April has proved to be an incredible month for Black filmmakers, actors and producers. Leading the way, Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin delivered heartfelt performances in Netflix's Concrete Cowboy. Adding to the month's magic, Michael B. Jordan brought suspense and action to Amazon Prime's Without Remorse.
Things have been just as exciting in television. Forest Whitaker's Bumpy Johnson is off to a fast start in the second season of Godfather of Harlem. Not to mention, Jamie Foxx brought the laughs to the small screen in his new show, Dad, Stop Embarrassing Me.
Fortunately, the magic does not end in the month of April. Here are ten more shows and movies to look out for in May.
Pose
Release Date: May 2
Where To Watch: FX
Starring: Billy Porter, Indya Moore
Synopsis: "In the final season of Pose, time flashes forward to 1994. Blanca struggles to balance being a mother, a present partner to her new love and a nurse’s aide. Meanwhile, as AIDS becomes the leading cause of death for Americans ages 25 to 44, Pray Tell contends with unexpected health burdens," FX explains.
The Water Man
Release Date: May 7
Where To Watch: In Theaters
Starring: Rosario Dawson, David Oyelowo
Synopsis: "Gunner sets out on a quest to save his ill mother by searching for a mythic figure who possesses the secret to immortality, the Water Man. After enlisting the help of a mysterious local girl, Jo, they journey together into the remote Wild Horse forest -- but the deeper they venture, the stranger and more dangerous the forest becomes. Their only hope for rescue is Gunner’s father, who will stop at nothing to find them," RJE Films writes.
Monster
Release Date: May 7
Where To Watch: Netflix
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., Jeffrey Wright
Synopsis: "Monster tells the story of Steve Harmon a seventeen-year-old honor student whose world comes crashing down around him when he is charged with felony murder. The film follows his dramatic journey from a smart, likeable film student from Harlem attending an elite high school through a complex legal battle that could leave him spending the rest of his life in prison," Netflix explains.
Ziwe
Release Date: May 9
Where To Watch: Showtime
Starring: Ziwe Fumudoh
Synopsis: "ZIWE is the riotously funny, new variety series from writer, comedian and internet sensation, Ziwe. A no-holds-barred mix of iconic musical numbers, interviews and sketches that challenge America’s discomfort with race, politics, & other cultural issues," Showtime stated.
The Upshaws
Release Date: May 12
Where To Watch: Netflix
Starring: Mike Epps, Wanda Sykes
Synopsis: "A working-class family in Indiana struggles to make it work and make it right without the blueprint to do it," Netflix writes.
Spiral: From The Book of Saw
Release Date: May 14
Where To Watch: In Theaters
Starring: Chris Rock, Samuel L. Jackson
Synopsis: "A criminal mastermind unleashes a twisted form of justice in Spiral, the terrifying new chapter from the book of Saw. Working in the shadow of his father, an esteemed police veteran, brash Detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks and his rookie partner take charge of a grisly investigation into murders that are eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past. Unwittingly entrapped in a deepening mystery, Zeke finds himself at the center of the killer’s morbid game," Lionsgate writes.
Those Who Wish Me Dead
Release Date: May 14
Where To Watch: HBO Max
Starring: Tyler Perry
Synopsis: "Oscar winner Angelina Jolie stars as Hannah, a smoke jumper still reeling from the loss of three lives she failed to save from a fire when she comes across a traumatized 12-year-old boy with nowhere else to turn," Warner Bros. stated.
I Am All Girls
Release Date: May 14
Where To Watch: Netflix
Starring: Hlubi Mboya, Masasa Mbangeni
Synopsis: "On the hunt to bring down a global human trafficking ring, detectives Ntombizonke and Jodie Snyman battle their own dark secrets and go on an all-consuming journey," Netflix writes.
Army of the Dead
Release Date: May 21
Where To Watch: Netflix
Starring: Omari Hardwick
Synopsis: "Following a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted," Netflix explains.
Black Monday
Release Date: May 23
Where To Watch: Showtime
Starring: Don Cheadle, Regina Hall
Synopsis: "The professionalism? Questionable. The hustle? Unmatched. Get warped into all the craziness of Black Monday," Showtime wrote.
BONUS: The Chi
Release Date: May 23
Where to Watch: Showtime
Starring: Curtiss Cook, Alex Hibbert
Synopsis: "Jake, Papa and Kevin confront the harsh reality of how the world views young, Black men in the aftermath of an act of police brutality. As the three friends reckon with a broken system, the aftershocks ripple across the South Side, inspiring friends and neighbors to rise up and take action. How does a community find the strength to persevere? That’s the power of The Chi," Showtime stated.
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