'Best Man Holiday', 'Black Nativity' Madea Are Merrily Diverse

A Black Christmas?
This photo released by Universal Pictures shows, from left, Monica Calhoun as Mia, Melissa De Sousa as Shelby and Nia Long as Jordan, enjoying the show in a scene from "The Best Man Holiday." The movie releases in theaters on Friday, Nov. 15, 2013. (AP Photo/Universal Pictures, Michael Gibson)
This photo released by Universal Pictures shows, from left, Monica Calhoun as Mia, Melissa De Sousa as Shelby and Nia Long as Jordan, enjoying the show in a scene from "The Best Man Holiday." The movie releases in theaters on Friday, Nov. 15, 2013. (AP Photo/Universal Pictures, Michael Gibson)

Time was when Christmas movies were as reliably white as a North Pole winter. Such holiday classics as "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street" came to define the American cultural psyche during the holidays for decades. Later films set around Santa's trip down the chimney — including the blockbuster "Home Alone" franchise with a cumulative gross of $904 million, 1994's "The Santa Clause" and 2003's "Elf" — opened Hollywood's eyes to the upside of decking theater halls with new Christmas stories.

But at the tail end of a banner year for African American cinema, three new holiday movies written and directed by black filmmakers present an alternate vision to moviedom's traditional White Christmas.

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot