Graphic made by Leah Ioane
During the month of February, Black History Month is celebrating its 100th anniversary so here are some films to watch to celebrate and gain knowledge as to why this month is important.
“Selma”
A 2014 film directed by Ava DuVernay and stars David Oyelowo, Carmen, Ejogo, Oprah Winfrey and Jim France. The film is a chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s campaign to gain equal voting rights by participating in a march from Selma to Mongomery, Alabama in 1965. The film contains themes of nonviolent resistance, the fight against systematic racism, and the power and collective community action. “Selma” got nominated for Best Motion Picture of the Year and won the Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures in the 2015 Oscars.
“12 Years a Slave”
A powerful film based off of the devastating 1853 memoir of Solomon. The film follows a free Black man from New York, who gets abducted and sold into slavery. The film contains highly praised and destructive depiction of the brutality and devastation of slavery. Solomon spends 12 years enslaved and is forced to work on plantations under various masters where he endures terrors of extreme violence while trying to maintain his humanity. The film got nominated for nine Oscars and won Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role and Best Writing.
“42”
“42” follows Jackie Robinson, played by Chadwick Boseman, and his journey as the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era. The film explores the racism Robinson had to endure as well as how he persevered through everything he experienced. “42” has three wins from different ceremonies with it winning Feature Films at the Christopher Awards, Best Audio/Visual Technique at the Key Art Awards and Best foreign Language Film at the Hochi Film Awards. The film has 21 nominations.
“Get Out”
A 2017 film about a young African-American man who visits his white girlfriend’s parents for the weekend. He thinks her family’s unusual behavior is a result of their daughter’s interracial relationship, but soon he discovers that her parents use hypnosis to trap Black people’s consciousness and transplant their own into them. “Get Out” is a horror movie in many different aspects as well as a thriller and mystery. The film explores heavy themes of racism, white liberalism, exploration of black bodies and cultural appreciation.
Just because you’re invited, doesn’t mean you’re welcome.
One of the film’s taglines
The film was nominated for four Oscars and won Best Original Screenplay. “Get Out” was a success in many different ways and it earned 154 wins and 214 nominations.
“Remember the Titans”
“Remember the Titans” is a highly recommended movie to watch during Black History Month. The film takes place at a Virginia high school in 1971 where the school board decided to integrate an all Black school and an all white school. Problems and solutions arise when the traditions of the school’s football team are put to the test. “Remember the Titans” is a cult classic in the beloved sports genre of film and is still majorly talked about to this day. It has been awarded with eight wins which includes Denzel Washington winning Best Actor at the BET Awards, Outstanding Motion Picture at Image Awards (NAACP) as well as 17 nominations.
“The Color Purple”
Regarded as an epic period drama, The film spans 40 years while following the life of Celie, an African-American woman living in the South who endures severe abuse and discrimination. “The Color Purple” features highly praised actors and actresses such as Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg and Danny Glover. The celebrated film directed by Steven Spielberg got nominated for 11 Oscars, with some of the most exciting nominations being Best Picture, Best Writing, Best Costume Design and Best Cinematography. It ended up gaining 14 wins throughout many different award shows and got nominated 25 total times.
“Malcolm X”
“Malcolm X” is an epic biographical drama of the influential Black Nationalist leader. The film explores his early life as well as his career as a small-time gangster. Some events it covers also includes his life as a Nation of Islam Minister, his pilgrimage to Mecca and his 1965 assassination. It explores themes of racial identity, political corruption and faith. “Malcolm X” got nominated for two Oscars which included Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Costume Design. In total, the film got 19 wins and was nominated for 24 awards.
“Moonlight”
A 2016 coming of age, psychological drama that follows the childhood, adolescence and adulthood of an African-American man who struggles with his identity and sexuality while also navigating his everyday life. The film follows important themes of identity, self discovery, vulnerability, and trauma. “Moonlight” was a huge success in numerous ways with eight Oscar nominations and three Oscar wins, winning Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. Overall, the film proudly accumulated 235 wins and 310 nominations.
