Four Black Movies to Watch This January

The puzzle-like gimmick at the heart of “Kaleidoscope” – watch the episodes in any order that you want – can’t conceal how otherwise uninspired this “Ocean’s Eleven”-esque heist series actually is. Chalk that up in part to stiffly written characters, familiar situations and drawn-out logistical sequences. It’s moderately watchable, but all told, color me unimpressed.

Color plays a prominent role in this limited series, since each of the eight episodes corresponds with a color – red, orange, white, etc. – instead of a number, allowing the audience to essentially choose their own adventure. Details thus unfold differently depending on when they’re consumed, which, in theory, personalizes the viewing experience.

The big picture, however, is pretty drab, in a story that plays out over a quarter-century: Leo Pap (Giancarlo Esposito), an accomplished thief, spent nearly two decades in prison, and has now assembled a team to pursue an elaborate heist that will also provide him with a measure of revenge.

With Bill Bellamy • D.C. Young Fly • Jacob Latimore • Karen Obilom • Shakira Ja’nai Paye • Tosin Cole • Allen Maldonado.

Aspiring club promoters and best buds Damon and Kevin are barely keeping things together. Out of money, down on their luck and about to lose the roofs over their heads—and freshly fired from their low-lift jobs as house cleaners—the pair needs a huge windfall to make their problems go away. In a ‘what the hell?’ move, they decide to host the party of the year at an exclusive mansion, the site of their last cleaning job, which just happens to belong to none other than LeBron James. No permission? No problem. What could go wrong?

With Jermaine Fowler • Robin Thede.

In this clever cringe comedy, a seemingly happy married couple confronts a test of their marriage when one of them drops a baby while at a destination wedding at a tropical island.

With Nia Long • Storm Reid.

When her mother disappears while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend, June’s search for answers is hindered by international red tape. Stuck thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, June creatively uses all the latest technology at her fingertips to try and find her mother before it’s too late. But as she digs deeper, her digital sleuthing raises more questions than answers… and when June unravels secrets about her mom, she discovers that the true danger to her family is much closer to home.