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.