4 Black Movies to Watch on Valentine's Day

#RunTheCulture

We have 4 Black Movies to Watch on Valentine’s Day with that special someone, or just by yourself if you’re in the mood for some black love. The romantic dramedy might be the most successful genre in all of black cinema, and these 4 films are some of the best so check them out!

The Best Man

The Best Man movie is a romantic comedy-drama straight from the 90’s. The film centers around a group of good looking, smart, and successful young black professionals. After writing a soon-to-be bestselling novel, writer and committed bachelor Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs) attempts to hide the fact that his racy new book is loosely based on the lives and loves of his tight-knit group of friends. Harper is set to be best man at his friend Lance’s (Morris Chestnut) wedding, and all his friends will be in attendance. When an advance copy of the book makes its way into the hands of his ex-flame, Jordan Armstrong (Nia Long), Harper attempts to keep it under wraps.

Some comedy and a whole lot of drama ensues. And with such a strong cast and a host of well-defined characters, The Best Man is an intelligent, funny romantic comedy that marked an impressive debut for writer/director Malcolm D. Lee.

Boomerang

Boomerang is the 1992 comedy directed by Reginald Hudlin which stars Eddie Murphy as a hotshot advertising executive and insatiable womanizer. He then meets his new boss played by Robin Givens and discovers that she is essentially a female version of himself, and realizes he is receiving the same treatment from her that he delivers to others. Mix in another potential love interest in Halle Berry and love, hate, sex, and comedy ensue. The film also features talented creators for The Culture David Alan Grier, Martin Lawrence, Grace Jones, and Clearance Weatherspoon.

And what they all created was something different from the comedies Murphy was doing at the time and a game-changer for romantic comedies in general. Boomerang was a hit, made rated R comedies mainstream, and debuted both Halle Berry and Toni Braxton.

Just Wright

Just Wright is a romantic comedy starring two of The Culture’s finest rappers turned actors Queen Latifah and Common. It’s the story of a physical therapist who falls in love with a professional basketball player that hit theaters in 2010. Common is a player who gets injured and Latifah is the therapist that pushes him hard to get back on the court. And not surprisingly, that tough love turns into real love. While it wasn’t a ground breaking film in terms of story, it was a funny film with heart and Common and The Queen did their thing on screen.

But what it did do that broke the mold was having Queen Latifah play the main love interest breaking free from the sidekick best girlfriend role and ending up with the guy. And being both a black and plus-sized woman was a big move for Hollywood and The Culture

Love & Basketball

Love & Basketball dropped in 2000 and starred Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps. The film tells the story of two ballers (and next-door neighbors) in L.A., Quincy McCall (Epps) and Monica Wright (Lathan), who are following their hoop dreams. The film follows them from childhood through adulthood as they pursue their b-ball careers. They start out as friends/rivals before eventually falling for each other.

Love & Basketball has stood the test of time with two of the most memorable scenes in black cinema this millennium. The dorm room one-on-one game and the climatic “For your heart” scene are still quoted, referenced, and recreated to this day.