Blacktrospective 2014 - Annual Assessment of the Best in Black Cinema

Each year we publish our annual list of the best in Black cinema.  This list is unique in that it assesses each film not just how good it is as a film, but how good it is for the Black community in general.  This list is compiled by prominent film critic and AALBC.com contributor, Kam Williams.

Top Ten Big Budget Black Films

1. Selma
2. The Equalizer
3. Top Five
4. Belle
5. Get on Up
6. Beyond The Lights
7. About Last Night
8. Think Like a Man Too
9. Black or White
10. Addicted

Best Independent Black Films

1. Dear White People
2. Half of a Yellow Sun
3. The Retrieval
4. From the Rough
5. Sucka 4 Luv

Best Black Documentaries

1. The Trials of Muhammad Ali
2. America the Beautiful 3
3. The New Black
4. Vanishing Pearls
5. 25 to Life
6. Keep on Keepin’ On
7. The Barefoot Artist
8. Tanzania: A Journey Within
9. I Am Ali
10. Through a Lens Darkly

Best Actor (Lead Role)

1. Denzel Washington (The Equalizer)
2. Chris Rock (Top Five)
3. Astro (Earth to Echo)
4. David Oyelowo (Selma)
5. Chadwick Boseman (Get on Up)
6. Michael Ealy (About Last Night)
7. Nate Parker (Beyond the Lights)
8. Kevin Hart (About Last Night)
9. Tishuan Scott (The Retrieval)
10. Cuba Gooding, Jr. (Life of a King)

Best Actor (Supporting Role)

1. Jamie Foxx (Annie)
2. J.B. Smoove (Top Five)
3. Ice Cube (22 Jump Street)
4. Chiwetel Ejiofor (Half of a Yellow Sun)
5. Tyler James Williams (Dear White People)
6. Jeffrey Wright (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1)
7. Common (Selma)
8. Boris Kodjoe (Addicted)
9. Terry Crews (Blended)
10. Ashton Sanders (The Retrieval)

Best Actress (Lead Role)

1. Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Belle)
2. Thandie Newton (Half of a Yellow Sun)
3. Quvenzhane Wallis (Annie)
4. Regina Hall (About Last Night)
5. Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Beyond the Lights)
6. Joy Bryant (About Last Night)
7. Xavia Omega (Sucka 4 Luv)
8. Taraji P. Henson (From the Rough)
9. Nia Long (The Single Moms Club)
10. Sharon Leal (Addicted)

Best Actress (Supporting Role)

1. Tessa Thompson (Dear White People)
2. Rosario Dawson (Top Five)
3. Carmen Ejogo (Selma)
4. Leslie Jones (Top Five)
5. Oprah Winfrey (Selma)
6. Anika Noni Rose (Half of a Yellow Sun)
7. Gabrielle Union (Top Five)
8. Amber Stevens (22 Jump Street)
9. Paula Patton (About Last Night)
10. Octavia Spencer (Black or White)

Best Director (Big Budget Film)

1. Ava DuVernay (Selma)
2. Antoine Fuqua (The Equalizer)
3. Amma Asante (Belle)
4. Chris Rock (Top Five)
5. Gina Prince-Bythewood (Beyond the Lights)
6. Tim Story (Think Like a Man Too)
7. Tyler Perry (The Single Moms Club)
8. Tim Story (Ride Along)
9. Nick Cannon (School Dance)
10. Billie Woodruff (Addicted)

Best Director (Independent Film)

1. Justin Simien (Dear White People)
2. Biyi Bandele (Half of a Yellow Sun)
3. Pierre Bagley (From the Rough)
4. Patrick Pierre (Sucka 4 Luv)
5. Mark Harris (Black Coffee)

Best Director (Documentary Film)

1. Darryl Roberts (America the Beautiful 3)
2. Yoruba Richen (The New Black)
3. Nailah Jefferson (Vanishing Pearls)
4. Mike Brown (25 to Life)
5. Thomas Allen Harris (Through a Lens Darkly)

Blacktrospective 2014 - Annual Assessment of the Best in Black Cinema

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