Sinners

Movie: Sinners

Running Time: 2:17

Nominated for: Best Picture, Director, Leading Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Production Design, Costume Design, Original Score, Original Song, Sound, Visual Effects, Casting, Make Up & Hairstyling

How I watched: AMC x 3, HBO Max x 2

When it had me: Beautiful Cinematography

When it lost me: Still Hasn't

What systems does it challenge: Colonialism, vampirism

Sometimes a movie comes around that surprises you by being so much more than you were expecting.  I thought Sinners was a vampire flick, which, of course I was down for. And then this magnificent movie began to unfold before me and took me places I had not known I needed to go.

While we are concerned with monsters throughout the movie, as it progresses, we are also witnessing the effects of colonialism. The illusion of choice for people who are oppressed within the system, the elusive promise of freedom and the feeling of being constantly preyed upon. We see that those starved for culture and community are drawn to this group and are ready to steal all that they can.

This film is nominated for a record breaking 16 awards, including Delroy Lindo for Supporting Actor. That one was such a surprise and it's so great to see a talented actor who has been around forever get his first nomination.

The acting throughout is top notch by such a great ensemble cast led by Michael B. Jordan who is playing anywhere between 2 and 6 roles depending on who you listen to on the subject. And the music is sooooo good! Never before have I found a movie, its messages and its emotional journey to be so intricately tied up with its music. It absolutely must win for this; anything else is unacceptable to me.

Let's talk about magic and witchcraft! These are my favorite topics these days anyway. But Sinners stitches together beliefs of the Choctaw, the Irish and the people of West Africa to look at our relationship to music, expression and ancestry. The character of Annie played by Wunmi Mosaku is my favorite. She is a rootworker in the movie, using herbs and ritual to administer healing to her community and provide protection for her loved ones. (They consulted real rootworkers in creating this character! I love that.) She has deep and mystical knowledge about many things and also is unashamed to admit the mysteries she cannot explain. She is so believable and grounded and really is the heart of the film. And they listen to her! Which is refreshing.

But maybe my favorite thing of all is that the tone of the film is also played like its own virtuoso instrument. This movie is transcendent and cheeky in equal measure. I laugh and I cry every time I watch it. It's a cliche of movie reviews but the sweetness of the relationships between vulnerable characters yields easily to the visceral fear of the threat they all face and is constantly interlaced with such divine humor. To be able to wield them in such quick succession and sometimes simultaneously is a wonder to me and a delight to view.

Sadly, I feel it's not landing well with a lot of audiences. Some people wish it would have just stayed in its lane as a vampire flick and not had so much to say about underrepresented groups in a colonial system. Others would prefer the opposite. And I think some people just can't see themselves in the tension of the South and feel disinterested. It's unfortunate to me because I think it is such special film making and I wish everyone could love it.

I cannot imagine another movie topping Sinners as it is one of the best I have seen in years! Here's hoping it gets a healthy amount of love.