In November 2021, Halle Berry released her directorial debut - a sports drama called Bruised in which she plays a fallen mixed martial arts fighter seeking redemption in the ring - in select theaters and onto Netflix, beginning a bold new chapter in the Academy Award-winning actress’ career. It would also spark a reminder of some of her greatest hits from in front of the camera up to this point, such as the X-Men movies or the recent installment of the John Wick movies. Before she appears in a new blockbuster (Roland Emmerich’s Moonfall) in 2022, let’s revisit some of the best Halle Berry movies, along with a tip of where to find them streaming, available for digital rental, or on physical media, too.
Jungle Fever (1991)
After spending several late nights at the office together, a successful, married, Black architect from Harlem (Wesley Snipes) and an engaged Italian-American woman recently hired to be his temporary secretary (Annabella Sciorra) begin to have a passionate love affair, much to the disapproval of their respective friends and family.
Why it is one of the best Halle Berry movies: Halle Berry made her feature-length film debut as Vivian (the lover of Samuel L. Jackson’s crack-addicted character, Gator, who is also the older brother of Wesley Snipes’ role, Flipper) in Jungle Fever - a classic Spike Lee joint that offers thought-provoking and timely commentary on ill-conceived perceptions about interracial romance.
Buy Jungle Fever on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Boomerang (1992)
A chauvinistic, unromantic, womanizing advertising executive (Eddie Murphy) meets his match in a woman (Robin Givens) recently hired to be his boss, who happens to use on men the same manipulative tactics he uses on women.
Why it is one of the best Halle Berry movies: In another thought-provoking commentary on romance for its time, Halle Berry plays the woman who proves to finally make an honest man out of the commitment-phobic main character of director Reginald Hudlin’s Boomerang - one of the most underrated and best Eddie Murphy movies, especially from the 1990s.
Stream Boomerang on Pluto TV.
Rent/buy Boomerang digitally on Amazon.
Buy Boomerang on DVD on Amazon.
Bulworth (1998)
Growing tired of the endless facade he must keep up for the public after years in office, a Democratic California senator (Warren Beatty) hires an assassin to kill him within two days and spends his presumed final days indulging in unfamiliar vices, a publicized extramarital affair, and finally being honest about his agenda.
Why it is one of the best Halle Berry movies: In a thought-provoking commentary on truth in the world of politics for any time, Halle Berry plays a young, ambitious activist whom Warren Beatty’s title character falls for after becoming an honest man in Bulworth - a biting, clever, and hilarious Oscar-nominated satire which Beatty also co-wrote, co-produced, and directed.
Stream Bulworth on Amazon Prime.
Rent/buy Bulworth digitally on Amazon.
Buy Bulworth on DVD on Amazon.
The Last Boy Scout (1991)
A disgraced former Secret Service agent turned private investigator (Bruce Willis) and a disgraced former NFL quarterback (Damon Wayans) become embroiled in a violent plot of corruption in the world of professional sports following a mysterious case of murder-suicide by a star athlete on the football field.
Why it is one of the best Halle Berry movies: Halle Berry became an action movie star of sorts early on in her career when she played a stripper named Cory (and the lover of Damon Wayans’ character) in The Last Boy Scout - a fun buddy cop thriller from director Tony Scott and writer Shane Black.
Stream The Last Boy Scout on Netflix.
Rent/buy The Last Boy Scout digitally on Amazon.
Buy The Last Boy Scout on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.
Executive Decision (1996)
A U.S. Army Intelligence consultant (Kurt Russell) and an elite team of special forces agents secretly board a commercial plane mid-flight after it is hijacked by terrorists demanding the release of their imprisoned leader.
Why it is one of the best Halle Berry movies: Halle Berry landed her first more active action movie role as a flight attendant who ends up becoming pivotal in thwarting the terrorists’ scheme in Executive Decision - one of the best Kurt Russell movies of the 1990s and one of the most underrated airplane hijacking movies from that decade as well.
Stream Executive Decision on HBO Max.
Rent/buy Executive Decision digitally on Amazon.
Buy Executive Decision on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.
The X-Men Movies (2000-2014)
A group of powerful mutants, including one who can control the weather (Halle Berry), defend human beings from more malevolent individuals like them despite facing discrimination for their unusual abilities.
Why they are some of the best Halle Berry movies: Easily Halle Berry’s most prominent action movie role (and absolute best contribution to superhero movies role by far) is Ororo Munroe (a.k.a. Storm for her thunderous power), whom she first played in 2000’s X-Men and would return for the arguably better X2 in 2003, 2006’s divisive X-Men: The Last Stand, and the widely well-regarded time-travel thriller X-Men: Days of Future Past in 2014.
Stream The X-Men Movies on Disney+.
Rent/buy X-Men digitally on Amazon.
Rent/buy X2 digitally on Amazon.
Rent/buy X-Men: The Last Stand digitally on Amazon.
Rent/buy X-Men: Days of Future Past digitally on Amazon.
There are a number of options for the X-Men movies on DVD and Blu-ray. Among them, Amazon has the X-Men trilogy available on 4K UHD/Blu-ray. And you can find Days of Future Past on Blu-ray at Amazon as well.
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)
After breaking the rules of the International Assassin’s Guild, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is forced to go on the run from his peers, attempting to look for any form of solace with danger at every turn.
Why it is one of the best Halle Berry movies: One of Halle Berry’s more recent and rousing returns to form as an action hero came in the form of her brief, but undoubtedly memorable, role as the dog-friendly owner of the Continental Hotel in Casablanca, Sofia, in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum - the relentless third chapter in one of the most exciting and enduring action movie franchises in Hollywood.
Rent/buy John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum digitally on Amazon.
Buy John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999)
Despite having all the beauty, talent, and charisma to make a real splash in show business, Dorothy Dandridge still continues to face discrimination and backlash for her race all throughout her career up until her mysterious death in 1965 at the age of 42.
Why it is one of the best Halle Berry movies: Halle Berry won multiple accolades (including an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award) for her role as the titular real-life Oscar nominated actor, singer, and dancer in Introducing Dorothy Dandridge - a riveting HBO original biopic from writer Shonda Rhimes and Oscar-nominated director Martha Coolidge.
Stream Introducing Dorothy Dandridge on HBO Max.
Monster’s Ball (2001)
After suffering a devastating family tragedy, a widowed, former prison guard (Billy Bob Thornton) begins to reevaluate his own racial prejudice as a romance blossoms between himself and a Black single mother (Halle Berry) whom he is unaware is the widow of the last death row inmate he executed (Sean “Diddy” Combs) in the Deep South.
Why it is one of the best Halle Berry movies: Halle Berry made history by becoming the first Black woman to receive an Academy Award in the Best Actress category for her stellar, picture-perfect performance in Monster’s Ball - a brutal and masterfully crafted melodrama from producer Lee Daniels and director Marc Forster.
Stream Monster’s Ball on HBO Max.
Rent/buy Monster’s Ball digitally on Amazon.
Buy Monster’s Ball on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.
Die Another Day (2002)
After suffering a torturous prison sentence in North Korea, James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) escapes MI-6 custody to chase after the agent who put him behind bars, which leads him to uncover a nefarious plot by a British millionaire (Toby Stephens).
Why it is one of the best Halle Berry movies: Halle Berry made history as one of the most badass Bond girls (if not, the most badass) as a rebellious National Security Agency operative known as Jinx in Die Another Day, which was also a monumental occasion for being the last James Bond film to star Pierce Brosnan as 007.
Stream Die Another Day on Amazon Prime.
Rent/buy Die Another Day digitally on Amazon.
Robots (2005)
In a world inhabited entirely by mechanical beings, a young, idealistic aspiring inventor (Ewan McGregor) follows his dreams to the big city, where he goes toe-to-toe with a greedy, corrupt corporate executive (Greg Kinnear) who wants to rid the world of its older models in favor of the newest technology.
Why it is one of the best Halle Berry movies: Halle Berry leant her voice to the role of a kind-hearted executive at the otherwise despicable and autonomous corporation at the center of Robots - a fun, visually inventive, star-studded animated adventure with a rousing message about preserving uniqueness and old fashioned creative tactics from Blue Sky Studios and helmed by Ice Age director John Christian Wedge.
Stream Robots on Tubi.
Rent/buy Robots digitally on Amazon.
Buy Robots on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.
Moonfall is not the only sci-fi adventure starring Halle Berry to look forward to next. She is also currently filming the Netflix original The Mothership, from Academy Award nominated writer and director Matthew Charman.
