Sinners

“Oh, The Summertime has Come, and The Trees are Sweetly Bloomin’ and The Wild Mountain Thyme Grows Round’ the Bloomin’ Heather, Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?” Ryan Coogler’s first foray into horror, “Sinners” is a bloody, bluesy, & emotional affair, that’s simply put a stone cold masterpiece of the modern age. As mentioned in my review of Alex Scharfmann’s “Death of a Unicorn”, I’ll give a film five stars if I believe it to be a genuine masterpiece, or if I just had a damn good time watching it. And this is an example of the former. I walked into this film with my expectations practically non-existent, and only knowing it was a horror/action film, I was just simply hoping to be entertained, and entertained I was. As mentioned, what I got was a surprisingly emotional and thoughtful story- told through an astoundingly beautiful soundscape full of unforgettable characters and some excellent gore. I try to stay away from reviews and trailers now, just so I don’t get my expectations up too high (I really enjoy walking into a film and not knowing what I’m going to get) but I’m incredibly glad to see all of the positive reviews and attention it’s getting. Michel B. Jordan is so effortlessly fucking cool in everything he does, so I had no doubt that he’d turn in a great performance as the brothers, but with how he ends up portraying Smoke & Stack astonished me, they’re so distinct and their relationship so tangible you could’ve sworn they were played by two real life brothers. They have different speech patterns, different ways of blinking, and still have a great sibling banter, and all of that just absolutely reaffirms how talented the man is. Everyone else here was exceptional in the performances they turned in. Especially Jack O’Connell, Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku, Miles Caton (who will be a goddamn star, mark my words) and Li Jun Li, who I’m just thrilled to see again, as I haven’t seen her since her portrayal of Lady Fay Zhu in Damien Chazelle’s 2022 masterpiece *“Babylon”* and I must say she kills it here as Grace Chow. I won’t linger on it, as I’m quite sure that literally everyone has been yapping about it, but that scene. You know the one. Is nothing short of absolutely Monumental, Remarkable, & Utterly transcendent. Music is what ties us all together, and to have a film of this caliber depicting that so literally, but so beautifully moving is truly magnificent. Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” is the kind of movie that reminds you exactly why you fell in love with movies in the first place Featuring great performances across the board, genuinely frightening moments, a bitchin’ soundtrack and score & great practical effects, while carrying extremely important messages and never losing a tremendously touching center. “Sinners” is a magnificent treat for horror fans, and movie goers alike, and something that demands to be seen on the big screen.