Racial representation in the movie industry – both in front of and behind the camera – has long been an issue. The share of Black filmmakers shooting major studio films has increased dramatically in recent years, according to a study from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. The share of black directors nominated for prestigious awards has also increased.
Still, Black American filmmakers have made hundreds of critically acclaimed and culturally impactful films dating back to the early 20th century, when Oscar Micheaux became the first African American to make a film with “The Homesteader” (1919).
To compile a list of the best movies by Black filmmakers, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes. Scores are as of January 2022.
The movies on the list vary significantly, ranging from older and underseen independent fare, such as “Killer of Sheep,” to modern blockbusters that drew fans worldwide such as “Black Panther,” and Oscar-winning films based on true events, such as “Judas and the Black Messiah.”
Each film offers a convincing argument for Hollywood to offer more support for Black filmmakers. Some of the films listed here also rank among the best ever made – these are the 55 best movies of all time.
Methodology
To determine the best movies by Black Americans, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of January 2022. All ratings were weighted equally. Only movies directed by Black American directors were considered. Documentary films were excluded from consideration.
50. Sorry to Bother You (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (70,459 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 70% (6,418 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (311 reviews)
> Directed by: Boots Riley
49. He Got Game (1998)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (46,247 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (44,506 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (63 reviews)
> Directed by: Spike Lee
48. Talk to Me (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (9,654 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (41,551 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (132 reviews)
> Directed by: Kasi Lemmons
47. Harriet (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (23,250 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 97% (12,145 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 73% (231 reviews)
> Directed by: Kasi Lemmons
46. Hollywood Shuffle (1987)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (5,406 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (4,135 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (27 reviews)
> Directed by: Robert Townsend
45. Professor Marston & the Wonder Women (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (25,013 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (5,376 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (181 reviews)
> Directed by: Angela Robinson
44. Gridlock’d (1997)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (15,257 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (9,837 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (33 reviews)
> Directed by: Vondie Curtis-Hall
43. Crooklyn (1994)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (10,034 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (11,383 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 77% (31 reviews)
> Directed by: Spike Lee
42. Soul Food (1997)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (7,692 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (20,824 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (42 reviews)
> Directed by: George Tillman Jr.
41. If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (45,888 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 71% (2,617 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (362 reviews)
> Directed by: Barry Jenkins
40. Antwone Fisher (2002)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (34,536 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (47,260 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (152 reviews)
> Directed by: Denzel Washington
39. Marshall (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (22,855 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (8,710 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (149 reviews)
> Directed by: Reginald Hudlin
38. House Party (1990)
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (14,173 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (38,586 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (29 reviews)
> Directed by: Reginald Hudlin
37. Fences (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (103,038 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (36,321 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (270 reviews)
> Directed by: Denzel Washington
36. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (46,581 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (1,141 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (297 reviews)
> Directed by: George C. Wolfe
35. One False Move (1992)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (10,935 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (4,775 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (52 reviews)
> Directed by: Carl Franklin
34. I Like It Like That (1994)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (1,629 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (3,067 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (11 reviews)
> Directed by: Darnell Martin
33. To Sleep with Anger (1990)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (2,329 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (551 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (33 reviews)
> Directed by: Charles Burnett
32. Training Day (2001)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (409,127 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (301,091 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 73% (161 reviews)
> Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
31. 25th Hour (2002)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (174,718 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (80,325 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (177 reviews)
> Directed by: Spike Lee
30. The Great Debaters (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (57,445 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (116,821 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (132 reviews)
> Directed by: Denzel Washington
29. Rosewood (1997)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (7,960 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (7,967 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (55 reviews)
> Directed by: John Singleton
28. Friday (1995)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (105,351 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (265,739 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (27 reviews)
> Directed by: F. Gary Gray
27. Black Dynamite (2009)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (47,489 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (15,678 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (64 reviews)
> Directed by: Scott Sanders
26. Fear of a Black Hat (1993)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (4,075 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (4,900 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (22 reviews)
> Directed by: Rusty Cundieff
25. Eve’s Bayou (1997)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (9,428 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (8,317 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (57 reviews)
> Directed by: Kasi Lemmons
24. Queen & Slim (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (27,964 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (12,708 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (222 reviews)
> Directed by: Melina Matsoukas
23. Cooley High (1975)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (4,572 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (4,371 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (13 reviews)
> Directed by: Michael Schultz
22. Precious (2009)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (108,197 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (141,258 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (238 reviews)
> Directed by: Lee Daniels
21. One Night in Miami… (2020)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (28,873 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (1,037 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (331 reviews)
> Directed by: Regina King
20. The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (5,372 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (4,761 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (38 reviews)
> Directed by: George Tillman Jr.
19. Inside Man (2006)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (354,136 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (351,658 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (208 reviews)
> Directed by: Spike Lee
18. Baadasssss! (2003)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (4,871 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (4,958 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (109 reviews)
> Directed by: Mario Van Peebles
17. Black Panther (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (676,684 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (88,211 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (525 reviews)
> Directed by: Ryan Coogler
16. Pariah (2011)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (6,645 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (8,692 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (122 reviews)
> Directed by: Dee Rees
15. Love & Basketball (2000)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (20,127 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (186,899 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (95 reviews)
> Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood
14. Moonlight (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (288,673 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (45,830 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (392 reviews)
> Directed by: Barry Jenkins
13. BlacKkKlansman (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (241,564 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (11,678 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (447 reviews)
> Directed by: Spike Lee
12. Killer of Sheep (1978)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (6,409 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (4,689 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (80 reviews)
> Directed by: Charles Burnett
11. Mudbound (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (46,035 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (5,906 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (200 reviews)
> Directed by: Dee Rees
10. The Hate U Give (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (33,599 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (4,519 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (225 reviews)
> Directed by: George Tillman Jr.
9. Fruitvale Station (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (78,679 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (39,286 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (214 reviews)
> Directed by: Ryan Coogler
8. Malcolm X (1992)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (90,113 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (57,040 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (62 reviews)
> Directed by: Spike Lee
7. Straight Outta Compton (2015)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (188,551 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (24,335 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (247 reviews)
> Directed by: F. Gary Gray
6. Selma (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (89,243 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (61,564 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (313 reviews)
> Directed by: Ava DuVernay
5. Creed (2015)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (258,408 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (76,266 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (311 reviews)
> Directed by: Ryan Coogler
4. Get Out (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (530,461 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (76,158 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (397 reviews)
> Directed by: Jordan Peele
3. Do the Right Thing (1989)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (96,267 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (73,827 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (98 reviews)
> Directed by: Spike Lee
2. Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (60,720 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (495 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (339 reviews)
> Directed by: Shaka King
1. Boyz n the Hood (1991)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (132,951 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (144,364 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (70 reviews)
> Directed by: John Singleton