Welcome back to The Art Idiot!
February, although the shortest, is one of the best months because it is Black History Month and Valentine’s Day – what more does one need?
Featured Films…
The 75 Greatest Films by Black Directors
Here is a spectacular article that was published just yesterday, February 27th, to honor Black filmmakers, as Black History Month comes to a close. With awards season in full swing, it is evident, as always, how deprived and forgotten Black filmmakers are. Most recently snubbed was Gina Prince-Bythewood’s film The Woman King (now available to stream on Netflix). Jordan Peele’s Nope was also worthy of a few nominations, but horror, like the Black community, is commonly overlooked by The Academy.
I came across this article because I follow a few of the contributors/voters, Maya Cade (Black Film Archive) and Robert Daniels (812Reviews). Cade, whose work I have recommended previously, is doing the groundwork of building an accurate, abundant archive for Black films, one that has never before existed, and both she and Daniels shared the Slate article with a small note about building and preserving the Black film canon. As a professor, I am constantly reminding students that in order to have a better, more diverse, more inclusive, curriculum, we must continuously rework and recreate the canon (canon meaning what is considered “best,” or perhaps the standard, in art history jargon).
Like The Art Idiot, this article clearly outlines where each film is available to stream. Check it out!
If you are in Oscar-binging mode like me, here are a number of Oscar-nominated titles that are currently available on streaming platforms:
Available on Hulu…
Fire of Love - Previously rated and recommended by The Art Idiot. 4.5/5 stars.
My Year of Dicks - Animated short film, produced by FX. 4.5/5 stars.
Available on Netflix…
All Quiet on the Western Front - Who knew you could feel empathetic towards Germany during the World War? 4.5/5 stars.
BARDO: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths - (viewing in progress)
Blonde - (debating watching…)
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story - Previously rated and recommended by The Art Idiot.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio - (viewing in progress)
The Sea Beast - (viewing in progress)
Available on HBOMax…
The Batman - Previously rated and recommended by The Art Idiot. 4.5/5 stars.
All That Breathes - (viewing in progress)
Elvis - Previously rated and recommended by The Art Idiot. 3/5 stars.
The Banshees of Inisherin - 3.5/5 stars.
Navalny - (viewing in progress)
Available on Disney…
Turning Red - 3/5 stars.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - 3.5/5 stars.
Available on Showtime…
Everything Everywhere All At Once - Previously rated and recommended by The Art Idiot.
Available on Peacock…
TÁR - Previously rated and recommended by The Art Idiot.
Available on Paramount+...
Babylon - Previously rated and recommended by The Art Idiot. 4/5 stars.
Top Gun: Maverick - Previously rated and recommended by The Art Idiot. 4/5 stars.
Available on AppleTV+...
Causeway - Previously rated and recommended by The Art Idiot. 4/5 stars.
Real Life Recommendation…
The Art Institute of Chicago is back again with another exhibition of a widely popular, artist, so naturally, I had to attend. “The Image Disappears,” is the Art Institute’s first-ever exhibit dedicated solely to the surrealist pioneer, Salvador Dalí. Surrealism, which was essentially developed by Dalí, is a particular style of artwork that is not as easily defined as it is recognizable. “Absurd imagery of the unconscious mind” is my attempt of describing surrealism as simply as possible, but I suppose this is why a picture is worth 1,000 words. As a former psychology student and current art appreciator, it felt full circle that Dalí’s work Dreams of Venus, a “live-action” installation at the 1939 New York World’s Exposition, was heavily influenced by the theories of Sigmund Freud (founder of psychoanalysis). As a new-comer to couture, high-fashion and fashion history, it was even more interesting to see that Dalí and popular designer, Elsa Schiaparelli, also collaborated and influenced one another. Here is a recent snapshot from the 2023 Schiaparelli fashion show, and the surrealism is alive and well:
While I always left wanting more (knowledge) from an exhibit and the institution, I left feeling visually fulfilled.
Prior to visiting this exhibit, I stumbled upon a Dalí and Disney collaborative short film, Destino, which is available to stream on Disney+ and YouTube. Inherently, in my opinion, Dalí’s artwork has always felt animated, perhaps because of the direct link surrealism has to our dreams, so it was a dream come true to learn of this project’s existence.
Some Sound to Go…
I asked my fans (Instagram followers) what they love to sing in the shower; here is the collective compilation created by some art idiots:
Do you have a song you love to scream to when no one is around? I would love to add it to the playlist! Comment or reach out to me directly.
Hell yeah
❤️🔥