2013 has been called a banner year for Black film, with the critical and commercial success of 12 Years a Slave, Lee Daniels’ The Butler, Fruitvale Station and 42. But, as Slate’s Aisha Harris pointed out in her blog, not all Black films deal with the struggle for civil rights or battles against racism. Here are seven films released in 2013 that you can check out that provide a variety of viewpoints about the Black experience in America.
Four fine films examine the lives of black youth. In Gimme the Loot, Bronx teenagers Sofia and Malcolm need $500 for the ultimate graffiti tag, and over the course of two days embark on an adventure that’s funny, real and touching. It made enough of an impression to win the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature at SXSW. Michael Gondry switched gears with The We and the I, a rambunctious treat that follows a group of high school seniors from the Bronx – Black, Hispanic, white – who have been riding the same bus for three years, and the emotional highs and lows that come to the forefront when they ride the bus for the last time. In The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete, two boys are left to fend for themselves during a hot summer in Brooklyn after their mothers are arrested. Despite their vulnerability, they evade child protective services and struggle to survive on their own. Jennifer Hudson, Anthony Mackie, Jeffrey Wright and Jordin Sparks co-star, but the film belongs to its young stars, Skylan Brooks and Ethan Dizon. And in LUV, Michael Rainey Jr. (who plays a young Cecil Gaines in Lee Daniels’ The Butler) is Woody, and 11-year-old who spends a day with his Uncle Vincent (Common), fresh out of prison and looking to start a new life. Despite good intentions, the day does not go well for Woody and Vincent, and hard lessons are learned. Another strong supporting cast – Charles S. Dutton, Danny Glover, Dennis Haysbert – elevate the movie, which earned director Sheldon Candis a Grand Jury Prize nomination at Sundance.
Three films that document distinct stories of Black life in urban America. Mother of George explores the trials and tribulations of newly married Nigerian immigrants Adenike and Ayodele, whose struggle to conceive is complicated by the expectations of Ayodele’s mother. This gorgeous film earned director Andrew Dosunmu a Grand Jury Prize nomination for Best Dramatic feature while winning the Cinematography Award. In Newlyweeds, director Shaka King’s love of character is on display in this comedy about Lyle and Nina, a couple whose love for each other can only be matched for their love of pot. Critics have said this film is more reminiscent of early Spike Lee than it is of lowbrow stoner comedies. And for a truly singular experience, check out the trippy, experimental An Oversimplification of Her Beauty, where filmmaker Terence Nance blends live action with animation in an effort to showcase his feelings for a young woman who stands him up.
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