By Jailah Williams UpshawÂ
In celebration of Black History Month — even though Black history is far too rich to be boxed into just one month — there’s more than enough to honor and enjoy all year long. So, I’m highlighting some of the best “Black” movies and TV shows. From horror to romance to Southern Gothic thrillers, these picks showcase just how layered, creative, and unforgettable Black storytelling can be.
Get Out (2017)
This horror-thriller film is, I would say, one of the best movies ever made. This visualization of contemporary American racism and microaggressions is done soooo well, with so much detail. There’s so much symbolism in this movie that is so well thought out that I doubt you’d get it all in the first watch. The movie starts with Chris, a young Black man, who’s dating Rose, a white woman… whose dad apparently “would’ve voted for Obama a third time if he could.” We follow Chris and Rose to her family’s estate, literally in the middle of nowhere, only for Chris to discover something DEEPLY unsettling and twisted about Rose and her family. Whether you’re in the mood for psychological horror, cultural commentary, or just a movie that stays with you, Get Out delivers on all fronts.
The Blackening (2022)
Set during Juneteenth, when a group of old college friends decide to catch up by going camping at a cabin in the woods (lol), they’re hunted by a masked killer who forces them into a deadly board game testing their knowledge of Black culture. What truly makes The Blackening worth watching isn’t just the laughs, but how it satirizes the infamous stereotype that Black characters always die first. Think Scary Movie, just with more Black people. It’s a beautiful balance of culturally infused humor and good friendship chemistry, making it just as much a social commentary as it is a comedy. So if you’re in the mood for something that blends satire, scares, and smart cultural commentary with comedy, The Blackening is the PERFECT choice.
Forever (2025)
We’re leaning out of the horror-thriller genre and have now moved into romance. Yay. The most beautiful, honest, coming-of-age Black romance, set in the very memorable and iconic 2018 — at least for some. I was like seven, so the only thing I really recall is constantly re-watching Frozen, but Forever takes place in the city of LA during 2018 and explores the love story, but also the lives, of Keisha and Micheal, and the contrasts of their upbringings, how they affect their relationship, and how they walk through life. With a killer soundtrack and a beautiful montage of Martha’s Vineyard during the summertime, Forever is the perfect show to binge if you’re craving something soft, meaningful, and romantic without being unrealistic. It captures the sweetness and ache of first love in a way that feels deeply real rather than idealized.
Eve’s Bayou (1997)
Now this is an old one, but I’m a sucker for a good Southern Gothic film. The story is centered around a young girl named Eve in 1960s Louisiana. Throughout the film, we’re following Eve as she uncovers the cracks beneath her family’s outward beauty, which involve secrets, infidelity, and the dangerous power of perception. The defining element of this movie is its intense use of ambiguity — you don’t get definite answers, like at all. It leaves you surrounded in a pool of uncertainty and is definitely one of those movies where you catch something and just have to rewind and dissect it.
Its dreamlike imagery and folklore give the story an almost hypnotic quality. In better words, the entirety of this movie feels like a fever dream. Which is why, if I could give a recent song to describe the unsettling instrumental vibe of this movie, I think it would be Lana Del Rey’s new single “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter.”
Lovecraft Country (2020)
I said I was a sucker for Southern Gothic film, so I’d obviously try to get as close as I can to the next best thing. Lovecraft Country follows Atticus Freeman, a Korean War vet, in the search for his father through 1950s Jim Crow America on a road trip… a road trip? In the South during Jim Crow? Yeah, okay.
This show really explores Lovecraftian horror — just think Stranger Things with Black people in the 1950s — with all the dark elements of American history told through an adrenaline-rushed thrill. It’s something that’s rich and provocative, a truly unique piece of television.