 Time is up. For centuries the black community has faced immeasurable oppression and systemic racism - cut to 2020, a retrospectively fantastical time where cars would fly, black people continue to face police brutality, day to day discrimination and implicit bias. No matter how far we've come as a society, the true horrors of our history are often denied and buried out of pure shame. However, the world is finally waking up, the tragic murder of George Flyod has sparked a long-overdue revolution which sets to shake up the system and force us to recognise the corrupt foundations on which modern society is built. The notion that anybody has, or will be, discriminated against due to the colour of their skin is a sickening realisation to come to. Therefore, in order to further educate ourselves (and perhaps teach others) on the significance of the black lives matter movement, I will be listing fifteen of the best films which focus on black lives and reveal vital truths behind our modern world. Below I have linked a bunch of extremely important petitions, fundraises and resources you should check out. Equally, don't forget to check out my friend Sophia Baker's wonderfully written article for The Bedford Independent detailing the 'Must watch films that support black lives matter': https://www.bedfordindependent.co.uk/must-watch-films-that-support-black-lives-matter/ 1. Fruitvale Station What are you suppose to do when the very system that's meant to protect you turns against you? Oscar Grant was a loving father and husband - in the early hours of January 1st 2009, Oscar was murdered after a police man "mistook" his taser for his pistol. From Ryan Coogler - the director of Black Panther and Creed - Fruitvale Station tells his story, a man who had just started to get his life back on track but was taken from us so cruelly. Available to watch on:
2. LA 92 Rodney King was caught drunk driving by the police, however the four police men surrounding him beat him to near death and were consequently trialed for use of excessive force. However, on April 29th 1992, the jury acquitted the four men of the savage beating which sparked a six day riot that ripped through the streets of Los Angels. Comprised entirely of stock footage, LA 92 is a nerve shredding documentary that demonstrates a boiling point of years of oppression, displaying anger and longing for equality in its most desperate form. Available to watch on: 3. Malcom X Malcom X is one of the most famous figures in the black community. In dis' Spike Lee joint, Denzel Washington plays the strong willed black nationalist on his epic journey from small time gangster to influential Islamic spokesman. Lee is a momentous force behind the camera, showcasing the empowerment, controversy and tension of Malcom X's legacy with enthralling panache. Available to buy on: 4. The Help The 60s seem like such an idealistic time: hip music, swishy outfits, desirable, glossy aesthetic - in actuality it's a facade for a far deeper cesspit of inequality. The Help is a phenomenal deconstruction of southern white middle-class suburbia, following the black maids who must tend to this venomous community. Taylor honours Katherine Stockett's book - portraying the manipulative nature of these housewives, as racism cascades throughout their everyday lives. Available to rent/buy on: 5. I Am Not Your Negro I Am Not Your Negro transports you from any sense of reality; Baldwin's poetically philosophical craft is tender, visceral and above all honest. His words reveal a great deal about the black lives who have shaped American society today and throughout history. Baldwin is the very fabric of the film, he is the soothing voice of truth and reason as he expresses his lifetime experience around those who fight against oppression and those who impose it. Available to watch on: 6. Moonlight Moonlight is one of the greatest artworks put to film. It tells the story of young Chiron, an unassertive, innocent boy who grapples with his own identity and sexuality. Divided up into three key stages of his life, Moonlight is a truly life-changing tale of the loss of innocence in the ghetto. Barry Jenkins arises as a virtuoso behind the lens, utilising chilling close-ups that tell a character's entire story through a single frame. Available to rent/buy on: 7. Sorry to Bother You Sorry to Bother You inventively highlights the failings of modern democracy through the language of film, jabbing at capitalism and white privilege along the way. Marvellously edited with cartoonish scene transitions and compelling social commentary, Boots Riley throws everything he's got into this mad-cap satire. Available to watch on: 8. 13th On January 31st, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln passed the 13th amendment which declared the abolishment of slavery in the United States. In Ava DuVernay's revealing documentary, she explores the racial inequality of the legal justice system and mass incarceration, asking: how far have we really come? Available to watch on: 9. BlacKkKlansman Spike Lee's scarily vivid statement piece tackles issues of systemic racism, white supremacy and corruption in the police force whilst simultaneously celebrating black power. This is hands down one of the most important films of our times, containing (what I believe is) one of the most hard hitting and impactful endings in modern cinema, reverberating through your soul. Above all, it's deliciously satisfying, portraying the Klan members as bumbling idiots who are motivated by nothing but senseless hate. Available to watch on: 10. Boyz N the Hood John Singleton's significant ghetto drama spotlights the horrors of gun and gang violence in America. Following the lives of three young adults - Singleton examines the different dynamics of the younger generation, and how their future prospects are threatened by their hopeless modern day reality. Available to watch on: 11. Get Out Once half of a comedic duo, now a horror mastermind - Jordan Peele has become one of the most fascinating new talents in Hollywood. His Oscar winning debut Get Out twists elements of the horror and comedy genre, revealing an immensely terrifying truth behind white middle-class culture in America. Available to rent/buy on: 12. Hidden Figures The story you know, the women you don't. Hidden Figures is a warmly empowering bio-pic centred around the three determined women behind the space race: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson. Brought to life by Pharrell Williams' toe-tapping soundtrack, Hidden Figures has enough rocket fuel to blast through disheartening moments as these brilliant minds butt heads with the status quo. It's a criminally underrated picture that demands to be enjoyed by families and young girls alike. Available to rent/buy on: 13. 12 Years a Slave 12 Years a Slave is, quite possibly, the most haunting and revealing depiction of slavery. For many people this was a stomach-churning realisation, this is OUR history, this is what society is built on. Thanks to impeccable direction by visionary Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave does not shy away from the nightmare of slave labour and hellish plantation lifestyle, in no way is it glamourised or given the typical "Hollywood make-over". We should feel uncomfortable watching this, we can't deny this reality - and McQueen ensures he makes us squirm. Available to watch on: 14. Do the Right Thing Anger really does bring the worst out in everyone, and everyone is very angry in Spike Lee's electric tale of race relations. The third Spike Lee joint on the list is widely believed to be his best - taking place on the hottest day of the year in a small Brooklyn community, tensions reach breaking point as everyone's bigotry explodes into violence. With Lee's typical flair and eye for intensity - Do the Right Thing indicates the needlessness of discrimination and how nothing good comes from hate. Available to watch on: 15. If Beale Street Could Talk Lifted from the pages of James Baldwin's potent novel, If Beale Street Could Talk serves almost like a second chapter in Barry Jenkins' portfolio of race related stories. Beale Street visualises a young girl's coming of age in a brutal yet beautiful Harlem setting - Tish attempts to start a life of her own but is held back by her fiancee's wrongful incarceration. Jenkins has the unique ability to take heavy subtext and transform it into a personal cinema experience like no other. Available to watch on: Further Resources :Reading material :Petitions:- Suspend UK Export of Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets and Riot Shields to USA - The UK Must Condemn Trump's Response to George Flyod's Murder - Improve Maternal Mortality Rates and Health Care for Black Women in the UK - Medical Schools Must Include BAME Representation in Clinical Teaching - Anti-Racism Education to be Compulsory in UK Schools - Teach British Children About the Realities of British Imperialism and Colonialism - Battle Racism by Updating GCSE Reading Lists - Justice for Sheku Bayoh - Justice for Elija McClain Donate:
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