issue. The black film recommendation lists? Mostly works that either recreate the trauma we experienced with the murders mentioned above and pigeon holes the black experience to one issue or completely miss the mark.
Because of that, I decided to provide an alternative - a list of films that confront race head-on but does so without the retelling of nightmares that never should have happened in the first place. This list isn’t comprehensive and I do not want to add to the endless mountains of think pieces out there. However, I hope it offers you a break from what has become the norm and some thoughts you can use to move your conversations about being black in America forward.
King in the Wilderness (HBO, Hulu for free; $2.99 to rent elsewhere)
Synopsis: This documentary explores Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life from the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to his final moments at the Lorraine Motel through archival footage from interviews, home videos, and engagements and accompanied with observations and personal anecdotes from Andrew Young, Harry Belafonte, John Lewis, and several other members of Dr. King’s inner circle.
The Reel Spill: Between the social media manipulation of his quotes on rioting and the assumption that his nonviolent approach to change was passive and comfortable, it’s obvious a lot of people are wrong about Dr. King. King in the Wilderness does not seek to paint Dr. King as a perfect man. It does the opposite by discussing how the weight of the responsibility he carried had adverse impacts on all aspects of his life, including his mission. This humanizing of Dr. King not only clears up any misunderstandings about what he represents, but it’ll also create a greater appreciation for it.
Luce (Hulu for free; $3.99 to rent elsewhere)
Stars: Kelvin Harrison Jr., Octavia Spencer, Naomi Watts, Tim Roth
Synopsis: The seemingly perfect world of a former Eritrean child solider and his white adopted family begins to unravel along with his ideal student status when his teacher makes a shocking discovery after reading one of his assignments.
The Reel Spill: Luce brings to focus the pressure of being black in a white space, which equates to being perfect so you can just exist because excelling requires another level of perfection. It explores this theme by bringing attention to issues such as punishing someone for being a stereotype vs. rewarding someone for not being a stereotype, perceptions of what it means to be black, and who decides what “type” of a black person is allowed to succeed. It’s a thriller that’s not big on thrills, but Luce provokes enough thought to make it must-see.
Selah and the Spades (Amazon Prime Video for free w/ Prime Subscription)
Stars: Lovie Simone, Celeste O’Connor, Jharrel Jerome
Synopsis: Selah Summers, the leader of the most influential crew at a prestigious boarding school, goes through her senior year in the face of uncertainty after high school, betrayal, and the threat of being overshadowed by her protégé.
The Reel Spill: Growing up black comes with its own set of challenges, but doing so on the journey to becoming a young black woman adds another level of hurdles. Selah and the Spades is the rare film that combines those two elements into its main character. A character like Selah allows the film to take on race and address gender-related matters such as society’s desire to take away a woman’s power at a young age through controlling the way she looks, feels, and thinks. It’s not the minute by minute sass you typically find in films focused on teens and it is slow at times. However, the points this film hits outweigh the drags.
Sorry to Bother You (Hulu for free; $3.99 to rent everywhere else)
Stars: LaKeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson
Synopsis: After struggling to make ends meet, a young black telemarketer discovers the key to professional success and finds himself at odds with everything he knows as he becomes more successful.
The Reel Spill: Sorry to Bother You touches on the same theme and questions about being black in a white space as Luce. The difference? Sorry to Bother You addresses these issues in a lighter, humorous way. There is a weird twist that might be confusing, but it’s necessary to show how living up to the expectations in a white space can transform you into something unrecognizable and at war with who you are inside.
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