10 Days of Christmas- Christmas Movie Countdown

Join us in counting down the next 10 days to Christmas with some of our favourite black Christmas films.

1. This Christmas (2007)

This Christmas is a comedic drama, filled with multiple familiar faces such as Loretta Devine, Derby Lindo, Irish Elba, Regina King, and many many more playing the Whitfield family, who've all come home for the first Christmas in several years. As with most families, there are differences in personalities, secrets, issues and drama to overcome. This Christmas is an authentic film, depicting real aspects of black family life. A must watch.

2. Holiday Rush (2019)

This was my first time watching Holiday Rush, even though I had to do a lot of scrolling on Netflix to find this gem, I was thoroughly impressed. It was refreshing to watch a Christmas movie that centres on a non-white family; Romany Malco who plays family Patriarch and radio host Rush Williams, with Start Trek: Discovery Sonequa Martin- Green as his Producer Roxy Richardon.

With special appearance from La La Anthony and Deon Cole.

Williams four children are swimming in privilege but everything turns upside down when Williams looses his job and is forced to sacrifice his wealth, suburban neighbourhood and material goods. To make matters worse Christmas is just around the corner. The film draws attention to the importance of Christmas and remembering that it’s not what you have, but who you have.

Nothing screams Christmas more than Darlene Love who plays Aunt Jo Robinson. The singer gives viewers a little treat at the end of the film singing her amazing hit Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).

3. The Holiday Calendar (2018)

The holiday calendar is a lighthearted romance, ready to put you in the Christmas spirit. The film follows Kat Graham who plays Abby, an aspiring photographer who is hesitant to go after her dream, unlike her best friend Josh played by Quincy Brown. Josh is living the dream, backpacking across Europe. Everything starts to change for the two when Abby’s granddad (Ron Cephas Jones) gives her an antique Christmas calendar that belonged to her late grandma, but lucky for her this ain’t no ordinary Christmas Calendar. Sometimes everything you are so disparately seeking is on the other side of fear and all it takes is a leap of faith.

4.Almost Christmas (2016)

Almost Christmas is a comedy-drama following the Meyers family. Walter Meyers (Donald Glover) the family patriarch is expecting his four children, Cheryl, Rachel, Evan and Christian, their families and his sister-in-law, May (Mo'Nique) for the first Christmas since the passing of his wife. Still dealing with the loss of the family matriarch, Walter only has one wish, that the kids try to get along for the five days leading up to Christmas as their mother would have wanted.

Although filled with heart wrenching moments, Almost Christmas is effortlessly hilarious with Mo'Nique acting as a comical godmother, keeping the family in check. The movie is filled with a star studded cast including Gabrielle Union, Kimberly Elise, J.B. Smoove, Romany Malco, Omar Epps, Nicole Ari Parker, Jessie Usher and DC Young Fly.

5. Friday After Next (2002)

In this third installment of the Friday series, Craig (Ice Cube) and Day-Day (Mike Epps) get jacked by a hood Santa on Christmas eve, losing their Christmas present and rent money. Starting new jobs as security guards at a local strip mall, they try to earn money to avoid getting evicted by their complex manager Miss Pearly and her fresh out of prison son Damon (Terry Crews).

Returning cast includes the large, great John Witherspoon (Willie Jones), Don Curry (Uncle Elroy), Clifton Powell (Pinky) along with new cat members Kate Williams and K.D. Aubert.

6. Last Holiday (2006)

Staring Queen Latifah as Georgia Bryd and LL Cool J as Sean Matthews.

Georgia is a sales associate, she feels underappreciated and unfulfilled. Her book of ‘Possibilities’ outlines all the things that will make her happy, places she wants to visit and people she wants to meet.

However, I am sure many of us have experienced fear. Fear has a tendency to creep up on you and hold you back from your truest desires. Maybe it’s because we care too much of what people think or we try too hard to avoid the risk of failure.

After an incident at work, Georgia decided to live in her truth, and turn her book of ‘Possibilities’ into reality. The film uses the concept of mortality to explore the natures of life. It has a great balance between humour and humanity.

7. The Best Man Holiday (2013)

15 years later and college friends Lance (Morris Chestnut), Harper (Taye Diggs), Candace (Regina Hall), Quentin (Terrence Howard), Robyn (Sanaa Lathan), Jordan (Nia Long), Murch (Harold Perrineau), and Mia (Monica Calhoun) are finally back together for the Christmas holidays.

Adulthood isn’t easy and one thing we can’t help, is growing apart from friends. There’s sometimes unresolved issues or life just get too hectic to find the time to get together. This films explores the importance of time and how little we have of it. It’s not always finding the time but maybe making the time.

Tomorrow is not promised.

A great movie celebrating family, friendship and life.

With Christmas approaching and The New Year creeping in, why not try and make time for those who matter and reconnect with old friends.

8. A Madea Christmas (2013)

In this chapter Madea (Tyler Perry) finds herself accompanying her niece Eileen (Anna Maria Horsford) to surprise her daughter Lacey (Tika Sumpter), after politely declining her need to visit. However, Lacey had been avoiding her mother after secretly marrying Connor (Eric Lively), a white man; something she know her mother who not react kindly to.

Shocked by the visit Lacey lies to her mother in an effort to buy her time to explain the situation to her mother, a situation that becomes trickier with the arrival of Connor's parents and affairs at work that are slowly spiralling out of control. Madea plays a hilarious mediator, trying to keep Eileen in check.

9. Black Nativity (2013)

Black Nativity is a Christmas musical geared towards the whole family.

After struggling financially and having to work over Christmas single mother Naima (Jennifer Hudson) she her teenage son Langston (Jacob Latimore) from Boston to New York to stay with her parents from who she is estranged. Langston struggles with the concept that his newly discovered grandparents Rev Cornelly Cobbs (Forest Whitaker) and Aretha Cobbs (Angela Bassett) are living well off while his mother struggles, and sets off about trying to understand what happened to his family and procure funds with the hopes of reuniting with his mother. Divine intervention has other plans and Langston discovers a huge part of him that was missing.

Black Nativity bring has an amazing star studded musical cast including Tyrese Gibson and Luke James and cameos from Mary J Blige, Nas and Rotimi.

10. Jingle Jangle (2020)

Jeronicus Jangles (Forest Whitaker) in an amazing toy maker and inventor; betrayed by his apprentice Gustafson (Keegan-Michael Key) and suffering a great loss, his losses his belief and is no longer able to invent anything. Jeronicus falls into a deep depression and send his daughter, Jessica, away for her own good. 30 years later facing financial hardships and the possibility of losing everything he has left, he send for his daughter's help. Jessica, however, sends her daughter Journey (Madalen Mills) in her place to spend time with Jeronicus. With the help of Eddison, Jeronicus' new apprentice, Journey sets out to restore Jeronicus' faith, reawaken his magic and save his shop before his Christmas deadline.

Black British and Talented: Films

Black history month might be coming to an end in the UK but over here at Love of the culture, we are only getting started. Introducing out new series Black British and Talented, a section of the blog where we highlight amazing talent over here in the UK! From Films, Tv shows, Artists, black British talent ain’t to be slept on.

To kick off our Black British and Talented series we thought we would share our top films, each telling different black British stories in their unique way.

01

His House 2020

Available on Netflix 30th October

Remi Weekes is a British director and screenwriter. His latest film His House, follows Sudanese refugees Bol (Sope Dirisu) and Rial (Wunmi Mosaku). A couple escaping war and in search of a better life in England. The film takes a dark turn, taking on a horror genre to reveal their fate in an unfriendly neighbourhood.

02

Rocks (2019)

Available on Netflix

Rocks was a crowd pleaser in 2019 London film festival. The drama follows a young girl Shola aka Rocks (Bukky Bakray) who is forced to face the harsh reality of the sudden departure of her mother. Leaving her to juggling school and taking care of her little brother. Attributable to the strong performances by the talented young cast, the film is empowering and uplifting, it highlights the power of sisterhood and family.

03

Framing (2018)

Available on Amazon Prime

Written and Directed by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. The film is based on his own childhood, a young Nigerian boy growing up in Essex. The racial drama explores the ramifications of ‘farming’ a phenomenon that began in the late 1960s. Nigerian children were privately fostered by white, mostly working -class families while their parent worked and studies. The film is jaw droopingly brilliant with amazing performances by Zephan Amissah as a child, Damson Idris as a teenager. The films tackles themes on identity, racial abuse, cult culture and many more.

04

Entitles (2018)

Available on Netflix

Directed by Adeyemi Michael a Nigerian born, London raised ,multi award winning Filmmaker/Artist. Entitled is a short film described as a 'fantasy documentary', capturing life as an immigrant. The film shows Michael mother's perspective as a first - generation immigrant from Nigeria now in Peckham. His work deals with reimagine the human experience and placing value on African/ Diaspora life.

05

Gone Too Far (2013)

Available on Netflix

Directed by Destiny Ekaragha, who is the third British black woman, following Ngozi Onwurah and Amma Asante, to have directed a feature-length film that was given theatrical distribution in the UK. Gone Too Far is an authentic adaptation of Bola Agbaje’s Oliver award- winning play. Amazing performance by Malachi Kirby who plays Yemi, a young boy living in Packham. His brother’s visit leaves him conflicted with his identity and questioning everything he thought he knew and learnt about growing up black in Britain. The film is a cross-cultural drama/comedy that explores black British experience as an African, West Indian and Jamaican.

TV/Film

As has become abundantly clearer in the last few years black representation in the movie and TV industry is extremely important. And no, we’re not referring to the stereotypical roles that constantly portray people of colour as angry or violent, drug dealers or addicts, criminals, loud or plain ass uneducated and a special shout-out to the most common insipid token character. You know, the roles forever being shoved down our throats, with a side serving of unnatural mannerisms and forced vernacular, indicating (if not already abundantly clear) that these roles were not written ‘for us, by us’.

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Luckily, times have changed and the impact of the African-American, African, Black-British, Latina and Asian communities in the film industry are clear. TV shows such as Insecure, Kim’s Convenience, Top Boy, Never Have I Ever, Blood and Water, Black-ish (and the other Ish-series) and sooo many others not only better conveys the lifestyles of people of various cultures and the way they tackle situations both in and out of their own communities; but more importantly how much more dynamic these characters can be. Not only are these stories captivating just for the interest of representation but more so for a reprieve from the reoccurring stories that we get from regular programming.

Here, amongst other things, we’re hoping to share and review our favs, both old and new; hopefully get new suggestions and who knows, maybe one day get to a point where we can create such stories that are also representative of the culture.