Zola
Watch in Theaters
“Y’all wanna hear a story about why me and this b*tch here fell out?! It’s kinda long but full of suspense.” In 2015, A’Ziah “Zola” King posted a Twitter thread about the time she and a friend went on a road trip to Florida to strip. The thread quickly went viral and has now been turned into a full-on feature length film! Prepare yourself for a raucous “ho trip” that you won’t be able to resist. But also catch the deeper undercurrent in the film surrounding the ways in which we all use our digital personas to fool ourselves just as much as we do to fool others.
Legend of the Underground
Watch on HBO Max
This documentary is a look at the struggle against the devastating discrimination that the LGBT+ community faces today in Nigeria. The documentary follows two groups of “chosen families”- one is in New York where Micheal Ighodaro lives with his friends who all work to advocate for the community he left behind in Nigeria after being attacked because of his identity. The other group is back in Nigeria where this tight-knit group of friends struggles over the decision to either seek safety abroad or stay and fight for their rights. If you’ve ever questioned why Pride is important to celebrate, this documentary is a must-watch.
Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Watch on Hulu and in theaters
Did you know that during the same summer as Woodstock, there was another major music festival which took place, was filmed, but never seen? Questlove makes his directorial debut with this documentary about The Harlem Cultural Festival. Over the span of six weeks, the festival attracted thousands of people and attracted artists like Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, and Gladys Knight & the Pips and celebrated Black history, culture, and fashion. The film is a true testament to the power of music and community during ties of unrest.
Bonus Picks:
The Boss Baby: Family Business (Watch on Peacock and in theaters)
In this sequel, Theodore Templeton and his estranged brother are now adults until they take a magical formula that transforms them into babies for 24 hours. It soon becomes up to them to prevent an evil genius from turning all of their fellow babies into brats.
No Sudden Move (Watch on HBO Max)
This movie follows a group of small crime criminals in 1950s Detroit who are tasked with stealing what is seemingly a simple document. When things don’t go as planned, their search for who hired them leads them throughout the race-torn, rapidly changing city. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the film features an ensemble cast featuring, Don Cheadle, Benicio del Toro, David Harbour, Jon Hamm, Amy Seimetz, Brendan Fraser, Kieran Culkin, Noah Jupe, Craig Grant, Julia Fox, Frankie Shaw, Ray Liotta, and Bill Duke.
The Forever Purge (Watch in Theaters)
The Purge franchise continues with this installment about a couple battling vicious thugs as they run from a drug cartel. Expect your typical action/violence, but also note the movie’s timely political themes.
Fear Street Part One: 1994 (Watch on Netflix)
The first part of this trilogy kicks off with this film about a teen and her friends who, after a series of brutal slayings, must take on an evil force that’s haunted their town for ages.
Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular (Watch Sunday night, 8 pm ET on NBC)
What’s the 4th without fireworks?!? If you can’t head to a display near you, watching the always incredible NYC display on television is your next best bet! (Plus, your local display probably doesn’t have live performances from stars like Blake Shelton and the Jonas Brothers!)
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