10 Black Movies to Stream on Netflix in September

1. “House Party” (1990)

Despite its coming-of-age label, “House Party” is undoubtedly a comedy from start to finish, following the raucous events that lead up to and after the “mutha” of all teen house parties.

In the film, rap stars Kid ‘N Play (Christopher Reid and Christopher Martin) essentially play fictionalized versions of themselves. When Play’s parents head out of town, he and his best friend Kid plan the party to end all parties. While the movie may have earned an “R” rating, except for explicit language, the high school maneuverings are all rather innocent — rap battles, dance-offs, romance, and all in the name of fun.

It comes with a healthy dose of heartfelt moments examining the constructs of friendship, loyalty, and morality. Directed by Reginald Hudlin, it even portrays a single Black father-and-son relationship, which, at the time, was a rarity.

2. “Marshall” (2017)

Just prior to “Black Panther,” the late Chadwick Boseman starred in this period drama about a young Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice, as he battles through one of his career-defining cases.

“Marshall,” also directed by Reginald Hudlin, follows the young lawyer who represented the NAACP as he is sent by the organization to Greenwich, Connecticut in 1941 to defend a Black man, Joseph Spell (Sterling K. Brown), who is charged with raping a white woman, Eleanor Strubing (Kate Hudson). Marshall meets unexpected obstacles immediately when the judge refuses to let him handle the case because he is not a member of the Connecticut bar, and also will not let a local Jewish attorney, Sam Friedman (Josh Gad), who has never tried a criminal case, vouch for him.

Marshall and Friedman then are left with only one option: Friedman will have to try the case with Marshall sitting at counsel’s table giving him advice. The facts of the case are provocative. Courtroom dramas can be riveting when done right, as in this case, all helped by the first-rate acting of both Boseman and Gad. 

3. “Vaya” (2018)

The title “Vaya” pays homage to the South African Tsotsitaal namesake, meaning “to go.” It chronicles the innocence lost by three young South Africans who flee their rural homes and simple lives in the coastal province of KwaZulu-Natalon, on a train bound for the vibrant city of Johannesburg. Upon arrival, they quickly discover the cruel realities of what it takes to survive in a large city where the streets are stocked full of seedy characters all trying to make a buck at any cost.

Stirring and suspenseful, director Akin Omotoso’s film, which is based on real accounts, intertwines stories of strangers struggling to survive in a narrative that culminates in an explosive moment. It’s effectively a South African take on “Amores Perros,” exploring the feeling of arriving in a new place, full of expectations and also fears — a thoughtful and unflinching exploration of the issues facing those living on the margins of Johannesburg.

4. “Untold: Malice at the Palace” (2021)

The documentary is a window into the Pacers–Pistons brawl (known as “The Malice at the Palace”) that occurred in an NBA game between the Indiana Pacers and defending champion Detroit Pistons on November 19, 2004 at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It’s been called the most infamous brawl in NBA history.

At the center of the story are the three Indiana Pacers players caught up in the borderline riot that unfolded — center Jermaine O’Neal, forward Stephen Jackson, and forward Ron Artest, known these days as Metta Sandiford-Peace. But the brawl, which took place at the end of a dominant Pacers win over their hated Eastern Conference rival, is only part of the story.

Using never-before-seen footage, director Floyd Russ invites audiences to hear from the people who were there the night of the fracas, all in a captivating re-telling of a league-altering event, and one worth watching for most sports fans.

5. “Quincy” (2018)

Quincy Jones has put an indelible stamp on African American culture, and this bio-documentary makes a compelling case for the point. Co-directed by Alan Hicks and Jones’ daughter Rashida Jones, the film dutifully catalogues his successes, from a troubled childhood on the South Side of Chicago, to spearheading the 2016 opening of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. The film alternates between the present, with the buwy Mr. Jones constantly on the move, and a retrospective of his life and career, narrated by the man himself.

His rough early years in Chicago are depressing, his victories from the earliest points of his career onward are positively thrilling, and the racism he is forced to endure throughout is infuriating.

6. “Catching Feelings” (2017)

Set in a chic, middle class Johannesburg, South Africa, a jaded academic and his journalist wife have their lives turned upside down when a reverred and hedonistic writer unexpectedly moves into their home. With an incredible cast, led by Kagiso Lediga (who also wrote and directed the film), Pearl Thusi, and Andrew Buckland, it’s a rare dark romantic comedy with a South African flavor, done right.

It isn’t the most original or inventive narrative, but what sets it apart from other local films of the genre are its long and loose scenes, with wonderful dialogue that has an improvised, naturalistic feel, especially the group scenes. Sexy, funny performances capture that ease and flow. But the real star of the film is the city, which is depicted in all its beautiful, sprawling glory, also lending the film a cultural specificity that makes it even more engaging. 

7. “Giving Voice” (2020)

The late August Wilson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer of “Fences,” “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” and many more, is one of America’s preeminent playwrights, chronicling the African American experience with 10 plays, set in different decades of the 20th century.

Now, every year, thousands of high-school students from across the country gather on Broadway in New York City to perform one of his monologues in an exciting, high-stakes competition. “Giving Voice” closely follows the lives of six of the students as they meticulously workshop their individual performances, with the hopes of embodying Wilson’s legacy.

Co-directed by James D. Stern and Fernando Villena, the film centers the stories of the young men and women pursuing careers in the performance arts, who commit to the grueling, lengthy, and rewarding competition process. It’s nothing short of inspiring.

8. “Becoming” (2020)

“Becoming” enthusiastically captures former First Lady Michelle Obama on her 2019 book tour, on a mission to instill in others the will to own one’s story. The tour, which traveled through 34 cities, provides a glamorous glimpse into the next chapter of a magnetic figure, who, as her brother Craig Robinson says in the film, is perhaps, “the most popular person in the world.”

Produced by Michelle and Barack Obama’s Higher Ground Productions, the documentary covers much of who she was before she became the 44th First Lady, and looks to the future, always emphasizing her will to find a voice for herself. Directed by Nadia Hallgren, the film is a jolt of hope and optimism at a time when people globally are struggling with the alarming consequences of a global pandemic.

9. “Juanita” (2019)

“Juanita” is tasked with the commendable goal of thrusting an often-sidelined character into the spotlight, giving an older Black woman her own narrative, with all the thrills and romance typically reserved for the 18- to 45-year-old crowd.

The film follows a nurse, Juanita, played by the always-dependable character actor Alfre Woodard (fresh from an acclaimed performance in “Clemency,” the first film by a Black woman, Chinonye Chukwu, to win the Grand Jury prize at Sundance). She works a minimum-wage job, takes care of her three children and granddaughter, and can never really get a break; her son Randy is in prison, her daughter, Bertie, uses her as a babysitter, and her other son, Rashawn, is involved in petty crime.

To temporally relieve herself of her numerous burdens, she fantasizes about Blair Underwood. She soon decides to run away from these contraints for Butte, Montana, where drama and a complex romance abound. Directed by Clark Johnson, the film’s success hinges on Woodard’s performance, and she delivers.

10. “Lionheart”

“Lionheart” marked the first Netflix original film from Nigeria. Starring one of the country’s biggest stars, Genevieve Nnaji (also sometimes called the Julia Roberts of Africa), the film revloves around Adaeze, played by Nnaji, who is looking to prove her worth in her father’s business, when he is forced to take a step back due to declining health. But instead of naming Adaeze the temporary head of the company, to her chagrin, he appoints his crude and quirky brother, Godswill, to run the company along with his daughter.

Complications arise when they discover that the family business is in dire financial straits and both Adaeze and Godswill try to save it in their own respective ways with loony and often hilarious results. Nnaji, who also directed, plays Adaeze as strong, vulnerable, and determined in a feel-good story with a message about the challenges professional women have to face in a business world dominated by men.