Jack Harlow has curated a special film series in tandem with the release of his new album Monica. Running throughout April, the series features weekly Thursday screenings, each accompanied by appearances and reflections from Harlow himself.

“I relocated to New York City in 2025. These selections are made up of films I watched while I was working on my new album, Monica. During the recording process, I would often leave Electric Lady Studios at the end of our sessions and go see a movie at one of the independent theaters downtown.

Some of these films inspired the album’s subject matter, some of them inspired the visual direction, and some of them simply had an atmosphere I’ll never forget.”

The series reflects that late-night ritual, spanning decades, styles, and emotional tones. Each screening offers a glimpse into the cinematic language that helped shape Monica.

La Notte

A cornerstone of Italian modernist cinema, La Notte explores alienation, love, and emotional drift over the course of a single day and night. With its stark architecture and meditative pacing, the film captures a kind of existential stillness that resonates with themes of introspection and distance—elements that subtly echo throughout Harlow’s recent work.

Love Jones

A defining portrait of Black love and artistry in 1990s Chicago, Love Jones blends poetry, music, and romance into a textured, deeply human story. Its emphasis on creative ambition and emotional vulnerability aligns closely with the personal and expressive tone Harlow channels on Monica.

8½ (35mm)

Presented in 35mm, Federico Fellini’s 8½ is a dreamlike exploration of artistic block and self-reflection. The film blurs fantasy and reality as it follows a director struggling to create. Its surreal imagery and meta-commentary on the creative process offer a fitting parallel to the introspection and pressure surrounding the making of an album.

Secrets & Lies

Mike Leigh’s Secrets & Lies is an intimate, emotionally raw examination of family, identity, and long-buried truths. Built on nuanced performances and naturalistic dialogue, the film emphasizes human complexity—mirroring the layered storytelling and emotional honesty found in Harlow’s music.

Pauline at the Beach

This sunlit, deceptively light film from Éric Rohmer is a study of love, perception, and contradiction. Through its seaside setting and philosophical conversations, it captures fleeting moments of youth and desire—an atmosphere that contrasts yet complements the nocturnal mood of Harlow’s New York experience.

Birth (35mm)

A haunting meditation on grief, memory, and belief, Birth unfolds with eerie restraint. Jonathan Glazer crafts a chilling emotional landscape, where ambiguity lingers in every frame. Its hypnotic tone and psychological depth may help illuminate the more introspective and atmospheric edges of Monica.

Casablanca (35mm)

A timeless classic of romance and sacrifice, Casablanca brings old Hollywood elegance to the series. Its iconic performances and themes of love under pressure provide a historical counterpoint to the modern films in the lineup, emphasizing storytelling that endures across generations.

Slacker

Richard Linklater’s Slacker is a loose, wandering portrait of interconnected lives, capturing the rhythm of everyday conversations and subcultures. Its unstructured, observational style reflects a kind of creative freedom and curiosity—qualities that echo the exploratory spirit behind Harlow’s time in New York.

Together, these films map a personal cinematic journey—one rooted in late-night screenings, artistic reflection, and the search for mood and meaning. The series not only contextualizes Monica, but also invites audiences to experience the films that helped shape it, one Thursday at a time.