Top 10 Best Modern Movies for Representation
#10: “Brokeback Mountain” (2005)
Based on a short story by Annie Proulx, Ang Lee’s romantic drama sees two American cowboys, Ennis and Jack, develop a passionate relationship while working on a remote mountain. However, once back in society, fear of discrimination leads them to hide their true feelings from friends and family. Nonetheless, those feelings persist, as strong as ever. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal brought plenty of nuance and chemistry to the title roles. Ennis and Jack’s relationship shone in a time when LGBTQ+ romances were sparsely portrayed on screen. The movie met with a warm critical reception, and picked up three Academy Awards. In 2018, it was selected by the National Film Registry for preservation, further cementing its legacy.
#9: “Roma” (2018)
The story of Alfonso’s Cuaron’s “Roma” unfolds through the eyes of Cleo, an Indingenous Mexican woman who works as a family’s housekeeper. While her employers deal with family drama, she’s forced to navigate her pregnancy alone after her boyfriend disappears. It was Yalitza Aparicio’s very first movie role, but the way the actress brought complex layers of vulnerability and strength to the lead performance made her seem like an acting veteran. “Roma’s” sustained focus on Cleo’s life immersed audiences in a perspective that’s seldom portrayed in mainstream film. Cleo’s story resonated with audiences so much that it received ten academy award nominations and won three.
#8: “Coco” (2017)
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Pixar’s film is steeped in the aesthetics and traditions of Mexican culture, right from the opening sequence. The movie follows a young boy named Miguel who dreams of defying his family’s wishes by becoming a musician. His journey takes us from the streets of Mexico all the way to the Land of the Dead on the Dia de Los Muertos holiday. Miguel’s story is full of humor, heartbreaking moments, and very catchy songs. His incredible and relatable tale earned the Academy award for 2017’s Best Animated Feature Film. If you want a movie that gives you an excellent narrative and teaches you about Mexican culture, “Coco” will hit all the right notes.
#7: “The Princess and the Frog” (2008)
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Disney embraced traditional animation and a 1920s New Orleans setting to tell the story of its first Black princess. Tiana is a young woman who has to overcome money troubles and discrimination to make her dreams of opening a restaurant come true. Her life gets even more complicated when a kiss with a prince accidentally turns her into a frog. Despite her circumstances, Tiana’s unbreakable spirit keeps her moving forward towards her goal. Her inspiring tale became a critical and financial hit. Tiana's success gave audiences hope that the first Black Disney princess wouldn’t be the last.
#6: “Over the Moon” (2020)
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Fei Fei is an intelligent and resourceful young girl who helps her father run a mooncake shop in China. Growing up, she believed her mom’s stories about a goddess named Chang’e who's been waiting on the moon for years for her love to return. After Fei Fei’s mother passes away and her father prepares to remarry, she journeys to the Moon to prove a point about how long love lasts. The movie cleverly weaves Chinese folklore into a tale about grief and love. It also features great performances like Cathy Ang as Fei Fei, Phillipa Soo as Chang’e and Ken Jeong as the glowing pangolin Gobi. They come to life in a vibrant present day world that’s firmly rooted in Chinese legend.
#5: “Hidden Figures” (2016)
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This biographical tale focuses on the lives of three African American women who helped NASA send people safely into space. Taraji P. Henson plays mathematician Katherine Johnson, who becomes one of NASA’s key scientists. Meanwhile, Janelle Monae’s Mary Jackson is determined to be NASA’s first Black female engineer. And Octavia Spencer’s Dorothy Vaughan teaches herself and her peers programming, to ensure their positions. Each of the women face an overwhelming amount of racial and gender discrimation. Watching Katherine, Mary, and Dorothy persevere and overcome the odds is tremendously inspiring. Their real-life stories all deserved to be told so that no one would ever forget how they helped NASA reach the stars.
#4: “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018)
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Shortly after being bitten by a radioactive spider, Miles Morales is asked to help save the multiverse. He has to deal with responsibilities to his family, society and himself while adjusting to new powers. Miles made a huge impact by leading an incredible and wonderfully animated story as the first biracial Spider-Man in a feature film. In between all the multiversal action, the movie takes time to make social commentary and to celebrate his dual heritage. “Into the Spider-Verse” was a critical darling that webbed up the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The immense praise that Miles received guaranteed that we’ll see the hero again for a sequel in 2022.
#3: “Crazy Rich Asians” (2018)
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When middle class professor Rachel Chu travels from NYC to Singapore to attend a wedding, her boyfriend Nick Young reveals that he comes from an insanely wealthy family. After arriving in the country, she struggles to fit in as an outsider to both her boyfriend’s economic status and his family’s customs. Rachel’s story dives into the traditions and beliefs of several Asian cultures. She’s played by Constance Wu, whose fantastic performance and crazy amount of chemistry with Henry Golding’s Nick are the best parts of an already great film. Critics also showered the film with praise for its strong narrative and its thoughtful and thorough representation of Asian characters in a Hollywood rom-com.
#2: “Black Panther” (2018)
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After 2017’s “Wonder Woman” broke through a glass ceiling for female-led superhero films, “Black Panther” became a landmark film for black representation within the same genre. Audiences everywhere were energized by the story of the newly crowned King T’challa balancing his duties to the world and his technologically advanced home country of Wakanda. The late Chadwick Boseman led a diverse cast of strong performers that included Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Letitia Wright and so many more. They starred in a story that balanced thrilling action with relevant questions about race and society. “Black Panther” ruled the box office by bringing in well over a billion dollars and becoming the first superhero movie ever to be nominated for Best Picture. Before we highlight our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “Dating Amber” (2020) A Tale of Two Teens Who Pretend to Date to Avoid Coming Out “Tangerine” (2015) A Story That Puts Transgender Women in the Spotlight & Was Shot Entirely on iPhones “Margarita with a Straw” (2015) A Realistic Depiction of a Woman with Cerebral Palsy Navigating Life & Romance “Rent” (2005) This Landmark Musical Drama Dives Into LGBTQ+ Issues & History “Moana” (2016) Disney’s First Polynesian Princess Made Big Waves for Representation
#1: “Moonlight” (2016)
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This Best Picture winner is divided into three parts. In the first, we meet African-American boy Chiron who has a difficult living situation and is harassed by others for his sexuality. In the second, we watch him grow into a troubled teenager who shares an intimate moment with another teen boy on the beach. In the movie’s third act, we see Chiron still coming to terms with who is as an adult. All three sections feature gorgeous cinematography, spectacular performances and incredible writing. And the movie always keeps the trials and triumphs of Chiron’s story firmly in the forefront. Director Barry Jenkins made “Moonlight” unforgettable with a unique presentation and precise filmmaking. His care craft ensured that this film received Hollywood’s highest honor.
