The best Black movies are favorites that explore African American culture and themes. This list is ranked by film fans, many of whom grew up waiting for and watching good, realistic representations of what life was like for Black people in America. The top African American movies often dominate the box office when released, and this is a list of the best Black films. What are the best Black people movies of all time? Some of these films appear on other lists that you may find interesting, such as: best comedies of all time, best drama movies, and best actions movies on Netflix. You can sort by actor and director, or press "rerank" below to make your own list of the greatest African American-themed movies.
This list of top popular Black films features classic African American comedies like Friday and Coming to America, sports films like Love & Basketball, and biographical movies about Black celebrities and leaders, from Ray and Ali to Malcolm X. This list also includes great movies about slavery (both Roots and Django Unchained, for example) and films about Black life in the American South throughout history, from Glory and A Time to Kill to The Help. These and other highly acclaimed Black movies in cinema focus on African Americans, and most have surpassed the test of time among Black audiences.
This includes everything to watch from '90s Black comedy movies - comedies with a mostly Black cast and perspective - to Black crime movies, famous gang films, and action flicks. For other interesting movie lists check out Ranker's lists of well-made movies about slavery and films about racism. Also check out these lists of the best Black sitcoms, the best Black love movies, and the best cities for African Americans.
1
12,7131,578Friday
Ice Cube, Meagan Good
2
6,423918Menace II Society
Samuel L. Jackson, Jada Pinkett Smith- 36,291897
Poetic Justice
Janet Jackson, Keanu Reeves - 48,2141,350
Set It Off
Queen Latifah, Dr. Dre - 58,1071,420
The Color Purple
Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi GoldbergSee The Best The Color Purple Movie Quotes - 64,873778
Soul Food
Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long - 712,1222,298
Boyz n the Hood
Ice Cube, Angela Bassett - 89,8631,299
Love & Basketball
Tyra Banks, Gabrielle Union - 95,086791
New Jack City
Chris Rock, Ice-T - 106,018879
Lean on Me
Morgan Freeman, Tony Todd - 115,791749
Juice
Tupac Shakur, Samuel L. Jackson - 124,625567
What's Love Got to Do with It
Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne - 136,2891,076
Bad Boys
Will Smith, Téa Leoni - 145,439865
The Best Man
Nia Long, Terrence Howard - 154,552768
House Party
Martin Lawrence, George Clinton - 164,610670
Life
Eddie Murphy, Poppy Montgomery - 174,913668
The Wood
Christina Milian, Sanaa Lathan - 187,2271,511
Malcolm X
Denzel Washington, Al Sharpton - 193,269527
Coach Carter
Samuel L. Jackson, Channing Tatum - 2010,7582,383
Coming to America
Eddie Murphy, Samuel L. Jackson - 215,8121,193
Ray
Kerry Washington, Jamie Foxx - 224,207664
Waiting to Exhale
Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett - 235,3331,185
Remember the Titans
Hayden Panettiere, Ryan Gosling - 244,060661
Baby Boy
Snoop Dogg, Taraji P. Henson - 253,478643
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan
