28, Wait, 29 Days Of Black Cinema (2024)

It’s February, Black History Month. And this year, it’s got 29 days! Hopefully my longtime followers know what this means.  Yes, my 28 (plus 1) Day tribute to the African Diaspora in film. 

If you’ve never seen my annual list, feel free to select any of the following links:

28 Days Of Black Cinema (2021)
28 Days Of Black Cinema (2022)
28 Days Of Black Cinema (2023)

And for you familiar faithfuls, here we go again!

Choose what you will and make it your own, if you’re looking to modify or create a watchlist. As for me, this is my line-up for 2024. These films and documentaries can be found on various streaming sites such as Netflix, Hulu, Paramount+, Disney+, Apple TV, (HBO) Max, Tubi, FAwesome Black Cinema, Peacock, Freevee, Prime Video, YouTube, Crackle and just about any other streaming service you can think of (wow, that’s a lot of streaming). Of course, there’s always cable television, your local library and yes, your dusty old DVD/VHS collection.

If you’re looking for a specific title on this list and can’t find it, reach out to me in the Comments section at the bottom.

That being said, let’s get to it, shall we?

This year’s list is dedicated to the memory of the great athlete (Oakland Raiders) turned action actor Carl Weathers, who sadly transitioned to glory on February 2. Carl is widely known for his iconic portrayal of boxing nemesis turned ally and friend, Apollo Creed of the Rocky movie franchise. 

He can also be seen on Disney’s The Mandalorian in the recurring role of Greef Karga.

28, Wait, 29 Days Of Black Cinema (2024)

Movie synopses provided by the IMDb or the streaming service hosting it.

1. Solomon Northup’s Odyssey (1984) Avery Johnson, Rhetta Greene
   Solomon Northup was a black man in the mid 19th century who was born a freeman and worked as a carpenter and part time musician. Approached to play for a group of men, he is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Based on the autobiography 12 Years A Slave by Solomon Northup and the first filmed version of his story. This is also the acting debut of Avery Johnson.
2. Black Belt Jones (1974) Jim Kelly, Gloria Hendry, Scatman Crothers
   A Mafia buy out of Papa Byrd’s karate school downtown ends in his death. Byrd’s daughter, Sydney, refuses to sell, and wants revenge. Byrd’s students call the Black Belt Jones for help.
3. Action Jackson (1988) Carl Weathers, Vanity
   Vengeance drives a tough Detroit cop to stay on the trail of a power-hungry auto magnate who is systematically eliminating his competition.
4. Joshua (1976) Fred Williamson
   A black soldier returns from fighting for the Union in the Civil War only to find out that his mother has been murdered by a gang of white thugs. He becomes a bounty hunter, determined to track down and kill the men who killed his mother.
5. Lady Cocoa (1975) Lola Falana
   Foxy Lady Cocoa is out to take down her mobster boyfriend.
6. Captive Heart: The James Mink Story (1996) Louis Gossett, Jr.
   A wealthy Black woman in Canada gets kidnapped and sold into slavery in the American South.
7. Rustin (2023) Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Jeffrey Wright, Glynn Turman
   Activist Bayard Rustin faces racism and homophobia as he helps change the course of Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington.
8. In Our Mothers’ Gardens (2020) Tarana Burke, Tina Farris
   Black women from across the globe unlock stories of their mothers to redefine holistic lives rooted in radical self-care and healing in this documentary.
9. The Color Purple (2023) Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo
   A woman faces many hardships in her life, but ultimately finds extraordinary strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.
10. Go Tell It On The Mountain (1985) Paul Winfield, James Bond III, Olivia Cole
    This film adaptation of James Baldwin’s celebrated novel tells the journey of a family from the rural South to “big city” Harlem seeking both salvation and understanding and of a young boy struggling to earn the approval of a self-righteous and often unloving stepfather.
11. Anikulapo (2022) Adebowale Adedayo, Aderemi Adedeji
    The story of Saro, a man seeking for greener pasture in the great Oyo Kingdom, until unfolding events and his affair with the king’s wife lead to strange and dark encounters.
12. The River Niger (1976) Cicely Tyson, James Earl Jones
    A house painter moonlighting as a poet struggles to financially and emotionally support his cancer-stricken wife.
13. Double Platinum (1999) Diana Ross, Brandy Norwood
    Years after she abandoned her baby girl, a famous singer must face her now teenage daughter and repair their complicated relationship.
14. The Light Of Freedom (2013) Jade Metcalf
    It is the year 1861 and President Lincoln has called for 75,000 men to join the Union Army. As the Civil War begins, another battle has been raging for decades. It is the fight for freedom waged by the Underground Railroad.
15. Jagun Jagun: The Warrior (2023) Femi Adebayo, Tope Adebayo
    A young man determined to become a mighty warrior joins an elite army, encountering the wrath of a maniacal warlord and the love of a woman.
16. Roll, Bounce (2005) Shad Moss, Chi McBride
    In the summer of 1978, a teenager and his group of friends face new challenges when their neighborhood roller-skating rink closes, forcing them to visit a different rink.
17. Mahalia Jackson: The Power & The Glory (1997) Mahalia Jackson, Jesse Jackson
    A Documentary that charts the life and music of gospel singer Mahalia Jackson.
18. Mr. And Mrs. Loving (1996) Lela Rochon, Timothy Hutton
    A moving and uplifting drama about the effects of interracial marriage in the 1960s. Friends since childhood, and loved by both families, this couple is exiled after their wedding and have to wage a courageous battle to find their place in America as a loving family.
19. House Party (1990) Christopher Reid, Robin Harris, Christopher Martin
    Kid decides to go to his friend Play’s house party, but neither of them can predict what’s in store for them on what could be the wildest night of their lives.
20. The Broken Rose (2018) Makenzie Lee-Foster
    Rose is a young girl who has grown up in foster care. Desperate to escape an abusive situation, she is saved by an older man named Shaka, but at what price?
21. Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) Richard Pryor
    A comedian at the peak of success and the pit of self-esteem buckles under the pressure and suffers an accident that forces him to re-examine his life.
22. Carry Me Home: A Remember America Film (2016) Karen Abercrombie, Lindsey Aeriel Grimble
    Set in 1860 in the Antebellum South, this is the true story of how maria Ennals and her family escaped slavery through the help of Harriet Tubman.
23. Brown Paper Bag (2019) Rasheed Stephens, Tiara Parker
    The year is 1942 and Archie Glass is a young black actor just come to Hollywood. He soon finds himself blacklisted and kicked off the lot, in an attempt to get back into showbiz he is hired to go looking for a missing white starlet.
24. The North Star (2016) Jeremiah Trotter, Thomas C. Bartley, Jr.
    The North Star is the story of Benjamin “Big Ben” Jones and Moses Hopkins, two slaves who escaped from a Virginia plantation and made their way to freedom in Buckingham, Pennsylvania in 1849.
25. Blind Faith (1998) Courtney B. Vance, Charles S. Dutton, Kadeem Hardison
    In 1957, lawyer John Williams seeks to find out the truth behind a case involving his nephew, Charlie, who is accused of strangling a boy to death.
26. Brother Future (1991) Phil Lewis, Carl Lumbly
    A young street rapper is transported back in time to the pre-Civil War South, where he finds himself in the middle of a slave revolt.
27. Why Do Fools Fall In Love (1998) Halle Berry, Vivica A. Fox, Lela Rochon, Larenz Tate
    Three women each claim to be the widow of 1950s doo-wop singer Frankie Lymon, claiming legal rights to his estate.
28. Tap (1989) Gregory Hines, Suzzanne Douglas, Sammy Davis, Jr.
    Two days out of prison, Max gets involved in a jewel heist. The lure of a big payoff is tempting in this spirited story of life in the fast lane.
29. Good Deeds (2012) Tyler Perry, Gabrielle Union, Thandiwe Newton
    Businessman Wesley Deeds is jolted out of his scripted life when he meets Lindsey, a single mother who works on the cleaning crew in his office building.

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…and that’s it! My movie list for 2024.  What are some movies that you intend to watch this month? Please share in the Comments section below.  I’d always eager to know.  I may just add them to my list or include them in next year’s post. And don’t forget to sign up for email notification of new and future posts from Kenny’s Camera, Cooking & Crazy Confessions at ZootsBlogSpot!

Thanks for reading and enjoy the month!