Night Owls Movie List: Popcorn, Perspective, and Powerful Black Stories

Hey folks, it’s Vincent LaSane, co-chair of Owlchemy’s Black employee resource group, Night Owls.

Since many of us are multi-faceted nerds that enjoy cinema as well as games we wanted to share some recommendations as we wrap up this Black History Month. We have compiled a list featuring films throughout the years, from 1963 - 2025. Featuring a variety of genres we hope will make you laugh, cry, think, and even feel a bit existential about!

Some figures/films we want to highlight for their significance: Sydney Poitier, the first Black actor to win an Oscar, Spike Lee’s impactful film Do the Right Thing, John Boyega’s breakout role in Attack the Block, the true story of Hidden Figures, the surrealist humor of Sorry to Bother You and NOPE, and who could forget Ryan Coogler’s award winning SINNERS of last year. There’s absolutely something here for everyone and we hope that you may choose any one of these selections in your next viewing.

Lilies of the Field (1963)

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Sydney Poitier won the first Academy Award for best actor in 1964 making him the first African American to win. For his role in this comedy starring a man roped into building a chapel for a group of nuns in Arizona. -Vincent

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Spike Lee's provocative story of one long, hot day in the Bedford-Stuyevesant neighborhood of Brooklyn sparked controversy even before it opened in theaters. A study of race relations that for some in the community seems black and white -- literally -- but more often it's a gray area of mutual tolerance. Writer-director Lee also stars in the film whose cast includes Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, John Turturo and at least half a dozen other actors who would go on to bigger and better roles. -David Sterritt for the National Library of Congress

Hidden Figures (2016)

Genre: Historical Fiction, Drama, Comedy

Hidden Figures fills in an all too forgotten, or simply too widely unknown, blank in US history in a classy, engaging, entertaining and hugely fulfilling way. -Simon Thompson, IGN

Sorry to Bother You (2018)

Genre: Surreal, Dark Comedy, Science Fiction

“This is an absurdist, dark comedy with magical realism and science fiction inspired by the world of telemarketing.” -Boots Riley, interview with NPR

Sinners (2025)

Genre: Horror, Action, Drama

I think it's more frightening when - the film is about blues music - right? - which is storytelling. But it's also a music that I think was made to help a people who were constantly under attack - to help them cope, to help them feel better and to remind them that they were human, you know what I mean? To remind them. Like - and that's what the music is. And for me to have a creature who's incredibly powerful, who was human at the time, who is in pain, you know, and who needs to cope in a way that only a community can give him - if I can make a film where you're afraid of this guy, you know what I mean? But that's really what's going on with him. -Ryan Coogler, interview with NPR

Looking for even more reqs? Don’t worry, we’ve got you. Some of these picks may not surprise but we promise they will delight.

Honorable Mentions:

Coming to America (1988)

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993)

Genre: Family, Comedy

Poetic Justice (1993)

Genre: Romance, Drama

Throw Down Your Heart (2008)

Genre: Documentary, Music

Attack the Block (2011)

Genre: Horror, Action

The Harder They Fall (2021)

Genre: Western, Action

NOPE (2022)

Genre: Horror, Sci-fi

American Fiction (2023)

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Sing Sing (2023)

Genre: Drama

And that’s a wrap, those are our recommendations for closing Black History Month out right. We at Night Owls believe in celebrating black history and our collective shared histories every single day and we hope you join us. Stronger together.

To learn more about Night Owls and our mission statement:

Our mission ist o create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive workplace for Black Owls at Owlchemy Labs and foster opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Night Owls aims to focus on outreach to the black community about game development as a career path, provide a safe space to communicate issues in the black community, and holding regular internal meetings.

We aspire to uplift marginalized voices in pursuit of greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in the games industry.