Black on Black Cinema | Black Movie Reviews

TNP Studios

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. The BAFTA Incident — Disability, Race & Media Responsibility

    FEB 26

    The BAFTA Incident — Disability, Race & Media Responsibility

    This week on Black on Black Cinema, the crew returns to introduce the next film to the reviewed, "Soul Men." The 2008 film follows two estranged soul-singing legends who agree to participate in a reunion performance at the Apollo Theater to honor their recently deceased band leader. The movie stars Samuel L. Jackson and the late great Bernie Mac. Available to stream for free on Tubi. The random topic this week we tackle the complex and difficult incident that unfolded at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards when John Davidson, a Tourette's syndrome activist and subject of the nominated film "I Swear," involuntarily shouted racial slurs—including the N-word—while Black actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award. This isn't a simple story. It's a collision of disability rights, anti-Black racism, media responsibility, and institutional failure. What happened: Davidson, who has spent decades advocating for Tourette's awareness, experienced involuntary vocal tics throughout the ceremony. His condition causes coprolalia—the uncontrollable utterance of socially inappropriate words. When Jordan and Lindo took the stage, Davidson's tic produced the N-word, audible throughout the venue. The BBC's failure: Despite broadcasting on a two-hour delay (giving them time to edit), the BBC left the slur in the broadcast AND on iPlayer for 15+ hours. Yet they DID edit out other content, including a "Free Palestine" statement and political jokes. The selective editing reveals a catastrophic failure/purposeful behavior in judgment and priorities. The complications: This incident sits at the painful intersection of two marginalized communities. Davidson has no control over his tics—they represent the opposite of his actual beliefs. Yet Black attendees, including production designer Hannah Beachler, experienced real racial trauma. Lindo told Vanity Fair he wished BAFTA had spoken to them afterward. Host Alan Cumming's apology said "sorry if you were offended" was woefully inadequate. Why this matters for cinema: The film "I Swear" was nominated for multiple BAFTAs and won three awards, including Best Actor for Robert Aramayo's portrayal of Davidson. The movie exists to educate about Tourette's. Yet BAFTA and the BBC failed both the disability community AND the Black community in how they handled this moment. We discuss: - The impossible position both communities were put in due to the BBC's actions or lack thereof - Why institutional preparation and response failed catastrophically - The difference between individual accountability and systemic responsibility - How ableism and anti-Black racism played out in the aftermath (including the idea of "he meant that shit" comments) - What should have happened vs. what did happen - The broader conversation about representation, disability, and whose comfort gets prioritized This is a conversation about nuance, compassion, and holding institutions accountable when they fail vulnerable communities. Full Black on Black Cinema episodes coming soon. Subscribe so you don't miss our deep dives into Black cinema, representation, and the stories Hollywood tells—and doesn't tell 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).

    37 min
  2. The Dutchman (2025) | Amiri Baraka's Explosive Racial Confrontation

    FEB 19

    The Dutchman (2025) | Amiri Baraka's Explosive Racial Confrontation

    This week on Black on Black Cinema, the crew returns to discuss the 2025 psychological thriller, "The Dutchman." Based on Amiri Baraka's groundbreaking 1964 Obie Award-winning one-act play, the film follows Clay (André Holland), a successful but troubled Black businessman navigating a crumbling marriage with his wife Kaya (Zazie Beetz). After a therapy session with the enigmatic Dr. Amiri (Stephen McKinley Henderson), Clay encounters Lula (Kate Mara), a seductive and sinister white woman on a New York subway, who draws him into a dangerous psychological game of cat and mouse that forces him to confront his identity, his marriage, and the concept of double consciousness. Directed by Andre Gaines and co-written with Qasim Basir, the film also stars Aldis Hodge and Lauren E. Banks. The crew digs into the film's exploration of race, assimilation, Black male identity, and whether this modern adaptation does justice to Baraka's original text — or if the meta-theatrical approach gets in its own way. 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 38m
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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