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With the movie Dreamgirls coming out soon, I thought I’d give a review of Black Cinema. Dreamgirls, already nominated for 5 Golden Globe Awards, is film based on a Broadway musical about a trio of Black female soul singers that cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960’s.

Hopefully it lives up to its hype.

Many “Black Movies,” (meaning a movie with a majority of African Americans in the cast) have a good or funny plot and are just plain entertaining, while others are good because they depict a true story about a prominent African American figure in society. I’m a sucker for good ol’ “Black Love” movies, so there are many of those on my list. And I also like a good laugh, so I’ve included many comedies as well. Now, this list is by no means all inclusive, just a rundown of the movies that I love, like, and didn’t really care for. There’s nothing more relaxing than curling up on the couch with a good DVD, so hopefully this list will inspire you to rent a Black move you haven’t seen or even remind you of one of your favorites. There are definitely many on the list that I can (and have) watched over and over again. So here’s the rundown: (Click on the links for more info)

Great: Roots, The Color Purple, Glory, Coming to America, The Wiz, Bad Boys 1 & 2, Antoine Fisher, Ray, Malcolm X, What’s Love Got to Do With It, Ali, Coach Carter, and Akeelah and the Bee.

Good: Four Brothers, All About the Benjamins, Barber Shop 1 &2, Beauty Shop, Drumline, Love & Basketball, Brown Sugar, The Best Man, Love Jones, Madea’s Family Reunion- though I’m bias towards Madea because her plays are excellent. So I’d actually recommend the plays over the movies- The Nutty Professor and The Klumps, Baby Boy, Higher Learning, The Wood, School Daze, House Party 1 &2, ATL, Friday, Menace II Society, Boyz n the Hood, Do the Right Thing, and Boomerang.

Decent: The Gospel, Waiting to Exhale, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, He Got Game, The Preacher’s Wife, Are We There Yet?, Waist Deep, How High, Johnson Family Vacation, Set it Off, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, Two Can Play that Game, Deliver Us From Eva, Roll Bounce, Low Down Dirty Shame, Eve’s Bayou, and Mo’ Money.

Bad:

• BAPS- Hated it. Halle Berry gone “ghetto.”
• You Got Served- Hated it. Press mute and just watch the dancing.
• Booty Call- Hated it.
• Strictly Business- Hated it.
• Woo- Hated it. Jada Pinkett actin’ stupid.
• 30 Years to Life- Hated it. No plot.
• Hav Plenty- Hated it.
• The Brothers- Hated it. Shemar Moore gone bad.
• Love Don’t Cost a Thing- Hated it. Bad remake of a classic.
• Glitter- Hated it. Who didn’t.
• Soul Plane- Hated it. Glad I downloaded it.
• Class Act- Hated it. The duo should have stopped with the House Party movies.
• Big Momma’s House. Hated it. When Martin Lawrence was still getting it together.