It’s Black History Month, so here are five movies that are worth your time. These are the best movies that deal with being black and queer that I watched in 2023, IMHO. There is also one honorable mention that I enjoyed so much that it had to make the list.
I will continue to review movies that showcase black actors and the LGBT experience, so please come back. Also, feel free to contact me on Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky, or Facebook with movie suggestions.
Rustin (5 stars)
Rustin is an historical drama about civil rights activist Bayard Rustin and how he organized the 1963 March on Washington. Everything about this movie–the look, pacing, acting, sound–are spot on. This is a must-see.
Also, as a gay man of a certain age, I’ve always associated Bayard Rustin with the gay rights movement, I had no idea about what he did prior to the 1980s.
Read my review for Rustin here.
Pariah (5 stars)
Pariah is a coming-of-age story with all the heartache, confusion and fear that comes with it. The film is beautifully told, playing out slowly and trusting the viewer to put the pieces together. It’s a subtle story with great acting.
Read my review for Pariah here.
Moonlight (5 stars)
Moonlight is a compelling story of the effects of being young, black, and gay in urban America and will tear at your heart. It follows the main character, Chiron, as a child, teenager, and a young adult in three acts. The acting is on point, the script is excellent, and the cinematography makes it difficult to turn away.
Read my review for Moonlight here.
Naz & Maalik (4 stars)
Naz & Maalik is about a day in the life of two gay Muslim teenagers. It’s a character study that follows Naz and Maalik throughout their day as they sell various items on the street and subway to raise money for college. This is a hidden gem.
Read my review for Naz & Maalik here.
The Watermelon Woman (3.5 stars)
The Watermelon Woman is an independent film masquerading as an independent documentary, which is shown at the end of the film. This movie is such a great mix of fact and fiction, so much that it can play with your head. There are pictures of actual singers and actors mixed with fictional characters, and the history is real, but the specifics are not.
And although the acting is truly awful, the love for the project comes through and it’s just so good. I have now seen this movie twice and would see it again in a heartbeat.
Read my review for The Watermelon Woman here.
And a special mention
B-Boy Blues (3.5 stars)
B-Boy Blues is a soapy story of gay romance and drama based on the popular novel by James Earl Hardy. The plot is engaging, the pacing is steady, and the script is well done. Also, the cast of sexy men is an added bonus.
