Sinners

"if you keep dancing with the devil, one day he's gonna follow you home." this was the best theater experience of the year so far for me. before even mentioning how good this film is, i was blown away seeing this in its intended 70mm imax format in irvine and i was fully immersed. it was also crazy that ayo edebiri and dev patel were in the same theater as me up in the projection room (i was too shy to say hello in the lobby before the movie). now the film. damn. ryan coogler knocked it out of the park with this vampire thriller. it is more than just a violent film set in the early twentieth century, it is a mesmerizing commentary on music and the preservation of culture and faith. vampires as a subgenre has been done so many times yet coogler manages to make their classic folklore engaging and truly captivating. the past and future reflections of the mortal characters are juxtaposed against the everlasting vampires and the power the soul holds is transcendent. michael b. jordan commands the audience's attention and masterfully plays titular twin roles. smoke and stack feel like two very distinct characters and their respective romances are incredibly different and compelling as well. while jordan is the lead, newcomer miles caton steals the show with his insane musical talent and raw representation of southern blues. his voice is still ringing in my ears and i got chills each and every time. the supporting cast is also great and jack o'connell is charmingly sinister as remmick, the main bloodsucker. this film was just so confident in its execution and didn't feel the need to immediately rush into the action. characters and their motivations are properly set up and the introduction of the vampires doesn't feel sudden or out of place. visually, this film will knock your socks off. go see this in 70mm imax if you can or at the very least see it on the biggest screen possible. the imax aspect ratio is so stunning and there are so many moments where i was fully hunched over as i was so locked in at what i was watching. everyone seems to be talking about the same musical set piece and i can proudly confirm that it is one of the most brilliant scenes put to film in the past decade. there is also a specific moment that utilizes the aspect ratio change so well that i physically felt my jaw drop. the sound design and soundtrack are terrific as well and i swear it felt like every little sound was a part of a much larger rhythm: truly hypnotic and ethereal. i feel incredibly fortunate to be able to see a film of this magnitude and originality in this era of the film industry and i believe it is truly a testament to the power of strong artistic visions and deeply human stories. GO SEE THIS.