Black Film Joy: 10 Movies You Can Watch on Amazon Prime Video Right Now

Being Black in America means that you’re always going to be questioned. Black culture is both misunderstood and mined for content on a regular basis, which is one of the more frustrating facets about being Black in this country. People will sing our songs, learn our dances, and memorize our quotes but won’t take the time to recognize the pain of our existence, the struggle in our journey, or the importance of our bars. Being able to escape into cinema that both understands and elevates our Black beauty is one of the joys of being a fan of cinema.

During Black History Month this year, Amazon Prime Video is putting Black film on display in a number of facets. This first week is dedicated to Black Joy, featuring tales that make us laugh, make us think, and ultimately make us proud to be Black. We could be glued to our couches all day if we wanted, taking in the many shades of Black cinema that are easily available on Prime Video, but we wanted to highlight 10 selections from their vast catalog of programming. Ten films that, in some way or another, put the idea of Black Joy on display. Be it a glimpse of Africa that we normally don’t get to see, stories of everyday triumph, or just flat-out insanity, these films highlight the stars, sights, and sounds of Black experience in their own unique ways. Bless these Black actors and Black filmmakers for their work. Here are 10 great examples of Black Joy you can find right now on Amazon Prime Video.

Director: John Landis

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, John Amos, Madge Sinclair, Shari Headley

I’m not sure how you grew up, but my Black household—as Arsenio Hall said—treats Coming to America like others may treat The Wizard of Oz. In this 1988 cult comedy classic, Eddie Murphy plays Akeem, the heir to the throne of Zamunda. After walking out on his arranged marriage, he decides to head to America—Queens, New York to be exact—to find true love. What he ends up finding is the slums of late-’80s New York, bootleg McDonald’s restaurants, and the King of Soul Glo dating the woman of his dreams. It’s a recipe for insanity, and it helps that both Murphy and Hall have the comedy chops to take on numerous insane roles (including Randy Watson, Reverend Brown, and a number of guys in the barbershop), adding to the hilarity and fun of what ends up being a sweet romcom tale. Ahead of March’s long-awaited Coming 2 America sequel, it would behoove you to take this movie in one more time to reconnect with your brothers and sisters from Zamunda.

Director: Ryan Coogler

Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis

For many, Zamunda was the first time African culture was depicted on the silver screen. Sure, Zamunda isn’t a real place, but for decades, most of the African men and women you’d see on screen were stereotypical. And while the Wakanda of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe is a fictional African country, it’s one of the most technologically advanced places in the MCU. In Black Panther, Ryan Coogler draws from multiple sources of African culture—landscapes, clothing, dance, and more—to pay homage to the Motherland while crafting his own James Bond-esque flick featuring T’Challa (the late Chadwick Boseman) on a mission to keep the secrets of Wakanda and its vibranium out of the hands of arms dealers and those looking to do harm against his people, including Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), a long-lost relative bent on world destruction, starting from inside the kingdom of Wakanda. Black, beautiful, and bold, Coogler’s first true action flick is an impressive feast for the eyes, with performances from some of the brightest Black stars in Hollywood today (alongside vets like Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker). It’s also (arguably) one of Marvel’s best, which is no small feat in a Universe featuring Mad Titans like Thanos.

Directors: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman

Starring: 

Staying in the Marvel Comics lane is Sony’s finest Spider-Man film (yeah, I said it), Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Bringing the Afro-Latino fan favorite Miles Morales to the big screen, this groundbreaking animated masterpiece finds young Miles learning to deal with his new-found abilities while having to deal with a massive Multiverse problem drawing the Spider-Men and Spider-Women (and Spider-Pigs) from a multitude of universes together to stop the evil Kingpin. The film feels like a comic book, all dazzling colors and massive fight scenes with heavy doses of hilarity sprinkled throughout. At its center, Miles—rocking his Jordan 1s and packing some aerosol for when the spirit moves him—is able to be himself, unapologetically, speaking truth to a notion many of us have known: Superheroes don’t come in one color in particular. Props to Sony for bringing that truth to light.

Director: Hiro Murai

Starring: Donald Glover, Rihanna, Nonso Anozie, Letitia Wright

A peculiar little musical starring Donald Glover and Rihanna(!), Guava Island is Donald doing Donald. It’s also a love story, with two lovers chasing their dreams in a hopeless reality. Donald’s Deni is a whimsical artist, armed with his guitar and a desire to uplift his people with song, laughter, and light. Rihanna’s Kofi is the woman he loves, understanding of his dreams while playing the realist. If you’re a fan of Childish Gambino, seeing Rihanna do anything, or tight runtimes, Guava Island is an escape to a fantasy wrapped in the harsh reality that many nations face across the globe. Come for the song, stay for the moral.

Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans

Starring: Keenen Ivory Wayans, Bernie Casey, Antonio Fargas, Isaac Hayes, Jim Brown, Ja'net Dubois

Before the Scary Movie franchise or even In Living Color, comedic mastermind Keenen Ivory Wayans took on the world of blaxploitation with his 1988 classic I’m Gonna Git You Sucka. Wayans plays Jack Spade, who returns home after finding out that his brother Junebug died… from ODing on gold chains. (Yes, you read that right.) He soon decides that he needs to take out Mr. Big and his goons to help eradicate this scurge on the ‘hood, and employs a number of allies—actors like Jim Brown, Bernie Casey, Antonio Fargas, and Isaac Hayes, all people who played a part in the blaxploitation genre. It’s one of the first films where we saw Chris Rock (that “One Rib” scene is classic in and of itself) alongside John Witherspoon, A Different World stars Kadeem Hardison and Dawnn Lewis, and a host of others. A true comedy classic in the vein of Blazing Saddles, Spaceballs, and many other Mel Brooks mega-parodies.

Director: Spike Lee

Starring: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Topher Grace

What do you get when you combine Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, and John David Washington? A surprisingly hilarious—and frustratingly timely—Oscar-winning tale based on the true story of Ron Stallworth, a Black officer who joined the Ku Klux Klan. Washington, who many only saw in HBO’s Ballers before this lead role, is all over this film, holding in his laughter while lying to Klan members (including David Duke!) via phone one minute, navigating through the world of Black consciousness and the Black Panther Party the next. It’s a black comedy that’s a Black comedy that hits a little different considering the ramifications of Trump winning the 2016 election and losing the 2020 election, highlighting two things: first, stupidity can manifest itself in horrific ways, and secondly, the bloody trail groups like the Klan have left behind them drip all the way back to the formation of this country. It’s a sick, sad world; all we can do is fight the power and then laugh about it over a beer.

Director: Malcolm D. Lee

Starring: Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Larenz Tate, Mike Colter, Kate Walsh, Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah

A group of four Black women being able to turn up like any zany group of friends on the silver screen isn’t normally seen, which makes 2017’s Girls Trip all the more amazing. Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Tiffany Haddish (in her star-making role) reunite to take a trip to the Essence Festival, reliving their days as party-hungry college students. Life’s changed since those days, though, and we see how each of their insecurities manifests themselves as they attempt to balance adulthood and revelry down in NOLA. Regina Hall proves that she can—and should be—leading many more films than Hollywood wants to give her, but like it was stated before, Haddish really turns up in this one. It’s actually a perfect vehicle for her to shine in—she’s given the role of the messy, superlit friend, telling all of the business and encouraging her homegirls to go the extra mile, for the squad. If you loved Bridesmaids or want to see just how insane Haddish can get in a film that’s willing to let her be free, Girls Trip is the surprise hit you’ve been waiting for.

Director: Andrew Bujalski

Starring: Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, James LeGros, Shayna McHayle, Dylan Gelula, AJ Michalka, Brooklyn Decker, Jana Kramer, Lea DeLaria

Need more proof of Regina Hall’s acumen as an actor? Try Support the Girls on for size. This critical darling was slept on by the masses, but features Hall running a Hooters-esque sports bar, featuring waitresses rocking sexy outfits and the patrons who will spend all of their paychecks sitting at the bar taking in their time. Underneath the comedic aspects of that premise is a touching tale about Lisa (Hall), the GM of the bar Double Whammies, who has to handle a plethora of very serious issues both inside and outside of the establishment. Hall specifically shines throughout, throwing the film on her back in a role that demands her to be a hard-ass, a mother figure, and a sly comedian, sometimes at the drop of a hat, handling everything thrown at her with care and the poise of a true star who’s not new to any of this because she’s true to all of it. 

Director: Bill Duke

Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Najimy, James Coburn, Maggie Smith

Oscar-winner Whoopi Goldberg struck gold when she starred in 1992’s Sister Act, playing a lounge singer who hides out in a convent during her witness protection program stint, lighting a fire under their choir. It’s a solid film, but the sequel, 1993’s Sister Act 2: Back In the Habit, is the real hood classic. Whoopi’s Deloris—I’m sorry, “Sister Mary Clarence”—returns to the convent to help turn around a new choir: the children attending the school. It’s the film that taught me all of the words to “Oh Happy Day,” and highlighted the many talents of Lauryn Hill pre-Fugees’ The Score and all of the accolades she received for her music career. Is it less Whoopi and more a group of kids living in the city trying to find a way out? Of course. It’s also more heart-warming and vibrant than its predecessor.

Director: Steven Caple Jr.

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Phylicia Rashad, Dolph Lundgren, Florian "Big Nasty" Munteanu

Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan (with Sylvester Stallone) revitalized the Rocky franchise with 2015’s Creed, with Jordan playing Apollo Creed’s son Adonis, who has a desire to box and the will to badger Rocky Balboa to train him. Ending in similar fashion to the first Rocky film—Creed loses the bout, but ultimately wins the respect—2018’s Creed II picks up about three years after the first, with Adonis on a serious run in his career, grabbing the WBC World Heavyweight Championship fairly early into the film. With the fame comes struggle, though, with everything in Creed’s life testing his path as a fighter: a new baby, a growing rift in his relationship with Bianca, and Ivan Drago’s son Viktor looking to avenge his father’s loss to Rocky. With homages to the great Muhammad Ali and director Steven Caple Jr. staying true to Coogler’s vision of keeping the in-ring aspects as real as possible, this sequel more than delivers in emotions and brutality. It’s a triumphant film, paving the way for Jordan and company to continue this franchise until the wheels fall off.