Winter is here, and Black-led movies are the perfect elixir to keep away the cold.
These movies range from festive to heart-pumping and are all you need–next to some eggnog or mulled wine–to have a fantastic time.
So, let’s check them out!
Candy Cane Lane
Platform: Prime Video
Release Date: December 1, 2023
Genre: Holiday, Comedy, Family
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, Chris Redd, Robin Thede
Some folk take Christmas decoration way too seriously, and Candy Cane Lane follows one of them: a man set on winning his neighborhood’s Christmas decorating contest.
To win, he forms a pact with an elf.
But the elf brings chaos to the town by bringing to life the 12 days of Christmas, and it’s up to the man to try and save Christmas.
Christmas With A Kiss
Platform: Hallmark
Release Date: December 03, 2023
Genre: Holiday, Romance
Cast: Ronnie Rowe, Mishael Morgan, Jaime M. Callica
Hallmark never disappoints with cozy, romantic holiday movies.
As one of the coziest Black-led movies, Christmas With A Kiss doesn’t disappoint.
The film follows Morgan, who heads home to help her family plan their Christmas Carnival.
However, an unexpected romance soon ignites.
Blood Vessel
Platform: Netflix
Release Date: December 08, 2023
Genre: Thriller
Cast: Obinna Okenwa, Dibor Adaobi, John Dumelo
Blood Vessels is among the most exciting Black-led movies to watch if you’re in the mood for something less about festivities and more about pure thrills.
It follows six random people who escape a town ravaged by oil pollution.
They become stowaways on a ship but encounter dangers they couldn’t have foreseen.
Yes! Chef Christmas
Platform: Lifetime
Release Date: December 10, 2023
Genre: Comedy, Christmas
Cast: Tia Mowry, Christopher Omari, Raven Dauda
Yes! Chef Christmas follows Alicia Geller, a culinary school instructor who has put her personal life and real career aspirations on the back burner.
But when invited to the annual Kringle Cook-Off, she learns a family secret that could help her become a respected chef.
She has to put everything on the line to get the life she’s always dreamed of.
Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only
Platform: Netflix
Release Date: December 12, 2023
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Kevin Hart, Chris Rock
We rarely get to learn what happens behind the scenes in the lives of our favorite entertainers.
If you’re the same, Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only should be among your must-watch Black-led movies.
The feature gives a unique look at the friendship between the two comedians and their careers.
American Fiction
Platform: Cinemas
Release Date: December 15, 2023
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Cast: Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown, Tracee Ellis Ross, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams
American Fiction is among the most entertaining Black-led movies this December if you’re looking for an inside look at the entertainment industry.
The film follows Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, whose writing career suffers because publishers don’t consider his work “Black enough.”
Monk then writes a satyrical novel under a pseudonym to expose the hypocrisies of the publishing world.
But the novel is so successful that he’s forced to go deeper into his assumed identity.
A Christmas Intern
Platform: Lifetime
Release Date: December 16, 2023
Genre: Comedy, Christmas
Cast: Vivica A. Fox, Jackée Harry, Jasmine Aivaliotis, Ciarra Carter
As the holidays approach, Cecilia gets bored with retirement.
So, she pays her daughter Alexis a surprise visit.
Cecilia decides to hit two birds with one stone by spending Christmas with her daughter and interning at her daughter’s startup company.
Bon Bini: Bangkok Nights
Platform: Limited Release
Release Date: December 20, 2023
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Sergio Romero IJssel, Jandino Asporaat
Looking for something off-kilter?
Bon Bini: Bangkok Nights is among this holiday’s most outlandish Black-led movies.
The film follows Judeska, who lands a deal to open a new Asian branch.
However, a mysterious businessman swindles her and Ping Ping.
The pair then head to Bangkok to steal back their restaurant and restore their friendship.
The Color Purple
Platform: Cinemas
Release Date: December 25, 2023
Genre: Drama, Musical
Cast: Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo, Halle Bailey, Corey Hawkins, David Alan Grier
The Color Purple is among the highest-profile Black-led movies released in months.
This remake of the 1985 original follows the lifelong story of a woman who journeys to independence.
She faces countless hardships but eventually finds hope and strength in sisterhood.
These Black-Led Movies Will Entertain Your Winter Holiday
From the romantic to the thrilling and the downright bizarre, these Black-led movies are the perfect antidote for the frigid weather.
Check them out as you enjoy your holiday!
