6 things to watch this weekend no matter your mood

Several fantastic films and powerful projects await

Oct 16, 2020

The weather is cooling down and there’s a ton of fantastic content to consume, making this the perfect weekend to catch upon a few fabulous films and powerful projects that you don’t want to miss.

Whether you’re looking for a fight for justice, a fright to get you into the Halloween spirit, or just want something to warm your heart, there’s plenty to choose from.

Check out our list of things to watch this weekend:

TIME

Fox Rich is a fighter. The entrepreneur, abolitionist and mother of six boys has spent the last two decades campaigning for the release of her husband, Rob G. Rich, who is serving a 60-year sentence for a robbery they both committed in the early 90s in a moment of desperation. Combining the video diaries Fox has recorded for Rob over the years with intimate glimpses of her present-day life, director Garrett Bradley paints a mesmerizing portrait of the resilience and radical love necessary to prevail over the endless separations of the country’s prison-industrial complex.

The Trial of the Chicago 7

This phenomenal film from Aaron Sorkin is everything we need to see right now and it features a few of our faves, including Kelvin Harrison, Jr. and Yayha Abdul-Mateen II. What was intended to be a peaceful protest at the 1968 Democratic National Convention turned into a violent clash with police and the National Guard. The organizers of the protest—including Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and Bobby Seale—were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot and the trial that followed was one of the most notorious in history.

Black Box

Directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr. (Born With It) and script by Osei-Kuffour Jr. and Stephen Herman, Black Box stars Mamoudou Athie (Jurassic World 3, The Circle), Phylicia Rashad (Creed), Amanda Christine (Colony), Tosin Morohunfola (The Chi, The 24th), Charmaine Bingwa (Trees of Peace, Little Sista), and Troy James (The Flash, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark). After losing his wife and his memory in a car accident, a single father undergoes an agonizing experimental treatment that causes him to question who he really is. Executive produced by Jason Blum, Jay Ellis, Aaron Bergman, Lisa Bruce, Marci Wiseman, Jeremy Gold, Mynette Louie and William Marks. If you like what you see, check out some of Blumhouse’s other new offerings like Evil Eye or Nocturne.

The Forty-Year-Old Version

Produced by Lena Waithe and written and directed by Radha Blank (who stars as a woman loosely based on her self), The Forty-Year-Old Version is not to be missed. A down-on-her-luck New York playwright decides to reinvent herself and salvage her artistic voice the only way she knows how: by becoming a rapper at age 40.

This innovative series should help you feel a little less alone as you continue to quarantine and it features some familiar faces like Lovie Simone, Asante Blackk, Mike Colter, and Danielle Brooks, among others. Set in the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, SOCIAL DISTANCE is an eight-part anthology series that showcases the power of the human spirit in the face of uncertainty and isolation. Each standalone episode is told through a virtual lens and captures the unique emotional experience of being forced apart by circumstance and having no choice but to communicate remotely and rely on technology to maintain any sense of connection. Through these varied and deeply human stories, SOCIAL DISTANCE aims to provide some much-needed catharsis during a tumultuous time while also capturing a snapshot of this singular moment in history.

Lovecraft Country

It’s finally time for the season finale of Lovecraft Country (one of the most exciting shows to hit the small screen all year) and if you’re not caught up on the masterpiece from Jordan Peele and Misha Green, it’s time to get into it. This is the perfect weekend to dive into all nine episodes of the groundbreaking series that stars Jurnee Smollett and Jonathan Majors before the tenth and final episode of the season hits HBO on Sunday night.

Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!

TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!