I was kind of at a loss for what to talk about this time around. Lot of ideas bumping around, but nothing too concrete. As a result, I am gonna talk about the recent Horror Media I have been engaging with. For what it's worth, this might just be about Sinners. But we'll see where this goes.
What else is there to say about Sinners that hasn't already been said? This film from Ryan Coogler and crew goes above and beyond the expectations for any movie. From the score headed by Ludwig Göransson to the cinematography from Autumn Durald Arkapaw to the script from Ryan Coogler himself. These pieces along with many others combined to form a film with a lot of heart and passion. Not to mention some great performances from Michael B. Jordan (Plays Smoke & Stack), Miles Caton (Plays Sammie Moore), Wunmi Mosaku (Plays Annie), and Delroy Lindo (Plays Delta Slim) to name a few. It is truly remarkable how so many elements culminated here.
Now, I am going to go into some specifics on what exactly I am rambling on about. So, if you want to avoid spoilers, then leave now and come back. Because I can assure you that going into Sinners with as little information as possible is worth it. Without further ado, let's begin.
The start of the film opens with Sammie pulling up to the Church where his father is giving a sermon. When Sammie steps out of the car, we can see how disheveled he is, along with the neck of a guitar. All the while, we get flashes of the night's events as he embraces his father. A powerful scene that prepares the audience for the night that had came for Sammie and company. For me, these scenes can be a real hit or miss. Like, you're showing a lot upfront. This can ultimately ruin any surprises laid forth. Yet with Sinners, I didn't get that feeling. Showing the end of the long night actually made me more curious. It felt like a show of confidence. Fortune does favor the bold, yet that doesn't mean that the bold has the finesse to defy the expectations.
But getting back on track, the first act sets everything up in a meticulous way. Gathering the major players and festivities for the big event was done wonderfully. All the major characters get scenes that showcase their desires and goals. This is not uncommon in the Horror genre, however many films fall to the wayside in the latter half by neglecting setup. They get caught up in trying to scare the audience that they forget the characters are supposed have elements the audience can attach to. You don't want a simple body count. You want a group of people with hopes and dreams.
Take the Smoke character for example. His goal was to run a Juke Joint where he can make some money. While he was focused more on the monetary side, his brother, Stack, knew that the people would want somewhere to unwind after working on the plantations and other manual labor jobs. You get both the business and pleasure sides with the Smoke Stack Brothers. And this is the baseline. You also have Sammie, who wanted to play Blues music in front of crowds. Sammie has a route where he can just be Preacher Boy, but that life's not for him. He wanted to sing and play the Blues with the best of them.
With this being the tip of the iceberg, it was no surprise that the whole film had this sort of depth. There's also the whole ordeal surrounding the Vampires. The ringleader Remmick (Played by Jack O'Connell) is an Irish Immigrant that was being hunted by a group of Choctaw Vampire Hunters. And he chose to hide behind a Klansmen and his wife. A decision he made willingly when noticing the hood and robe. The character was aware of what the Klan stood for, and so he used them to forward his plan.
But to go back to the Choctaw for a second. I actually really liked their introduction. An authority on the Vampire Menace that know and choose to adhere towards the rules. They know who they're dealing with, and they don't want to bring any disturbances upon themselves. They could've been these heroic saviors when shit hits the fan, but they aren't. The Choctaw are there to establish rules and boundaries. Risking themselves to track down Vampires at night is a recipe for disaster. Unfortunately, this means that the Juke Joint is Remmick's for the taking.
So, the way that Remmick made his way and preyed upon the Smoke Stack Brothers venture reminded me of colonialism. You have this outside party showing up to a place where they don't belong demanding a spot at the table. They don't want to share a slice of pie, they whole damn thing. By preying on the attendees, they were able to convert and seemingly overrun the proprietors. Despite Remmick and company ruining a lively night. They couldn't steal the time that everyone had prior. An important aspect that showcases just how much fun and horny Sinners was. Live music, a bar, food, gambling, dancing, sex. The pleasures that Sinners indulge in.
Now, I would like to finish out by talking about two of my favorite things in the movie. The first one being Sammie's big performance. And the second being the relationship between Smoke and Annie. These aspects were what stuck in my mind the most. I loved the importance of music for Sammie's character. A man of few words was now able to bear his soul through the tune of the Blues. And Smoke was also able to lay himself bare in front of his beloved Annie.
With Sammie's performance, there's just so much. It's Miles Caton's voice, the showcasing of the generations of music and dance, and the cultures of the people being represented. The past, present, and future elements all being put on display in a matter of minutes. All because of how much the Sammie character was able to tap into the language of music. It was almost like it was a part of the character's DNA. And then it all culminates with the embers descending as he literally burns the house down. Sammie had enraptured everyone in that moment so much that he was able to transcend time and space. I wish I knew about all of the different types of music and dance being represented because even without full context, there's so much to love about it. I really hope that Miles Caton gets casted in more things. He is a phenomenal talent. Props to Ryan Coogler, his Casting Director Francine Maisler, and everyone else involved with getting Miles and this group together.
With Sammie showing out, Smoke and Annie are not to be outdone. A bittersweet couple that deal with the death of their child in various ways. Their story is truly one of the standouts as Annie practices Hoodoo, a practice that was the product of African American Slaves in the Southern United States. Since I am not knowledgeable on the subject, I would recommend seeking out proper sources on the matter as with any spiritual tradition, there is a lot of nuance and detail. So, Annie utilizes her Hoodoo practices as a means to protect Smoke and his brother Stack. This was something that Smoke dismissed a bit because Annie's Hoodoo rituals couldn't save their child. Yet, he still held onto the Mojo Bag that Annie made for him. Annie even revitalizes it before the event if I remember correctly. So, Smoke says he doesn't believe in Hoodoo, but his love for Annie gave him that little bit of hope and optimism. Like, maybe this bag really was the key to his safety.
And this troubled relationship would remain so, as when the Vampires gain power and invade, Annie gets bitten. Much to Smoke's dismay, he has to kill her. They promised each other, and it allowed him to send a mother to her child in the afterlife. But their intertwined fate doesn't end there. Smoke survives the night, killing Remmick, and then spends his morning taking on some Klansmen that were hoping to catch him slipping. And just as he was about to finish off the ringleader, Hogwood, Smoke sees Annie and his deceased child. Signaling his end being near. He briefly fills Hogwood full of lead for interrupting him. Just so he can get more of his sweet delusion. So, Smoke removed his Mojo Bag. The item that had protected him from the deadly night. To me, this meant that Smoke was ready to die. He had no one else left aside from Sammie, but he knew Sammie was ready to take on the world. As a result, Smoke joins his family. A touching end for a gangster.
And there's so many moments like these throughout the 2 Hour plus runtime. That's me not even mentioning any of the comedic bits. Not only does this movie have drama and beautiful moments, it's also funny as hell. And I can only go so far because this movie has a lot of cultural context that is not my own. I just wanted to sing my praises for a phenomenal film. So, be sure to check out the people who actually know the ins and outs.
Ultimately, Sinners is not only one of the best movies of the year. It's one of the best in recent memory. I really think that Ryan Coogler has a future in Horror. Coogler and his team understand what the best elements in the genre are. It's Heart and Passion. Anyone can make scares, but not everyone understands that you also have to care.
And remember to Free Palestine, Free Congo, Free Sudan, Free Venezuela and to Free Lebanon from the onslaught of their oppressors. Never stop talking about them. They think that we don't care, but we see everything. Never forget that. They are trying to suppress our voices because they matter, remember that. There may have been a ceasefire in Gaza, but Palestine still needs to be completely free.
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