This film is getting all sorts of buzz and clogging my social media timeline. @slowguy interested in reading your review, I assume this is on your radar.
Itās on my radar, but Iām not a Michael B. Jordan fan, and I donāt tend to do horror movies normally. Not sure Iāll see it in theaters.
My son saw it today and liked it. He said 8 out of 10. But thatās the review from a 19 year old college kid so take that with a grain of salt.
W. Kamau Bell posted this on his Substack.
Ryan Cooglerās new film Sinners
I was being interviewed today, and I said something that I had never articulated before. Iām happy I live during the time of filmmaker Ryan Coogler, and Iām even more happy that I live in his hometown, Oakland, CA. That feeling has been absolutely confirmed by his latest film, Sinners . While it is billed as a horror film, a genre that turns many people off by itās very definition, it is sooooo much more than that. Calling Sinners a āhorror filmā is like calling The Godfather āa gangster filmā or like calling Thelma and Louise a film about two ladies who had a weird few days.
Sinners is a tour de force and a vitamin B12 shot of Black excellence at time when we need it. It is a vampire film. A southern Jim-Crow-era period piece. A dark comedy. A musical history lesson. A film that certainly is already being discussed in your finest film classes and your Blackest barber shops. A film that has more Black, brown, Asian, and Indigenous folks than white folks. And in its opening weekend, it was number one at the box office, which is a rare achievement for an R-rated film. But because all of this is still happening in America during a rise of white supremacy (a horror film all its own), Black people canāt just celebrate our art in peace. Many in the mainstream media are putting an asterisk (sometimes literally) on the filmās success. Even Ben Stiller caught the shenanigans that were taking place.
And of course I had to weigh in on Instagram, using my (now classic) red marker! The New York Times couldnāt just say, āYAY!ā, so I edited their headline. Below the photo is the caption I included on my post.
Fixed it.
Whatever Sinners is or is not, it is a triumph of a filmmaker telling an original story instead of just using familiar intellectual property to gain eyeballs. This is a big deal, if not only because it will inspire other filmmakers.
The fact that an R-rated movie was number one at the box office is a big deal. The fact that it isnāt just a popcorn film where you tune out and wait for the credits and it is still number one is a big deal. The fact that it is a āhorror filmā (a genre that turns many people away) and it is number one NOT IN OCTOBER is a big deal. The fact that it is number one and it is a period piece is a big deal. The fact that it is number one and it stars a mostly Black and POC cast is a big deal. The fact that whether it ends up making money or not that the film is clearly going to stand the test of time is a big deal. The fact that Ryan Coogler regains ownership of the film after 25 years is a BIG DEAL.
I really recommend seeing Sinners knowing as little as possible.
The trailer above, and a review I read yesterday, has me sold. The time period, look, feel, themes, cinematography all look compelling. Iām a little worn on the main theme of the film, but I can set that aside as it appears to be an innovative approach to storytelling.
I will go see it this weekend, but saw another really good movie last weekend - Freaky Tales. Filmed in Oakland and is really 3-4 movies rolled into one. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.
This looks good!
Not really a horror movie. Even calling it a thriller would be a bit of a stretch, unnerving at most but really a captivating story.
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Wife and I saw it Friday afternoon. Definitely not her kind of film so her reaction was expected (didnāt love it, misses 90ās style movies), but I enjoyed it for several reasons.
Pulling from another movie review thread, my short review would be: Black horror O Brother Where Art Thou confronts Jim Crow South.
Jordan was great, as was the entire supporting cast (save for Steinfeld, who I thought was overacting in a few early scenes). Music was spectacular, as was the surreal juke joint documentary-in-one-scene scene. Iād see the film again just to rewatch that segment, and the musical numbers generally.
Films like these I tend to enjoy in the moment, think about the themes being threshed out later, read a few reviews, and then rewatch to properly digest and contextualize what Iām seeing. This film warrants that attention as itās rich with symbolism and subtleties that can be missed in one viewing.
āSinnersā Star Jack OāConnell Explains the Whole Irish-Vampire Thing | GQ
Jack OāConnellās performance has been stuck in my head ever since, both for his role and acting, and the musical numbers. Thereās so much to take in in this film, Iāll likely see it again in the theater this week.
A few great numbers from the film, though context in the storyline really let them shine.
Have you watched the series āRogue Heroesā?
Canāt say I have.
Might be one to look at. Two seasons, both pretty good entertainment.
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