Ahead of the 2021 historical drama’s release, late activist and deputy Black Panther Party chairman Fred Hampton was a famous Black figure overdue for a biopic. Director Shaka King highlighted Hampton’s work – and those of his comrades – in a beautiful and heartbreaking way through Judas. So let’s talk out exactly why this film deserves sheer recognition.

Judas And The Black Messiah Doesn’t Follow The Typical Biopic Formula

Many biopics seek to cover the vast sum of someone’s life so, if a person is deceased, they’ll track them from their early life to their death. Shaka King doesn’t do that with Judas and the Black Messiah, as his film covers the last portion of Fred Hampton’s life. That includes his founding of the Rainbow Coalition and surveillance by the FBI. Another key part of this story involves federal informant Bill O’Neal, whose undercover dealings were the catalyst for Hampton’s death.

Keeping the story confined to this specific pocket of time is smart, as it keeps the narrative tight and prevents it from feeling too overwhelming. Think of it as a snapshot of someone’s life as opposed to a massive photo album.

Despite Taking Some Liberties, The Film Effectively Portrays Real-Life Events

It’s no secret that films which dramatize real events sometimes make changes. This typically comes down to what fits into the film from a thematic standpoint. Judas and the Black Messiah is no different. For instance, as noted by PolitiFacts, the film shows FBI director J. Edgar Hoover solely targeting the Black Panthers as a national security threat when, in reality, he was zeroing in on all Black nationalist groups. Per Uproxx, wounded Panther member Jimmy Palmer isn’t actually the name of the man who was hurt at the time.

While changes are made here and there, plenty of the events in the film did indeed happen. One such development is the arrest of Fred Hampton, who served months in prison after being accused of assaulting an ice cream truck driver and stealing $71 worth of ice cream to feed to children. Hampton's collaboration with poor Whites and ethnic groups are also said to have been mostly accurate.

Judas And The Black Messiah Presents A Nuanced Look At The Black Panthers

It’s not uncommon for people to have preconceived notions about the Black Panther Party. At first glance, some may view them as an overtly militant activist group that wasn’t above resorting to violence to get what they wanted. Certain fictionalized depictions of the group don’t always help with that, either. (Just check out Forest Gump’s brief Black Panther scene.)

The Panthers did indeed seek to handle their problems in bombastic ways when necessary, but there’s more to the group than that. As part of their mission, they advocated for wide-spread education, launched the Free Breakfast for School Children Program (which is highlighted in the film) and established health clinics. The film’s writers told CinemaBlend that they wanted to change the general perception of the Panthers. And, because of that, they don’t merely come off as a band of militants but as a group of community organizers.

Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield And More Give Incredible Performances

King’s direction is impeccable, but Judas and the Black Messiah’s cast also deserves a sizable amount of praise. During an interview with CinemaBlend, King himself lauded his “dream” ensemble of actors. Among them are Dominique Fishback, who compellingly plays Deborah Johnson (now Akua Njeri), the girlfriend of “Chairman Fred” who ultimately becomes pregnant with his child. Dominique Thorne also deftly plays BP member Judy Harmon. Jesse Plemons also delivers as stoic FBI agent Roy Mitchell, subtly adding layers to him. Other notable performances are from Ashton Sanders, Algee Smith, Khris Davis and Martin Sheen.

Of course, the two standout performances come from Daniel Kaluuya, who plays Fred Hampton, and Lakeith Stanfield, who portrays Bill O’Neil. Kaluuya is a force, as he embodies the passion, intensity and warmth of Hampton. Meanwhile, Stanfield skillfully portrays O’Neil as a man who’s in over his head and driven by a hunger to survive in a society where the system establishes the rules. It wasn’t surprising to me at all that both were nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor – and even less surprising that Kaluuya won.

The Movie’s Music Is Impeccable And Used To Great Effect

Good music can certainly elevate a film, and that’s the case when it comes to this Fred Hampton-centered film. Mark Isham and Craig Harris composed the score, which is appropriately understated in certain places and more intense in others. One of my personal favorite scenes in which the score kicks happens to involve Hampton’s address to his comrades following his release from prison.

In addition to the score, there's also an excellent original song that’s part of the movie – “Fight for You,” which is performed and co-written by acclaimed singer H.E.R. The song’s lyrics highlight certain societal issues, including racism and police brutality. All in all, those sharp verses (which Tiara Thomas co-penned) and H.E.R.’s sultry vocals make it a track worth playing over and over again. Considering the strength of the tune, it was wonderful when it won Best Original Song at the Oscars and Best Traditional R&B Performance at the Grammy Awards.

There’s certainly a lot to appreciate about Shaka King’s historical drama. In short, it's a well-directed, powerfully acted, lovingly crafted biopic that provides viewers with plenty to chew on. Judas and the Black Messiah’s ending may be a tough pill to swallow, but believe me when I say this is absolutely necessary viewing for anyone who appreciates history or simply a good biopic. As Black History Month continues, be sure to check this one out, as it’s available to rent or buy on multiple digital platforms.

The Irishman

The ninth collaboration between actor Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese, this critically acclaimed 2019 gangster epic chronicled the life of Frank Sheeran (De Niro), a truck driver turned alleged mafia hitman who became involved with the Bufalino crime family in the 1950s and later the powerful Teamster Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino). The Oscar-nominated drama — which also starred Joe Pesci, Ray Romano, Bobby Cannavale, and Harvey Keitel — is based on the 2004 nonfiction book I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt. 

Spotlight

One of the greatest journalism movies of all time, this 2015 American drama follows The Boston Globe's "Spotlight" team, a real-life group of investigative journalists (played by Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, and Brian d'Arcy James) who uncovered the massive scandal of child assault within the local Catholic Archdiocese. Though some creative liberties were taken in telling the story (ex: some events were depicted happening before they actually did in real life), the 2016 Best Picture winner was based on news articles published by the IRL Spotlight team.

Casino

Set in the 1970s and early '80s when Las Vegas was run by the mob, this Scorsese classic was adapted from Nicholas Pileggi nonfiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas. Like the book, the film follows Sam "Ace" Rothstein (Robert De Niro), a low-level mobster tasked by his bosses to oversee operations at the Tangiers Casino. His job is made harder by the company he keeps, including mafia enforcer Nicky Santora (Joe Pesci) and con artist showgirl Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone). 

Zodiac

Not only is Zodiac one of the best movies of the 2000s, but it's arguably one of the best cinematic thrillers of all time. And to make things even more scary, the 2007 David Fincher film is based on a true story. Yes, the Zodiac Killer was a real-life serial murderer who terrorized the Bay Area during the late 1960s and early 1970s, and the case continues to be one of the country's most infamous unsolved crimes. Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. star in the tense mystery.

JFK

This 1991 political epic directed by Oliver Stone examines the investigation into the assassination of John F. Kennedy by New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison (played by Kevin Costner). While the president's murder was a very real and very tragic moment in American history, the film controversially delves into conspiracies surrounding JFK's death, including that Lee Harvey Oswald was a scapegoat and the shooting was part of a coup d'état to get Lyndon B. Johnson into office.

Monster

Charlize Theron won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her transformative portrayal of Aileen Wuornos, a longtime Daytona Beach call girl who became a serial killer and murdered seven of her male clients between 1989 and 1990. The directorial debut of Patty Jenkins, the 2003 biographical drama accurately portrayed Wournos's troubled childhood and her later crimes but fictionalized certain elements of Aileen's life, including her relationship with lover Selby Wall (played by Christina Ricci).

Dog Day Afternoon

“Nobody would ever do what I did,” declared John Wojtowicz in the documentary The Dog. “That’s why they made a movie about it.” The movie he's talking about is, of course, the 1975 Sidney Lumet classic Dog Day Afternoon, which stars Al Pacino as Sonny Wortzik — a man based on Wojtowicz himself — a first-time crook who leads a robbery at a Brooklyn bank, only for it to turn into a hostage situation. 

The Big Short

This white-collar crime drama from Adam McKay takes viewers straight inside the corruption and greed of the 2008 U.S. financial crisis. Based on Michael Lewis's book of the same name, the film is built around an ensemble of characters — Wall Street guru Michael Burry (Christian Bale), hedge-fund specialist Mark Baum (Steve Carell), banker Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling) — who saw the collapse of the housing market coming before anyone else did and decided to take cruel advantage of it.

Goodfellas

One of the most iconic movie characters of the '90s, Henry Hill (played by a perfect Ray Liotta) was enamored with mob life ever since he was an Italian-American kid in Brooklyn. We doubt, though, that he expected his life of crime to go quite the way it did, with addictions, prison sentences, and informing against those closest to him (Robert De Niro's Jimmy Conway, Paul Sorvino's Paul Cicero). Even more surprising, the riches-to-rags story is true: Hill was a real mobster and Goodfellas was adapted from the nonfiction book Wiseguy by crime reporter Nicholas Pileggi. 

Memories of Murder

An absolutely stunning mystery from director Bong Joon-ho, the 2003 neo-noir Memories of Murder is centered on a series of murders and rapes plaguing a village in rural South Korea in the 1980s, with a veteran local detective (Song Kang-ho) and a younger detective (Kim Sang-Kyung) working together to crack the case. The story was loosely based on the real-life Hwaseong serial murders, South Korea's first confirmed serial murders, which have remained unsolved for nearly forty years. 

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

In this 2018 biopic on author-turned-forger Lee Israel — featuring a spectacular lead performance from Melissa McCarthy, who took over the role after Julianne Moore was fired — director Marielle Heller delves into the real-life desperation of Israel after she loses her job and is unable to get any writing published. Though she first takes to selling memorabilia and books in order to make ends meet, the scribe realizes that forging celebrity letters (Fanny Brice, Noël Coward, Dorothy Parker) is not only a lucrative business but also a viable artistic outlet for her own creativity. 

Bonnie And Clyde

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were American bandits and serial killers whose crime spree during the Great Depression escalated from robbing lowly stores, gas stations and even rural funeral homes to major banks. In this 1967 classic by Arthur Penn, Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty portray the title characters, whose misdeeds get even more violent and messy — especially with fellow gang members like Clyde's older brother Buck (Gene Hackman) and his wife Blanche (Estelle Parsons) — as time goes on. 

The Wolf Of Wall Street

The accuracy of Martin Scorsese's 2003 crime comedy has come into question in the decade since the film came out — it's based on the memoir of former stockbroker and financial criminal Jordan Belfort (portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio), who weaves a tale of debauchery and fraud at a Wall Street brokerage firm in 1990s New York City. Though Belfort himself took issue with the movie's oversimplification of his own money crimes, he acknowledged that Scorsese and Co. accurately captured the "overall feeling" of those years. 

Judas And The Black Messiah

With this powerful 2021 crime drama, director Shaka King and screenwriters Keith and Kenny Lucas wanted to change how the Black Panther Party is perceived. After Bill O'Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) is offered a plea deal by the FBI, he infiltrates the Illinois chapter of the organization to gather intelligence on Chairman Fred Hampton (an Oscar-winning turn by Daniel Kaluuya). "It was quite essential to make sure that we presented the Panthers in a more realistic way and not the character that they’ve become, you know, the militant Black guys in black berets carrying guns," Keith Lucas told CinemaBlend. 

Summer Of Sam

Director Spike Lee is famous for accurately capturing moments of New York City culture and history, and he definitely does that with this 1999 crime thriller, which is focused on the 1977 serial murders by David Berkowitz, a.k.a. the Son of Sam, and how the horrific crimes affected a group of fictional residents in an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx. The cast includes John Leguizamo, Adrien Brody, Mira Sorvino, Jennifer Esposito and Michael Badalucco, playing Berkowitz himself. 

She Said

A very recent piece of American crime history, this thorough and riveting #MeToo drama trails The New York Times journalists Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor (portrayed by Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan, respectively) as they work to expose the sexual abuse allegations against powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Adding a devastating extra layer of realism, the film also features some of Weinstein's real-life victims, including actress Ashley Judd, who appears as herself.

In Cold Blood

Truman Capote’s formative nonfiction novel In Cold Blood — which details the 1959 murders of four members of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas — has been adapted multiple times for screens big and small. However, the first was this 1967 film directed by Richard Brooks, which stars Robert Blake and Scott Wilson as the infamous criminals. The "quasidocumentary" vibes were boosted by the fact that Brooks filmed where the crimes occurred, including the real Clutter home.  

Catch Me If You Can

A story like Frank Abagnale Jr.'s is so wild, it can only be true: in this 2002 Steven Spielberg-directed jaunt based on Abagnale Jr.'s semi-autobiographical book of the same name, Leonardo DiCaprio — giving one of his best performances — plays the crafty teenager who performed several million dollars worth of cons, impersonating a Pan Am pilot, a Georgia doctor and a Louisiana parish prosecutor along the way. Joining DiCaprio in the Catch Me If You Can cast is Tom Hanks as Carl Hanratty, the FBI agent tailing Frank Jr., and Christopher Walken as Frank Abagnale Sr.

Lost Girls

Amy Ryan leads this heartbreaking 2020 Netflix drama as Mari Gilbert, a desperate mother who, in searching for her missing daughter Shannan (Sarah Wisser), launches an investigation that leads police to the unsolved murders of young sex workers on the South Shore barrier islands of Long Island, spanning from the early '90s to the 2010s. The case of the Gilgo Beach serial killer made headlines in 2023 when a suspect was charged with the murders of six of the women. 

Till

After the brutal, racially charged murder of her 14-year-old son Emmett Till in August 1955, Mamie Till-Bradley dedicated her life to the relentless pursuit of justice for her son's death, famously insisting on an open casket funeral for her son to reveal what had been done to him. This 2022 biographical drama is a worthy memorial to the young man, with Danielle Deadwyler starring as Till's mother, who became an icon of the American Civil Rights Movement for her work in education and racial justice. 

Hustlers

In a role that many believed would nab Jennifer Lopez an Oscar nomination, the triple threat portrayed veteran stripper Ramona Vega in the Lorene Scafaria-directed dramedy Hustlers. Vega leads a group of New York City pole dancers who begin to steal money by drugging stock traders and CEOs who visit their club, and then run up their credit cards. Though the heist is inspired by true events, there were big differences between the movie and the real story, so much so that Samantha Barbash — the danger who inspired Lopez's character — sued producers for $40 million. (That defamation suit was dismissed.) 

The Trial Of The Chicago 7

A courtroom masterpiece from Aaron Sorkin, this 2020 legal drama is based on the infamous 1969 trial of a group of anti–Vietnam War protesters — played by an A+ ensemble cast that includes Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Jeremy Strong, and John Carroll Lynch — who were charged by the federal government with conspiracy and more, arising from the countercultural protests in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. 

Richard Jewell

Just one of many Clint Eastwood movies based on a true story, this 2019 bio-drama depicts the 1996 Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta, Georgia, and its aftermath, told from the perspective of the security guard, Richard Jewell (played by Paul Hauser), who first discovered the explosive device. Though initially hailed a hero for alerting authorities and saving the lives of countless spectators, Jewell was later wrongly suspected by the FBI of having planted the device himself, an investigation that was even bigger than the movie showed.  

House Of Gucci

Based on Sara Gay Forden's 2001 book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed, this 2021 Ridley Scott flick certainly offers all of that, with Lady Gaga scoring a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of Patrizia Reggiani, the Italian socialite who was convicted in a highly publicized trial of hiring a hitman to kill her ex-husband, Maurizio Gucci. And, yes, we're talking about that Gucci, which means that the onscreen fashions are as unforgettable as the story itself.

Psycho

Yes, the Hitchcock horror classic — which gave cinema the most iconic shower scene of all time —is actually inspired by a true story. Adapted from Robert Bloch's 1959 novel of the same name, the story of shy motel caretaker Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and his domineering mother was loosely based on the case of convicted Wisconsin murderer and grave robber Ed Gein who, like Bates, was a solitary murderer living in rural isolation, was raised by an overbearing mother, and dressed in women's clothes to impersonate their deceased parent. 

Natural Born Killers

This romantic crime film — directed by Oliver Stone, with a story by Quentin Tarantino and a cast led by Juliette Lewis and Woody Harrelson in one of his best roles — sparked a bit of irony when it was released in 1994. Natural Born Killers was loosely based on the true crimes of Caril Ann Fugate and Charles Starkweather, a young Nebraska couple who went on a killing spree throughout the Midwest in 1958. 

Heavenly Creatures

Starring Melanie Lynskey and Kate Winslet in, astonishingly, their feature film debuts, this critically acclaimed 1994 drama from Peter Jackson is based on the notorious Parker–Hulme murder case. It tells the true story of Pauline Rieper (Lynskey) and Juliet Hulme (Winslet), two outcast girls growing up in 1950s New Zealand, whose intense relationship culminates in the premeditated killing of Parker's mother. 

Foxcatcher

Steve Carell chillingly transformed himself to play John du Pont, the multi-millionaire heir turned murderer at the center of Bennett Miller’s Foxcatcher. A wrestling enthusiast, Du Pont recruits two Olympic gold medalists Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and his older brother David (Mark Ruffalo) to coach wrestlers to the top of those podiums. One of those brothers would end up the victim of Du Pont's gun, making John to this day the only member of the Forbes 400 richest Americans to be convicted of murder.

BlacKkKlansman

Loosely based on the 2014 memoir Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth, the '70s-set Spike Lee drama follows the first Black detective in the Colorado Springs Police Department as he sets out to infiltrate and expose the local Ku Klux Klan chapter. With John David Washington as Stallworth (the actor even got to meet the real man during filming), the cast also includes Topher Grace as KKK grand wizard David Duke, Corey Hawkins as civil rights leader Kwame Ture and Adam Driver as Stallworth's fictional partner, Detective Flip Zimmerman.

Molly's Game

Molly Bloom's 2014 memoir — in which she recounts the true story of how she went from being a U.S. competitive skier to running an illegal, underground poker empire for Hollywood celebrities, business tycoons, and even the Russian mob — was adapted by Aaron Sorkin for his directorial debut, with Jessica Chastain portraying Bloom. Though Sorkin was reportedly reticent to call the film a "poker movie," the drama does up the realism by featuring many scenes of actual gambling from the film's extras, who were all professional poker players.

Party Monster

Set in the Club Kids party scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s in New York City, Party Monster tells the shocking story of Michael Alig (played by Macaulay Culkin), the infamous party promoter who was convicted of felony manslaughter after killing his fellow clubgoer Andre "Angel" Melendez in a confrontation over a drug debt. The film is based on Disco Bloodbath, the memoir of Alig's former friend James St. James, portrayed in the film by Seth Green. 

Serpico

Garnering Al Pacino's first Best Actor Oscar nomination, Serpico sees the iconic actor as the titular character, Frank Serpico, an idealistic New York City detective who struggles with the corruption found within the New York City Police Department. As in real life, Serpico's work as a whistleblower against the police force led to a governmental investigation by the Knapp Commission and later earned the officer the NYPD Medal of Honor. 

Black musicians have racked up many nominations in the category since it was first presented in 1934. The special list includes everyone from music legends like Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, and Ray Parker Jr. to contemporary icons like Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, and The Weeknd. Unfortunately, that hasn’t translated into an avalanche of Black Best Song winners, with only seven total winners. The low win tally almost ignores Black music’s contribution to film.

Some excellent winners captured the hearts and minds of moviegoers, critics, and pop culture. So, here are the five best Oscar-winning songs by Black musicians to check out during this Black Music Month.

"Theme From Shaft" - Isaac Hayes

Isaac Hayes’s “Theme from Shaft” was a notable musical change upon its release in 1971 to set the tone for the blaxploitation classic Shaft. The title song was considered one of the earliest disco songs.

The iconic tune came to fruition after Hayes was promised an audition for the title role, which he lost to Richard Roundtree. The film’s director, Gordon Parks, contributed to the song’s lyrics, and the theme blended soul and funk with live instrumentation and arrangement by Hayes and Johnny Allen, which drew inspiration from late soul singer Otis Redding’s “Try A Little Tenderness.” The song’s lyrics tapped into John Shaft’s coolness, courage, and sex appeal with famous quotes like “a bad mother---” and “you’re damn right!”

While “Theme from Shaft” is considered one of cinema’s best opening songs, it didn’t start that way. Originally, it was a typical film opener before it and Shaft’s popularity took off, forcing Stax Records to release it as a single. The film’s theme was successful in both the US and UK, reaching the Top 5.

After winning Best Original Song at the 44th Academy Awards, Hayes became the first Black person to that award and a non-acting award. He also became the first person credited as a writer and performer of an Oscar-winning song. The late singer and actor has been cited as the first theatrical performance at the awards ceremony. The “Theme from Shaft” won two Grammys – Best Instrumental Arrangement and Best Original Score. The hit song’s replay value and impact garnered placement on AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Songs and in the Grammy Hall of Fame.

"I Just Called To Say I Love You" - Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder’s “I Just Called to Say I Love You” came at the height of the singer-songwriter’s popularity when the rom-com it appeared in, Woman in Red, was released in 1984. The soundtrack song ended up becoming one of Wonder’s biggest hits.

The best-selling song was one of multiple tunes Wonder wrote, produced, and sang for the film’s soundtrack. It was the epitome of early 1980s post-disco R&B with the Grammy winner programming most of its synth-filled production. Sounding like a surprise phone call between lovers allowed it to play like a tender, romantic letter filled with love and optimism. Unfortunately, the song’s success led to Wonder’s former songwriting partner, Lee Garrett, suing him over credit, which ended up being dismissed.

“I Just Called to Say I Love You” was released as the film’s first single and became an immediate international hit, landing in the Top 2 in most countries. It became the music icon’s best-selling single to date.

The Motown legend became the second Black man to win Best Original Song (at the 57th Academy Awards). Before winning the Oscar, Wonder won Best Original Song at the Golden Globes. He was nominated for three Grammys, including Song of the Year.

"Glory" - Common And John Legend

“Glory” by Common and John Legend was tailor-made to capture the emotions and heaviness exemplified by the civil rights biopic Selma when released in 2014. The anthemic song touched on the themes of the past and present.

The big, cinema anthem came about when co-writer Common was cast as civil rights leader James Bevel in the film. It came together after Legend and rapper Rhymefest hopped on board to co-write the civil rights song. In the spirit of Martin Luther King and the nonviolent marches, the music echoed the past and present civil rights movements with its blend of conscious hip-hop and old-school soul music courtesy of Legend’s music production. It captured the song’s lyrics around the Selma to Montgomery marches’ connection to present-day civil rights efforts. The single came at a crucial time in American history after the unrest of the 2014 Ferguson protests.

“Glory” stood out as the lone single from the Selma soundtrack. It became a minor US and international hit. The disappointing chart success didn’t mar the song’s impact, however.

The Grammy-winning duo won the Best Original Song Oscar at the 87th Academy Awards after their touching performance. Before winning the Oscar, Common and Legend won Best Song prizes at the Golden Globes and the Critics’ Choice Awards. They followed up those wins with three Grammy nominations, winning Best Song Written for Visual Media.

"Fight For You" - H.E.R.

“Fight For You” by H.E.R. channeled the tension around the life and assassination of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton for Judas and the Black Messiah when it was released in 2021. The recording was an award-season underdog.

The heartfelt cinematic anthem came together after director Shaka King requested the Grammy winner to write for the biopic, wanting something “contemporary with echoes of 1968.” It was specifically crafted to be the film’s main track, which she co-wrote with Tiara Thomas. The civil rights song blended soul and R&B music, drawing inspiration from Curtis Mayfield and the genre’s vast history. The music production from the singer-songwriter and D’Mile brought to life the lyrics around the film’s examination of racism, police brutality, and inequality. Much like “Glory,” the single came at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement and a renewed focus on other issues faced by Black Americans.

“Fight for You” served as Judas and the Black Messiah’s first single. The protest anthem became a minor US hit.

The Grammy-winning artist won Best Original Song at the 93rd Academy Awards, considered an Oscar upset by many critics. H.E.R. was nominated for multiple awards, including the Golden Globes and the Critics’ Choice Awards. She racked up three Grammy nominations on the music side, winning Best Traditional R&B Performance.

"Flashdance... What A Feeling" - Irene Cara

Irene Cara’s “Flashdance… What a Feeling” took over pop culture when it was released in 1983 as the first offering from one of the best dance movies, Flashdance. The huge pop tune became one of 1983’s biggest singles and one of the first post-disco dance hits.

The uplifting pop anthem started as a strict Giorgio Moroder production with aid from British pop singer Keith Forsey. Irene Cara joined the production after Moroder asked her to follow a request from Paramount Pictures for a big-name performer for the title track. She only agreed after stipulating she could only perform a song she wrote, which she did with Forsey. The soundtrack single drew from early 1980s dance-pop and post-disco with Moroder’s genre-defining music production. The lyrics were influenced by a film scene where the main character finds musical inspiration while dancing.

“Flashdance… What a Feeling” was originally pushed as a minor single for film promotion purposes before its commercial release, due to the film and song’s surprising popularity. Soon, the huge tune became a worldwide hit, landing within the Top 10 or 20.

The late singer and actress won Best Original Song at the 56th Academy Awards, becoming the first Black woman credited with writing and performing a song to win the award. Cara won the Best Song Golden Globe as well. She racked up multiple Grammy nominations on the music side, winning Best Female Pop Performance. The song’s impact and popularity garnered a placement on AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Songs and joined the National Recording Registry.

The above songs have affected film and culture in a way that is still felt today. This year, Grammy winner Jon Batiste received his first Best Original Song nomination for American Symphony’s “It Never Went Away.”

While our next awards season hasn’t started yet, there’s no better time to look up potential Best Original Song nominations. Of course, glance over our 2024 movie schedule to see potential Oscar-worthy films coming down the pipeline.

And look, I understand their frustration. MLK died long before these kids were ever born. Hell, he died long before I was even born. So, in that way, it makes sense that these kids don’t fully appreciate everything Dr. King lived and died for.

But, that’s where movies come in. Because no matter how many clips I show of Dr. King preaching behind his pulpit, or giving his “I have a dream,” speech, a potent scene from a movie showcasing the trajectory that this country was heading in before Dr. King made waves is often more effective than showing them the real thing. 

So, here are some movies (Both featuring Dr. King, and some not featuring Dr. King, but still showcasing the struggle) that you could watch on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

Selma 

The always fascinating Ava DuVernay’s Selma is a bit like Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ. I’ll explain. In school, Martin Luther King Jr. is lionized beyond measure. He’s often shown as being a perfect man who was cut down before his time. This is similar to the Christ who is mostly only seen as the Son of God. Now, I’m not trying to get theological here, nor am I comparing MLK to Christ. What I am saying, though, is that we rarely get to see the actual person when it comes to MLK or Jesus. We only see the legend. In that way, both MLK and Christ have become myths for many people.

But Dr. King was a person. And Selma, which came out in 2014, does a great job of showing that. The movie is less a biographical film as it is a story of one specific event—the Selma to Montgomery marches. Selma is such a good movie because we see a Dr. King (played by David Oyelowo) who is not only brave, but also scared. 

We see an MLK who most likely cheated on his wife and one who was doubtful if what he was doing was even working. Selma is a beautiful movie, and one that you should definitely check out on Martin Luther King Jr. Day or any day for that matter. The struggle is still alive.

All The Way 

I actually saw All The Way – which stars Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston as Lyndon B. Johnson – on Broadway, and it blew my mind. The story concerns a pivotal period in American history when Johnson becomes the acting President after JFK’s assassination. It’s also about how he balances his future as President, while also fighting to pass the Civil Rights Act against his own Democratic Party. 

Anthony Mackie also stars as Martin Luther King Jr., and Melissa Leo stars as Johnson’s wife, Lady Bird.

All The Way presents an interesting counterpoint to Selma. In All The Way, we see an impatient MLK who doesn’t think Johnson is doing enough. Inversely, in Selma, we see a tireless MLK and a lax Johnson in Tom Wilkinson (R.I.P. Mr. Wilkinson). I’m really not sure which portrayal is accurate, but maybe watch both movies and decide for yourself. 

Boycott 

Clark Johnson directs this 2001 HBO Film about a younger Dr. King, played by American Fiction’s Jeffrey Wright. If you’re going to do an MLK marathon (I mean, I know nobody does that, but why not start today?), then I would start with Boycott, move on to All The Way, and then conclude with Selma. Terrence Howard also stars as Baptist Minister and Civil Rights Activist, Ralph Abernathy.

Like the title suggests, the film concerns the famous bus boycott of 1955-1956 that had Rosa Parks at the center of it. In the film, Dr. King takes up the case and it’s basically him against the world. But he doesn’t march alone, of course, and this is a story of that fight. 

It’s interesting to see a young Dr. King at work, and Jeffrey Wright plays the role considerably well. And, here’s a fun fact. A young Carmen Ejogo plays Coretta Scott King in this movie, and also plays an older Coretta Scott King in Selma. That’s right, people! This is the real MCU (The Martin Cinematic Universe). Okay, I'll see myself out.

The Rosa Parks Story 

I think Boycott is a good enough segue to talk about this TV movie directed by Julie Dash and starring  the always magnificent Angela Bassett as the titular Rosa Parks. Likely shown in schools across America, this movie is about Rosa Parks staying seated on a late-night bus, and the events that followed.

The Rosa Parks Story is interesting because it shows Rosa Parks as a more three-dimensional person. We see her joining the NAACP, and the fight she had to go through once the snowball started rolling down the hill. Sure, Rosa Parks could have gotten out of the way, but she didn’t, and we’re all the better for it. Also, The Rosa Parks Story has the most authentic Dr. King since it stars Dexter Scott King, who is MLK’s second son. He has his cadence and everything. It’s beautiful.

Get On The Bus 

Speaking of buses (Oh, boy), the always socially relevant Spike Lee’s Get on the Bus is an interesting choice for MLK Day. Like any Spike Lee joint, it features nuanced Black people who are a lot more unvarnished than the historical figures up top.

That said, it’s still a great movie that still works for the holiday. The story features a group of Black men who get on a bus to go to the Million Man March. But on the way, they have discussions on everything from race to sexuality to religion. So, if you want to get a more complex view of the black experience, you might do yourself a favor by watching this film.

Malcolm X 

We might as well stick to Spike Lee. Malcolm X, which stars Denzel Washington as Malcolm X, and Angela Bassett as his wife, Betty Shabazz, is a very different film from all the Martin Luther King Jr. biopics up top. It shows a young Malcolm Little getting imprisoned, only to come out a Muslim and the leader of a movement.

From there, we see his rise, and his ultimate fall (From the Nation of Islam). I’d call this an alternative picture to watch on MLK Day to see another side of the struggle.

One Night In Miami

In keeping with movies about Malcolm X is Regina King’s directorial debut, the magnificent One Night In Miami…, which also features actors portraying Jim Brown, Sam Cooke, and Muhammed Ali, who was known as Cassius Clay at the time. The film, which is based off of a play, is a fascinating look at an actual night that the four men spent together, though nobody is entirely sure what the men truly talked about in that motel room.

However, the specifics don’t really matter, as this dramatization is dripping with interesting debates about who is, and who isn’t benefiting the black community, with the audience really left to decide on their own which side they fall on (Or if they fall on both sides). If you happen to be having a discussion on the Civil Rights Movement, and some of the major players who weren’t Martin Luther King Jr., then this could be a fascinating film to watch and discuss. It still leaves me thinking to this very day. 

Judas And The Black Messiah  

Now that I’ve veered into the territory of revolutionaries, I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up the excellent biographical crime drama, Judas and the Black Messiah, which features “phenomenal” performances by LaKeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya.

Kaluuya plays the Black Panther, Fred Hampton, and Stanfield plays the FBI informant, William O’Neal, who ultimately leads to Hampton’s downfall. Though Fred Hampton’s outlook was different from King’s, he was still a man who believed in solidarity. And, it’s through the lens of the person who brought along Fred Hampton’s downfall that we learn of just how insidious the system was that Dr. King himself also had to struggle against, though through vastly different methods. 

Rustin

I’m going to deviate a little bit and talk about a bit of a hidden figure. Because one thing that is really interesting to me is that I had no idea Bayard Rustin even existed until I watched this 2023 movie. But now that I do, I have a new appreciation not only for him, but also for all of the people who often get overshadowed by the BIG NAMES in the Civil Rights Movement. 

But just because Bayard Rustin, who was openly gay, isn’t considered to be one of the BIG NAMES like MLK, Rosa Parks, or Malcom X, that doesn’t mean that he was any less important. In fact, you might even say that people like Bayard Rustin who worked to get the famous March on Washington to be a reality might even be more important, given how the organizers were usually the ones who took the most abuse, and got the least amount of credit. 

Not only is the film informative, though. It’s also really good! Coleman Domingo is a revelation as Rustin, and the film’s portrayal of Dr. King (played by Aml Ameen) makes this one of the best recent movies to watch about the Civil Rights Movement.

The Butler 

And now for something completely different. Lee Daniels’ The Butler, which has an all-star cast including Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, and pretty much everybody under the sun (Robin Williams! Alan “Hans Gruber” Rickman…) is a historical drama about a slave who rises to be one of the top butlers in the White House. He also experiences a great deal of joy and pain as he watches his sons in some of the most tumultuous times in American history.

The Butler is a great film to watch on MLK Day because it goes through a great deal of American history but from a unique perspective. It’s kind of wonderful to see the importance that blacks have had throughout the years at the highest level, even when many people saw them at the bottom. 

The Hate U Give 

In this adaptation of the popular Angie Thomas novel, The Hate U Give is actually a good representation of what Dr. King fought for. Our protagonist is Starr Carter (Bodies, Bodies, Bodies’ Amandla Stenberg), a 16-year-old girl who attends a predominantly white private school, even though she lives in a predominantly Black neighborhood. Unfortunately, as I mentioned in the intro, while times have changed, they haven’t changed completely, and after a run in with the law, Starr’s good friend is gunned down by a police officer. 

But, here’s the part where Dr. King might have been proud, as Starr stands up for what’s right. And, even though there are elements in her neighborhood who would rather choose violence over peace, Starr is vocal about why a protest doesn’t need guns. It just needs a voice. 

Remember The Titans 

Finally, I want to close off with my personal favorite movie on this list, Remember the Titans. Directed by Boaz Yakin and starring Denzel Washington, Remember the Titans is about a football coach (Washington) who gets Black and white players on a football team to not only get along, but to love each other and act like true brothers.

Remember the Titans has a great message for the whole family and is a fantastic football movie overall. And with that final entry, I bid you farewell. Na, na, na, na. Na, na, na, na. Hey-ey-ey. Goodbye. I’m not crying, you’re crying.

MLK Day is a day of remembrance for an American hero. We still have a long way to go and I probably won’t even see Dr. King’s dream in my lifetime. But here’s to keeping the hope alive. Take care and be safe.

And now, services like HBO Max, Disney+, Peacock, and Apple TV+ are offering up special sections, collections, and lists of content celebrating Black voices, whether it be a movie about a trailblazing figure or a documentary series about the impact of African-American culture. Here are just some of the best options…

Hulu

The Hulu Black Stories hub is one the richest collections of movies, TV shows, documentaries, and specials found on the popular streaming service. If you have a Hulu subscription and are looking for empowering stories to watch yourself or share with the family, there are tons of options worth checking out. We have provided a quick list of three of those titles.

Genius: Aretha (2017)

In 2017, the Emmy-winning anthology series, Genius, turned its attention to the trailblazing Aretha Franklin with an exploration of her as a cultural powerhouse, as well as her personal side with a brilliant portrayal by Cynthia Erivo.

Stream Genius: Aretha on Hulu.

Wu-Tang: An American Saga

The Hulu original series Wu-Tang: An American Saga dives into the history and impact of the titular hip hop collective that launched the careers of RZA, Method Mad, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, GZA, and so many others.

Stream Wu-Tang: An American Saga on Hulu.

If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

Barry Jenkins’ 2018 drama If Beale Street Could Talk follows a young couple in 1970s Harlem as they try to keep a positive mindset after tragedy and prejudice fall on their doorstep.

Stream If Beale Street Could Talk on Hulu.

Disney+

The Disney+ Celebrate Black Stories section is another streaming option that contains inspirational stories from the annals of history as well as the House of Mouse’s extensive catalog of titles.

Summer Of Soul (2020)

One of the best music documentaries in recent memory, Questlove’s Summer of Soul uncovers long-lost footage from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which saw Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, The Staple Singers, and more come together for an unforgettable event.

Stream Summer of Soul on Disney+.

Black Panther (2018)

Featuring the late Chadwick Boseman in his most iconic role, Black Panther sees the newly crowned king of Wakanda protect his throne and his people from an outsider with ties to his family.

Stream Black Panther on Disney+.

Black Is King (2020)

Beyoncé’s 2020 visual album, Black is King, takes viewers through a journey not unlike The Lion King that follows a young king as he finds his place in the world while dealing with love, betrayal, and self-identity.

Stream Black is King on Disney+.

HBO Max 

The HBO Max Black Voices collection showcases the best the streaming platform has to offer from Black creators both in front of and behind the camera, with a rich collection of movies, shows, and documentaries.

John Lewis: Good Trouble (2020)

The 2020 documentary, John Lewis: Good Trouble, illustrates the life and legacy of the late civil rights activist and United States Congressman through interviews and stories about his personal journey to make America a better place over the course of more than 60 years.

Stream John Lewis: Good Trouble on HBO Max.

Judas And The Black Messiah (2021)

Shaka King’s Oscar-winning biographical drama, Judas and the Black Messiah, details the final days in the life of Illinois Black Panther Party chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya).

Stream Judas and the Black Messiah on HBO Max.

Between The World And Me (2020)

Through interviews with Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Oprah Winfrey, and several others, Between the World and Me tackles the African-American experience with a highlight on inner-city life in Baltimore.

Stream Between the World and Me on HBO Max.

Peacock

Peacock’s Celebrating Black History section gives everyone with a Peacock Premium subscription access to hundred of movies, shows, and specials highlighting the African-American experience.

What’s Love Got To Do With It (1993)

One of Angela Bassett’s best movies, What’s Love Got To Do With It sees the Golden Globe winner take on the role of music icon Tina Turner in this empowering biographical drama.

Stream What’s Love Got To Do With It on Peacock.

Harriet (2019)

Cynthia Erivo stars as Harriet Tubman in Harriet, a sprawling biographical drama that follows the abolitionist on her journey from freed slave to one of the most prominent figures of the Underground Railroad and 19th Century American history.

Stream Harriet on Peacock.

The Defiant Ones (2017)

The multi-part documentary series The Defiant Ones explores the partnership and friendship shared by Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, revisiting how the pair forever changed the music industry in the late 20th Century.

Stream The Defiant Ones on Peacock.

Netflix

Netflix has a collection called Black History in Motion that showcases the streaming platform’s vast library of Black-centric titles, including some impressive documentary features.

Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali (2021)

The 2021 documentary, Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali, explores the short-lived yet powerful friendship shared by the two cultural icons in the 1960s and offers some revelations from their shared history.

Stream Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali on Netflix.

Colin In Black And White (2021)

The 2021 limited series, Colin in Black and White, tells the story of Colin Kaepernick as he goes from a young and promising football player to one of the 21st Century’s most powerful activist-athletes.

Stream Colin In Black and White on Netflix.

I Am Not Your Negro (2016)

Based on James Baldwin’s Remember This House, the 2016 documentary, I Am Not Your Negro, takes the late writer’s work and turns it into a stunning visual essay that explores racism in America.

Stream I Am Not Your Negro on Netflix.

Amazon

Although there is no special section celebrating Black culture, Amazon Prime subscribers still have access to a lot of great original content featuring prominent voices from the community.

Phat Tuesdays (2022)

The 2022 Amazon documentary series Phat Tuesdays goes into great deal about Guy Torry’s decision to launch an all-Black comedy night at The Comedy Story, which would help launch the careers of Martin Lawrence, Chris Tucker, Steve Harvey, and give even more time to shine.

Stream Phat Tuesdays on Amazon.

Black History, Black Freedom, And Black Love (2022)

Over the course of three collections, various scholars share unforgettable and largely unknown stories from Black history in stunning detail in Black History, Black Freedom, and Black Love.

Stream Black History, Black Freedom, and Black Love on Amazon.

One Night In Miami (2021)

Regina King’s 2021 drama, One Night in Miami, offers a fictional account of the night Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown, icons of the civil rights movement, got together to celebrate and contemplate Black culture.

Stream One Night in Miami on Amazon.

Apple TV+

Apple TV+ is another great option to celebrate Black voices for those with a subscription to the popular service.

Truth Be Told (2019)

The Apple TV+ original drama series Truth Be Told stars Octavia Spencer as a podcaster who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth and pursue justice, even if it costs her everything.

Stream Truth Be Told on Apple TV+.

The Banker (2020)

The Banker sees Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson star as two 1960s entrepreneurs who come up with a brilliant way to give members of their community a better shot at housing.

Stream The Banker on Apple TV+.

Dear (2020)

The 2020 documentary series, Dear, sees the likes of Spike Lee, Stevie Wonder, and Oprah Winfrey read letters written by complete strangers who have been inspired by their actions over the years.

Stream Dear on Apple TV+.

These are just some of the great titles celebrating Black voices on various streaming services. And, with all the 2022 movies and new and returning shows coming our way, expect this list to be updated sooner rather than later. 

Below is a list of some of the best Chicago movies that have ever been released in theaters, whether they be iconic comedies like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, action thrillers like The Fugitive, and romantic comedies like High Fidelity. Let’s dig into this deep dish of great movies. 

The Blues Brothers (1980)

John Landis’ landmark 1980 comedy, The Blues Brothers, follows Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd) and “Joliet” Jake Blues (John Belushi) as they attempt to get their band back together in hopes of raising enough cash to save their former orphanage from being shut down. This beloved musical comedy checks all the boxes to be one the of best Chicago movies in that it shows the city’s unique charm, touches on its musical legacy, and also gives you a look at the most Chicago Police cruisers ever captured on film in the logic-defying chase sequence.

Rent/Buy The Blues Brothers on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1985)

It is hard to find a movie that shows off the city of Chicago more than John Hughes’ Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Once Ferris (Matthew Broderick), his girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara), and best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) escape the dullness of suburbia with one hell of a “senior skip day” in the big city, the movie plays like a tourism video for Chicago, and that’s not a dig. I’ve been to Chicago countless times over the years, but I still can’t help but point out all those famous locations with “Hey, that was in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

Stream Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Home Alone (1990)

Even though only one scene takes place in Chicago (The McAllisters running through O’Hare), it’s hard to deny Home Alone as being one of the best movies set in the Windy City. Just like he did throughout the 1980s, John Hughes does a masterful job of adding the Chicago flare to a movie that is primarily set in the suburbs. If you’ve ever ventured out to the small villages, towns, and cities in northern Chicagoland, you’ll see that Home Alone is about as Chicago as it gets.

Stream Home Alone on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Home Alone on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Adventures In Babysitting (1987)

With Adventures in Babysitting, Chris Columbus takes Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue) and a group of kids under her care out of their comfort zone (suburbia) and into the heart of Chicago. But, unlike with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which featured one iconic landmark after another, this classic comedy shows the darker and seedier side of the city at night, which makes the movie all the better with its increased sense of danger and heightened stakes.

Stream Adventures in Babysitting on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Adventures in Babysitting on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Judas And The Black Messiah (2021)

Shaka King’s Academy Award-winning historical drama, Judas and the Black Messiah, with its standout performances by Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton and LaKeith Stanfield as Bill O’Neal, is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking in its recounting of the final days of the Black Panther leader. Instead of shying away from one of Chicago’s darkest days, the movie approaches it head on with an unflinching narrative.

Stream Judas and the Black Messiah on HBO Max.
Buy Judas and the Black Messiah on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Sting (1973)

George Roy Hill’s The Sting, which is more than deserving of a remake, is one of the all-time great crime capers and follows schemers Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) and Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) as they get revenge on a Chicago crime boss. Set in Great Depression-era Chicago, this Best Picture winner gives you one of the best glimpses of life in the big city during that long-ago crime-ridden era, in addition to setting the tone for other crime capers later on.

Rent/Buy The Sting on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Thief (1981)

In 1981, Michael Mann made his feature directorial debut with Thief, a dark, moody, and influential neo-noir crime thriller starring an on-top-of-his-game James Caan as a master jewel thief. If you haven’t seen this movie stop what you’re doing right and give it a try. Everything about it is damn near perfect, including its lead, the engrossing story, and the long list of supporting actors, specifically the menacing Leo (Robert Prosky). 

Stream Thief on Tubi.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Chicago (2002)

Rob Marshall’s 2002 sensational crime musical, Chicago, follows Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger in one of her best performances) as she goes from aspiring singer to a media sensation after murdering a man who claimed he could help her career. This star-studded affair won a ton of awards upon its release and continues to fan-favorite with viewers of the movie and the Broadway hit on which it was based.

Stream Chicago on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Chicago on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Break-Up (2006)

A lot of the great romantic comedies over the years follow a similar path, but every now and then a movie like The Break-Up comes around and flips the script. Directed by Peyton Reed, this 2006 comedy follows Brooke Meyers (Jennifer Aniston) and Gary Grobowski (Vince Vaughn) as they split up and refuse to move out of their shared apartment. The two find themselves bickering and getting revenge in their cramped space as well on the streets (and waterways) of Chicago.

Stream The Break-Up on Peacock.
Rent/Buy The Break-Up on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Untouchables (1987)

Brian De Palma’s 1987 historical crime drama, The Untouchables, follows Bureau of Prohibition agent Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) as he teams up with Jim Malone (Sean Connery) in an attempt to nab Chicago crime boss Al Capone (Robert De Niro) once and for all. With a figure like Capone comes the territory of Chicago, which almost becomes another character with all its charm and personality.

Rent/Buy The Untouchables on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Uncle Buck (1989)

John Hughes’ seminal 1989 comedy, Uncle Buck, shows what happens when the city goes to the suburbs opposed to the other way around. When Buck Russell (John Candy) is asked to take care of his nieces and nephew while their parents are away for a family emergency, the cigar-smoking bowler is forced to leave his Wrigleyville apartment and help out at the family’s upper middle-class home, causing a clash of cultures and some of the best scenes in any ‘80s comedy.

Stream Uncle Buck on Peacock.
Rent/Buy Uncle Buck on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

High Fidelity (2000)

If you ever go to the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, you’ll quickly think to yourself “doesn’t this look a lot like High Fidelity?” And that’s because its where a lot of Stephen Frears’ 2000 romantic comedy takes place (especially those Championship Vinyl scenes). One of the best John Cusack movies, the movie centers on record store owner and hopeless romantic Rob Gordon (John Cusack), as he tries to save his business and love life. Not your typical Chicago movie (no Sears Tower or Lake Shore Drive), but it does give you a glimpse at life outside “The Loop.”

Stream High Fidelity on Cinemax.
Rent/Buy High Fidelity on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Road To Perdition (2002)

Although it takes place in various locations around the Great Lakes region, Sam Mendes’ 2002 crime drama, Road to Perdition, gets its start in Chicago. After his son finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, mob enforcer Michael Sullivan, Sr. (Tom Hanks) attempts to protect him from the dangers that await. This marvelous accomplishment in film does a tremendous job of incorporating multiple elements of Depression-era Chicago, and the crime that came with it, better than just about anything that came before it.

Stream Road to Perdition on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy Road to Perdition on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Eight Men Out (1988)

One of the most infamous scandals in all of professional sports is told in great detail in John Sayles 1988 historical drama Eight Men Out. The star-studded movie, which features everyone from John Cusack to Charlie Sheen, follows the 1919 Chicago White Sox as they throw the World Series after being paid off by the city’s criminal elements. Though one of the best baseball movies of all time, this moving drama goes beyond the realm of sports and dives headfirst into how greed and corruption can push people to the brink. 

Stream Eight Men Out on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Eight Men Out on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Fugitive (1993)

After being falsely accused of murdering his wife and being sent to a prison downstate, Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) returns to Chicago in an attempt to find the real killer and clear his name. But, even though he knows the city better than just about anyone, Kimble is being chased by the unflinching and determined Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) and his team of U.S. Marshals, in The Fugitive.

Stream The Fugitive on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy The Fugitive on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Planes, Trains And Automobiles (1987)

John Hughes’ Planes, Trains and Automobiles could be on a list of the best road trip movies or the most iconic buddy comedies, but like this piece, all roads lead to Chicago in the beloved 1987 classic. The movie centers on Neal Page (Steve Martin), a high-strung advertising executive trying to get home for Thanksgiving, who meets and starts various misadventures with the irritating but well-meaning Del Griffith (John Candy). When the pair finally makes it the Windy City, the movie’s real magic starts.

Stream Planes, Trains and Automobiles on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy Planes, Trains and Automobiles on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Hopefully, this list of the best Chicago movies will help you remember why the city has such a prestigious cinematic history. And, who knows, maybe that tradition will continue and Chicago will be featured in some of the upcoming 2022 movies.

Believe it or not, the two-time Emmy-nominated former child actor has played a few roles that are worthy of empathy, which we will highlight in our following picks of the best Jesse Plemons movies and TV shows to watch right now. However, we cannot help but start with his biggest, baddest, and (arguably) most iconic role.

Breaking Bad (Netflix)

Desperate to be able to provide for his family after learning he is terminally ill, a high school chemistry teacher (five-time Emmy-winner Bryan Cranston) teams up with his former student (Aaron Paul) to start manufacturing and selling crystal methamphetamine, which sparks a slow, dramatic change to his morality.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Jesse Plemons: For how despicable Walter White became over the course of Breaking Bad’s groundbreaking five seasons from 2008 to 2013, he is a freaking angel when compared to the cruel, inhumane, and soulless Todd, whom Jesse Plemons began playing on its final season and would reprise in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, through harrowing flashbacks to Jesse Pinkman’s time under his captivity.

Stream Breaking Bad on Netflix.
Buy Breaking Bad on Amazon.

Also try streaming El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie on Netflix.

Black Mirror: U.S.S. Callister (Netflix)

A charismatic space traveler (Jesse Plemons) bravely, wisely, and compassionately leads his loyal crew on a dangerous journey through the farthest reaches of space… or so it seems.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Jesse Plemons: Similarly to how he portrayed Todd, Jesse Plemons lures you in with a seemingly harmless, almost sympathetic demeanor before pulling the rug right from under you in one violent jolt with his Emmy-nominated performance in one of the best Black Mirror episodes, “U.S.S. Callister” - a stunning ode to old school Star Trek with a disturbing, technophobic twist.

Stream Black Mirror: U.S.S. Callister on Netflix.

I’m Thinking Of Ending Things (Netflix)

An unnamed young woman (Irish actress Jessie Buckley) joins her new boyfriend (Jesse Plemons) on a trip to meet his mother (Toni Collette) and father (Dave Thewlis) at his secluded childhood home, where bizarre circumstances cause her to question the nature of her relationship and her own life as she knows it.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Jesse Plemons: Another Netflix original in which Jesse Plemons’ moral compass and trustworthiness are put into question is the 2020 movie, I’m Thinking of Ending Things - an impeccably strange and thoroughly unnerving adaptation of Ian Reid’s novel, that writer and director Charlie Kaufman adapts into one of his most defining works. 

Stream I’m Thinking Of Ending Things on Netflix.

Game Night (Amazon Rental)

A married couple (Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams) who regularly have friends over for evenings to play harmless games are in for their most memorable instance of such an occasion (if they can survive it), when the husband’s brother (Kyle Chandler) offers to be the host this time.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Jesse Plemons: Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams’ characters question the moral compass and trustworthiness of the creepy cop who lives next door (Jesse Plemons, who also gets to reunite with Friday Night Lights’ Kyle Chandler) in 2018’s Game Night - a surprisingly clever and uproariously funny dark comedy, directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein.

Rent/Buy Game Night on Amazon.

Like Mike (HBO Max)

An orphaned teenager (Shad “Bow Wow” Moss) becomes an NBA star with the help of a pair of shoes that once belonged to Michael Jordan which, after a freak electrical accident, magically give him extraordinary athletic abilities.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Jesse Plemons: Jesse Plemons was “breaking bad” even as a child actor, when he played the resident bully at Lil Bow Wow’s orphanage in 2002’s Like Mike - one of the best sports movies for kids that the whole family can enjoy.

Stream Like Mike on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Like Mike on Amazon.

Friday Night Lights (Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, Tubi)

A Texas high school football team and their dedicated head coach (Kyle Chandler) struggle to stay on top while falling under the pressures of life and from being one of the nation’s top-ranking academic athletics programs.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Jesse Plemons: Speaking of sports, Jesse Plemons’ first major role on a hit series came when he was hired for the Friday Night Lights cast as high school football player Landry Clarke - one of the most likable characters (a rarity for the actor now) on one of TV’s most beloved athletic dramas.

Stream Friday Night Lights on Netflix.
Stream Friday Night Lights on Hulu.

Stream Friday Night Lights on Peacock.
Stream Friday Night Lights on Tubi.

Buy Friday Night Lights on Amazon.

Fargo, Season 2 (Hulu)

A deadly shooting at a local diner has a tangentially life-changing effect on a State Trooper (Patrick Wilson), a seemingly innocent married couple (Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst), and a small criminal organization in 1970s Minnesota.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Jesse Plemons: In his first Emmy-nominated TV role, Jesse Plemons plays a meek butcher’s assistant who becomes embroiled in a different kind of bloody mess with his wife (Kirsten Dunst, who became Plemons’ real-life romantic partner) in the second season of Fargo - FX’s arresting anthology crime series loosely inspired by Joel and Ethan Coen’s Oscar-winning 1996 masterpiece.

Stream Fargo, Season 2 on Hulu.
Buy Fargo, Season 2 on Amazon.

The Irishman (Netflix)

An elderly man (Academy Award winner Robert De Niro) reminisces about the decades he spent loyally working as a hitman for the mafia and how that career tragically intersected with his friendship with labor union leader Jimmy Hoffa (Academy Award winner Al Pacino).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Jesse Plemons: Jimmy Hoffa’s unofficial “adopted son” (and unwitting accomplice to his mysterious disappearance), Chuckie O’Brien, in the allegedly fact-based 2019 Netflix original movie The Irishman was Jesse Plemons’ first role as directed by the legendary Martin Scorsese, who would later cast the actor in his upcoming historical crime drama, Killers of the Flower Moon.

Stream The Irishman on Netflix.

Judas And The Black Messiah (HBO Max)

To avoid serving time in prison and to make some good cash, a young thief (Oscar nominee Lakeith Stanfield) accepts an offer from a shady FBI agent (Jesse Plemons) to be an informant for Chicago’s chapter of the Black Panther party, and unexpectedly comes to admire the chairman, Fred Hampton (Academy Award winner Daniel Kaluuya).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Jesse Plemons: While he is not exactly playing a criminal this time, you will not remember Jesse Plemons’ role as Roy Mitchell too fondly by the Judas and the Black Messiah ending - director Shaka King’s powerful, Oscar-winning retelling of a shocking and unjustly overlooked tragedy in the history of the Civil Rights Movement.

Stream Judas And The Black Messiah on HBO Max.
Buy Judas And The Black Messiah on Amazon.

Other People (Netflix)

After recently breaking up with his boyfriend, a New York comedy writer (Jesse Plemons) must confront his dysfunctional relationship with his conservative family when he moves back in with them to help care for his terminally ill mother (former Saturday Night Live cast member Molly Shannon).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Jesse Plemons: In 2016, Jesse Plemons gave one of the most honest and heartfelt performances of his film career in Other People - a deeply emotional, but effectively funny, story loosely inspired by writer and director Chris Kelly’s own life experiences.

Stream Other People on Netflix.

Vice (Hulu)

Politician Dick Cheney (an almost entirely unrecognizable Christian Bale in Oscar-winning makeup) rises to unprecedented power in the United States government from his discreet position as Vice President of the administration headed by George W. Bush (Sam Rockwell).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Jesse Plemons: Other than the fact that Jesse Plemons plays him, I suppose it is not too surprising that the most likable and sympathetic character in writer and director Adam McKay’s Vice is a fictional character named Kurt, who also narrates this dazzling, inventive 2018 satire for reasons I will not give away.

Stream Vice on Hulu.
Rent/Buy Vice on Amazon.

The Power Of The Dog (Netflix)

A charming, yet domineering, ranch hand (Benedict Cumberbatch) ungraciously taunts his brother’s (Jesse Plemons) new wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her feeble son (Kodi Smit-McPhee), until he and the young man begin to grow unexpectedly close.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Jesse Plemons: Jesse Plemons reunites with his real-life love, Kirsten Dunst, onscreen and has the advantage of not being the most brutally antagonistic character in the 2021 Netflix original, The Power of the Dog - a stunning return for The Piano director Jane Campion, based on Thomas Savage's Neo-Western novel.

Stream The Power Of The Dog on Netflix.

In addition to Martin Scorsese’s aforementioned Killers of the Flower Moon, set for a 2022 release on Apple TV+, Jesse Plemons is also starring opposite Jason Segel and Lily Collins in the home invasion thriller, Windfall, which is expected to come out that same year. He is also currently filming the HBO Max exclusive true crime miniseries, Love and Death.

The new Transformers movie has cast Judas And The Black Messiah breakout Dominique Fishback to star opposite Anthony Ramos, per Deadline. Fishback has been on the rise over the past few years, having starred in notable films like The Hate U Give and Project Power, the latter of which paired her with Jamie Foxx. It's nice to see she's following up her role in the Daniel Kaluuya-led drama with one of the biggest franchises out there.

Adding two exceptionally talented and on-fire actors to lead your franchise’s next big movie seems like a good move, especially with the sheer amount of Transformers projects in the works. The next major installment of the Transformers franchise is still in development but based on its casting choices, it’s taking its time making its decisions to ensure the franchise hits big again.

The Transformers franchise started way back in 2007 with director Michael Bay, who oversaw the series until 2017’s Transformers: Last Knight. The series’s most recent entry was the 2018 spinoff Bumblebee, which has invigorated interest in the series and the renewed focus on creating new stories in this universe.

The Transformers movies have been influential and unique in the saturated land of mega-franchises, inspiring certain aspects within films like the fantastic Godzilla vs. Kong. Having the staying power necessary to be around for over a decade and still going strong means that the Transformers franchise has a firm fanbase that is looking for even more giant robot mayhem for years to come.

Some of the stars have also expressed interest in returning for more. Bumblebee star John Cena would love to make a sequel to the 2018 hit. With bonafide stars and burgeoning ones, Transformers has a lot of options with the amount of talent it can cultivate for the future of the franchise. With these most recent films, it would seem the producers are putting strong focus on Having talented actors with great chemistry in the midst of all the spectacle that comes with the giant robots.

Dominique Fishback is definitely a strong choice for this new chapter in the Transformers franchise. She's already dipped her toe into blockbuster territory with Project Power, so she should fit in well with this series. She and Anthony Ramos should be a fun pairing, and it'll be interesting to see what kind of characters they end up playing. All in all, the two should be able to shine should they stand alongside the iconic alien machines.

Spelled out like that, the whole thing sounds like a disorganized mess, but it was actually quite touching and had a nice flow to it. In fact, it’s probably a testament to how well the speech worked that it led to a ton of tweets about the inspiring social justice content and also a ton of tweets about the sex reference. You can check out the speech in its entirety below…

In Judas And The Black Messiah, Daniel Kaluuya played Fred Hampton, the Chairman of the Black Panther Party. The activist fought for better housing, better access to education and better treatment from the police, among many other things. He was killed during a police raid in Chicago in 1969. He was just twenty-one years old. The City of Chicago, Cook County and the Federal Government later paid more than a million dollars to Hampton's family and others who were killed or injured during the raid.

It's not surprising Kaluuya brought Hampton up during his speech. It's pretty common for winning actors to thank the real life person they're playing, but that's not the only way to do it. There's no single formula to create a good Oscar speech. Some people stay on topic. Some people barely talk about the movie they won for at all. Some people ramble until the orchestra plays them off (though that wasn’t an issue tonight), and some people say as little as possible (shoutout Joe Pesci). Really, the two things I look for are authenticity and trying to make some kind of connection with the audience. Kaluuya’s speech works so well because he clearly does both. He comes off as very humble, relatable and down to Earth. None of it feels like an act. Beyond that, you can really feel the audience hanging on every word.

People definitely responded very well to the content of his speech and particularly the section where he said there’s still so much work left to do. It was getting cut up and passed around social media quite a bit. And of course the sex moment was too, particularly because of the reaction shot of his mother and sister. Check out the gif below…

Daniel Kaluuya is great. He’s incredibly talented, and should have an incredibly long career ahead of him. I’m not going to preemptively predict more awards in his future because you never quite know what people will respond to, but it’s hard to imagine a future in which he’s not churning out incredible performances on a regular basis. He’s just too talented, and with a personality like this, who wouldn't want to work with him?

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The 2021 Academy Awards are fast approaching, but there is still plenty of time to get caught up on the 2021 Academy Award nominees. The Oscars this year are unique for several reasons. One of those reasons being how our current health crisis has made streaming services even more popular. This has resulted in the film industry making many of the nominated Oscar films available online. The majority of the nominated movies streaming are well worth the small fee you pay to see them. Minari, Promising Young Woman, Sound of Metal, and Nomadland are just a few of the many nominated movies streaming or available to rent,.

With so many nominated movies streaming, now is the perfect time to watch the Oscar 2021 nominees before the broadcast. You can even regain some sense of normalcy by enjoying a few with friends through various watch party apps. Let this list make it easy for you to find the Oscar nominated movies streaming and available to rent.

Promising Young Woman

Promising Young Woman stars Carey Mulligan. She plays Cassie, a woman trying to cope with the death of her best friend. Al Monroe (Chris Lowell) sexually assaulted Cassie’s friend Nina while they were in college and Nina’s life continued to spiral because of it. Now, Cassie spends her nights pretending to be drunk to confront so-called “nice guys” who try to take her home and take advantage of her. The cast includes an array of actors like Adam Brody, Bo Burnham, and Max Greenfield. The cast also includes Laverne Cox and Alison Brie. Emerald Fennell directed Promising Young Woman.

Promising Young Woman is up for the Best Picture Academy Award, along with Best Actress for Carey Mulligan, and Best Film Editing, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. Unfortunately, no major streaming service has grabbed up Promising Young Woman yet, so Promising Young Woman streaming is only an option as a rental or purchase. However, all of your favorite Video-On-Demand (VOD) services have it available.

Rent Promising Young Woman on Amazon

Judas And The Black Messiah

Judas and the Black Messiah is based on the events leading to Black Panther Party chairman Fred Hampton’s death. Daniel Kaluuya plays Fred Hampton. It focuses on how William O’Neal (played by Lakeith Stanfield) betrayed him and aids the FBI in targeting and killing Hampton. Judas and the Black Messiah’s cast also includes Jesse Plemons, Dominique Fishback, Ashton Sanders, and Lil Rel Howery. Shaka King directed Judas and the Black Messiah.

Judas and the Black Messiah’s Oscar nominations include Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Cinematography. Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield both earned Best Supporting Actor nominations. Judas and the Black Messiah is no longer available to stream on HBO Max, but it is available to rent on demand.

Rent Judas and the Black Messiah on Amazon

The Trial Of The Chicago 7

Aaron Sorkin directed The Trial of the Chicago 7, and the film is based on the events of the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and the trials that followed it. Seven men who were protesting the Vietnam War are arrested and tried for crossing state lines with the intent to incite a riot. The Trial of the Chicago 7 depicts the courtroom drama that unfolded at that time, and it looks deeper at the characters at the forefront of these events. The Trial of the Chicago 7 cast includes Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Rylance, Jeremy Strong, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

The Trial of the Chicago 7’s Academy Award nominations are Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Picture, and Best Original Screenplay. Sacha Baron Cohen earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The Trial of the Chicago 7 is available to stream on Netflix.

Stream The Trial of the Chicago 7 on Netflix

Sound Of Metal

Darius Marder directed Sound of Metal, a film about Ruben Stone (Riz Ahmed), a drummer who starts to lose his hearing. It’s also about his relationship with his girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke) and how their romance falls apart. Ruben finds some peace when he’s embraced by a deaf community of recovering addicts. Sound of Metal’s cast also includes Paul Raci, Lauren Ridloff, and Mathieu Amalric.

Sound of Metal received Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Original Screenplay. Paul Raci received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor and Riz Ahmed received a nomination for Best Actor. Sound of Metal is available to stream through Amazon Prime.

Stream Sound of Metal on Amazon

Minari

Minari follows Korean immigrants, the Yi family, as they adjust to life in Arkansas. The patriarch Jacob (Steven Yeun) dreams of owning his own farm, but it proves more difficult than he expected due to the general difficulty of farming and familial conflicts. Lee Isaac Chung directed Minari, and the cast includes Alan S. Kim, Youn Yuh-jung, Han Ye-ri, and Noel Cho.

Minari received Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Steven Yeun and Youn Yuh-jung both received acting nominations. He was nominated for Best Actor, and she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The only way to watch Minari streaming is through a VOD service because it isn’t currently available on any major streaming service.

Rent Minari on Amazon

Mank

Mank is a black and white tribute to the films and stars of the 1930s. David Fincher directed this film based on his late father’s original screenplay. It follows screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz (played by Gary Oldman) as he works on the screenplay for Citizen Kane. Mank’s cast includes Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins, Arliss Howard, and Tom Pelphrey.

Mank received 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Score, and Best Supporting Actress for Amanda Seyfried, and Best Actor for Gary Oldman. Mank is available to stream on Netflix.

Stream Mank on Netflix

The Father

Florian Zeller directed The Father, which is based on his play Le Père. Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss, and Imogen Poots are all in the film. The Father follows Anthony (Anthony Hopkins) and his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman) as dementia starts to take over Anthony’s mind and life. It’s a tragic portrait of how one's mind can betray them.

The Father is nominated for six Academy Awards. Hopkins and Colman both earned acting nominations for leading and supporting roles. It was also nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. The Father is currently not available on a streaming service, but it is available on Video-On-Demand platforms.

Rent The Father on Amazon

Nomadland

Chloé Zhao directed Nomadland. The film stars Frances McDormand and is based on Jessica Bruder’s nonfiction book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century. The movie follows Fern (Frances McDormand), a woman who begins a journey across the United States after her life falls apart in Nevada. Nomadland features David Strathairn in a supporting role, and the rest of the cast consists mainly of real-life nomads playing fictionalized versions of themselves.

The Academy nominated Nomadland for six Oscars, including a Best Actress nomination for Frances McDormand. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Hulu is your source to watch Nomadland streaming.

Stream Nomadland on Hulu

Buy Nomadland on Amazon

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is based on August Wilson’s play of the same name. George C. Wolfe adapted this version, which stars Viola Davis, Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo, and the late Chadwick Boseman. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom depicts the fictionalized events of a 1920 Chicago recording studio session with Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) and her band. Tensions escalate into a shocking and tragic ending.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Actress for Viola Davis and Best Actor for Chadwick Boseman. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is currently available to stream on Netflix.

Stream Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom on Netflix

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is the 2020 sequel to Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Sacha Baron Cohen returns as the title character. To help the mockumentary and prank movie work, Borat has a daughter Tutar (Maria Bakalova) who joins him in the United States. Borat and Tutar travel across the U.S. so that he can offer her as a bride to former Vice-President Mike Pence. Jason Woliner directed Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm received two Oscar nominations: Best Supporting Actress for Maria Bakalova and Best Adapted Screenplay. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is available to stream on Amazon Prime.

Stream Borat Subsequent Moviefilm on Amazon.

Soul

Soul is a Disney and Pixar film about Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), a music teacher who dreams of playing jazz music professionally. Joe gets his big break and then has an accident that separates his soul from his body. Joe will do anything to return to Earth, but with 22 (Tina Fey), a soul who wants nothing to do with Earth, as his mentee, she won’t make the trip back to Earth easy. Soul’s voice cast includes Richard Ayoade, Alice Braga, Rachel House, Daveed Diggs, Angela Bassett, and Phylicia Rashad.

The Academy nominated Soul for three Oscars, including Best Animated Feature. Soul is exclusively available to stream on Disney+.

Stream Soul on Disney+

Buy Soul on Amazon

Another Round

Thomas Vinterberg directed Another Round. The movie follows four friends and teachers who set off to become highly functioning drunks by keeping alcohol in their system at all times. They believe it will improve their daily lives. Of course, things start off great but then they become not-so-great. Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang, and Lars Ranthe star in Another Round.

Another Round was nominated for two Oscars: International Feature Film and Best Director. Another Round is streaming on Hulu.

Stream Another Round on Hulu

Rent Another Round on Amazon

WolfWalkers

Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart directed Wolfwalkers, an animated film about a young hunter apprentice, Robyn (Honor Kneafsey), who journeys with her father to wipe out the last wolf pack. She ends up befriending Mebh (Eva Whittaker) and finds herself becoming increasingly drawn to the wolfwalkers world. Wolfwalkers’ voice cast includes Sean Bean, Tommy Tiernan, Maria Doyle Kennedy, and Simon McBurney.

Wolfwalkers is nominated for Best Animated Feature. The film is available to stream on AppleTV.

Stream WolfWalkers on AppleTV+

Tune into the Oscars on Sunday, April 25, on ABC, to see which nominated movies streaming take home the golden statue.

Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield are two remarkably talented actors who are only just at the start of their careers, and what's interesting is that they seem to be sprinting together. They first had the opportunity to work together on Jordan Peele's Get Out, and now, four years after that film was released, they have both received Oscar nominations for their respective performances in Shaka King's Judas And The Black Messiah. From an outside perspective they seem to have a cool pair thing going, but that's a funny idea when you consider how different the two experiences were for LaKeith Stanfield during the productions.

As the actor pointed out during a recent interview with NME, his role in Get Out may be incredibly memorable, but it didn't actually take all that long to shoot. Because of this, LaKeith Stanfield didn't spend all that much time on the set of the Jordan Peele movie, hence he didn't have much of an opportunity to strike up a relationship with Daniel Kaluuya. Said Stanfield,

When you put the two movies side-by-side, it's not precisely a challenge to recognize what LaKeith Stanfield is talking about here. He may stand out in your mind as having a big supporting role in Get Out, but in truth he is only in two scenes: the opening sequence where he is kidnapped, and the big party thrown by the Armitages. He does have a big moment with Daniel Kaluuya's Chris, and is the one who gets to say the title of the movie in dialogue, but his total runtime isn't precisely considerable all things considered.

With Judas And The Black Messiah on the other hand, the conversation couldn't be more different. In the film, LaKeith Stanfield plays an FBI informant who is tasked with infiltrating the Black Panthers and getting close to Illinois Chapter President Fred Hampton – played by Daniel Kaluuya. The relationship between the characters is the primary source of drama in the film, requiring the two stars to work together closely.

Of course, if we zoom back to a macro perspective, the developing formula here seems to be that when LaKeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya are in a movie together, that movie gets Academy Award attention. Get Out was nominated in four categories during the 2018 Oscars, winning for Best Original Screenplay; and Judas And The Black Messiah has picked up six nominations, including two in the Best Supporting Actor category for Stanfield and Kaluuya (exactly how that math works out is a mystery, but here we are).

To find out if Judas And The Black Messiah takes home one or more Oscars, you'll just have to tune into the show, which is scheduled to air on ABC on April 25.

Since the release of Judas and the Black Messiah, LaKeith Stanfield has been pushed in the lead actor category in various awards ceremonies, while co-star Daniel Kaluuya being put in the supporting actor category. Kaluuya has scored multiple supporting actor wins and nominations for playing slain civil rights leader Fred Hampton. So the nomination of Stanfield in the same category at the Academy Awards was surprising, to say the least. The Oscar-nominated actor took to his Instagram to voice his confusion as well. Stanfield later deleted his post, but not before journalist Tomris Laffly managed to grab a screenshot. Check out her Twitter post below:

After deleting his initial response to being placed in the Best Supporting Actor category, LaKeith Stanfield posted a more lighthearted Instagram response to his first Oscar nomination. Check out the actor’s hilarious post below:

Despite the confusing Oscar nomination, I, along with many others, agree that LaKeith Stanfield did deserve a nomination, but in the Best Lead Actor category. Stanfield didn’t just play informant William O’Neal; he became his character. He was so believable that some felt his performance was too close to the actor’s persona. But playing O’Neal did affect audiences as Stanfield spoke on how the role took a mental toll on him even after the film wrapped. The actor’s turn as the informant was just the latest performance by him that captured the public’s attention. Being the lead of such an important film, he did deserve a lead nomination rather than supporting.

But LaKeith Stanfield wasn’t the only one confused over his Oscar nomination. Nominating both Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya in the Support Actor category spoke more about the award nomination process. In recent years, the Oscars have come under fire for its nomination process, with lead and supporting designation, as well as screen time, becoming significant issues. With Chadwick Boseman being nominated in the Lead Actor category, it's possible that the Academy simply didn’t want Stanfield to take votes away from the late actor. Currently Boseman is the frontrunner to win the Oscar posthumously.

While Chadwick Boseman might not be the reason, LaKeith Stanfield’s Supporting Actor nomination countered the Warner Bros. award seasons campaign. But Stanfield deserved to be recognized for his commanding performance in Judas and the Black Messiah. Hopefully this is just the first of many nominations the actor will score over his career.

Awards season nominations can be weird, especially when it comes to classifying where a particular performance and film should go. The Golden Globes have had their controversies, when movies like The Martian are classified as Comedies, and the Oscars are no stranger to such abnormalities. In particular, the difference between a performance for lead and supporting actors/actresses has led to some interesting scuffles, and the nominations for the 93rd Academy Awards are no exception. While both LaKeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya being nominated for Judas and the Black Messiah is a well deserved honor to their performances, the fact that they’re both nominated for Best Supporting Actor has me wondering what the heck is going on.

The core of Judas and the Black Messiah’s narrative is the true story of Bill O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) and how he infiltrated and compromised the chapter of the Black Panthers led by Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya.) Director/co-writer Shaka King’s telling of this story aims its primary focus on O’Neal’s efforts to undermine the revolutionary group on-behalf of the FBI, while a profile of Hampton’s personal life is more of a supporting focus for the tale being told. In that recap alone, you can see where the potential problem is when it comes to this year’s Academy Awards nominations.

I totally agree that Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield should both be nominated for Judas and the Black Messiah. And there’s always a temptation around Oscar season to blur the lines between which performances to submit for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor honors. Even with that knowledge of strategic submissions, I still can’t get over the fact that Kaluuya and Stanfield somehow both would be nominated as Best Supporting Actors in a film that surely has a leading character.

The way I see it, Judas and the Black Messiah treats Bill O’Neal as its functional lead. Between bookending the film with moments calling back to an interview O’Neal gave about his time in the Black Panthers, and the focus primarily being paid to LaKeith Stanfield’s portrayal of the actual man, his performance should have obviously been submitted for a Best Actor nomination. Meanwhile, Daniel Kaluuya’s Fred Hampton is a textbook case of a prime Best Supporting Actor role, as his sheer magnetism anchors the film with a secondary lead that compliments the story of O’Neal’s betrayal.

Any interpretation of how Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield’s performances in Judas and the Black Messiah should have been nominated would most likely lead to the same conclusion: one of them should have gotten a Best Actor nomination so as to differentiate their contributions to the film overall. By nominating both actors in the Best Supporting category, it’s akin to saying that there was some other performance/character, other than Fred Hampton and Bill O’Neal, at the head of that film’s story. The more I think about that last sentence, the more my head spins. And make no mistake, this isn't an oversight by Warner Bros, as the studio's official For Your Consideration campaign clearly submitted Stanfield for Best Actor, along with Kaluuya and Jesse Plemons for Best Supporting Actor.

The Academy Awards has made some interesting choices when it comes to who it potentially honors as Lead and Supporting Actors. Who could forget last year’s race, when The Irishman had apparently no Lead Actor performance of any sort of importance, but was double nominated for Best Supporting Actor? And then there’s that moment where Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer were obviously swapped in the distinction of who should have been the Best Actress/Supporting Actress nominees in The Help, as Spencer was a functional co-lead, while Davis was a comparatively reduced presence in the film? That last decision handed Octavia Spencer the win, which only highlights the game that’s played when submitting your high power talent for awards consideration.

This time, at least from where I’m standing, the game is lost no matter what happens. Judas and the Black Messiah showcased two powerfully moving performances from actors at the top of their game. With Daniel Kaluuya lighting up the screen as Fred Hampton, and LaKeith Stanfield digging into the nuance and subtle shades to Bill O’Neal, their roles are inseparable in their chemistry and their effectiveness. But according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, they’re both supporting roles, playing to a larger lead that we’re not privy to know about. Which is a shame, because they’re both actors who deserve to be talked about alongside each other, as opposed to being pitted in direct competition. And if you had any doubt who should be in which position, just look at the film's title, and match those biblically charged names to the characters you saw in the film. It can't get any clearer than that.

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It is common when moviegoers, by the middle of Awards Season, have not had the chance or even access to see all the nominees, but in the case of the 2021 Golden Globes, they have little to no excuse. This year, it is easier to get your hands on the most acclaimed frontrunners - such as the beautiful Nomadland, David Fincher’s love letter to Old Hollywood in Mank, or Carey Mulligan at her most badass in Promising Young Woman - than ever before and we are going to show you how. The following is quick, convenient guide of how to watch each film nominated for Best Picture (and other categories) on streaming or for a digital rental, starting with a healthy dose of drama.

2021 Golden Globe Nominees For Best Motion Picture - Drama

The Father

Sir Anthony Hopkins is nominated for his role as a man struggling to accept his daughter’s (fellow Golden Globe nominee Olivia Colman) help when he begins to suffer memory loss. French playwright Florian Zeller directs The Father, an adaptation of his own acclaimed play, which hits theaters Friday, February 26, but will be on VOD March 26.

Mank

Speaking of fathers, David Fincher honored his late father, Jack, by turning a screenplay he wrote in the 1990s into a film with spirit and look of a Golden Age production. Mank - the story of Citizen Kane’s lesser-known co-writer, Herman J. Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) - is a Netflix original, available to stream since December 4. Stream Mank on Netflix here.

Nomadland

Director Chloé Zhao turned Jessica Bruder’s book about the rise of traveling jobseekers following the 2008 recession into a raw, intimate, gorgeously shot portrayal of personal resiliency in the face of widespread collapse. Frances McDormand gives a stunning performance, alongside actually “nomads” as themselves, in Nomadland, which hit Hulu on February 19. Stream Nomadland on Hulu here.

Promising Young Woman

Speaking of stunning performances, Carey Mulligan is an absolute force to be reckoned with as a woman on a quest for vengeance over a tragedy in her past. Actress Emerald Fennell makes a promising feature-length debut as writer and director of Promising Young Woman, which is now available on Amazon as a 48-hour VOD rental. Rent Promising Young Woman on VOD here.

(Promising Young Woman will be available to purchase on digital on March 2, with the Blu-ray set to be released on March 16.)

The Trial Of The Chicago 7

A group of peaceful Vietnam War protestors became victims of discrimination and a corrupt justice system after violent conflict with police in 1968. Politically-charged writer and director Aaron Sorkin adapted the events that transpired into the highly entertaining and fascinatingly poignant Netflix exclusive The Trail of the Chicago 7, starring an epic ensemble cast including Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Sacha Baron Cohen. Watch The Trial of the Chicago 7 on Netflix here.

2021 Golden Globe Nominees For Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Speaking of Sacha Baron Cohen, the comedian resurrected his most famous character to capture a frighteningly honest portrayal of modern America, featuring a few unwitting participants. The notoriously crude Kazakhstanian journalist made Amazon Prime his “very nice” home for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. Watch Borat Subsequent Moviefilm on Amazon Prime Video here.

Hamilton

Disney+ became the exclusive home to stream a recording from the original Broadway run of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s history lesson set to rap, Hamilton. While some may argue against calling a document of a live stage performance a “movie,” it is hard to deny this intimate capturing of the exhilarating Tony-winner is one of 2020’s most thrilling achievements. Watch Hamilton on Disney+ here.

Music

After writing and directing the reverberative videos for many of her own hit songs, pop sensation Sia helms her first feature-length film with the aptly-titled Music. The story of the young, autistic title character (Maddie Ziegler) as she is put into the care of her newly sober half-sister (Kate Hudson) can be found on Amazon as a digital rental. Rent or buy Music on Amazon here.

Palm Springs

The story of Palm Springs is one I am not at liberty to discuss at the risk of spoiling the experience for those who have yet to see it. That being said, I recommend hopping onto Hulu to stream this cleverly bizarre, riotously funny, and thoroughly invigorating romantic comedy starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti to see what you are missing out on before the surprise is ruined. Watch Palm Springs streaming on Hulu here.

The Prom

A teenager (Jo Ellen Pellman) missing out on her conservative town’s school dance after requesting permission to accompany her girlfriend (Ariana DeBose) inspires four has-been theater performers (Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, James Corden, and Andrew Rannells) to come to her aid in The Prom. This bright, energetic adaptation of a Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical is the latest Netflix exclusive production from producer and director Ryan Murphy. Watch The Prom streaming on Netflix here.

Other 2021 Golden Globe Nominated Movies

I Care A Lot

Rosamund Pike earns her third Golden Globe nomination as a scam artist who meets her match in the comedic crime thriller I Care A Lot, which became one of the most popular Netflix exclusive films at the time it premiered on the streaming platform in February. Watch I Care A Lot streaming on Netflix here.

Judas And The Black Messiah

The shocking true story of an FBI informant (Lakeith Stanfield) infiltrating Chicago’s Black Panther Party led by Fred Hampton (Golden Globe-nominee Daniel Kaluuya) in Judas and the Black Messiah was released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max, where it is now streaming until March 14. Watch Judas and the Black Messiah streaming on HBO Max here.

If you're not an HBO Max subscriber, you can sign up here.

La Llorona

Inspired both by real-life political unrest in Guatemala and a chilling legend of Spanish folklore is the acclaimed Shudder exclusive La Llorona, which could become a rare case of a horror flick taking home the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. Watch La Llorana streaming on Shudder here.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Chadwick Boseman could posthumously win a Best Actor Golden Globe for his final performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, a Netflix original adaptation of August Wilson’s play inspired by racial tension during the 1920s Chicago blues scene. Watch Ma Rainey's Black Bottom streaming on Netflix here.

One Night In Miami

This Amazon Prime original adaptation of Kemp Powers’ play inspired by racial tension in the 1960s, One Night in Miami, earned nominations for first-time director Regina King and star Leslie Odom Jr., both for his performance as Sam Cooke and and his original song with Sam Ashworth “Speak Now.” Watch One Night In Miami streaming on Amazon Prime Video here.

Soul

Kemp Powers also co-wrote and co-directed Soul, Pixar’s Golden Globe-nominee for Best Animated Feature that sheds light on the afterlife through they eyes of Jamie Foxx’ aspiring jazz pianist, which skipped theaters in the United States in exchange for a Disney+ release on Christmas Day in 2020. Watch Soul streaming on Disney+ here.

Sound Of Metal

Riz Ahmed’s heartbreaking lead performance as an aspiring rock drummer who begins to lose his hearing in the Amazon Prime exclusive Sound of Metal earned him his second Golden Globe nomination. Watch Sound of Metal streaming on Amazon Prime Video here.

The United States Vs. Billie Holiday

Andra Day’s heartbreaking performance as a legendary jazz singer who begins to lose her privileges due to racial discrimination and a crippling drug addiction in the Hulu exclusive The United States vs. Billie Holiday earned the Grammy nominee her first Golden Globe nomination, plus another for the original song "Tigress & Tweed" with Raphael Saadiq. Watch The United States Vs. Billie Holiday streaming on Hulu here.

Wolfwalkers

The uniquely animated fantasy adventure Wolfwalkers, released on Apple TV+, is the first in co-director Tom Moore’s trilogy of films inspired by Irish Folklore to receive a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Feature. Watch Wolfwalkers streaming on Apple TV+ here.

Looks like there is plenty of catching up to do before the Golden Globe Awards ceremony, emceed by returning hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, airs Sunday, February 28, 2021, on NBC. If you happen to have the pleasure of seeing any of the nominees mentioned above, which one would you consider to be the best (or at least your favorite)?

This poll is no longer available.

Acting can be an extremely stressful profession. Some of the best in the business commit to their characters so much that it can be difficult to leave them behind. Judas and The Black Messiah star LaKeith Stanfield recently revealed the filming of his latest movie, Judas and the Black Messiah, was so intense that it caused the actor to have anxiety attacks.

There will be major spoilers for Judas and the Black Messiah below, so if you haven't caught the film yet, read on at your own risk!

In a recent interview with LEVEL, Get Out star LaKeith Stanfield discloses that the process of filming one particularly intense scene in Judas And The Black Messiah wound up taking a serious toll on his mental health, ultimately resulting in a physical reaction. As he put it,

Stanfield notes that the whole version of the scene in question didn’t make it into the final cut of the film, but it still caused him some pretty serious mental trauma. He goes on to say that he suspects the filming of Judas and the Black Messiah has something to do with his recent stress and panic attacks.

It makes sense, considering just how intense and tragic the ending of Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah is. LaKeith Stanfield plays William O'Neil, an FBI informant who is embedded with the Black Panther party during the late ‘60s. Despite being considered a close confidant of Black Panther leader Frank Hampton (played by Daniel Kaluuya), O'Neil provided information that led to a police raid and Hampton’s subsequent assassination.

Judas and the Black Messiah has seen some seriously high praise for its talented cast and direction from Shaka King. LaKeith Standfield’s co-star Daniel Kaluuya was recently nominated for a Golden Globe and SAG award for his supporting performance as Fred Hampton to boot.

While it was no walk in the park for LaKeith Stanfield to film such an intense movie, hopefully his commitment to character will pay off, as Oscar nominations are on the horizon and it wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if we saw Judas and the Black Messiah get a lot of love.

With the recent awareness around racial tensions in America, Black cinema has gotten a boost. Stories about social justice and the historical figures that fought for it are especially timely. Having worked in film and television as writers, directors, comedians and producers, the Lucas Brothers are optimistic about the future of Black cinema, but also have some concerns.

Keith and Kenny Lucas wrote the story for Judas and the Black Messiah. It’s a phenomenal film about Fred Hampton’s betrayal by FBI informant William O’Neal that led to Hampton’s assassination. The Lucas Brothers shared their overall optimism as well as some concerns about Black cinema with CinemaBlend. Here’s what they said:

Sounds like the Lucas Brothers acknowledge the progress of Black cinema and are happy to be a part of it, but are worried about history repeating itself. The repetition of time is something Regina King has spoken about in reference to the relevance of her directorial debut, One Night In Miami, so the Lucas Brothers are not alone with their sentiments. Time will tell, but hopefully Kenny Lucas is backed up in his hopes that the infrastructure has changed. He elaborated upon his mention of Black creators being “in this together” with the following:

To say that Judas and the Black Messiah has some talented people behind it is an understatement. Directed by Shaka King and produced by Ryan Coogler, Charles King and Shake King, the film has an all-star cast that will absolutely blow you away.

Kenny and Keith Lucas are identical twin writers, comedians, producers and actors ready to make a lasting impression on the entertainment industry. Keith Lucas shared his excitement for the future of Black cinema, saying:

Judas and the Black Messiah is now available in theaters and streaming on HBO Max. For more films with Black leads, we have lists for you! Check out these romantic movies to rent or stream, these hidden gems, and these quintessential movies all film fans should see. What do you think about the future of Black cinema? Let me know in the comments.

WARNING: The following article contains specific details about the ending to Judas and the Black Messiah. Unless you have you seen the film or simply prefer to remain free from fear of SPOILERS, we recommend seeking the film in theaters or streaming from HBO Max before you continue

Most appropriately during Black History Month comes the release of Judas and the Black Messiah, a film which depicts an era of black history that often goes untold or, at least, rarely told right. The fact-based drama stars Academy Award nominee Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton, Chairman of Chicago’s chapter of the Black Panther Party, and Lakeith Stanfield as Hampton’s trusted comrade Bill O’Neal, who was secretly working as an FBI informant.

Co-writer and director Shaka King’s biopic, already nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also produced by Black Panther director Ryan Cooler, goes to great lengths to shed light on Fred Hampton’s rise as an influential figure of social justice despite the authorities’ own conspiring to label him as a threat and his movement for racial harmony as an act of terror. Right in the middle of the central conflict between the Black Panthers and the Feds is Bill O’Neal, who finds himself torn between his debt to the FBI agent who recruited him, Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons), the dangers of posing as a member of a group with a target on its back, and a growing, seeming belief that the man he has been hired to deceive is not his enemy.

Of course, the question that comes to mind with any historical drama is “what is fact and what is fiction?” and the most unbelievable moment of Judas and the Black Messiah occurs at its harrowing climax. What is the truth behind the tragedy of Fred Hampton, the actions of Bill O’Neal that led to the Black Panther leader’s untimely end, and how the world would change as a result? We take a deeper look the final moments of one of 2021’s first great films, starting with its depiction of a heartbreaking betrayal.

Bill O’Neal Allegedly Drugged Fred Hampton Before A Deadly Police Raid

The last we see of Daniel Kaluuya’s Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah is at his house, enjoying a final get-together before his second prison sentence with the Black Panther Party, including Bill O’Neal, who approaches the Chairman to ask if he would like a drink. Unwitting to him, as the film suggests, O’Neal has been handed a drug with instructions to spike Hampton’s drink and leave when he gets the chance. Not long after, police enter the house, murdering nearly every inhabitant, including 21-year-old Hampton, who was unconscious for the entirety of the raid, despite his pregnant fiancée, Deborah Johnson’s (Dominique Fishback) thorough attempts to wake him.

The film’s horrifying depiction of the raid on December 4, 1969, is very close to the few surviving witnesses’ recollection, right down to Deborah Johnson’s claim that one officer called Fred Hampton “good and dead now” after firing two shots into his unconscious body. However, Judas and the Black Messiah never actually shows Bill O’Neal drugging Hampton as the man himself would later deny the act, but an autopsy report showed fentanyl was in his system and O’Neal would later admit to his involvement in setting up the raid. If there was any other reason to believe he is guilty of this contribution to Hampton’s murder, it could be the cause of his own death.

Bill O’Neal Committed Suicide After Revealing Informant Career

As seen in Judas and the Black Messiah, Bill O’Neal would comment on life as a car thief turned Black Panther Party infiltrator (in only his late teens, too) when interviewed for the 1990 documentary Eyes on the Prize 2, which the film initially recreates with Lakeith Stanfield before using the real footage at the end. A following caption reveals that, shortly after PBS aired the doc on that year’s Martin Luther King Day, O’Neal took his own life by walking in front of a speeding car on Illinois’ Eisenhower Expressway. He was 40 years old.

Bill O’Neal actually continued to serve the FBI as an informant until 1973 (years after Fred Hampton’s murder), at which point he entered the witness protection program. In his telling Eyes on the Prize 2 interview, he admitted to the lifelong discontentment, but not necessarily regret, for his actions against the Black Panther Party. Apparently, O’Neal’s suicide on January 15, 1990, was not his first attempt as his uncle claimed he had survived walking into traffic the previous September.

Bill O’Neal’s Story Draws Parallels To The Biblical Story Of Judas

It does not take much analysis to understand the meaning behind the title Judas and the Black Messiah. Herbert Hoover (director of the FBI at the time and portrayed by Martin Sheen in the film) went as far as literally describing Fred Hampton as a “‘messiah' who could unify and electrify the militant black nationalist movement” and Bill O’Neal’s role as an FBI informant makes him his “Judas.” Yet, upon further analysis, the comparison runs deeper.

In fact, the parallels between Judas’ deception of Jesus, leading to his crucifixion, and the facts that inspired Judas and the Black Messiah are eerie, to say the least. Here you have a man who becomes a trusted follower of a peaceful revolutionary, heinously misinterpreted as a threat to society, whom he betrays for his own personal gain and later, out of guilt for his actions, takes his own life. Not to mention, to those who still follow the Black Panther Party, Fred Hampton’s powerful words are practically scripture, his ideas a philosophy, his life a celebration, and his death, in some ways, a sacrifice for the better of mankind.

Fred Hampton’s Influence Goes On After Death

As Daniel Kaluuya recites in a moving moment from Judas and the Black Messiah, Fred Hampton practically predicted his own death. In a scene of him giving a speech to the Black Panther Party that quotes him almost directly, he says, “I believe that I'm going to be able to die doing the things I was born for. I believe that I'm going to be able to die high off the people. I believe that I will be able to die as a revolutionary in the international revolutionary proletarian struggle.” Well, just as he might have hoped, his tragedy was a turning point toward triumph.

Fred Hampton’s struggle to exonerate the oppressed would continue to inspire the push for racial harmony, only driven further by his death. The city of Chicago would come to honor his efforts by naming a street after him, as well as a public pool with a bust resembling him erected outside of it. His influence also lives on in his son, Fred Hampton Jr., who was born 25 days before his father’s death and grew up to become an activist, serving as president and chairman of both the Prisoners of Conscience Committee and the Black Panther Party Cubs.

Speaking as someone who does usually not care much for awards season hype, I am a little disappointed that Judas and the Black Messiah only received Golden Globe nominations for Daniel Kaluuya’s performance (well-deserved, nonetheless) and Tiara Thomas’ powerful ballad “Fight For You,” which plays at the end credits. I cannot help but feel that a brilliantly acted and beautifully shot film that offers brutally honest depictions of an unjustly overlooked moment in history deserves a bit more recognition than that, but I digress. If anything, I would hope the Academy comes through for this masterpiece.

With powerful performances by LaKeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah is a raw look at being Black in America. Not only is the story depicted in the film true, making it that much harder (and relevant) to watch, but it’s set in the 60s and history seems to keep repeating itself. The Lucas Brothers, writers of the film’s story, spoke out about African Americans not being perceived as human.

Judas and the Black Messiah follows William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) as he becomes a double agent of sorts. Accepting a plea deal to stay out of prison, O’Neal joins the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party to help the police take down (and ultimately kill) Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). When I sat down with Keith and Kenny Lucas for an interview with CinemaBlend, the three of us discussed Hampton’s age and him not being seen as human by the people who killed him. Here’s what the Lucas Brothers said:

Fred Hampton was a 21-year-old college kid when he was assassinated. He wasn’t a criminal. He was a person who spoke out against police brutality and fought to keep his community safe from being senselessly murdered. He had a family. He was in love. But he was painted as a dangerous threat that needed to be neutralized, by his own government. As the Lucas Brothers shared:

Judas and the Black Messiah humanizes Hampton by taking the time to strip him of the militant Black Panther caricature and depict him as a real, fully developed person. The Lucas brothers have a lot more stories to tell, and they’re just two of the many people working to change the overall perception of African Americans. Although this film hurt my soul and made me cry, I loved it and I’m so glad it’s been told in the way that it has. It gives hope to those of us who have to choose where we live and how we act based on how the people around us perceive the color of our skin.

You can see Judas and the Black Messiah in select theaters and streaming on HBO Max. Let me know in the comments the titles of other films that stirred an emotion deep in your soul like an emotional wrecking ball.

By now, you have either watched Judas and the Black Messiah or are at least planning on watching Shaka King’s gripping biographical drama starring Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield, which documents the final days of Black Panther Party icon Fred Hampton. If the movie has you wanting to know more about the events that led to Hampton’s 1969 murder, or at least the Black Panther Party and other associated groups, then you’re in luck because there are numerous movies, shows, and documentaries providing more details on one of the most intense chapters in American history.

From feature films that either feature different portrayals of Fred Hampton or equally significant cultural icons to documentaries that show the fallout of the death of the 21-year-old activist, there is a lot to take in. Here are seven movies, documentaries, and shows to stream after completing Judas and the Black Messiah.

The Trial Of The Chicago 7 (Netflix)

There are few movies that compliment each other better than the tandem of Judas and the Black Messiah and The Trial of the Chicago 7. Though drastically different in tone these two biographical dramas welcome modern audiences into one of the darkest and most tense chapters in the history of Chicago, as well as the United States.

Picking up after the events of the riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in downtown Chicago, Aaron Sorkin’s Golden Globe-nominated film follows the core group of activists who served as the scapegoats for the destruction and unrest that painted the streets of the Windy Chicago red with blood from protestors and police alike. The movie also features Kelvin Harrison Jr.’s portrayal of Fred Hampton, who is a major part of Bobby Seale’s (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) defense prior to his brutal death.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Death Of A Black Panther: Fred Hampton (Amazon)

The 1969 documentary Death of a Black Panther: Fred Hampton isn’t the flashiest or most in-depth option out there, but few, if any, capture the sense of pain, loss, and anger experienced by members of the Illinois Black Panther Party and their associates. This 27-minute television documentary consists of various interviews and press conferences that took place just hours after the December 4, 1969 raid carried out by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Chicago Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigations that resulted in two deaths and multiple injuries.

Stream it on Amazon here.

The Black Power Mixtape 1967—1975 (AMC+)

The 2011 documentary The Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975 is the result of Swedish film crews shooting extensively at various locations throughout the United States over the course of eight of the most turbulent years of the 20th Century. The footage, which captures everything from Vietnam War protests to rallies by the Black Panther Party, was compiled decades later by filmmaker Göran Olsson who then split up the footage into nine sections with key figures of the American counterculture providing insight and commentary that then accompanies the footage.

Some of the interviews featured throughout The Black Power Mixtape 1967–1975 are so raw, unguarded, and powerful, it is amazing the footage sat unused and mostly forgotten for decades prior to its release a decade ago.

Stream it on AMC+ here.

40 Years A Prisoner (HBO Max)

Most of titles on this list have to do with the Black Panther Party or other activist groups in the 1960s, but the 2020 HBO documentary 40 Years a Prisoner touches on a chapter in 20th Century American history that doesn’t get talked about nearly as much. Documenting the 1978 raid by the Philadelphia Police Department on the MOVE (Christian Movement for Life) group that led to the death of an officer and imprisonment of nine of the group’s members, the documentary follows the tragic story of the raid’s aftermath. The main focus on the documentary falls on Mike Africa Jr., the son of two of MOVE's organizers who has spent his entire life fighting to clear his parents' names and free them from prison.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

A Huey P. Newton Story (Starz)

A Huey P. Newton Story, the Spike Lee film adaptation of Roger Guenveur Smith’s solo stage performance does as the title suggests and recounts the life and times of Black Panther Party co-founder Huey P. Newton, in a riveting and explosive manner. With Smith taking on the role of the late activist (who was assassinated at the age of 47 in 1989), the production helps explain all of Newton’s experiences, accomplishments, and fears to the audience (both in the crowd and those watching at home). This enlightening and oftentimes entertaining one-man show shows a side of the revolutionary that few outside of his inner circle got to see.

Stream it on Starz here.

The Black Panthers: Vanguards Of The Revolution (Hoopla)

The 2015 documentary The Black Panthers: Vanguards of the Revolution is a perfect companion piece for Judas and the Black Messiah if you want to know more about the roots of the Black Panther Party as well as the group’s impact on American culture in the decades following its inception. Breaking down multiple aspects of the African-American activist group, this engaging film chronology from filmmaker Stanley Nelson Jr. takes dozens of interviews with key figures in the Black Power movement that are then played alongside rare and never-before-seen footage from the 1960s.

Stream it on Hoopla here.

Malcolm X (HBO Max)

And then there is Spike Lee’s critically-acclaimed biographical drama Malcolm X, which features Denzel Washington taking on the role of the slain activist, who, like Fred Hampton, struck fear into the hearts of the establishment with his teachings in the 1960s. This three-plus-hour epic follows the man formerly known as Malcolm Little from his youth all the way to his February 1965 assassination, providing insight into what radicalized the figure and led to him becoming one of the most polarizing names in American history.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Each of these titles relate to Judas and the Black Messiah in one way or the other. It could be they feature some of the same real-life figures, serve as followup pieces, or even just touch on the same subject matter. And, while each is different and unique, all seven should enlighten and move their audiences.

Judas and the Black Messiah gives an inside look at the Chicago, Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, when it was led by Chairman Fred Hampton. I got to sit down with Keith and Kenny Lucas, the writers of the story, for an interview with CinemaBlend, and they elaborated on how the film gives an accurate portrayal of Fred Hampton and changes how the group is perceived. Here’s what Keith Lucas shared:

The Black Panther party was originally founded in 1966 by Heuy P. Newton and Bobby Seale (you may recognize this name from The Trial of the Chicago 7) to patrol African American neighborhoods and protect residents from police brutality. Fred Hampton fought to keep his community safe, and as Keith Lucas mentioned, to uplift his community. Kenny Lucas touched on Hampton’s demeanor with the following:

While Fred Hampton was a man about unity and love, he was forceful with his message though he never intended to harm. Daniel Kaluuya gives a powerful performance as he portrays Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah. Kaluuya captures that forcefulness, but also the tenderness in ways that will leave audiences speechless.

Judas and the Black Messiah is now available in select theaters and streaming on HBO Max. If you love Daniel Kaluuya like I do, here are more performances of his to check out. Plan your weekends ahead of time with all the new WB movies coming to HBO Max this year.

Whether part of the Christian faith or not, most people are familiar with the biblical story of Jesus. Even those unfamiliar with the details surrounding the death of Jesus are aware that he died, so it might seem strange that Judas and the Black Messiah was titled the way that it is. From these words alone, we know there will be two main characters and that the latter will die, but it turns out the writers weren’t worried about spoiling anything with this decision.

Judas and the Black Messiah tells the true story of William O’Neal (played by LaKeith Stanfield), an FBI informant who infiltrates the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party to take down Chairman Fred Hampton (played by Daniel Kaluuya). The screenplay was written by Will Berson and Shaka King from the story written by Keith and Kenny Lucas. I got to chat with the Lucas Brothers for an interview with CinemaBlend. We discussed how hard the title hits for those who grew up in church and how it also gives away the ending, but they weren't worried about that. Here’s what Kenny Lucas shared:

Epic is probably the best word I can think of to sum up Judas and the Black Messiah. For those unfamiliar, COINTELPRO is an abbreviation derived from COunter INTELligence PROgram, a series of covert and illegal projects the United States FBI set up to discredit and neutralize American political organizations. Judas and the Black Messiah examines this by telling the story through William O’Neal’s point of view. He was offered a plea deal to infiltrate the Black Panther Party in exchange for keeping himself out of prison.

You’ll notice Kenny Lucas mentioned the film is told from Judas’s perspective - Judas being Jesus’s friend who betrayed him and ultimately led Jesus into the hands of his enemy. So William O’Neal is Judas in Judas in the Black Messiah. Jesus is also referred to as the Messiah, meaning “promised deliverer” as he was promised to deliver his people from sin, and the parallel with Judas and the Black Messiah is that Fred Hampton was leading his community in a movement to stand together, speak out and take action against harmful government treatment.

The Bible provides the story of Jesus through the eyes of his friends and family, but not through the eyes of Judas. Watching the story of Fred Hampton unfold not through his own eyes but from William O’Neal’s perspective provides an extra layer of introspection. It’s not as simple as labeling O’Neal the villain of the story. There are many points where it’s questionable if he’s even a bad guy at all.

I really like to go into a new film blind, and I was still able to do that with Judas and the Black Messiah. Like the Lucas Brothers, I’m very familiar with the narrative of Jesus and understood that the film would end in Fred Hampton’s death, but I was not familiar with the story of Fred Hampton. Knowing where the film was headed didn’t make it feel slow or impeded in anyway. It’s a gripping film even for those who have studied the history of both lead characters.

Judas and the Black Messiah is now available in theaters and streaming on HBO Max. I’d love to read in the comments if you learn as much as you can about a film before viewing or prefer to go in with a clean canvas. If you’re more of the learning type, here are things to know before watching the film.

There are few movies receiving as much as attention as Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah thanks to the biographical drama’s heartbreaking retelling of the events that led to the assassination of Illinois Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton and the struggles of the African-American community in late 1960s. The Judas and the Black Messiah cast, which includes Daniel Kaluuya as impassioned activist and LaKeith Stanfield as the criminal-turned-informant who provided the FBI with information on the Black Panthers, is another reason the movie is receiving so much buzz.

And outside of the two main leads, Judas and the Black Messiah has a cast that is absolutely stacked with actors who have appeared everywhere from The West Wing to Fargo and from Atlanta to The Wire. But with so many faces — both the known and unknown — being featured throughout the tense drama, keeping up with everyone isn’t the easiest of tasks. That being said, we’ve put together a list of the cast and where you’ve sen them before.

Daniel Kaluuya (Fred Hampton)

Daniel Kaluuya’s portrayal of Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah has already earned the British actor several awards nominations with more surely on the way. This, however, isn’t anything new for Kaluuya, who has previously received recognition for his roles in Get Out and Queen & Slim, with the former earning him an Oscar nomination at the 90th Academy Awards in 2018. In addition the those roles, Kaluuya has also shown up in movies like Black Panther, Sicario, and Widows, which happened to be set in Chicago.

LaKeith Stanfield (William O’Neal)

Prior to showing up as William O’Neal, the FBI informant who infiltrated the Black Panther Party in the in order to get a lightened sentence, LaKeith Stanfield made a name for himself in movies like Selma, Dope, and Straight Outta Compton, but his turn as Darius Epps on the FX series Atlanta and appearance in Get Out kicked things up a notch. Since then, Stanfield has given outstanding performances in everything from the surrealist dark comedy Sorry to Bother You, the anxiety-inducing Uncut Gems, and farcical whodunit Knives Out.

Jesse Plemons (Roy Mitchell)

You can’t have a movie about the FBI taking advantage of someone’s misfortune without having an overbearing handler like Jesse Plemons’ Roy Mitchell in Judas and the Black Messiah. Plemons’ career has taken him from Paul Walker’s younger brother in the 1999 football drama Varsity Blues which he followed with a big role on the 2006 television adaptation of Friday Night Lights. Since then, Plemons has had roles on shows like Breaking Bad and Fargo, as well as in movies like The Irishman and I’m Thinking of Ending Things.

Dominique Fishback (Deborah Johnson)

Dominique Fishback has said that taking on the role of Deborah Johnson, the fiancée of Fred Hampton and mother of his son, was a transformative experience that changed her life. And if buzz surrounding her performance is to be believed, this is the start of the next chapter in the young actresses’ already successful career. Since making her acting debut on The Knick in 2013, Fishback has gone on to have a major role on the HBO series The Deuce as well as Jamie Foxx’s 2020 superhero drama Project Power.

Ashton Sanders (Jimmy Palmer)

Ashton Sanders shows up as Jimmy Palmer, a member of the Black Panther Party in Judas and the Black Messiah, but you wouldn’t be wrong if you thought you’ve seen young actor before. Sanders appeared in Straight Outta Compton in 2015, but he properly entered the spotlight the following year with a career-making performance as the teenage version of Chiron in the Academy Award-winning coming-of-age drama Moonlight. Sanders has since gone on to become a series regular as The RZA on Hulu’s Wu-Tang: An American Saga, which follows the rise of legendary hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan.

Martin Sheen (J. Edgar Hoover)

Under all that makeup is Martin Sheen playing former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover in Judas and the Black Messiah. Perhaps the most prolific name attached to Shaka King’s moving drama, Sheen has appeared in hundreds of movies, shows, documentaries, and other productions over the course of his decades-spanning career. From Apocalypse Now to The Departed and The West Wing to Grace and Frankie, Sheen has been a longtime fixture of Hollywood, one who continues to turn out great performances even as he turns 80 years old.

Darrell Britt-Gibson (Bobby Rush)

It is rare to see a movie these days that doesn’t feature at least one member of the cast of The Wire, and Judas and the Black Messiah is no exception. Portraying Black Panther Party Chicago chapter co-founder (and future U.S. Congressman) Bobby Rush is Darrell Britt-Gibson, who took on the role of Darius “O-Dog” Hill on David Simon’s crime series in the show’s final two seasons. More recently, Britt-Gibson has shown up in movies like Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Just Mercy, and The Unicorn, as well as shows like Barry and You’re The Worst.

Lil Rel Howery (Wayne)

If you didn’t know any better, you would think Judas and the Black Messiah was a reunion for the cast of Get Out considering the presence of the film’s two leads as well as Lil Rel Howery, who played Rod Williams in Jordan Peele’s 2017 socially-charged horror drama. Prior to taking on the role of Wayne in the 2021 biographical drama, the actor and comedian found success in movies like Bird Box, Bad Trip, and Good Boys, as well as roles on shows like Insecure, Lip Sync Battle, and his own 2018 comedy Rel.

Algee Smith (Jake Winters)

Algee Smith, who plays Black Panther Party member Jake Winters in Judas and the Black Messiah has been on a role as of late with his leading role of Chris McKay on the HBO drama Euphoria. This has been a long time in the making for the singer and actor who found success with his portrayal of Ralph Tresvant in the 2017 miniseries The New Edition Story and its 2018 followup The Bobby Brown Story. Besides that, Smith has given outstanding performances in The Hate U Give and Detroit.

Jermaine Fowler (Mark Clark)

Portraying Mark Clark, the other member of the Black Panther Party’s Chicago chapter caught in the crossfire of the December 1969 raid is Jermaine Fowler, the up-and-coming comedian and actor who has been making a name for himself in recent years. Starting with Guy Code in 2012, Fowler has shown up on everything from Crashing to Superior Donuts, and will soon have a role of a lifetime when he portrays Lavelle, the son of Eddie Murphy’s Akeem in Coming 2 America.

Dominique Thorne (Judy Harmon)

Prior to her appearance in the Judas and the Black Messiah, in which she plays Black Panther Party member Judy Harmon, Dominique Thorne only appeared in one movie: If Beale Street Could Talk. The world will soon see much more of the young actress as she is set to take on the role of Riri Williams, aka Ironheart in the upcoming Disney+ original series Ironheart.

Robert Longstreet (Leslie Carlyle)

Robert Longstreet takes up the role of FBI Agent Leslie Carlyle in Judas and the Black Messiah, but you were probably busy wondering if that was the same guy from Doctor Sleep and The Haunting of Hill House whenever he was on screen. Spoiler alert: that was him. Over the years, Longstreet has been a part of the cast of movies like Pineapple Express and The Old Man & the Gun as well as countless smaller roles on shows like Matlock and Dawson’s Creek.

Terayle Hill (George Sams)

Judas and the Black Messiah is full of portrayals of some of the Black Panther Party’s most notable members, including George Sams, who is portrayed here by Terayle Hill. Probably best known for portraying Trey on Cobra Kai, Hill has spent much of the past six years showing up on shows like The Quad and Step Up: High Water.

Amari Cheatom (Collins)

Amari Cheatom, who plays Collins in Judas and the Black Messiah is another member of the film’s cast that has appeared in a number of culturally significant movies over the years. With credits that include Django Unchained, Crown Heights, Detroit, and Night Catches Us to his name, Cheatom has made a name for himself in hard-hitting dramas based on historical events or set in pivotal times in American history.

Caleb Eberhardt (Bob Lee)

Caleb Eberhardt, who plays Bob Lee in Judas and the Black Messiah, only kickstarted his career within the past decade but has already earned roles in some pretty big productions. With roles in movies like The Post and Black Christmas as well as television shows like The Deuce and Happy!, the young actor is making his mark.

With a cast as talented as the one that brings the characters (both real and imagined) to life in Judas and the Black Messiah it is shocking that they weren’t nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast. But hey, the movies that were nominated, including The Trial of the Chicago 7 more than earn their recognition.

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After what seems like an eternity, Judas and the Black Messiah, Shaka King’s biographical drama about the events that led to the 1968 assassination of Illinois Black Panther Chairman Fred Hampton by the Chicago Police Department made its theatrical and HBO Max debut on February 12, 2021. Starring Daniel Kaluuya as the radical 21-year-old Hampton and LaKeith Stanfield as William O’Neal, the petty criminal who turned FBI informant, the movie is already generating considerable buzz and earning award nominations ahead of its wide release. But where exactly can you watch Judas and the Black Messiah streaming?

Where Is Judas And The Black Messiah Streaming

Judas and the Black Messiah made its theatrical premiere on February 12, 2021. Like every other major Warner Bros. Studios release in 2021, Judas and the Black Messiah was streaming on HBO Max the same day it hit theaters and remained on the digital platform for 31 days upon its release, giving us until mid March to check out the movie that is receiving near-universal praise for its story, direction, and phenomenal cast from top to bottom. However, that 31-day window has since passed. But the movie is available to watch digitally if you're still looking to check it out. 

At present, Judas and The Black Messiah is available to rent on VOD. 

At Amazon, you can rent the movie for $19.99 for a 48-hour window. 

Or, if you're willing to wait, the Judas and the Black Messiah Blu-ray + digital goes on sale May 4 and is available to pre-order now. It's likely that the price to rent the movie will come down from that $19.99 VOD pricing upon its home video release.

Will Judas And The Black Messiah Be On Netflix?

Like any movie, Judas and the Black Messiah could hypothetically become available for streaming on Netflix at some point in the future, but there is a lot standing in its way. The movie is part of Warner Bros. 2021 initiative to offer its major releases simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max (and even then it’s only on the service for one month). Maybe it pops up on the streaming giant at some point in the future, but you’re probably better off watching The Trial of the Chicago 7 if want to hear some of the story but only have a Netflix account.

Once You’ve Seen Judas And The Black Messiah, Check Out The Trial Of The Chicago 7

If you have already seen Judas and the Black Messiah and want to see more movies set within 1960s Chicago, then you really need to check out The Trial of the Chicago 7. This intense courtroom drama, which centers on the group of activists charged in connection with the riots and unrest at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, deals with a lot of the same feelings and messages featured throughout Shaka King’s biographical drama. The Golden Globe nominated film also features Fred Hampton (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) in a number of the courtroom scenes and takes place around the same time as his assassination.

Now that you know you how to watch Judas and the Black Messiah there is no excuse not watch the moving biographical drama that is already receiving a lot of Oscar buzz. And since you’re here, you might as well check out what other Warner Bros. movies you’ll be able to stream on HBO Max this year.

Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield, who previously appeared together in the 2017 film Get Out, have teamed up once again for Judas and the Black Messiah. Judas and the Black Messiah, directed by Shaka King, tells the story of William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield), a petty criminal, who agrees to work undercover for the FBI to infiltrate the Black Panther party and take down revolutionary leader Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya).

Judas and the Black Messiah debuts in theaters and on HBO Max on February 12th, and now the critiques have started rolling in.

CinemaBlend's own Eric Eisenberg saw the film, and he is mostly singing the movie's praises. He gave Judas and the Black Messiah four out of five stars and praised many aspects of the film, including the lead performances and the HBO Max film's powerful story. He said:

Peter Debruge from Variety calls the film “powerful” and predicts it will be an Oscar contender, while also praising the performances, specifically that of LaKeith Stanfield. Peter continues:

Jimi Famurewa from Empire also praised Stanfield’s performance, as well as many other aspects of Judas and the Black Messiah, including the writing, the cinematography, the score, and, again, the other actors’ performances. (I'm sensing a theme.) He goes on to say:

The performances continue to be commended across the board. David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter noted the "sensational" performances from Kaluuya and Stanfield, while commenting on the currency of the story's themes. He continues, saying:

Not all critics were overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the film. Robert Daniels of The Playlist touches on Kaluuya's "electric" performance, but says that O'Neal, played by Stanfield, "just isn't a compelling character." He continues, saying:

Though certainly met with some criticism, the response to Judas and the Black Messiah seems to be mostly positive so far, but we'll have to wait until moviegoers see the film to find out if that momentum continues.

Judas and the Black Messiah debuts in theaters and on HBO Max on February 12th, and in the meantime check out CinemaBlends guide to every movie coming out in 2021.

All that in mind, Shaka King’s Judas And The Black Messiah sees the two stars at the height of their powers in their respective careers thus far. Telling a remarkable true story that is both timely and original to the silver screen, it weaves a powerful tale about betrayal and resilience, and is anchored by its pair of phenomenal lead performances – portraying a revolutionary icon and the notorious double agent who abetted his assassination. And while there are some missed opportunities in the structure, the power pack of Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya and the stunning realities the film depicts leave an indelible impact.

Judas And The Black Messiah has a powerful story that translates well to the big screen.

It all begins with a stupid crime. Donning a low-brim hat and waving around a fake FBI badge, William O’Neal (Stanfield) enters a bar accusing a patron of driving a stolen car – his intention being to take the keys and bolt in the vehicle. When the scheme completely falls apart, he quickly finds himself in handcuffs and facing serious charges, including grand theft auto and impersonating an officer of the law. Sitting down with agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons), he is threatened with spending years in jail. Or he could make it all go away by providing the law with a little assistance.

This is what leads William O’Neal to the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party. In exchange for both freedom and financial reward, he agrees to try and infiltrate the growing movement and specifically keep an eye on its chairman, Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). Realizing an opportunity when he learns that the party leader can’t drive because the police are constantly pulling him over, O’Neal gets close to his target by becoming his driver, and while trust has to be earned among the ranks, he is successful in acquiring it.

As more and more pressure is applied to the organization directly by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen), the spy continues to feed information to the feds, though conflict mounts within him. He not only begins to grasp the terrifying reality of what will happen to him if it’s discovered that he’s a rat, but also finds himself absorbed by the chairman’s message and actions within the community, as Fred Hampton proves to be a genuine leader and potential arbiter for great change.

Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield put every ounce of their talent on display in Judas And The Black Messiah.

There’s an awesome legacy in Hollywood of undercover stories and the relationships that blossom from them, from Point Break to Reservoir Dogs to The Departed, and just as those movies are pushed to greatness with awesome performances by their stars, Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya make a great pair – albeit with a vastly different dynamic. William O’Neal might be on the side of “The Law,” but he’s most definitely not on the side of justice, and how he evolves over the course of the film, with Fred Hampton as the catalyst, is fascinating.

Playing O’Neal proves a tremendous acting challenge, as Judas And The Black Messiah on paper essentially operates with its villain as its protagonist – but the layers that Lakeith Stanfield brings to the performance accentuate his flaws while also bringing out his humanity. As portrayed in the film, there is no question that selfishness and greed has powerful influence on his actions, but he is also a young man who is caught in a trap and clearly recognizes the terrible consequences of what he’s doing.

Daniel Kaluuya doesn’t have that integrity hurdle to leap as Fred Hampton, but instead has a different mountain to climb capturing the gravitas of the Civil Rights hero. What registered the Black Party Panther chairman as a threat to the FBI was his ability unity among those living life on the lower rungs in Chicago, and it’s spectacular to see the energy that Kaluuya projects in the performance and watch his oratory skills earn him respect. It’s not sugar-coated or seraphic, but a commanding and memorable. When he leads chants of “I am a revolutionary,” you may find yourself joining in.

You’re left wishing there was a bit more flourish in Judas And The Black Messiah’s storytelling.

With its flipped-dynamic undercover operation, and a multitude of harrowing episodes that play out during William O’Neal’s infiltration, the true story at the heart of Judas And The Black Messiah lends itself tremendously well to narrative filmmaking – but you’re also left wishing that Shaka King took more bold swings in the script and committed more to some structural choices.

The foremost example of this is the attempted integration of an on-camera interview with O’Neal from 1990. The design of it is bizarre, as there are only three total clips, and Lakeith Stanfield only portrays the FBI informant in two of them. The last of them delivers a gut punch… but it’s delivered in on-screen text, and leaves you scratching your head as to why it wasn’t written directly into the script (a very clear cut example of telling instead of showing). Rather than fully committing to any kind of non-linear structure, Judas And The Black Messiah puts its central narrative before everything else, and while that’s totally justified in the broader attempt to tell Fred Hampton’s story, there is a messiness in it trying to have things both ways.

Despite its flaws, it’s a great cinematic offering. The film is powerful as a horrifying history lesson and a compelling thriller, and a perfect opportunity for the two of the best performers in the industry to put everything they have on screen. Judas And The Black Messiah is an awesome tribute to a powerful figure, and hopefully for many an enlightening experience.

With highly-anticipated Netflix originals showcasing to the talent of two young faces in Hollywood that seem to have no ceiling, the pairing of a certain Marvel actor and the directors who helped make him the leap from the friendly neighborhood, and the retelling of one the most significant chapters in late 1960s Chicago, the shortest month of the year is absolutely stacked.

Malcolm And Marie (Friday, February 5 - Netflix)

John David Washington and Zendaya are two of young Hollywood’s brightest stars and their Netflix film, Malcom and Marie, looks to only help their respective cases. The tense drama, which was written and directed by Same Levinson (Euphoria), follows the titular characters as they return from a movie premiere to discuss their past relationships, which ultimately begins to test themselves and their love.

Little Fish (Friday, February 5 - Theaters And VOD)

February is typically the month we focus on love and relationships, but that will be quite the task for Olive Cooke and Jack O’Connell’s characters in Chad Hartigan’s sci-fi romance Little Fish. In the midst of an outbreak of a virus that causes memory loss, the pair struggles to remember their love for one another before all hope is lost.

Son Of The South (Friday, February 5 - Theaters, VOD)

It is no easy task breaking from one’s family and turning a new leaf, but that’s the case for Lucas Till’s Bob Zellner in the biographical drama Son of the South, which follows the grandson of a Klansman to take a stand against racism as he joins the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

Falling (Friday, February 5 - Theaters, VOD)

In Falling, Viggo Mortensen (who also directs) plays John Peterson a man who left his rural home years ago when his father, played by Lance Henriksen, didn’t agree with his lifestyle. Years later, John attempts to bring his father back into his life and have him live closer, which ultimately leads to complications for all involved.

Minamata (Friday, February 5 - Theaters)

Based on the true-life story of photographer Eugene Smith, Minamata sees Johnny Depp take on the role of the legendary photojournalist as he travels to Japan to document the neurological effects of mercury poisoning on residents in communities along the coastline, a condition that would become known as Minamata disease.

Bliss (Friday, February 5 - Amazon)

Things aren’t always what they seem, or at least that’s the case for Isabel (Salma Hayek) in the weird and mind-bending sci-fi romance Bliss, who attempts to convince Greg (Owen Wilson) that their polluted and dying world isn’t reality, but instead the product of an advanced computer simulation.

The Right One (Friday, February 5 - VOD)

The Right One follows struggling novelist, Sara (Cleopatra Coleman) as she finds inspiration for her next project when she has a chance encounter with Godfrey (Nick Thune), a man who uses multiple personalities as a coping mechanism. Things become complicated for the pair as they uncover truths about one another.

What About Love (Friday, February 12 - Theaters)

It is usually the parents who influence the children, but Klaus Menzel aims to flip that idea on its head in What About Love, a story following two young lovers as they travel the world getting to the bottom of the mystery of love. Their journey comes close to home, however, when their work begins to inspire their parents and bring a spark to their dormant love life.

The Map Of Tiny Perfect Things (Friday, February 12 - Amazon)

The “stuck in a time loop” setup has been making a comeback as of late and Ian Samuels attempts to keep the momentum going in his upcoming fantasy drama The Map of Tiny Perfect Things. Starring Kathryn Newton and Kyle Allen as two teens forced to live the same day over and over again. Along the way, however, the couple makes the most of the situation and creates a perfect map.

Barb And Star Go To Vista Del Mar (Friday, February 12 - Theaters, VOD)

Ten years after getting together for Bridesmaids, Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo return to the big screen (and VOD) with the raucous comedy Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar about two lifelong friends who decide to finally leave their quaint Midwestern town for the trip of a lifetime. Little do they know, Barb and Star are about to find themselves in quite the situation.

Land (Friday, February 12 - Theaters)

Robin Wright will try her hand at directing with the survival drama Land, which sees a character played by the former House of Cards star come to terms with a near-death experience in the wilderness and how she finds a way to regain the will to live.

French Exit (Friday, February 12 - Theaters)

If surreal comedy is your thing then French Exit is right up your alley. The movie follows a widow with an ever-dwindling bank account (Michelle Pfeiffer), her son (Lucas Hedges), and her cat that happens to be her reincarnated husband as she takes up shop in a small apartment in the heart of Paris.

Judas And The Black Messiah (Friday, February 12 - Theaters, HBO Max)

Shaka King’s long-awaited biographical drama Judas and the Black Messiah features Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton, the late chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, and Lakeith Stanfield as William O’Neal, the FBI informant whose undercover work led to 1969 raid that would ultimately end Hampton’s life.

To All The Boys: Always And Forever (Friday, February 12 - Netflix)

It has only been three years since To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before took Netflix, and the world, by storm, and the series is already on its third entry: To All the Boys: Always and Forever. The third chapter follows Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) as she embarks upon two significant trips that will forever change the way she sees life and love.

The Mauritanian (Friday, February 12 - Theaters)

The legal thriller The Mauritanian follows the story of Mohamedou Ould Salahi (Tahir Rahim), a detainee at Guantanamo Bay who was held without ever formally being charged with a crime for 14 years. After years of lost hope, Salahi gets a new lease on life when two defense attorneys (Jodie Foster and Shailene Woodley) take his case and seek freedom.

Nomadland (Friday, February 19 - Theaters, Hulu)

Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland follows a woman by the name of Fern (Frances McDormand) as she picks up the pieces of her life after losing everything during a reception and embarks upon a journey through the American west, learning something about herself and life in the process.

Blithe Spirit (Friday, February 19 - Theaters)

Based on the 1941 play of the same name, Edward Hall’s supernatural comedy Blithe Spirit follows a struggling writer (Dan Stevens) after the spirit of his dead wife (Leslie Mann) is accidentally summoned during a failed séance, bringing a great deal of complications to his relationship with his second wife (Isla Fisher).

Flora & Ulysses (Friday, February 19 - Disney+)

The Disney+ original film Flora & Ulysses follows 10-year-old Flora Buckman (Matilda Lawler) after she adopts a squirrel that unbeknownst to her or anyone else possesses superpowers, setting the pair off on an adventure of a lifetime.

I Care A Lot (Friday, February 19 - Netflix)

The Netflix original dark comedy I Car A Lot centers on Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike), a master con artists who signature trick is convincing various judges that she is the legal caregiver of elderly victims that she then robs blind. The deceit catches up with Marla, however, when she bites off more than she can chew with her latest target.

Tom & Jerry (Friday, February 26 - Theaters, HBO Max)

The iconic animated cat and mouse duo is back for another adventure in Tom & Jerry, but this time the pair of frenemies find themselves homeless on the streets of New York City after their last run-in resulted in them getting the boot from Tom’s owners, resulting in them going their separate ways. The break doesn’t last two long as Tom and Jerry have to get back together to uncover a conspiracy.

The Father (Friday, February 26 - Theaters)

Florian Zeller’s drama The Father centers on a man feeling the effects of aging (Anthony Hopkins) and his daughter (Olivia Colman) who moves in to care for him in his deteriorating state. As his condition worsens, the man begins to lose touch with his family, himself, and his reality.

Cherry (Friday, February 26 - Theaters)

Based on Nico Walker’s breakthrough novel of the same name, the Russo brothers’ crime drama Cherry features Tom Holland as the the titular character as he goes from the lovestruck teenager to soldier in the Iraqi War to addicted bank robber with quite a story to tell. Cherry will come to Apple TV+ on March 5, 2021.

Tyger Tyger (Friday, February 26 - Theaters, VOD)

The pandemic thriller Tyger Tyger follows the misadventures of Blake (Sam Quartin) after she robs a pharmacy for a life-saving medication and sets off on a journey to distribute the drug with a drug addict by the name of Luke (Dylan Sprouse). Life on the run, however, proves to be more difficult than anyone would have ever guessed.

Crisis (Friday, February 26 - Theaters)

The crime thriller Crisis focuses not on one story about the decremental effects of opioid addiction but three intertwined tales of despair. The movie follows a drug trafficker arranging a massive fentanyl smuggling operation, an OxyContin-addicted architect trying to get to the bottom of his son’s mysterious life, and a college professor attempting to reconcile with his employer’s new painkiller. These characters will be played by Gary Oldman, Armie Hammer, and Evangeline Lilly when it drops in theaters in February and VOD on March 5.

The United States Vs. Billie Holiday (Friday, February 26 - Hulu)

Billie Holiday will forever go down as one of the most prolific singers of the 20th Century, but her adoring fans weren’t the only ones obsessed with the late singer, as the FBI was actively investigator her over the years. Those investigations are the subject of the Hulu film The United States vs. Billie Holiday, which follows the singer (Andra Day) as she is the target of an operation led by Jimmy Fletcher (Trevante Rhodes).

That sure is a lot of movies, but those aren’t the only films coming to to your streaming services in February as there are multiple others coming to Netflix throughout the second month of the year. For an updated list of all those movies, check out CinemaBlend’s Netflix movie premiere guide.

2020 was a wild year for theatrical releases that is going to take quite some time to fully recover from. One the one hand, the lack of theatrical releases last year means that all those delayed films will be delayed even further when it comes to their release on Blu-ray and DVD, which left 2020 a far different year than we expected.. However, with theaters closed, many films decided to go directly to video on demand platforms. Under the circumstances, this is great, as it gives people access to the same movies in the comfort of their own homes.

Exactly what the future has in store for home releases in 2021 is anybody's guess right now. But we'll keep things updated here with the news on the newest releases as they are announced.

January DVD And Blu-ray Releases

January is frequently a slow month for brand new movies in theaters but it's usually a big month for home releases as we see popular films from the late summer and early fall coming home. Unfortunately, because of the global pandemic, the theatrical release schedule wasn't everything we were hoping for, and that domino effect has continued to plague DVD releases. Having said that, there are still some interesting movies worthy of checking out that will arrive in January.

TV fans will have plenty o series to add to their collections, including Season 2 of Jordan Peele's Twilight Zone from CBS All Access, the final season of The 100, and the first season of the television adaptation of Snowpiercer. But it isn't all TV, there were some good movies that came out last year that may have flown under the radar due to everything that was going on, and might get a much better chance to be seen now, like Jungleland, with Charlin Hunnan, and Love and Monsters starring Dylan O'Brien. Checkout the full list of January releases below.

Week Of Tuesday January 5 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Love And Monsters (2020) Starring Dylan O'Brien (order it here)

12 Hour Shift (2021) (order it here)

Mystery Road, Series 2 (order it here)

The 100: The Seventh And Final Season (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday January 12 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Spell (2020) (order it here)

American Dream (order it here)

Jungleland (2020) - Starring Charlie Hunnan, Jack O'Connell (order it here)

Legacies: The Complete Second Season (order it here)

Lupin III: The First (order it here)

Manifest: The Complete Second Season (order it here)

Monsoon (2020) (order it here)

Skylines (order it here)

The Twilight Zone Season Two (2020) (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday January 19 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

The Kid Detective (2020) - Starring Adam Brody (order it here)

Always And Forever (2020) (order it here)

Dead Reckoning (2020) (order it here)

Dreamland (2020) - Starring Margot Robbie (order it here)

Hearts And Bones - Starring Hugo Weaving (order it here)

Max Cloud 2020) (order it here)

Miss Juneteenth (2020) (order it here)

Spiral (2020) (order it here)

The Cleansing Hour (2019) (order it here)

The Village in the Woods (order it here)

Wander (2020) - Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Aaron Eckhart (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday January 26 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Come Play (2020) - Starring Gillian Jacobs, John Gallagher Jr. (order it here)

Synchronic (2019) - Starring Jamie Dornan, Anthony Mackie (order it here)

Fatman (2020) - Starring Mel Gibson (order it here)

Batman: Soul of the Dragon (2021) (order it here)

Bordertown: Season 1

Born A Champion (2021) - Starring Dennis Quad, Sean Patrick Flannery (order it here)

Doom Patrol: Complete Second Season - Starring Brenden Fraser, Timothy Dalton (order it here)

Princess of the Row (2019) - Starring Martin Sheen

Snowpiercer: The Complete First Season - Starring Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs (order it here)

You: The Complete Second Season (order it here)

February DVD And Blu-ray Releases

February 2021 almost, almost, feels like the movie industry hasn't been at a near standstill for the better part of a year. While there certainly aren't as many major Blu-ray releases coming in February as might have expected 12 months ago, nearly every week of the month has something worthy of note, movies with major names that either actually were released in theaters, or at the very least would have been under normal circumstances.

The beginning of the month gives us Let Him Go, a drama with Kevin Costner and Diane Lane that is getting solid reviews, and Wild Mountain Thyme, a movie that's not nearly as well reviewed, but has such a bizarre twist in it that it might be worth checking out anyway. There's also the body swap horror movie Freaky and the better than it has any right to be disaster movie Greenland. The new "Milla Jovovich is in a movie based on a video game" film, Monster Hunter will also be available to view digitally in February ahead of its physical release next month.

If nothing else, the fact that some of these films didn't even have a theatrical release is making the physical release of the film happen incredibly quickly. One has to wonder if that process will continue even once theaters are back to normal. Here's everything slated to debut in February.

Week Of Tuesday February 2 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Let Him Go - Starring Kevin Costner and Diane Lane (order it here)

Wild Mountain Thyme - Starring Emily Blunt and Jaime Dornan (order it here)

Tesla (order it here)

Breach (order it here)

Host (order it here)

JL Family Ranch: The Wedding Gift (order it here)

Love, Weddings & Other Disasters (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday February 9 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Freaky - Starring Vince Vaughn (order it here)

Sputnik (order it here)

Greenland - Starring gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin (order it here)

Monster Zone (order it here)

The Little Prince (order it here)

The Right One

Wander Darkly - Starring Sienna Miller and Diego Luna (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday February 16 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

The Informer - Starring Ana de Armas and Joel Kinnaman (order it here)

A Call To Spy (order it here)

Archenemy - Starring Joe Manganiello (order it here)

Bordertown Season 2

Fear of Rain - Starring Katherine Heigl (order it here)

Harley Quinn: The Complete Second Season - Starring Kelly Cuoco, Lake Bell (order it here)

Horizon Line - Starring Allison Williams (order it here)

Lovecraft Country: The Complete First Season (order it here)

The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee (order it here)

Early Digital Release

Monster Hunter (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday February 23 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

The Croods: A New Age - Starring Nicolas Cage and Emma Stone (order it here)

Scooby-Doo: The Sword and the Scoob (order it here)

Silk Road - Starring Jeremy Clarke and Nick Robinson (order it here)

The Last Vermeer - Starring Guy Pearce (order it here)

March DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Slowly but surly, we're seeing more movement when it comes to movie releases, which gives us more movement on home releases as well. Sure, some of these big movies, like Wonder Woman 1984 were released on streaming services like HBO Max or other VOD formats, but now you don't need to wait for them to come back around on streaming and you can actually own a physical copy of the film.

In addition to films like Wonder Woman 1984, March also brings us the likes of Monster Hunter, a video game adaptation from the people who brought you the resident Evil movies, as well as a potential Oscar contender in Promising Young Woman. With the awards show delayed this year you can actually get a hold of many of the nominees at home before the show so you can watch them all. Here's everything on the way in March 2021.

Week Of Tuesday March 2 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Monster Hunter - staring Mila Jovovich (order it here)

Fatale (order it here)

Half Brothers (order it here)

Pinocchio - starring Roberto Benigni (order it here)

All My Life (order it here)

Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks (order it here)

Scare Me (order it here)

Zappa (order it here)

Early Digital Release

Promising Young Woman - starring Cary Mulligan

Week Of Tuesday March 9 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Vanguard (order it here)

Adverse (order it here)

American Skin (order it here)

IP Man: Kung Fu Master (order it here)

Riviera: Season 2 (order it here)

Early Digital Release

News of the World - starring Tom Hanks

Week Of Tuesday March 16 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Promising Young Woman - starring Cary Mulligan (order it here)

Brothers By Blood (order it here)

Dark Web: Cicada 3301 (order it here)

Des (order it here)

Don't Tell a Soul (order it here)

Money Plane (order it here)

PG: Psycho Goraman (order it here)

Sheep and Wolves: Pig Deal (order it here)

Songbird (order it here)

Early Digital Release

Wonder Woman 1984 - starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine

Week Of Tuesday March 23 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

News of the World - starring Tom Hanks(order it here)

Breaking News In Yuba County - starring Allison Janney, Mila Kunis(order it here)

Castlevania: Season 3 (order it here)

Hero Dog: The Journey Home (order it here)

Soul - starring jamie Foxx, Tina Fey(order it here)

Soulmates, Season 1 (order it here)

The Comey Rule: Special Edition (order it here)

Undoing, The Limited Series (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday March 30 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Wonder Woman 1984 - starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine (order it here)

Our Friend (order it here)

55 Steps (order it here)

Perfect Planet (order it here)

Another Round (order it here)

The Toll (order it here)

April DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Just when it looked like things were heading in the right direction, April really slowed down in the Blu-ray and DVD department. While we're certainly not entirely without new releases, the fact that many of the movies tyhat have come out have seen a much faster turn around to home release means that sometimes everything that's going to come out already has. Having said that, with it beginning to finally look my theaters might really reopen for good, we can be at least a little confident that things will be returning to something like normal, or whatever the new normal is, fairly soon.

The only really significant release hitting in April is the comedy Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar. Which was a movie that, due to a lack of theatrical release, a lot of people probably didn't see, but based on the reviews, it's something everybody should probably check out, so here's the chance.

Week Of Tuesday April 6 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Earwig and the Witch (order it here)

The Reckoning (order it here)

Shadow in the Cloud (order it here)

Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar - starring Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumalo (order it here)

Giants Being Lonely (order it here)

Son of the South (order it here)

Traces: Season One (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday April 13 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Willy's Wonderland 

Ancient Aliens: Season 13 

Week Of Tuesday April 20 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Crisis (order it here)

The Violent Heart (order it here)

Body Brokers (order it here)

The Mortuary Collection (order it here)

Early Digital Release

The Little Things - starring Denzel Washington, Jared Leto

Week Of Tuesday April 27 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Vanquish (order it here)

Golden Arm

May DVD And Blu-ray Releases

May almost feels like a normal month in home entertainment releases, since we're seeing a lot of this year;s Oscar winners get released. Of course, the fact that those awards were only given out at the end of April still makes the whole thing feel weird. However, if you'd like to check out some of the Oscar winners that you missed, or just add your favorite Academy Award nominee to your collection, you'll have a chance to do so in May, as we'll see the release of Judas the Black Messiah, The Father, Minari and more.

If Oscar winners aren't your thing, there are still a few major releases coming out in May, including Denzel Washington's The Little Things, and the live-action/animation hybrid Tom and Jerry. On the television side, you can pick up the first season of the animated Star Trek comedy Lower Decks, or you can complete your collection of Supernatural DVDs, as the final season of that series will drop at the end of the month.

Week of Tuesday May 4 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

The Little Things - starring Denzel Washington, Jared Leto (order it here)

Judas and the Black Messiah - starring Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield (order it here)

The Virtuoso - starring Anthony Hopkins (order it here)

Week of Tuesday May 11 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

The Marksman - starring Liam Neeson (order it here)

Land - starring Robin Wright, Demian Bichir (order it here)

The Mauritanian - starring Jodie Foster, Benedict Cumberbatch (order it here)

Justice Society: World War II - starring Stana Katic, Matt Bomer (order it here)

My Brother's Keeper (order it here)

Pixie - starring Olivia Cooke, Alec Baldwin (order it here)

Senior Moment - starring William Shatner, Christopher Lloyd (order it here)

Shrek (20th anniversary Ed) - starring Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy (order it here)

Week of Tuesday May 18 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Tom and Jerry - starring Chloë Grace Moretz (order it here)

Minari - starring Steven Yeun, Youn Yuh-jung (order it here)

The Father - starring Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Coleman (order it here)

Supernova - starring Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci (order it here)

The Nest - starring Jude Law, Carrie Coon (order it here)

Above Suspicion - starring Emilia Clarke (order it here)

Cosmic Sin - starring Bruce Willis, Frank Grillo (order it here)

Hunted (order it here)

Shithouse (order it here)

Son (order it here)

Star Trek: Lower Decks - Season One (order it here)

The Alienist: Angel of Darkness - starring Luke Evans, Daniel Bruhl (order it here)

The Salisbury Poisonings (order it here)

Mission: Impossible (25th Anniversary Ed.) - starring Tom Cruise (order it here)

Week of Tuesday May 25 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Chaos Walking - starring Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley (order it here)

Long Weekend - starring Finn Wittrock, Zoë Chao (order it here)

American Fighter (order it here)

Happily - starring Joel McHale (order it here)

Supernatural: The Complete Fifteenth and Final Season - starring Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles (order it here)

Supernatural: The Complete Series - starring Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles (order it here)

My Fair Lady (4K UHD) - starring Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison (order it here)

Super 8 (4K UHD) - starring Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler (order it here)

June DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Normally, at this time of year the focus of film is on the big screen as the summer movie season shifts into full swing. While "full swing" is probably a bit of a misnomer at this point, we actually are seeing new movies get released in theaters again and that means that in a few months we're going to have big movies to release on Blu-ray again.

However, we still have a few big releases hitting Blu-ray this month. The biggest Blu-ray release comes from what was previously the biggest theatrical release of the year. Godzilla vs. Kong had a solid theatrical opening a few months back, and now for those who want to own it, they'll have a chance later this month. When it comes to movies that perhaps did not see massive box office, but are worth checking out, the Bob Odenkirk-led Nobody was a solid action movie for scratching that John Wick itch.

Fans of TV looking to complete their collections should be aware that Season 2 of His Dark Materials arrives this month as does Season 1 of The Umbrella Academy. Here's everything else coming out in June.

Week Of Tuesday June 1 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

The Courier - starring Benedict Cumberbatch (order it here)

Boogie - starring Taylor Takahashi (order it here)

Embattled - starring Stephen Dorff (order it here)

Endangered Species -starring Rebecca Romijn (order it here)

Shoplifters of the World (order it here)

The Vault - starring Freddie Highmore (order it here)

The World to Come - starring katherine Waterston, Vanessa Kirby (order it here)

Trigger Point - starring Barry Pepper (order it here)

Your Honor: Season 1 - starring Bryan Cranston (order it here)

A Glitch in the Matrix (order it here)

Spare Parts (order it here)

Mommie Dearest - starring Faye Dunaway (40th anniversary Blu-ray) (order it here)

Snatch - starring Benecio Del Toro, Jason Statham (4K UHD) (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday June 8 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

City of Lies -starring Johnny Depp (order it here)

Assault on VA-33 - starring Sean Patrick Flannery (order it here)

Flashback - starring Dylan O'Brien (order it here)

Fuller House: The Fifth and Final Season - starring Candace Cameron Bure (order it here)

Macgyver: Season 4 - starring Lucas Till (order it here)

The Lovebirds - starring Kumail Nanjiani, Issa Rae (order it here)

The Unhealer - starring Natasha Henstridge, Lance Henriksen (order it here)

Zeroville - starring James Franco, Megan Fox (order it here)

Power Book II: Ghost, Season 1 (order it here)

Indiana Jones: 4 Movie Collection (4K) - starring Harrison Ford (order it here)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (35th Anniversary) -starring Matthew Broderick (order it here)

Early Digital Release

Nobody - starring Bob Odenkirk (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday June 15 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Godzilla Vs. Kong - starring Millie Bobby Brown (order it here)

Voyagers -starring Tye Sheridan, Lily-Rose Depp (order it here)

French Exit - starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Lucas Hedges (order it here)

SAS: Red Notice - starring Ruby Rose, Andy Serkis (order it here)

Anything For Jackson (order it here)

Rock Dog 2: Rock Around the Park (order it here)

The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Season 1 (order it here)

H.P. Lovecraft's The Deep Ones (order it here)

The Great War Of Archimedes (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday June 22 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Nobody - starring Bob Odenkirk (order it here)

The Unholy - starring Jeffrey Morgan (order it here)

The Paper Tigers (order it here)

Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One -starring Jensen Ackles (order it here)

Siberia - starring Willem Dafoe (order it here)

Umbrella Academy: Season One - starring Elliott Page (order it here)

Night of the Sicario - starring Natasha Henstridge (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday June 29 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

His Dark Materials: The Complete Second Season - starring Dafne Keen (order it here)

Percy Vs. Goliath - starring Christopher Walken, Christina Ricci (order it here)

The Watch Season One (order it here)

Here are the Young Men (order it here)

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (4k UHD) - starring Gene Wilder (order it here)

Wildcat (order it here)

Early Digital Release

Wrath of Man - starring Jason Statham (order it here)

July DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Of all the things that changed regarding movie releases in 2020, the one thing that, without question will have the longest reaching repercussions, is the fact that the window between theatrical releases and home DVD release has become permanently smaller. We only really saw big theatrical film releases start back up in May, but some of those films are already on their way home. Even some that were already available at home, like Mortal Kombat, that was only released at the end of April are making the jump to Blu-ray and DVD as early as the middle of July.

Even, A Quiet Place Part II, the movie that is officially the highest grossing movie of 2021 at the moment, and was only released in theaters, will be available for fans to own only two months after its theatrical debut. Horror fans will also be able to bring home the newest entry in the Saw franchise, Spiral, with Chris Rock in the lead.

Week Of Tuesday July 6 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Defending Jacob - starring Chris Evans (order it here)

Equal Standard - starring Ice-T (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday July 13 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Mortal Kombat - starring Lewis Tan (order it here)

Wrath of Man - starring Jason Statham (order it here)

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run - starring Tom Kinney, Clancy Brown (order it here)

Separation - starring Brian Cox (order it here)

A Cinderella Story: Starstruck (order it here)

Held (order it here)

No Man's Land - starring Frank Grillo (order it here)

Pennyworth - The Complete Second Season (order it here)

The Unicorn - Season 2 - starring Walton Goggins (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday July 20 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Spiral - starring Chris Rock (order it here)

Dream Horse - starring Toni Collette, Damian Lewis (order it here)

Jakob's Wife (order it here)

Bordertown: Season 3 (order it here)

Die in a Gunfight (order it here)

Feral State (order it here)

Gangs of London - Season 1 (order it here)

Initiation (order it here)

Shameless: Complete Eleventh Season -starring William H. Macy (order it here)

Star Trek Discovery - Season 3 - starring Sonequa Martin-Green (order it here)

The Spanish Princess (order it here)

The Walking Dead: The Complete 10th Season - starring Norman Reedus, Danai Gurira (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday July 27 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

A Quiet Place Part II - starring Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy (order it here)

American Gods: Season 3 - starring Ian McShane (order it here)

Every Breath You Take - starring Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan (order it here)

Keeping Faith: Series 3 - starring Eve Myles (order it here)

Midnight in the Switchgrass - starring Bruce Willis, Megan Fox (order it here)

The God Committee - starring Kelsey Grammer, Julia Stiles (order it here)

Unforgotten: The Complete Fourth Season (order it here)

August DVD And Blu-ray Releases

It's August and the summer is winding down. While the "summer movie season" as we once knew certainly still wasn't quite up to the level that movie fans have been used to, there still was a summer movie season, and that's something. And in somewhat the same way, the world of DVD and Blu-ray releases looks something like the way it once did. Nearly every week in August us seeing the home entertainment release of at least one major film that was released theatrically, even if many of them were also released on streaming platforms.

August will see the DVD and Blu-ray release of three movies from Warner Bros that opened in theaters and HBO Max with Those Who Wish Me Dead opening the month, followed by The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and then finally In The Heights. We'll also see Pixar's Luca, which wasn't released in theaters and is still available on Disney+, but if you don't have the service, or just want to be sure you own a physical copy of this one, now you can. 

Week Of Tuesday August 3 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Those Who Wish Me Dead - starring Angelina Jolie, Jon Bernthal (order it here)

Here Today - starring Billy Crystal, Tiffany Haddish (order it here)

Luca - starring Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer (order it here)

Seance - starring Suki Waterhouse (order it here)

Till Death - starring Megan Fox (order it here)

Lucky (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday August 10 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Finding You -starring Katherine McNamara (order it here)

The House Next Door: Meet The Blacks 2 - starring Mike Epps, Katt Williams (order it here)

Queen Bees - starring Ellen Burstyn, James Caan (order it here)

American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally - starring Meadow Williams, Al Pacino (order it here)

Are You Afraid of the Dark: Curse of the Shadows (order it here)

Batman: The Long Halloween Part Two - starring Jensen Ackles, Naya Rivera (order it here)

My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To (order it here)

Occupation: Rainfall (order it here)

Profile (order it here)

The Misfits - starring Pierce Brosnan (order it here)

Friday the 13: 8-movie Collection (order it here)

Early Digital Release

Black Widow

Week Of Tuesday August 17 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard - starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson (order it here)

The Water Man - starring Rosario Dawson, Alfred Molina (order it here)

A Discovery of Witches, Season 2 -starring Matthew Goode, Teresa Palmer (order it here)

NCIS: The Eighteenth Season - starring Mark Harmon (order it here)

Riders of Justice - starring Mads Mikkelsen (order it here)

Rogue Hostage -starring Tyrese Gibson, John Malkovich (order it here)

The Rebels of PT-218 - starring Eric Roberts, Danny Trejo (order it here)

The Truffle Hunters (order it here)

Midnight Diner (order it here)

Little Q (order it here)

Shook (order it here)

Stay Out of the Attic (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday August 24 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It - starring Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga (order it here)

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway - starring James Corden (order it here)

Lansky -starring Harvey Keitel (order it here)

Berlin Station: Season 2 - starring Richard Armitage (order it here)

Chicago Fire: Season Nine - starring Jesse Spencer (order it here)

Dreambuilders (order it here)

Habit - starring Bella Thorne (order it here)

NCIS: Los Angeles: The Twelfth Season - starring Chris O'Donnell, LL Cool J (order it here)

Prodigal Son: Season 2 - starring Tom Payne, Michael Sheen (order it here)

S.W.A.T.: Season 4 -starring Shemar Moore (order it here)

Week Of Tuesday August 31 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

In The Heights - starring Anthony Ramos (order it here)

Spirit Untamed - starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Julianne Moore (order it here)

12 Mighty Orphans - starring Luke Wilson (order it here)

Beasts of No Nation - starring Idris Elba (order it here)

Blue Bloods: The Eleventh Season - starring Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg (order it here)

Fear the Walking Dead: Season 6 - starring Lennie James, Alycia Debnam-Corey (order it here)

Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms - starring Joel McHale (order it here)

NCIS New Orleans: The Final Season - starring Scott Bakula (order it here)

Slaxx (order it here)

The Good Doctor: Season 4 - starring Freddie Highmore (order it here)

September DVD And Blu-ray Releases

This month marks the official start of fall (which is crazy), and the summer movie season is definitely winding down. But we’ve still had plenty of big releases, and the same goes for the DVD and Blu-ray and releases this month. There’s a major film releasing on home entertainment almost every week this month, so you’ll be able to catch up on huge movies from the comfort of your own home if you didn’t get to see them in theaters (or on streaming already).

The very beginning of September marks the home entertainment release of one of Warner Bros. most anticipated films, Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Superhero fans will also be able to enjoy Black Widow on Blu-ray, and action fans should be psyched to own F9, too. And don’t miss out on the Digital release of Free Guy at the end of the month!

Week of Tuesday, September 7 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Zack Snyder's Justice League - starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher (order it here)

Together Together - starring Ed Helms, Patti Harrison, Rosalind Chao (order it here)

Bull: Season Five - starring Michael Weatherly (order it here)

Chicago P.D.: Season 8 - starring Jason Beghe, Jesse Lee Soffer (order it here)

SEAL Team: Season 4 - starring David Boreanaz, Max Thieriot (order it here)

Slaxx - Romane Denis, Brett Donahue (order it here)

The Gateway - starring Shea Whigham, Olivia Munn (order it here)

Young Sheldon: Season 4 - starring Iain Armitage, Zoe Perry, Lance Barber (order it here)

Early Digital Release

F9

Space Jam

Week of Tuesday, September 14 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Black Widow - starring Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh (order it here)

The Boss Baby: Family Business - starring Alec Baldwin (order it here)

Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog - starring Frank Welker, Matthew Lillard (order it here)

Mare of Easttown: An HBO Original Limited Series - starring Kate Winslet (order it here)

Zola - starring Taylour Paige, Riley Keough (order it here)

Catch the Bullet - starring Jay Pickett, Peter Facinelli (order it here)

Censor - starring Niamh Algar (order it here)

Eli Roth’s History of Horror: Season 2 - starring Eli Roth (order it here)

Magnum P.I.: Season 3 - starring Jay Hernandez (order it here)

Masquerade - starring Alyvia Alyn Lind (order it here)

Out of Death - starring Jaime King, Bruce Willis (order it here)

Early Digital Release

Shelter In Place

Week of Tuesday, September 21 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

F9 - starring Vin Diesel (order it here)

The Power - starring Rose Williams, Emma Rigby (order it here)

Violation - starring Madeleine Sims-Fewer (order it here)

Lady of the Manor - starring Melanie Lynskey (order it here)

Cruella - starring Emma Stone (order it here)

Boys from County Hell - starring Jack Rowan (order it here)

The Outsiders The Complete Novel (New 4K Restoration) (order it here)

Last Call - starring Jeremy Piven, Taryn Manning (order it here)

A Dark Foe - starring Oscar Cardenas (order it here)

Batwoman: Season 2 - starring Javicia Leslie (order it here)

Berlin Station: Season 3 - starring Richard Armitage (order it here)

I Carry You With Me - starring Armando Espitia (order it here)

Nancy Drew: Season 2 - starring Kennedy McMann (order it here)

Resident Alien: Season 1 - starring Alan Tudyk (order it here)

Sibyl - starring Virginie Efira (order it here)

The Blacklist - Season 8 - starring James Spader (order it here)

The Equalizer: Season 1 - starring Queen Latifah (order it here)

The Evil Next Door - starring Dilan Gwyn (order it here)

The Vigil - starring Dave Davis (order it here)

The Naked Spur - starring James Stewart (order it here)

The Window - starring Barbara Hale (order it here)

Week of Tuesday, September 28 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Twist - starring Raff Law, Michael Caine, Lena Headey (order it here)

Straight Time - starring Dustin Hoffman (order it here)

A Night At The Opera - starring Groucho Marx (order it here)

The Forever Purge - starring Josh Lucas, Ana de la Reguera (order it here)

Blithe Spirit - starring Dan Stevens, Leslie Mann (order it here)

Early Digital Release

Free Guy

October DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Spooky season has arrived! Horror fans are in luck with the releases of Escape Room: Tournament of Champions and The Haunting of Bly Manor. For those not so into horror but still like a good mystery thriller, this month brings us Old. If being creeped out or getting the adrenaline pumping isn't your thing, not to worry. There are a bunch of titles headed to DVD and Blu-ray this month, from action to romance.

If you missed Free Guy or The Suicide Squad in theaters, or just want to enjoy them again and again, now's your chance! As the weather cools down, grab a mug full of your favorite warm beverage, a blanket, and pop in one of these DVDs.

Week of Tuesday, October 5 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Space Jam: A New Legacy - starring LeBron James, Don Cheadle (order it here)

Escape Room: Tournament of Champions - starring Taylor Russell, Logan Miller (order it here)

Six Minutes to Midnight - starring Nigel Lindsay, Judi Dench (order it here)

Broken Diamonds - starring Ben Platt (order it here)

Clarice: Season 1 - starring Rebecca Breeds (order it here)

Fried Barry - starring Gary Green, Chanelle de Jager (order it here)

The Nevers: Season 1 Part 1 - starring Laura Donnelly (order it here)

The Stand - starring Whoopi Goldberg, Alexander Skarsgård (order it here)

Week of Tuesday, October 12 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Free Guy - starring Ryan Reynolds (order it here)

The Green Knight - starring Dev Patel (order it here)

Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain - (order it here)

Black Lightning Season 4 - starring Cress Williams, Nafessa Williams (order it here)

Crime Story - starring Richard Dreyfuss, Mira Sorvino (order it here)

Survive the Game - starring Bruce Willis, Chad Michael Murray (order it here)

The Colony - starring Nora Arnezeder (order it here)

The Flash: Complete Seventh Season - starring Grant Gustin (order it here)

The Haunting of Bly Manor - starring Victoria Pedretti, Oliver Jackson-Cohen (order it here)

Wild Bill Year 1 - starring Rob Lowe (order it here)

Week of Tuesday, October 19 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Old - starring Gael García Bernal, Vicky Kripes, Rufus Sewell (order it here)

Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins - starring Henry Golding (order it here)

The Protégé - starring Maggie Q, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson (order it here)

Joe Bell - starring Mark Wahlberg, Reid Miller, Connie Britton (order it here)

Honey Girls - starring Ashanti (order it here)

Injustice - starring Gillian Jacobs, Laura Bailey (order it here)

Last Man Down - starring Daniel Stisen (order it here)

Needle in a Timestack - starring Leslie Odom Jr., Cynthia Erivo, Orlando Bloom (order it here) 

No Man of God - starring Elijah Wood (order it here)

Superman & Lois: The Complete First Season - starring Tyler Hoechilin, Elizabeth Tulloch (order it here)

The Survivalist - starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, John Malkovich (order it here)

Tiger: Parts One and Two - starring Tiger Woods (order it here)

Week of Tuesday, October 26 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

The Suicide Squad - starring Idris Elba, Margot Robbie, John Cena (order it here)

Don't Breathe 2 - starring Stephen Lang (order it here)

Stillwater - starring Matt Damon (order it here)

Good Witch: Season 7 - starring Catherine Bell, James Denton (order it here)

New Amsterdam: Season 3 - starring Ryan Eggold (order it here)

On the Rocks - starring Rashida Jones, Bill Murray (order it here)

Walker: Season 1 - starring Jared Padalecki (order it here)

Warning - starring Alex Pettyfer, Alice Eve (order it here)

Skull: The Mask - starring Natallia Rodrigues, Wilton Andrade, Tristan Aronovich (order it here)

November DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Ah, it's finally November and fall is in full swing. The leaves are changing, the air is crisp, and movie nights in are just what we need as we anticipate the holiday season. Those who aren't quite ready to let go of Halloween can enjoy the home releases of Malignant and Saint Maud. Adventure lovers can finally bring home Jungle Cruise for the entire family to enjoy again and again. 

For TV fans, November brings us the DVD releases of Mom Season 8, Emily in Paris Season 1, and Pose Season 3, to name a few.

Week of Tuesday, November 2 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Paw Patrol: The Movie - starring Iain Armitage (order it here)

Pig - starring Nicolas Cage (order it here)

Come True - starring Julia Sarah Stone (order it here)

Kung Fu: The Complete First Season - starring Olivia Liang (order it here)

Mom: Season 8 - starring Allison Janney (order it here)

Nine Days - starring Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz (order it here)

The Banishing - starring Jessica Brown Findlay (order it here)

The Crown: Season 4 - starring Olivia Colman (order it here)

Zone 414 - starring Guy Pearce (order it here) 

Week of Tuesday, November 9 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Respect - starring Jennifer Hudson (order it here)

Reminiscence - starring Hugh Jackman (order it here)

Four Good Days - starring Mila Kunis (order it here)

The Addams Family - starring  Anjelica Huston (order it here)

The Outsiders: The Complete Novel - starring Matt Dillon (order it here)

My Salinger Year - starring Margaret Qualley (order it here)

A Christmas Gift from Bob - starring Luke Treadaway (order it here)

Ancient Aliens: Season 14 - starring Giorgio A. Tsoukalos (order it here)

Coming Home in the Dark - starring Daniel Gillies (order it here)

Emily in Paris: Season 1 - starring Lily Collins (order it here)

Younger: The Complete Series - starring Sutton Foster (order it here)

DC's Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Sixth Season - starring Caity Lotz (order it here)

Old Henry - starring Tim Blake Nelson (order it here)

L.A. Story - starring Steve Martin (order it here)

The Emperor's Sword - starring Zhang Yingli (order it here)

Saved by the Bell: Season 1 - starring Haskiri Velazquez (order it here)

Snowpiercer: The Complete Second Season - starring Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs (order it here)

Surge - starring Ben Whishaw (order it here)

Great White - starring Katrina Bowden (stream it here)

Tina - starring Tina Turner, Angela Bassett (order it here)

The Guns of Navarone - starring Gregory Peck (order it here)

Witch Hunt - starring Gideon Adlon (order it here)

Swan Song - starring Udo Kier (order it here)

Great White - starring Katrina Bowden, Aaron Jakubenko (order it here)

Week of Tuesday, November 16 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Jungle Cruise - starring Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt (order it here)

The Evil Dead: Groovy Collection - starring Bruce Campbell (order it here)

Marvel's Spidey and his Amazing Friends - starring Benjamin Valic (order it here)

Mad Max Anthology - starring Mel Gibson (order it here)

Middle Earth Ultimate Collector's Edition - starring Elijah Wood (order it here)

Candyman - starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (order it here)

Caveat - starring Ben Caplan (order it here)

Flag Day - starring Sean Penn (order it here)

Kevin Can F**k Himself: Season 1 - starring Annie Murphy (order it here)

Never Back Down: Revolt - starring Olivia Popica (order it here)

Our Ladies - starring Eve Austin, Tallulah Greive (order it here)

Pose: The Complete Season 3 - starring MJ Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson (order it here)

Prisoners of the Ghostland - starring Nicolas Cage (order it here)

Queen of the South: The Complete Season 5 - starring Alice Braga (order it here)

This Is Us: The Complete Season 5 - starring Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore (order it here)

Yakuza Princess - starring  Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Masumi (order it here)

Week of Tuesday, November 23 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Boiling Point - starring Stephen Graham (order it here)

American Night - starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers (order it here)

Raging Fire - starring Donnie Yen (order it here)

The Eight Hundred - starring Wang Qian-Yuan (order it here)

The Show - starring Tom Burke (order it here)

Apache Junction - starring Thomas Jane (order it here)

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - starring Steve Martin (order it here)

Week of Tuesday, November 30 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Malignant - starring Annabelle Wallis (order it here)

Saint Maud - starring Morfydd Clark (order it here)

Reds: 40th Anniversary - starring Warren Beatty (order it here)

Heaven Can Wait - starring Warren Beatty (order it here) 

Castle Falls (December 3) - starring Dolph Lundgren, Scott Adkins (streaming on Amazon)

Silent Night (December 3) - starring Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode (streaming on AMC+)

December DVD And Blu-ray Releases

Finally, it's the most wonderful time of the year! With new holiday movies in full swing, it can be easy to forget about this month's DVD releases, but there are some huge blockbusters coming to home video you don't want to miss out on. Titles include the film adaptation of the Broadway sensation Dear Evan Hansen, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and No Time To Die.

Netflix hit The Mitchells vs. The Machines becomes available to purchase this month, and although subscribers can always stream it, fans will want to get their hands on the Blu-ray or DVD for the filmmakers' commentary track and deleted scenes. Happy viewing and happy holidays!

Week of Tuesday, December 7 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Dear Evan Hansen - starring Ben Platt (order it here)

Cry Macho - starring Clint Eastwood (order it here)

Copshop - starring Gerard Butler, Frank Grillo (order it here)

The Girl Who Believes In Miracles - starring Mira Sorvino (order it here)

Werewolves Within - starring Sam Richardson (order it here)

13 Minutes - starring Trace Adkins (order it here)

Broadcast Signal Intrusion - starring Harry Shum Jr. (order it here)

Call the Midwife: Season 10 - starring Helen George, Jenny Agutter (order it here)

Creepshow: Season 2 - starring Hannah Fierman, Kara Kimmer (order it here)

God's Not Dead: We the People - starring David A.R. White, Isaiah Washington (order it here)

Last Shoot Out - starring Jay Pickett (order it here)

One Night in Miami... - starring Kingsley Ben-Adir (order it here)

Rick and Morty: Season 5 - starring Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell (order it here)

The Jesus Music - starring Amy Grant (order it here)

Surge - starring Ben Whishaw (order it here)

Week of Tuesday, December 14 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Venom: Let There Be Carnage - starring Tom Hardy (order it here)

The Card Counter - starring Oscar Isaac (order it here)

The Waltons' Homecoming - starring Bellamy Young (order it here)

Dangerous - starring Scott Eastwood (order it here)

Holler - starring Jessica Barden (order it here)

Language Lessons - starring Natalie Morales (order it here)

Manifest: Season 3 - starring Melissa Roxburgh (order it here)

South of Heaven - starring Jason Sudeikis (order it here)

The Auschwitz Report - starring Noel Czuczor (order it here)

The Mitchells Vs. the Machines - starring Abbi Jacobson (order it here)

Vengeance Is Mine - starring Con O'Neill, Sarah Jane Potts (order it here)

Week of Tuesday, December 21 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

No Time to Die - starring Daniel Craig (order it here)

Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train - starring Natsuki Hanae (order it here)

The Many Saints of Newark - starring Alessandro Nivola (order it here)

Blue Bayou - starring Justin Chon (order it here)

Fortress - starring Jesse Metcalfe, Bruce Willis (order it here)

Hell Hath No Fury - starring Nina Bergman (order it here)

Hard Luck Love Song - starring Michael Dorman, Sophia Bush (order it here)

Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness - Season 1 - starring Jona Xiao, Kellen Goff (order it here)

Small Engine Repair - starring Jon Bernthal, Shea Whigham (order it here)

Week of Tuesday, December 28 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

The French Dispatch - starring Benicio del Toro, Timothée Chalamet (order it here)

Castle Falls - starring Dolph Lundgren, Scott Adkins (order it here)

Mayday - starring Grace Van Patten, Mia Goth (order it here)