5 Films For Free: Celebrating Black Cinema + A Free Offering of Black Films from the Criterion Channel
This weekly blog series, published each Friday evening, features five films from streaming services which you can access for free using your library card. The five selections this week feature black characters and experiences.
Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. (1993)
A spirited Brooklyn teenager copes with life in the projects, sustained by her fierce desire to go to college and become a doctor. Just Another Girl On The I.R.T is a sharp, sassy blend of comedy and drama in the tradition of Spike Lee, that speaks with a fresh voice all its own.
Available to stream on Hoopla.
Beyond the Lights (2014)
The pressures of fame have superstar singer Noni on the edge, until she meets Kaz, a young cop who works to help her find the courage to develop her own voice and break free to become the artist she was meant to be.
Available to stream on Hoopla.
Red Hook Summer (2012)
This film tells the story of Flik Royale, a sullen young boy from middle-class Atlanta who has come to spend the summer with his deeply religious grandfather, Bishop Enoch Rouse, in the housing projects of Red Hook. Having never met before, things quickly get off on the wrong foot as Bishop Enoch relentlessly attempts to convert Flik into a follower of Jesus Christ. Between his grandfather's constant preaching and the culture shock of inner-city life, Flik's summer appears to be a total disaster--until he meets Chazz Morningstar, a pretty girl his age, who shows Flik the brighter side of Brooklyn. Through her love and the love of his grandfather, Flik begins to realize that the world is a lot bigger, and perhaps a lot better, than he'd ever imagined.
Available to stream on Hoopla.
Night Catches Us (2010)
In 1976, complex political and emotional forces are set in motion when a young man returns to the race-torn Philadelphia neighborhood where he came of age during the Black Power movement.
Available to stream on Hoopla.
The Inkwell (1994)
A dull family trip becomes the summer vacation of a lifetime when good friends, cool clothes, and hot music turn Inkwell Beach upside down.
Available to stream on Hoopla.
