Keep Your Black Card Valid: Films

You gave a fake “YASSS” when your girl said “All my LIFE I’ve had to fight” huh? Overreacted when your bae said “You ain’t got to lie, Craig” ‘cuz your name’s not Craig?  Yeaaaaah, you are likely one left-handed high-five and misused colloquialism away from getting your Black Card snatched. 

I want to see my people thrive, so the list below has been compiled (you’re welcome).  Consider it your #hoodcertified study guide (updated 12/2024).

Now for the disclaimers, ‘cuz I know y’all:

  •  No, all the Spike Lee movies didn’t make the list.  I meeeeeean there wouldn’t have been room for much else if I had. #HadToGiveSomebodyElseATurn 
  • The criteria for this list is based on the film being culture-influencing a/k/a movies most likely to be quoted IRL a/k/a movies most likely to be referenced at a BBQ/Repast/Spades game; not “film with a black actor in it” — for clarity.
  • This is NOT a “Greatest AA Films of All Time” list based on moving storylines, cinematography, score, and casting.  You saw Soul Plane…yes, it is on the list…so are some Tyler Perry movies.  Don’t play, you know why.  Soooo, debate your mama on merit, breh.
  • Inevitably, there will be a films you thought should have been left off and others added on.  I’m no Black Jesus, so there may be an err.  Just put it in the comments fam.

In no particular order:

  1. Black Panther (update:  1 AND 2 #WakandaForever)
  2. The Color Purple
  3. Malcolm X
  4. New Jack City
  5. Friday
  6. The Five Heartbeats
  7. Boyz n the Hood
  8. Coming to America
  9. Do the Right Thing
  10. What’s Love Got to Do With It
  11. Lean On Me
  12. Baby Boy
  13. Sparkle (original)
  14. Boomerang
  15. Tales from the Hood
  16. The Wiz
  17. Roots
  18. Madeas Family Reunion
  19. Soul Plane
  20. Menace II Society
  21. Belly
  22. Life
  23. The Mack
  24. Colors
  25. Deep Cover
  26. Soul Food
  27. Higher Learning
  28. Love & Basketball
  29. Dreamgirls
  30. Juice
  31. Set it Off
  32. Dead Presidents
  33. Hustle & Flow
  34. The Best Man (bonus points for The Best Man Holiday)
  35. Bad Boys I & II & III & 4Life (I didn’t want to split the line)
  36. Poetic Justice
  37. Brown Sugar
  38. Stomp the Yard
  39. Drumline
  40. How To Be A Player
  41. Beauty Shop
  42. Love Jones
  43. Above the Rim
  44. Eve’s Bayou
  45. Blue Hill Avenue
  46. Why Did I Get Married?
  47. Barbershop
  48. Lottery Ticket
  49. Crooklyn
  50. Inkwell
  51. School Daze
  52. ATL
  53. Get Rich or Die Tryin’
  54. Training Day
  55. Get Out
  56. The Help
  57. He Got Game
  58. Lady Sings the Blues
  59. The Butler
  60. Jungle Fever
  61. Straight Outta Compton
  62. Django Unchained
  63. Antwone Fisher
  64. Harlem Nights
  65. Ray
  66. The Princess and the Frog
  67. Girls Trip
  68. The Pursuit of Happyness
  69. Purple Rain
  70. American Gangster
  71. Ali
  72. The Players Club
  73. Waiting to Exhale
  74. Just Wright
  75. Sugarhill
  76. Selma
  77. Paid in Full
  78. House Party
  79. The Wood
  80. Major Payne
  81. Two Can Play That Game
  82. The Preacher’s Wife
  83. Akeelah and the Bee
  84. Think Like a Man
  85. The Great Debaters
  86. Jason’s Lyric
  87. How High
  88. Moonlight
  89. Superfly (original)
  90. Superfly (remake)
  91. In Too Deep
  92. The Brothers
  93. New Jersey Drive
  94. The Nutty Professor
  95. Shaft (original)
  96. Shaft (remake)
  97. Cooley High
  98. Women of Brewster Place
  99. The Original Kings of Comedy
  100. Diary of a Mad Black Woman

Consider yourself blessed with this offering. It’s enough to keep you from losing your membership in 2018 2024.

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