Candyman

20 years later, some of us still aren’t able to say his name once (let alone five times). Candyman serves as the direct sequel of the classic early 90s horror film of the same name. Revisiting the story’s original neighborhood, albeit a gentrified version, our protagonist seeks artistic inspiration in this dark past. As he digs deeper, his intrigue with the mythology surrounding Candyman begins to take ahold. But will this obsession be the fatal downfall of those around him and the artist himself? The movie is directed by Nia DaCosta, who became the first Black woman director to have a film debut at number one in the US box office.

Passing

Based on the novel of the same name by Nella Larsen, Passing is set in 1929 New York City. The story focuses on the concept of “passing” within the African-American community, which is when those with light skin could be perceived and live as white, while being undetected within the white community. Irene, a light-skinned Black woman, lives in Harlem with her Black husband and—in a chance encounter—reconnects with her childhood friend Clare who is married to a white man who is unaware of her true race. Yet, the fair-skinned Clare misses her African-American roots and yearns to be closer to Irene and her family. This African American Film Critics Association and Sundance Film Festival darling takes you on an eye-opening journey of a different side of being Black in the United States in the early 20th century. The film serves as the directorial feature debut of Rebecca Hall and stars Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, and André Holland.

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

For many, there is little or no knowledge about the Harlem Cultural Festival, aptly nicknamed “Black Woodstock.” While the annual festival was grounded in the celebration and expression of Black pride was held from 1967 to 1974, 1969 became known as its most successful year, with over 300,000 attendees. Featuring the talents of such musical acts as Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, and Sly and the Family Stone, plus comedic legend Moms Mabley and civic leader Reverend Jesse Jackson, tapes of the momentous event were placed in a basement for over 50 years and remained unpublished. Fast forward to January 2021, Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) is presented at the Sundance Film Festival where it went on to win the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience awards for a documentary. As his directorial debut for a film, this ?uestlove piece encompasses an evolution in Black culture and a sneak peek at history in the making.

The Gunk

The Gunk is a story-driven game featuring a Black woman named Rani who, with her scavenging partner, discovers a once-beautiful planet that is overtaken by “gunk,” a dark slime-like parasite. Told from a third-person perspective, the action-adventure offers a satisfying game play as our heroine, rids the planet of awful gunk to reveal a beautiful terrain. The game also offers subtle messages around how humans treat planet earth and lessons learned on the featured, foreign planet.

Subnautica Below Zero

Subnautica: Below Zero, a survival action-adventure game, takes place two years after the end of “Subnautica.” It tells the story of Robin Ayou, a xenobiologist on an alien planet. The Black heroine explores both underwater and terrain within an open environment to find answers to the circumstances surrounding the death of her sister on a previous mission. Zaire Lanier is a contributing writer with Kimberly Brooks lending the voice to the game’s heroine.