The best-reviewed essential films about the Black experience
The top 3 according to 323 votes from people: Within Our Gates (1920) · Sugar Cane Alley (1983) · The Battle of Algiers (1966). (Updated May 24, 2025.)
O.J.: Made in America, Sugar Cane Alley, Within Our Gates, I Am Not Your Negro, Selma, Get Out and Moonlight: the highest-rated titles on Rotten Tomatoes' guide to the most important films about the Black experience, from 1920 to today.
Top 25
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1
Within Our Gates (1920)
100% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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2
Sugar Cane Alley (1983)
100% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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3
The Battle of Algiers (1966)
99% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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4
I am not your negro (2016)
99% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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5
Selma (2014)
99% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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6
Home of the Brave (1949)
98% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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7
O.J.: Made in America (2016)
100% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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8
Paris Is Burning (1990)
98% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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9
Stormy Weather (1943)
95% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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10
Get Out (2017)
98% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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11
Hoop Dreams (1994)
98% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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12
Nothing But a Man (1964)
98% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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13
When We Were Kings (1996)
98% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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14
What's Love Got to Do With It (1993)
97% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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15
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am (2019)
97% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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16
Moonlight (2016)
98% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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17
Black Panther (2018)
96% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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18
The Hate U Give (2018)
97% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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19
13TH (2016)
97% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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20
BlacKkKlansman (2018)
96% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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21
Glory (1989)
95% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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22
Killer of Sheep (1977)
98% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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23
Boyz N the Hood (1991)
96% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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24
In the Heat of the Night (1967)
95% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
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25
La Haine (1995)
96% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (5)
Within Our Gates from 1920 being on here is wild. Oscar Micheaux was making films answering Birth of a Nation while it was still in theaters.
O.J.: Made in America is 7+ hours and I watched it in two days. Best documentary I've ever seen, no contest.
Get Out at 98% is deserved but I'd put Moonlight first every single time.
Killer of Sheep at 98% and still almost nobody has seen it. Charles Burnett deserves so much more recognition.
La Haine on an American list is a nice surprise. Still hits hard 30 years later.