20. Boomerang – Eddie Murphy was at the top of his game in this humorous turn about black corporate America. Halle Berry, Robin Givens, Martin Lawrence, and David Alan Grier are the supporting cast.
19. Boyz N The Hood – Ice Cube, Cuba Cuba Gooding Jr., Morris Chestnut, and Laurence Fishburne round out this cast south central Los Angeles Se
18. The Great Debaters – Stirring film about a east Texas college debate team in the early part of the 20th century starring Denzel Washington, Jurnee Smollett, Forest Whitaker and newcomer Denzel Whitaker.
17. Shaft – A perennial favorite starring Richard Roundtree about a New York City detective. Oscar winning soundtrack by Isaac Hayes.
16. Friday – This movie is funny from beginning to end. It stars Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, but it is more like an ensemble piece with John Singleton, Regina King, Anne Marie Horsford, and Bernie Mac.
15. Lady Sings The Blues – The tragic story about the life of Billie Holiday play to perfection by Diana Ross. Richard Pryor and Billie Dee Williams co star.
14. Hollywood Shuffle – Robert Townsend’s send up of a Black actor’s plight in Hollywood. Remember there is always work at the post office.
13. Sounder – Cicely Tyson and Paul Winfield starred in this film. I am embarrassed to admit I have never seen it in its entirety.
12. Raisin In The Sun – This is the film that Sidney Poitier should have been nominated for his first Oscar.
11. The Wiz – Barry Gordy produced this film of the Broadway adaptation. It starred Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, and Lena Horne.
2 comments:
(1) Hollywood Shuffle is one of my all-time favorites. It was an extremely original movie that managed to level a very harsh critique of Hollywood. I've always said that if you want to see racism in its rawest form, go to a casting agent.
(2) I see Shaft made it, but why should I be surprised that it was ranked that low.
of course, I was apparently one of the few who liked the TV series (also starring Roundtree).
(3) I loved Sounder when I first saw it (as a kid), but when looking at it as an adult, some things irk me about it. Perhaps if things weren't so skewed in Hollywood already, I wouldn't have minded. It would be another story about a boy and his dog, and perhaps that's what we should see it as. Then too, Taj Mahal was really good in the movie too, and if memory serves, both Winfield and Tyson were nominated for the Academy Award for their work in it.
(4) I guess one could debate until the cows come home as to what Sidney Portie's best performance is. But in terms of a black ensemble cast, Raisin in the Sun is probably the best. There were some particularly powerful moments too in No Way Out (courtesy of a young Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee--and I've always liked Richard Widmark).
(5) I'll be curious to see who's in the top-ten.
x.dell, I absolutely agree with you about Hollywood Shuffle. I don't think you are going to be all that happy with the last ten.
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