The season of Christmas is not only a time for gift-giving, hot chocolate, and fun moments in the snow, it is also the theme of some of the best movies ever released. The holidays are something that many of us cherish, so to see our experiences depicted on-screen makes this part of the year that much more special.
One of the best things about holiday films is that they can be from any genre. Comedies such as Friday After Next and Almost Christmas will have everyone in your household laughing, while classics like Why Did I Get Married? and 1996’s The Preacher’s Wife, contain powerful messages that will resonate with couples both young and old. The second installment of The Best Man franchise is also a holiday staple, with many of its fans looking forward to The Best Man: The Final Chapters, set for release December 22 on Peacock.
Ensemble casts are also another exciting facet of movies like these. Family favorites like This Christmas, Black Nativity, and The Perfect Holiday feature some of the greatest Black entertainers of this era, and make for a great story with show-stopping scenes.
So, as December 25 approaches, get in the Christmas spirit with these classic Black films.
01
The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
A remake of the 1947 film The Bishop’s Wife, this modern classic is about the pastor of a struggling church in New York City, and his relationship with his wife and family. It stars Whitney Houston, Denzel Washington, and Courtney B. Vance.
02
Friday After Next (2002)
Directed by Marcus Raboy and starring Ice Cube, Mike Epps, John Witherspoon, Don “D.C.” Curry, Anna Maria Horsford, and Clifton Powell. It is the third and final installment in the Friday trilogy. It tells the story of Craig and Day-Day when they run into the thief who stole their Christmas presents.
03
Last Holiday (2006)
This film starring Queen Latifah and LL Cool J, tells the story of a humble department store assistant who is told that she has a rare brain condition and only has a few weeks to live. She promptly decides to spend her remaining funds on a luxury holiday in Europe before she dies.
04
This Christmas (2007)
Written, produced, and directed by Preston A. Whitmore II, This Christmas is a holiday story that centers on the Whitfield family, whose eldest has come home for the first time in four years. It stars Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba, Regina King, Sharon Leal, Lauren London, Chris Brown, and more.
05
Why Did I Get Married? (2007)
Written, produced, directed, and starring Tyler Perry, this ensemble film is about the difficulty of maintaining a solid relationship in modern times. It’s star-studded cast includes Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Malik Yoba, Sharon Leal, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Richard T. Jones, and more.
06
The Perfect Holiday (2007)
A young girl turns to a department store Santa in the hopes that he will help find a new husband for her divorced mother. Directed by Lance Rivera, The Perfect Holiday stars Gabrielle Union, Morris Chestnut, Charlie Murphy, and Terrence Howard, and is produced by Academy Award-nominated actress Queen Latifah, who also serves as narrator.
07
Black Nativity (2013)
A streetwise teen from Baltimore who has been raised by a single mother travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged relatives, where he embarks on a surprising and inspirational journey. The film stars Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Tyrese Gibson, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Jacob Latimore, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and Nas.
08
Best Man Holiday (2013)
A sequel to Malcolm Lee’s The Best Man, it stars Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau, Monica Calhoun and Melissa De Sousa, all reprising their roles from the previous film. The whole crew meets the Sullivan’s for Christmas.
09
A Madea Christmas (2013)
This is the first Christmas-themed film from the writer-director as it tells the story of Madea going to the town of Bucktussle Alabama with her great-niece to spend Christmas with the great-niece’s daughter. This is the seventeenth film by Perry, and the eighth film in the Madea franchise.
10
Almost Christmas (2016)
A dysfunctional family gathers together for their first Christmas since the passing of their matriarch. This Christmas is comedy-drama film written and directed by David E. Talbert stars Kimberly Elise, Mo’Nique, Nicole Ari Parker, Gabrielle Union, Keri Hilson, Jessie Usher, Danny Glover, Omar Epps, D. C. Young Fly, Romany Malco, and others.
11
Holiday Rush (2019)
Starring Romany Malco, Holiday Rush is about a widowed DJ and his privileged children who have to adjust to a new life after he loses his job at a radio station.
12
Jingle Jangle (2020)
Decades after his trusted apprentice betrayed him, a once-joyful toymaker finds new hope when his kind and curious granddaughter comes into his life. Jingle Jangle stars Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, Anika Noni Rose, Phylicia Rashad, and more.
