12 of the Best Black Christmas Films
Countdown the 12 days of Christmas with our selection of the best Black Christmas films to hit our screens.
A Christmas film doesn’t need to be anywhere near Oscar worthy to make it a festive favourite, all it requires is a few key ingredients: A sprinkle of family drama, a splash of comedy, a sprig of sentiment, a generous amount of nostalgia, with a warm spiritual ending. Our 12 films have it all; so get cosy with your loved ones and enjoy our special picks just for you.
1. Almost Christmas (2016)
Almost Christmas delivers on high level family drama with an ensemble cast that includes Gabrielle Union, Mo’Nique, and Omar Epps. Walter (Danny Glover) is the weary widowed patriarch to four adult children, spending their first Christmas since the passing of their mother. Walter struggles to maintain the peace amongst the siblings and is desperate to recreate his late wife’s pie to bring some harmony and love back into the home.
2. Black Nativity (2013)
Black Nativity, starring Tyrese Gibson, Jennifer Hudson and Forest Whitaker brings all the evangelical feels. Langston, a street smart Baltimore teen, travels to New York to spend Christmas with his estranged family. He is met with incredible bad luck on arrival, but his trip turns out to be a journey of discovery and healing.
3. Trading Places (1983)
Trading Places stars two Saturday Night Live legends, Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd and is pure comedy gold. Bill Ray Valentine, a clever street hustler (Murphy) and Louis Winthorpe III (Aykroyd) an investment broker at Duke and Duke, unknowingly become part of a social experiment wager by the heartless Duke brothers.
4. This Christmas (2007)
This Christmas, starring Idris Elba, Chris Brown, Regina King and Loretta Devine is chaos! You have to wonder if the Whitfield family will even make it to Christmas day. With all the sibling rivalry and other family issues, unconditional love is the big winner here, as they prove no matter what, they all have each other’s back.
5. The Perfect Holiday (2007)
The Perfect Holiday is a sweet seasonal film about Nancy (Gabrielle Union), a divorced mother who gives everything she has to her children. Leaving hardly anything for herself. Her adorable daughter Emily comes up with a plan to make her mother happy again; a plan that involves ladies favourite - Morris Chestnut. Suffice to say it all ends well.
6. The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
The Preacher’s Wife definitely captures the spirit of Christmas, full of warmth, gospel and emotion. Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston’s chemistry is off the Richter scale in this festive fantasy film, where an angel comes to save a family and his flock from difficult times.
7. The Best Man Holiday (2013)
The Best Man Holiday stars some of our absolute faves: Nia Long, Sanaa Lathan, Regina Hall, Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut and Terrence Howard. The college friends reunite for Christmas, bringing along a bit of old school rivalry. It’s a fun watch, with some great comedic moments and how could we ever forget the guys performing New Editions Can You Stand the Rain!
8. Friday After Next (2002)
Friday After Next is without doubt, a Christmas stoner film. Craig (Ice Cube) and Day-Day (Mike Epps) are strip mall security guards whose apartment gets robbed of presents and rent money by a drugged up Santa while they’re at work. Threatened with eviction on Christmas Eve, Craig and Day-Day go through a series of mishaps trying to retrieve their money and presents.
9. The Last Holiday (2006)
The Last Holiday is an endearing Christmas romantic comedy. Queen Latifah is perfectly cast as Georgia Bryd, a shy sales advisor, that takes no chances and dreams of becoming a master chef. On discovering she only has a few weeks to live, throws caution to the wind and goes to live it up in a luxurious hotel in Prague, home to her hero, Chef Didier (Gerard Depardieu).
10. A Diva’s Christmas Carol (2000)
A Diva’s Christmas Carol is a remake of the Dicken's classic, "A Christmas Carol". Vanessa Williams proves once again she is the queen of playing the most detestable characters. In this role she is a mega super star singer looking to exploit the spirit of Christmas.
11. Bad Santa (2003)
Warning, Bad Santa is not a family film. It’s a profanity driven rant at Christmas and it’s hilarious. Billy Bob Thornton stars as Willie, the drunk shopping mall Santa, who with the help of his elf Marcus (Tony Cox) plan a series of robberies over Christmas. Bernie Mac is
superb as the Chief of Security out to foil their plans.
12. Boxing Day (2021)
Boxing Day is on it’s way to being a Christmas classic. The British rom-com stars Aml Ameen as Melvin Mckenzie in his directorial debut. Inspired by Aml’s life, this treat shows the flaws and lovable culture of a Caribbean-British family.
McKenzie, living in Los Angeles after breaking up with ex-girlfriend Georgia (Leigh-Anne Pinnock), is forced to return to London to promote the release of his new book. With his American fiance in toe, things get more than a little bit messy, before in true Christmas fashion, it all works out beautifully in the end. Love it!
