By Liv Barry
Editor-in-Chief
Every February, Black History Month encourages us to reflect on the history of oppression in counties that observe the holiday, while also uplifting and celebrating the achievements of the Black community.
During the month, a slew of articles about what the best media to consume to celebrate crop up. However, many listicles tend to showcase the same few classics rather than up-and-coming artists. To highlight unsung Black voices in film, here is a list of recent films by Black creators that flew under the radar but deserve recognition.
“Entergalactic”
While most people know rapper Kid Cudi for his songs “Day ‘n’ Nite” and “Pursuit of Happiness,” few realize that the artist is also an emerging voice in the film industry.
Following appearances in movies like 2021’s “Don’t Look Up” and 2022’s “X,” Cudi dipped his toe into film creation with the 2022 Netflix special “Entergalactic,” an animated musical that the rapper wrote and executive produced as a companion piece for his album of the same name.
Starring Kid Cudi, Jessica Williams, Timothée Chalamet, and Ty Dolla Sign, the 92-minute television special follows the story of Jabari, a visual artist in New York City, as he navigates his love life. The movie, which utilizes a colorful, block-heavy animation style seen in films like “Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse” and “I Lost My Body,” is sure to draw in everyone from the diehard animation fan to even the most casual enjoyer of cartoons.
Although the film acts as an extended music video for Cudi’s own album, its storyline and art style heighten the special to be a “collage of multisensory art,” according to film critic Roger Ebert.
“Entergalactic” is streaming exclusively on Netflix.
“Rye Lane”
According to The Guardian, 2023 was the year of the romantic comedy, with 36 premiering in just one year.
While films like “Anyone But You” and “No Hard Feelings” saw massive box office success, Raine Allen Miller’s “Rye Lane” was the critical rom-com darling of last year, despite seeing little box office draw. Nominated for 16 British International Film Awards and two British Academy Film Awards, the movie, which stars newcomers David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah, has seen nothing but praise since its release in March 2023.
The comedy, which follows a couple who spend a single day together after a meet-cute in a public bathroom, will “ leave you with a smile on your face, a spring in your step, and (hopefully) a renewed confidence in next-wave British film-making,” according to film critic Mark Kenode.
“Rye Lane” is available to stream on Hulu.
“His House”
From Jordan Peele to Nia D’Acosta, Black voices in horror have seen massive critical and financial success over the last decade. One film that managed to fly under the public’s radar is the 2020 Netflix original film “His House.”
Directed by Remi Weekes, the movie follows a married couple who seek asylum in the United Kingdom after fleeing their home in South Sudan. While settling into their new house, the pair are haunted by ghosts, including the spirit of their daughter, who died during the family’s passage of the English Channel.
Tackling heavy subject matter like grief, gentrification, and assimilation, Weekes highlights the horror present in the mundanities and perils of daily life for immigrants in the United Kingdom. According to critic K. Austin Collins, “His House” is an “uncanny merging of political experience and the usual, perilous haunted-house thrills.”
The film is exclusively streaming on Netflix.
While these movies are all excellent examples of recent work from Black filmmakers, they are simply a jumping off point. These creators and their peers continue to push boundaries in the film industry, during Black History Month and beyond, and these films are just a sampling platter of the fantastic films created by Black directors.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Photo Caption: Rapper Kid Cudi wrote and executive produced the Netflix special “Entergalactic.”