That being said, it is Black History Month -- and it's worth taking a look at what historical (or inspired by history) films about African-American culture are out there.
Selma - The movie that put Ava DuVernay on the A-list is riveting and emotional. She wisely decides to document Dr. Martin Luther King's valiant efforts to persuade the country to get behind the 1965 Voting Rights Act instead of trying to tell the entirety of MLK's story. David Oyelowo humanizes Dr. King beautifully and the film feels sadly relevant to this day, given prolonged efforts to dismantle the heroic work Dr. King and his followers did.
Hidden Figures - For some reason, there seems to have been some buyer's remorse for this inspirational true story about the black women who had enormous impact on the space program in the 1960s albeit behind the scenes. Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monae and Octavia Spencer are all note perfect as fiercely intelligent women who made their presence known at a time where much of society wanted to deny their humanity. Even it's got some hokey moments, it's hard not to root for his movie.
4 Little Girls - I've said it before and I've said it again -- this is simply one of the most emotionally overwhelming documentaries I've ever seen. Director Spike Lee documents the horrific domestic terror attack on a Birmingham church by white supremacists at the height of the civil rights movement, taking the lives of four innocent schoolchildren. Lee not only conveys the historic importance of his even but really illuminates the lives of these fully rounded young people who had so much promise.
Malcolm X - Spike Lee's most epic, ambitious film -- a full realization of Alex Haley's seminal Autobiography of Malcolm X. It didn't matter at the end of the day that Denzel Washington looked nothing like him -- he captured his spirit perfectly. The film doesn't shy away from all the darker aspects of the man's life, but it also gives you a full portrait of the more complex person he would become. A moving and provocative film, which remains one of my personal all-time favorites.
Glory - The movie that really established Denzel Washington as a major star. It tells the remarkable story of the first all black regiment to be drawn up to fight for the Union in the Civil War. Sure, the narrative is to some degree told through the lens of white lead Matthew Broderick, but the wonderful performances from Denzel, Morgan Freeman, Andre Braugher (among others) steals the show and makes the black soldiers -- rightfully -- the center of the story.
Unforgivable Blackness - Ken Burns isn't everyone's cup of tea but I unabashedly love him and this shorter doc (than usual for him) is a fantastic look at not just the boxing career but the cultural impact of Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion who happened to have a preference for dating white women -- no small thing at the turn of the century. Witty and thoughtful, this film has slipped through the cracks with a lot of people and it deserves a wider audience.
Fruitvale Station - Oscar Grant probably never anticipated that he would become a historic figure of significance but his brutal killing at the hands of a transit officer ignited a movement and inspired a whole generation of activists to start speaking out about the dangers of police violence, especially targeting unarmed black men and women. Michael B. Jordan's beautiful performance captures a flawed person to be sure, but someone who didn't deserve to die.
13th/OJ Made in America - DuVernay's masterful documentary about the racist roots of our modern criminal justice system is a stunning piece of history in its own right. I link it to the similarly fantastic OJ Made in America because it also came out in the same year and also, admittedly in a very different way, dealt with the tragic nexis between race and crime, with a dash of celebrity thrown in. Both are extensive, exhaustive and exhilarating.
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