Sinners

Every once in a while a movie comes out that exemplifies movies as a medium for storytelling. I really think Sinners is the most recent in this lineage. It’s objectively a visual and auditory feast. It’s genre-blending, it has commentary, it’s incredibly creative, but also includes generous homage to other great works of art. As a cultural anthropology, history, and cinema lover, this movie is everything I could ask for. If you found scenes like the performance of “I Lied To You” and the conjuring of the ancestors corny, I ask you to evaluate where else you’ve seen this sort of layered appreciation of Black culture on screen? Because I feel this is a scene that needed to be filmed literally, even though it is clearly a metaphorical representation of what is happening. Think about how Black culture has been censored, diluted, and catered to audiences and recognize how this scene defies that precedent. Even go further back and consider the context of Irish dance being prohibited during The Penal Time. This movie is all about cultural integrity and sanctity. The power of representation and spotlight is layered into Sammy’s character. It is also about how not all knowledge, experience, and connections are meant for everyone. I could go into a whole tangent about how white culture feels entitled to all aspects of everything in a very extractive way. Remmick’s character is a great depiction of that because he is both the victim of perpetrator of such toxicity. The film is also firmly set in the fantasy genre and deserves to have fun. I was deeply moved by the depictions of culture across the board and can clearly tell that there was a multitude of consultants on set. Bravo to everyone involved.