Sinners: A Movie So Nice I Saw It Twice

It’s been a while since I’ve sat down to write my thoughts about a movie. I could say I got busy, because I did. But I do believe Hollywood was in a creative drought and no new movie I watched felt good enough to sit and write about. 

Sinners changed that. It’s a movie so good, I watched it twice in the same week. Advertised as a horror film, I don’t usually dare touch the genre. Previously, I only watched horror movies because I had to. Since I love supporting Black-led projects, Sinners was something I wanted to see.

The discourse around this movie actually fueled my desire to see this movie even more. It’s not just a horror movie. It’s an original story packed with soul, romance and good music.

Watching in the theatre both times I was not only captivated by the performances of everyone in the cast, the soundscape surrounding it enhances the story so much more.

Michael B. Jordan does a great job at playing Smoke and Stack and showcasing the nuances between them. Stack is a slick talker and that ultimately is his downfall while Smoke’s cold demeanor is what keeps him going until the bitter end.

I could not believe that this was Miles Caton’s first role. He is amazing as Sammie/Preacher Boy and his voice is a powerhouse. No wonder it’s so hypnotizing to Remmick.

The women in this film are also incredible. The way Mary (Hailee Steinfeld) and Annie (Winnie Moskau) carry themselves is great to see. They stand for what they believe in and them being love interests for Stack and Smoke is secondary to their strong personalities. 

The one detail about this movie I truly couldn’t appreciate until my second viewing was all the aspect ratio changes. There’s a fullness and a freedom in the larger aspect ratio but that comes at a cost and usually is accompanied with the vampires. Otherwise they are trapped in the smaller with the weight of the regular world around them.

Because of this film, Ryan Coogler is now one of my favourite directors. The world he weaved is so incredible that it doesn’t rely too heavily on the horror and racism tropes to stand out. It’s a story about culture and music that gets a little freaky at moments (if you know what I mean).

You wouldn’t think a movie named Sinners is so nice that I watched it twice. And I’d gladly watch it over and over again.