Black Nativity
- 2013
- Tous publics
- 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
4.8/10
2.5K
YOUR RATING
A street-wise teen from Baltimore who has been raised by a single mother travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged relatives, where he embarks on a surprisin... Read allA street-wise teen from Baltimore who has been raised by a single mother travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged relatives, where he embarks on a surprising and inspirational journey.A street-wise teen from Baltimore who has been raised by a single mother travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged relatives, where he embarks on a surprising and inspirational journey.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Awards
- 2 wins & 5 nominations total
Nas
- Street Prophet (Isaiah)
- (as Nasir Jones)
Vondie Curtis-Hall
- Pawnbroker
- (as Vondie Curtis Hall)
Henry Hunter Hall
- Snoopy
- (as H. Hunter Hall)
Sorika Wolf
- Chic Man's Mistress
- (as Sorika Horng)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
I was, for the most part, feeling pleasant enough about this... until that ending.
It's not that 'Black Nativity' ends badly, it's just so incredibly forced and cringeworthy. It's a Christmas film so I guess I could cut it some slack, but I feel it could've concluded things much better. Some of the character decisions felt odd at times, also.
One of the reasons as to why I was actually finding this satisfactory throughout is the cast - loads of recognisable and likeable faces. Forest Whitaker (Cornell) is honestly great, his performance is the only one I'd class as anything over 'good'. Jacob Latimore (Langston) and Angela Bassett (Aretha) are the best of the rest, though I always like watching 'Fast & Furious' star Tyrese Gibson act too.
All in all, nothing positive or negative... just average.
It's not that 'Black Nativity' ends badly, it's just so incredibly forced and cringeworthy. It's a Christmas film so I guess I could cut it some slack, but I feel it could've concluded things much better. Some of the character decisions felt odd at times, also.
One of the reasons as to why I was actually finding this satisfactory throughout is the cast - loads of recognisable and likeable faces. Forest Whitaker (Cornell) is honestly great, his performance is the only one I'd class as anything over 'good'. Jacob Latimore (Langston) and Angela Bassett (Aretha) are the best of the rest, though I always like watching 'Fast & Furious' star Tyrese Gibson act too.
All in all, nothing positive or negative... just average.
I really would have given it a higher rating but I wasn't 100% crazy about all of the singing. I loved the story line and the cast was phenomenal. Overall everyone did a really good job with the acting and singing. So many of my favorites in one film is really a treat. I will be telling everyone I know about this movie.It should be watched by all who value family and faith. This situation plagues many minority homes. Holding on to the anger, hurt of misunderstandings for years when it can be fixed with communication, respect, honesty and forgiveness.I wasn't sure about whether it would be good in the beginning but very pleased I stuck it out and even got my hubby-to-be to watch it with me and he liked it also.
Black Nativity (2013) is a movie I recently watched on Tubi. The storyline follows a young man whose mom recently came on financial hardships right before Christmas. She sends the boy to live with grandparents he's never met. The grandparents try to teach him values and explain why they and his mother had a falling out. Meanwhile, the boy is trying to find money any way he can to save his mother's circumstances and return to her.
This movie is directed by Kasi Lemmons (Eve's Bayou and Harriett) and stars Forest Whitaker (Jingle Jangle), Angela Bassett (Strange Days), Jennifer Hudson (Dream Girls), Tyrese Gibson (Fast and Furious), Jacob Latimore (Detroit) and Vondie Curtis-Hall (Broken Arrow).
The storyline for this is just okay and has numerous cliché elements but is still worth following. There's some good songs and cameos sprinkled in throughout the movie. The movie unfolds well and I really enjoyed the conclusion.
Overall this is a fairly average Christmas picture that doesn't live up to its potential. I would score this a 5/10 and recommend seeing it once.
This movie is directed by Kasi Lemmons (Eve's Bayou and Harriett) and stars Forest Whitaker (Jingle Jangle), Angela Bassett (Strange Days), Jennifer Hudson (Dream Girls), Tyrese Gibson (Fast and Furious), Jacob Latimore (Detroit) and Vondie Curtis-Hall (Broken Arrow).
The storyline for this is just okay and has numerous cliché elements but is still worth following. There's some good songs and cameos sprinkled in throughout the movie. The movie unfolds well and I really enjoyed the conclusion.
Overall this is a fairly average Christmas picture that doesn't live up to its potential. I would score this a 5/10 and recommend seeing it once.
What can I say of this wonderful piece of cinematic gold? I was hooked from the inaugural bundle of photons emitted from that silver screen which darted across the darkened theater, striking my rods and cones, stimulating my visual cortex into effervescent fits of orgiastic black biblical entertainment.
Not since Tyler Perry's latest classic have I witness such an incredible ensemble of all black Christian-rivisionism, which adheres in no way to Christian theological scholarship.
This film, I'm convinced, along with Tyler Perry's eschatological works, will forever be remembered as the uniting impetus which was portended in the great words of Malcolm X, "There can be no black-white unity until there is first some black unity."
TL;DR - Black science, black "christian" folk customs, tyler perry, malcolm x, fist.
Not since Tyler Perry's latest classic have I witness such an incredible ensemble of all black Christian-rivisionism, which adheres in no way to Christian theological scholarship.
This film, I'm convinced, along with Tyler Perry's eschatological works, will forever be remembered as the uniting impetus which was portended in the great words of Malcolm X, "There can be no black-white unity until there is first some black unity."
TL;DR - Black science, black "christian" folk customs, tyler perry, malcolm x, fist.
(2013) Black Navity
FAMILY MUSICAL DRAMA
Langston(Jacob Latimore) finds out that both him and his single mother, Naimi (Jennifer Hudson) are going to be evicted from their apartment in Baltimore. She then orders him to stay with her estranged grandparents, Cornell Cobbs (Forest Whittaker) and his wife Aretha (Angela Bassett) he never knew he had living in the Bronx. Misunderstandings, misconceptions as well as revelations arise as movie progresses.
If you like Hallmark family films then this film is for you, but for the rest of us, i like something that is more challenging than listening to life lessons.
Langston(Jacob Latimore) finds out that both him and his single mother, Naimi (Jennifer Hudson) are going to be evicted from their apartment in Baltimore. She then orders him to stay with her estranged grandparents, Cornell Cobbs (Forest Whittaker) and his wife Aretha (Angela Bassett) he never knew he had living in the Bronx. Misunderstandings, misconceptions as well as revelations arise as movie progresses.
If you like Hallmark family films then this film is for you, but for the rest of us, i like something that is more challenging than listening to life lessons.
Did you know
- TriviaThis film is one of the rare occasions when Forest Whitaker lends his tenor voice for a film.
- Quotes
Aretha Cobbs: The Lord's greatest gift must be to live a life without regrets. But we're so human.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Chelsea Lately: Episode #7.179 (2013)
- SoundtracksColdest Town
Written by Raphael Saadiq, Taura Stinson and Kasi Lemmons
Performed by Jacob Latimore
Arranged by Raphael Saadiq, Taura Stinson and Dylan Wiggins
Additional Vocal Production Taura Stinson
Additional Programming Joseph "Bedrock" Epperson
- How long is Black Nativity?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $17,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $7,018,189
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $3,669,530
- Dec 1, 2013
- Gross worldwide
- $7,454,185
- Runtime
- 1h 33m(93 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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