On June 19, 1865, Union forces arrived in Galveston, Texas, to declare that all enslaved persons were free. Since that momentous day, the United States has celebrated the holiday Juneteenth. It’s a significant holiday for all Americans.
In honor of that holiday, we’ve selected a selection of films that honour the struggle of African Americans worldwide and recount the tales of those who battle for freedom and equality.
1. Supacell (2024)
Directed by Rapman
Synopsis: Supacell is about five ordinary people who unexpectedly develop superpowers. They have little in common except for one thing: they are all Black South Londoners. It is down to one man, Michael Lasaki, to bring them all together to save the woman he loves.
Highlighting the elements of the Black experience in London is what Supacell excels at. Rapman takes viewers to the hoodiest of hoods and lets Supacell tell the whole tale there, just like people here (truthfully) boast that there are “two Americas” to illustrate the stark disparity in living standards between the rich and the poor. Except for people at work, there are no extremely stark contrasts with upscale or highly mixed spaces. The series has a grounded reality that is impossible to replicate as viewers see these folks navigate the ordinary drama of earning money, cooking dinner, and getting married while experimenting with their newfound powers.
Netflix just announced that season 2 of Supacell is in production.
2. They Cloned Tyrone (2023)
Directed by Juel Taylor
Synopsis: A series of eerie events thrusts an unlikely trio onto the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy in this pulpy mystery caper.
They Cloned Tyrone begins with a pretty straightforward idea, but it swiftly transforms into something much more potent that imparts a crucial lesson because of its witty comedy and insightful commentary on race and class. Weaved through the movie are staples of blaxploitation films from the 1970s. It’s a fun and wild ride.
3. Project Power (2020)
Directed by Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Synopsis: An ex-soldier, a teen and a cop collide in New Orleans as they hunt for the source behind a dangerous new pill that grants users temporary superpowers.
Project Power is yet another stalled attempt at a franchise starring two charismatic black actors: Jamie Foxx and Dominique Fishback. Even with all of its flaws, Project Power is still generally amusing and pleasurable. You’ll laugh out loud at a Clint Eastwood joke, and there are a few striking scenes that highlight the various abilities the drug provides. Even though some of the CGI is a little sloppy, the movie gets better with each minute, building to an all too brief but exquisitely rendered finish.
4. See You Yesterday (2019)
Directed by Stefon Bristol
Synopsis: Spike Lee-produced action, adventure and sci-fi film about two best friends named CJ and Sebastian who build time machines in order to travel back and save the life of CJ’s brother.
Eden Duncan-Smith and Dante Crichlow play CJ and Sebastian, two science geeks who spend their time creating, more precisely, time machine backpacks that will transport the young people across the space-time continuum. See You Yesterday is based on writer-director Stefon Bristol’s 2017 short film of the same name. When CJ and Sebastian experience a catastrophe, they will stop at nothing to save a loved one they have lost. Featuring strong and charming performances from its main characters, See You Yesterday seamlessly blends social drama and science fiction while staying true to its racial overtones.
5. The Kitchen (2023)
Directed by Kibwe Tavares, Daniel Kaluuya
Synopsis: London, 2044. The gap between the rich and the poor is stretched to its limits. The Kitchen is one of the only social housing estates left.
Set in a dystopian UK capital where the austerity-fueled housing crisis has reached hell, The Kitchen marks the directorial debut of Get Out star Daniel Kaluuya, who co-directed the picture with architect-turned-director Kibwe Tavares. Izi is raw and gloomy, emotions that come from experience and necessity. The way he (finally) finds Benji is as much a reflection of Izi’s own need for human interaction as it is of an adult assisting a lonely child. In a broader sense, the heart and soul of The Kitchen is one of its most amazing features. This relationship is the foundation of the movie, a solid bond that propels its heart.
6. Upgrade (2018)
Directed by Leigh Whannell
Synopsis: After a violent mugging leaves him paralyzed, a man receives a computer chip implant that allows him to control his body — and get his revenge.
Upgrade, written and directed by Leigh Whannell, is a creative sci-fi thriller about a paraplegic (Logan Marshall-Green) who regains the use of his legs but loses control of his body and eventually his mind after a digital operating system is implanted in his neck. Whannell strikes a delicate balance between intelligence and strength. In addition to being humorous, brutal, and thought-provoking, it also foreshadowed a large portion of Venom’s plot. Several talented black actors round out the cast.
7. What Happened to Monday (2017)
Directed by Tommy Wirkola
Synopsis: In a future with a strict one-child policy, six septuplets must avoid government detection while searching for their missing sister
The sci-fi action thriller What Happened to Monday is more focused on the action thriller genre than the sci-fi. Although it’s never dull, you get the impression that there’s a greater film beneath the surface that aims to explore the more significant ramifications of a society that is managed in this manner. Unfortunately, you can’t find that movie. Rather, it functions like a story about a fugitive on the run, with predictable turns if you pay close enough attention.
However, that isn’t always a terrible thing. Everything doesn’t need to be revolutionary. But this could have been far better than “ok” given the compelling premise and the use of a talent like Rapace. Talented black actors are worth watching, despite the mixed reviews from critics.
8. Don’t Let Go (2019)
Directed by Jacob Aaron Estes
Synopsis: After receiving a call from his deceased niece, Detective Jack Radcliff races against the clock to prevent her murder from happening.
In the film Selma, David Oyelowo plays Martin Luther King with charisma and charm that transcend training. The same is true of Storm Reid, his co-star, who gained notoriety for A Wrinkle in Time. Writer-director Jacob Estes made the proper choice by allocating most of his money to a skilled cast of outstanding actors because his plot defies logic, and the remaining portions of the movie don’t require significant financial outlays.
Depending on how much of a supernatural murder mystery appeals to you, your experience may differ, but even though the overall quality of Don’t Let Go is a little lower, the individual parts are unquestionably excellent.
9. Code 8: Part II (2024)
Directed by Jeff Chan
Synopsis: In a world where 4% of the population have superhuman abilities, a man races to protect a teen with a rare power from a corrupt cop.
Starring several black actors and actresses of color, Code 8: Part II explores themes of social injustice, police brutality, and the dangers of unchecked power. Although the movie won’t completely destroy the Hollywood competition, it does demonstrate what a dedicated bunch of performers and directors can accomplish if given the chance.
10. The Old Guard (2020)
Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood
Synopsis: Four undying warriors who’ve secretly protected humanity for centuries become targeted for their mysterious powers just as they discover a new immortal.
In this high-concept, action-packed superhero movie, director Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love and Basketball and The Secret Life of Bees) deftly manages the various moving pieces. The Old Guard is an engrossing, continuous adventure that will leave you wanting more. It is both emotionally intelligent and viciously violent.
11. Zero (2024)
Directed by Paola Randi
Synopsis: A shy teen with the power to turn invisible must get it under control to help defend his neighborhood, putting aside the pursuit of his artistic dream.
Zero got decidedly mixed reviews. But, despite all the action and tense situations, the show is full of humor, not in a Hollywood buddy-buddy sense, but in a realistic one that goes well with the heart-pounding excitement. The Netflix series explores themes of social injustice, gentrification, and the power of community, seen through the lens of a young, Black superhero in Milan.
12. Cowboy Beebop (2021)
Directed by Alex García López
Synopsis: A ragtag crew of bounty hunters chases down the galaxy’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll save the world … for the right price.
Even though it’s not wonderful, it’s better than previous spectacular flops like the doomed adaptation of Death Note, which, like the theatrical version of Ghost in the Shell, starred a white protagonist in a role that was meant for an Asian actor. Cowboy Bebop recruited the proper leads despite its other shortcomings.
Shakir plays up Jet’s fatherly aspect with a genuineness that is absent from most of the production, and he perfectly embodies Jet’s blend of tank and teddy bear.
13. 3% (2016)
Directed by César Charlone
Synopsis: In the distant future, most of the population lives in poverty in an area known as the Inland. There is an elite group, though, that is chosen to live in a virtual paradise, the Offshore. Every year, each 20-year-old gets a chance to make it to the island paradise by taking a series of tests. Only three percent of the candidates succeed and qualify to leave the impoverished Inland area. One of the newest residents of the Offshore is Michele, a naive young woman with no family who has a strong sense of justice.
César Charlone, the Oscar-nominated cinematographer behind City of God, helmed 3%, Netflix’s first Brazilian original series, which debuted last year. The vast majority of people live in misery in this dismal future, yet at the age of 20, young individuals participate in a series of examinations that could grant them entry to the Offshore, a utopian paradise. Just 3% will be selected, as stated in the title. Candidates are sent to a futuristic desert facility to begin the demanding, risky process, which is heavily influenced by previous literary and cinematic classics like Lord of the Flies and The Hunger Games.
The obsessive viewing stakes more than make up for its lack of production budget. A resistance movement plans a revolution, alliances are formed, and leaders are born. Deception, treachery, danger—basically, all the positive things. If you don’t mind overdubbing, it’s best to watch with the subtitles on. While most of the cast is Brazilian, there are a few mixed-race and black actors in the show.
14. Stranger Things (2016)
Directed by The Duffer Brothers
Synopsis: When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one strange little girl.
Stranger Things has been a Netflix hit since it first aired in 2016. The one black friend, Lucas, is a fun character since the beginning (“Why can’t there just be two Venkmans?”). The show has faced criticism for its handling of Black characters, though, particularly Lucas Sinclair, with some reviewers finding his characterization and storylines underdeveloped and lacking in depth compared to his white counterparts. While the show introduces diverse characters, including Lucas and his sister Erica, some critics argue that their roles often serve to highlight the experiences of the white characters rather than being fully fleshed-out narratives in their own right. But seeing a depiction of “blackness” in this long-running show is still great.
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15. The Cloverfield Paradox (2018) – %
Directed by Julius Onah
Synopsis: A crew aboard a space station finds itself alone after a scientific experiment causes the Earth to disappear. When a space shuttle appears, the space station’s crew must determine if it is carrying friends or foes.
The Cloverfield Paradox has a strong Black presence in its cast, including Anthony Mackie and David Oyelowo. The film has mixed reviews. But it’s still thrilling, particularly since the Cloverfield series gives viewers blockbusters that aren’t part of the conventional franchises and allows up-and-coming filmmakers to get their films seen. This is particularly significant because the film features a black female lead and a black male director, who received support, giving disadvantaged voices a platform in genres that so frequently reject them.
16. Black Mirror (2011)
Directed by Otto Bathurst
Synopsis: Twisted tales of technology gone awry. Nostalgic eras of terrors that might have been. In this satirical thriller series, nothing is off-limits.
While Black Mirror doesn’t exclusively focus on Black characters or storylines, it does feature prominent Black actors and explore themes relevant to the Black experience within its science fiction narratives. The series often tackles societal anxieties related to technology, and this can intersect with issues facing Black people and communities. The show also features diverse casting, with several episodes starring and featuring Black actors in leading roles.
17. Altered Carbon (2018)
Directed by Miguel Sapochnik
Synopsis: Set in a future where consciousness is digitized and stored, a prisoner returns to life in a new body and must solve a mind-bending murder to win his freedom.
The character Quellcrist Falconer, a revolutionary leader, is portrayed by Renée Elise Goldsberry, an African American actress. The show explores themes of immortality and identity, with a focus on how consciousness can be transferred between bodies, and the implications of this technology on social structures. The series also features other diverse actors and explores how race and class dynamics play out in a future where bodies are essentially disposable commodities.
The writers worked to expand the diversity of the roles from the book. Vernon, Lizzie Elliot, Ortega’s family, and Quell are all significant characters. Plus, season two recast the lead with Anthony Mackie.
Netflix is always exploring diversity in movies and television. This list is going to keep growing with original, wild, and funny science fiction from the best black talent in the industry.
Which is your favorite black science fiction on Netflix right now?
