90's Black Movies: Our List with More Than 100 Films
Full List Of '90s Black Movies:
A Low Down Dirty Shame
"A Low Down Dirty Shame" combines black comedy and crime for a classic watch. Keenen Ivory Wayans stars and directs, playing a detective in a thrilling yet humorous plot. Jada Pinkett Smith's breakout role adds charm, making the film memorable. It uniquely balances action and comedy, pleasing fans of both. Well-executed action scenes and perfect comedic timing create a captivating mix of thrill and laughter. Praised for its entertainment value, it's a standout in '90s cinema with a lasting impact.
A black detective becomes embroiled in a web of danger while searching for a fortune in missing drug money. During the course of his investigation, he encounters various old connections, ultimately confronting the criminal responsible for Shame's expulsion from the force. He must also deal with two women, Angela, a beautiful old flame, and Peaches, his energetic but annoying sidekick.
Drop Squad
Controversial film about an underground organization that kidnaps and 'deprograms' African Americans who sell out or deny their cultural heritage. Spike Lee is the Executive Producer.
Jason's Lyric
"Jason's Lyric" centers on Jason's inner turmoil between familial loyalty and the aspiration for a better life with Lyric, highlighting the challenges of striving for more beyond one's immediate reality. Lyric is depicted not just as a romantic partner but as a beacon of hope, offering Jason a chance to escape a cycle of violence. Their bond is portrayed as a crucial escape route towards a hopeful future. The film sets this narrative against the backdrop of Houston, which becomes a character in its own right, reflecting the dualities of urban life. The city's contrasting landscapes underscore the film’s themes, serving as symbols of both confinement and freedom, mirroring Jason and Lyric's emotional and physical journey towards liberation.
The story of a young man who must confront his own fears about love as well as his relationships with family and friends.
Fresh
Michael is a 12-year-old drug pusher who lives in a crowded house with his cousins and aunt. His father has become a street bum,but still meets with Fresh on occasion to play chess. Fresh is rather quiet in a crazy world. Fresh's sister is a junkie who sleeps with the dealers that Fresh sells for. As the story progresses Fresh realizes that he doesn't want to sell drugs anymore - he wants revenge.
Blankman
Darryl is a childlike man with a genius for inventing various gadgets out of junk. When he stumbles on a method to make his clothes bulletproof, he decides to use his skills to be the lowest budgeted superhero of all.
Corrina, Corrina
When Manny Singer's wife dies, his young daughter Molly becomes mute and withdrawn. To help cope with looking after Molly, he hires sassy housekeeper Corrina Washington, who coaxes Molly out of her shell and shows father and daughter a whole new way of life. Manny and Corrina's friendship delights Molly and enrages the other townspeople.
To Sir, with Love II
Mark Thackeray (Poitier) is a West Indian, who in the 1967 film had taken teaching in a London East End school. He spent twenty years teaching and ten in administrative roles. He has taught the children of his former pupils, but is now retiring.
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Nightclub manager Darnell Wright is a perpetual playboy who is almost as devoted to his job as he is to the pursuit of beautiful women. After he sets his sights on the ultra-classy Brandi Web, he launches an all-out assault to win her heart. Ultimately, charm, lust and passion prevail, but Darnell learns the hard way that when you play, you pay. Brandi is much harder to get rid of than she was to get--especially when she realizes that she has a rival vying for Darnell's affection. When he finally decides to call it quits, Brandi becomes an obsessed femme fatale stalking the new love of her life.
A Family Thing
Earl Pilcher Jr., runs an equipment rental outfit in Arkansas, lives with his wife and kids and parents, and rarely takes off his gimme cap. His mother dies, leaving a letter explaining he's not her natural son, but the son of a Black woman who died in childbirth; plus, he has a half brother Ray, in Chicago, she wants him to visit. Earl makes the trip, initially receiving a cold welcome from Ray and Ray's son, Virgil. His birth mother's sister, Aunt T., an aged and blind matriarch, takes Earl in tow and insists that the family open up to him.
"Don't Be a Menace" excels as a parody of '90s urban dramas, showcasing the Wayans brothers' knack for humor and social commentary. They satirize stereotypes from life in South Central L.A., mixing sharp wit with critiques of clichés in black cinema. The film balances comedy with insight, challenging how black communities are depicted. Its enduring humor and cultural references have cemented it as a cult classic in black comedy.
When Ashtray (Shawn Wayans) moves to South Central L.A. to live with his father (who appears to be the same age he is) and grandmother (who likes to talk tough and smoke reefer), he falls in with his gang-banging cousin Loc Dog (Marlon Wayans), who along with the requisite pistols and Uzi carries a thermo-nuclear warhead for self-defense. Will Ashtray be able to keep living the straight life?
Waiting to Exhale
"Waiting to Exhale" stands as a hallmark of '90s black cinema, focusing on the lives and empowerment of four African American women. It offers an authentic look at their journey towards self-discovery, navigating complex relationships with resilience. The film emphasizes the importance of friendship as a source of strength and sanctuary against the backdrop of challenges with love, careers, and personal growth. Highlighting the essence of sisterhood, it showcases how deep bonds among women can lead to overcoming life's hurdles. By bringing black women's experiences to the forefront with real-life issues such as infidelity and career challenges, "Waiting to Exhale" broke ground in mainstream cinema, marking a significant step forward in the representation of black women's narratives on movies.
Cheated on, mistreated and stepped on, the women are holding their breath, waiting for the elusive "good man" to break a string of less-than-stellar lovers. Friends and confidants Vannah, Bernie, Glo and Robin talk it all out, determined to find a better way to breathe.
Vampire in Brooklyn
Maximillian, the lone survivor of a race of vampires, comes to Brooklyn in search of a way to live past the next full moon. His ticket to survival is Rita, a NYPD detective who doesn't know she's half vampire -- and Maximillian will do whatever's necessary to put her under his spell.
Dead Presidents
"Dead Presidents" delivers a striking depiction of African American Vietnam War veterans grappling with reintegration into society. It uncovers the systemic challenges they face, emphasizing the stark transition from battlefield to civilian life. The use of period music and aesthetics effectively transports viewers to the era, adding depth to the narrative by mirroring the societal unrest and tensions of the time. Central to the film are themes of disenfranchisement, as it explores the veterans' struggles against a system that neglects them, compelling them towards desperate measures for justice and redemption. This narrative offers a critical look at the extremes people are driven to in search of support and acknowledgment.
Depicts a heist of old bills, retired from circulation and destined by the government to be "money to burn". However, more broadly, it addresses the issues of Black Americans' involvement in the Vietnam War and their subsequent disillusionment with progress in social issues and civil rights back home in the United States, during the 1960s.
Devil in a Blue Dress
In late 1940s Los Angeles, Easy Rawlins is an unemployed black World War II veteran with few job prospects. At a bar, Easy meets DeWitt Albright, a mysterious white man looking for someone to investigate the disappearance of a missing white woman named Daphne Monet, who he suspects is hiding out in one of the city's black jazz clubs. Strapped for money and facing house payments, Easy takes the job, but soon finds himself in over his head.
Clockers
"Clockers," directed by Spike Lee and based on Richard Price's novel, offers an unflinching look at the lives of Brooklyn drug dealers, or "clockers," blending gritty realism with deep character studies. The film excels in presenting the complex realities of those entangled in the drug trade, law enforcement, and family pressures, exploring their moral dilemmas, motivations, and dreams beyond mere criminal caricatures. It portrays the nuanced challenges faced by police in tackling drug crimes and the ethical decisions they grapple with. Additionally, "Clockers" delves into the impact of family dynamics on individuals' paths, highlighting both the pressures driving them toward illegal activities and the strength derived from family ties. The film's vivid portrayal of urban decay in Brooklyn housing projects adds a critical dimension, serving almost as a character that embodies the residents' survival struggles.
Strike is a young city drug pusher under the tutelage of drug lord Rodney Little. When a night manager at a fast-food restaurant is found with four bullets in his body, Strike’s older brother turns himself in as the killer. Det. Rocco Klein doesn’t buy the story, however, setting out to find the truth, and it seems that all the fingers point toward Strike & Rodney.
Virtuosity
The Law Enforcement Technology Advancement Centre (LETAC) has developed SID version 6.7: a Sadistic, Intelligent, and Dangerous virtual reality entity which is synthesized from the personalities of more than 150 serial killers, and only one man can stop him.
Tales from the Hood
A strange funeral director tells four strange tales of horror with an African American focus to three drug dealers he traps in his place of business.
Set It Off
"Set It Off" delivers a compelling narrative about four women challenging societal constraints with determination and resilience. Highlighting black women in an action-drama, the film showcases their strength and intelligence, with standout performances from Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. These characters defy stereotypes, crafting a story of friendship, betrayal, and systemic injustice within a thrilling heist plot. "Set It Off" not only entertains but also comments on societal issues facing marginalized communities, sparking discussions on race, gender equality, and empowerment. Its portrayal of unity against adversity has made a lasting cultural impact, inspiring conversations on overcoming barriers in a male-dominated society.
Four black women, all of whom have suffered for lack of money and at the hands of the majority, undertake to rob banks. While initially successful, a policeman who was involved in shooting one of the women's brothers is on their trail. As the women add to the loot, their tastes and interests begin to change and their suspicions of each other increase on the way to a climactic robbery.
The Associate
Laurel Ayres is a businesswoman trying to make it but unfortunately she works at a investment firm where she does all the work but all the senior investors like Frank Peterson grab all the credit. She then leaves and starts her own firm. While trying to find clients Laurel pretends that she has a male partner named Robert Cutty. And when she starts to do well all of her clients wants to meet Cutty which is difficult since he doesn't exist.
Get on the Bus
Several Black men take a cross-country bus trip to attend the Million Man March in Washington, DC in 1995. On the bus are an eclectic set of characters including a laid-off aircraft worker, a man whose at-risk son is handcuffed to him, a black Republican, a former gangsta, a Hollywood actor, a cop who is of mixed racial background, and a white bus driver. All make the trek discussing issues surrounding the march, including manhood, religion, politics, and race.