Black on Black Cinema | Black Movie Reviews

TNP Studios
  • 4.8 (333)
  • Film Reviews
  • Updated Weekly

Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast delivering in-depth reviews of Black films — from Oscar winners to hood classics, indie gems to blockbuster hits. Hosted by four Black men from Baltimore, we bring honest opinions, genuine disagreements, and conversations that matter to the Black community. We review: Spike Lee films, Jordan Peele films, Tyler Perry films, Black horror movies, Black indie films, Black action movies, Black comedies, classic Black cinema, new Black movie releases, Black TV shows and limited series, and everything in between. Featured on RogerEbert.com. Over 570 episodes and 13 years of Black film coverage. Topics include: Black film reviews, Black movie recommendations, Black cinema history, representation in Hollywood, Black horror, Black sci-fi, Blaxploitation classics, Black rom-coms, and cultural commentary from a Black perspective. New episodes weekly. Subscribe for your next movie night pick. 🎧 Also on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and all major podcast platforms. Interested in sponsoring or advertising on this podcast? Contact us at ads@ossacollective.com. For programmatic ads, reach out to the Spreaker team below.

  1. Sugar Hill (1994) | Flawed 90s Gangster Nostalgia

    5d ago

    Sugar Hill (1994) | Flawed 90s Gangster Nostalgia

    This week Black on Black Cinema finally gives Sugar Hill (1994) the deep analysis it deserves. Directed by Leon Ichaso and written by Barry Michael Cooper — the architect behind New Jack City and Above the Rim — Sugar Hill is the second and most emotionally dramatic entry in Cooper's Harlem Trilogy. Wesley Snipes as Roemello Skuggs, a high-level Harlem drug dealer who wants out. He's got money, power, a woman he loves in Melissa (Theresa Randle), and a future waiting for him if his volatile brother Raynathan (Michael Wright) and the game itself will let him leave. We break down what makes Sugar Hill flawed but still underrated. Cooper's layered screenplay that tries to give Roemello genuine intellectual depth (Georgetown scholarship-eligible, chess player, art collector), Michael Wright's explosive performance as the brother who can't escape the past, and Leon Ichaso's atmospheric direction that turns Harlem into a character of its own. Terence Blanchard's jazz-inflected gives the film a serious connection to Spike Lee's own work. Clarence Williams III steals scenes effortlessly, and Ernie Hudson has a good time as a villain this time around. We discuss why it got overshadowed by New Jack City, how it works to keep the idea of Wesley Snipes being one of the coolest dudes in this era. Sugar Hill has its flaws from scenes that in hindsight are oddly placed (potentially post edit bay issues), some characters who aren't as explored as actual human beings, but there is still something here worth talking about and the effort of making a gentlemen gangster film with the same actor who was notorious for playing one of the most brutal gangsters in the 90s era is something to admire here. Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

    1h 46m
  2. Reparations for Black Americans: Not If, But How?

    Jun 4

    Reparations for Black Americans: Not If, But How?

    Black on Black Cinema announces our next film review: Sugar Hill (1994), directed by Leon Ichaso and written by Barry Michael Cooper; the second film in his legendary Harlem Trilogy alongside New Jack City and Above the Rim. Wesley Snipes stars as Roemello Skuggs, a high-level Harlem drug dealer who decides to walk away from the life to start fresh with his girlfriend Melissa (Theresa Randle), only to discover that leaving isn't something the game allows. Co-starring Michael Wright, Clarence Williams III, Ernie Hudson, and Abe Vigoda. Then we get into it: Reparations for Black Americans. We agree it should happen, the historical, economic, and moral case is ironclad. But what does repayment actually look like in practice? Direct cash payments? Targeted investment? Tax free benefits? Educational and business funds? And who qualifies for it? Is it just direct descendants of enslaved people only, or a broader class of Black Americans impacted by systemic racism? We break down the competing frameworks, the political obstacles, and what an honest reparations conversation looks like beyond the talking point. Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

    26 min
  3. Is God Is (2026) | Brutal Confrontation of Generational Trauma

    May 28

    Is God Is (2026) | Brutal Confrontation of Generational Trauma

    Black on Black Cinema dives deep into Is God Is (2026), Aleshea Harris' feature directorial debut adapted from her Obie Award-winning stage play. Starring Kara Young as "The Rough One" and Mallori Johnson as "The Quiet One," the film follows twin sisters bearing the disfiguring burn scars of a childhood tragedy, ordered by their bedridden mother to kill the abusive father who destroyed their family. With Janelle Monáe, Sterling K. Brown, Vivica A. Fox, Erika Alexander, and Mykelti Williamson rounding out the cast, and Tessa Thompson and Janicza Bravo producing. We analyze Harris' genre-blending, part western grind house, part noir, part dark comedy; and how she translates her stage play to cinema. We break down how the film confronts generational trauma, absent and intimate partner violence, and the totality of Black womanhood with brutal honesty. Sterling K. Brown cast against type as a villain is inspired. Black women's rage played straight, not for laughs or shame, is the film's greatest achievement. Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

    1h 29m
  4. Leaked Texts Expose Playbook to "Trap" Black Athletes: We Need to Talk About This

    May 21

    Leaked Texts Expose Playbook to "Trap" Black Athletes: We Need to Talk About This

    This week on Black on Black Cinema, the crew returns to announce the next film, "Is God Is." The film follows two sisters who embark on an epic quest for revenge; confronting a charged family history that will push them to extraordinary lengths. The movie is written and directed by Aleshea Harris who is also the playwright for the original play the film is based on. This week's random topic tackles the viral leaked text messages exposing alleged coaching between white women on how to "lock down" Black athletes. The screenshots show detailed "rules" including positioning the athlete as "the prize," completely integrating into his life, dealing with competition from Black women, and even strategies to provoke Black women to reinforce stereotypes. We break down the racialized manipulation at play, and the history of predatory targeting of Black athletes. Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

    39 min
  5. Michael (2026) | Shallow Biopic of an Icon

    May 15

    Michael (2026) | Shallow Biopic of an Icon

    Black on Black Cinema reviews Michael (2026), Antoine Fuqua's Michael Jackson biopic starring Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop. While Jaafar delivers a great impression of his uncle Michael, the film itself is a shallow, sanitized music biopic that refuses to engage with Jackson's complexity and controversies. Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, The Equalizer) crafts a visually stunning but emotionally hollow portrait that hits every musical biopic cliché—rise to fame, family dysfunction, creative genius, tragic decline, and rise again without taking risks or offering fresh insight into one of music's most complicated icons. We break down why the film fails despite strong performances, analyzing how it sidesteps difficult questions about Jackson's life, allegations, and legacy in favor of a safe, reverential approach. The Thriller recreation is impressive, the musical sequences are well-executed, and Jaafar's physical transformation is remarkable—but beneath the spectacle lies a film afraid to be honest about its subject. We discuss what a truly great Michael Jackson film would require, compare it to other music biopics, examine the Jackson estate's involvement and creative control, and explore why Hollywood keeps making shallow biopics instead of complex character studies. Essential viewing for understanding how NOT to make a music biopic. Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

    1h 55m
  6. Black Voters Are DONE With "Don't Vote" Activists After SCOTUS Guts Voting Rights

    May 8

    Black Voters Are DONE With "Don't Vote" Activists After SCOTUS Guts Voting Rights

    This week on Black on Black Cinema, the crew returns to announce the next full film review on the 2026 music biopic "Michael." The film follows the life of famed musician Michael Jackson from early childhood to the middle of his career as one of the biggest names in music history. The random topic this week is all about the Supreme Court further damaging the Voting Rights Act, and how online Black spaces have had just about enough of celebrities and political influencers who helped put us in the current situation and now are asking for Black people to come together to fight back. Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

    1h 5m
  7. Love, Brooklyn (2025) | Black Romance Without Stereotypes

    Apr 30

    Love, Brooklyn (2025) | Black Romance Without Stereotypes

    Black on Black Cinema breaks down Love, Brooklyn (2025), Rachael Abigail Holder's directorial debut that premiered at Sundance Film Festival. Starring André Holland, Nicole Beharie, DeWanda Wise, and Roy Wood Jr., this indie romantic drama follows writer Roger as he navigates complicated relationships with his ex Casey (an art gallery owner) and current lover Nicole (a newly-single mother) against Brooklyn's rapidly changing landscape. Executive produced by Steven Soderbergh, Love, Brooklyn delivers intelligent Black characters working through love, loss, career, and friendship without falling into stereotypes—no one raps, dies, or gets incarcerated. Director Holder created a story with "no villains," just good people navigating modern relationships. Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

    1h 46m
  8. Women's "Bear Versus Man" Choice Becomes Crystal Clear

    Apr 23

    Women's "Bear Versus Man" Choice Becomes Crystal Clear

    This week on Black on Black Cinema, the crew returns to announce the next film to be reviewed, "Love, Brooklyn." The film follows three longtime Brooklynites navigate careers, love, loss, and friendship against the rapidly changing landscape of their beloved city. The movie stars Andre Holland, Nicole Beharie, DeWanda Wise, and Roy Wood Jr. The random topic this week is an overarching conversation of rape and violence culture in regards to the CNN investigative report on a secret network on men drugging their wives and sexually abusing them and the former Lt. Governor of Virginia who murdered his wife and committed suicide. Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).

    1h 2m
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4.8
out of 5
333 Ratings

About

Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast delivering in-depth reviews of Black films — from Oscar winners to hood classics, indie gems to blockbuster hits. Hosted by four Black men from Baltimore, we bring honest opinions, genuine disagreements, and conversations that matter to the Black community. We review: Spike Lee films, Jordan Peele films, Tyler Perry films, Black horror movies, Black indie films, Black action movies, Black comedies, classic Black cinema, new Black movie releases, Black TV shows and limited series, and everything in between. Featured on RogerEbert.com. Over 570 episodes and 13 years of Black film coverage. Topics include: Black film reviews, Black movie recommendations, Black cinema history, representation in Hollywood, Black horror, Black sci-fi, Blaxploitation classics, Black rom-coms, and cultural commentary from a Black perspective. New episodes weekly. Subscribe for your next movie night pick. 🎧 Also on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and all major podcast platforms. Interested in sponsoring or advertising on this podcast? Contact us at ads@ossacollective.com. For programmatic ads, reach out to the Spreaker team below.

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