February '26
Monthly design, film, and music roundup for February 2026.
Hi everyone happy almost March! I am very tired and late to writing this, it’s the very last day of February. There’s still snow on the ground here in NYC but it’s slowly melting and the temperature is rising steadily. Spring is so so close. Let’s get into it!
DESIGN
If you remember a few months ago I started a new project “Computer Collage” where I make digital collages with bits and scraps on my hard drive, usually from scans or Internet Archive clippings. I made another one for the month of February focusing on adult magazines, escort cards, and newspaper ads. Super happy with how this one turned out, the colors are super vibrant. Like the previous collage I printed the collage out on my printer and scanned it to give it that nice ephemeral feeling. I may try taking on some physical collages some day, but for now I think digital collaging makes sense for this projects since I’m pulling digital scans from my hard drive.
More design work to share imminently, working on a number of things at the moment that won’t be out for several months.
MOVIES
The Empty Man (2020) dir. David Prior ☆☆☆☆
An ex-cop searching for a missing girl discovers a secret group attempting to summon a supernatural entity. This one was genuinely a surprise to me, being that The Empty Man is kind of an awful name for a movie and alludes to those other movies like Bye Bye Man…. actually a very refreshing horror movie with moments where you NEED to hold your breath. There are big Creepypasta vibes here for those that like storylines that are a mix of folk and supernatural horror. I could easily compare it to something like The Ring; it’s mysterious and dark, following the consequences of performing a ritual associated with an urban legend. Before The Empty Man, David Prior created a documentary about Fincher’s The Social Network, and you can clearly see his inspirations at play here. With a mix of Kiyoshi Kurosawa. The filmmaking is also incredible, with some very refreshing editing sequences and camerawork. Also the sound design? Sooo good. The photo I included above, doesn’t it kind of remind you of that one scene in Annihilation?? So perfect.
Thirst (2009) dir. Park Chan-wook ☆☆☆☆½
A priest volunteers for an experimental procedure that may lead to a cure for a deadly virus. The procedure fails and he dies, however a blood transfusion from a mysterious source brings him back to life and transforms him into a vampire. Torn between his faith and lust for blood, he falls for the wife of a childhood friend. Park Chan-wook needs to make more horror movies immediately… I love his filmography but I think this might be my new favorite from him. It has such a great dark comedy element to it, as all of his films do. Even borderline feels like it could be a superhero movie in a way? Like it’s a comic book come to life? What he’s able to achieve in terms of twists and turns in the narrative makes for such an interesting storyline. Great midnight movie theater experience.
The Celebration (1998) dir. Thomas Vinterberg ☆☆☆☆½
At a wealthy businessman’s birthday celebration, his eldest son presents a speech that reveals a dark secret, turning the night into one of devastation, battling truth and denial and everything escalates. WHEWWW this one was crazy. Genuinely just keeps getting more and more uncomfortable… the discomfort in the room is unsettling. While watching this I kept thinking of that movie The Hunt with Mads Mikkelsen, without knowing Vinterberg also directed it. Lots of similarities. Love love love the camerawork and the extreme angles in this one, it made the dialogue and overwhelming environment so chaotic.
Incendies (2010) dir. Denis Villeneuve ☆☆☆☆☆
Twins Jeanne and Simon travel to the Middle East to fulfill their mother’s last wishes. Their mother, Nawal, leaves separate letters to the twins to be read after she passes. One letter is to be delivered to the father the twins never knew, and the other to the brother they didn’t know existed. During their journey they uncover the horrifying truth of their mother’s past. You guys this movie STAYED. WITH. ME. Oh my god I thought about it for a week after. Maybe one of the most upsetting and insane movies I have ever seen. Just straight up harrowing insanity. Did some research and apparently Denis adapted it from the play that was written by Lebanese-Canadian playwright Wajdi Mouawad. Can’t even imagine what the play looks like but I’m sure it’s just as good. This is one of those all timers that you can just never bring yourself to watch again.
Secret Mall Apartment (2024) dir. Jeremy Workman
A super cool documentary about eight Rhode Island artists who created a secret apartment inside a busy mall and lived there for four years. I thought this was fascinating, opening up a discussion about performance art, community spaces, and the apartment as an act of resistance against gentrification.
MUSIC
What I listened to this month….
Please — Pet Shop Boys
Showtime — Nitzer Ebb
URGH — Mandy, Indiana
The Love Market — FIlmmaker
Hymns Of Sex — Compilation Artists
INSPO
I found this great ongoing archive of graphic t-shirts, celebrities wearing them, and the cultural history of the graphic tee. It was created by artist Grace Antino. Best when viewing on a desktop!
GRAPHIC LAUNDRY by Grace Antino (2025)
That’s all for now, see you in March!
