Over the span of the past years, movie and cinema culture has slowed down considerably from what once was. Fewer people are watching movies, let alone going to movie theaters. Although it is inevitable that the excitement of seeing a movie has died down from what it had been in 1891 when the first prototype of a Kinetoscope was invented, there is quite a bit of lack-luster regarding the film industry currently. Be that as it may, 2025 has been a hit year for the box office with movies such as Superman, Weapons and one particularly notable, Sinners.
Released on April 3, 2025, Sinners was an overarching hit. Ryan Coogler sets a perfect scene of Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1932. The film centers around two identical twins (both played by Michael B. Jordan) Elijah and Elias Moore, nicknamed “Smoke” and “Stack.” The twins had amassed a sizable amount of money working for the mob in Chicago, and decided to move back home to open a juke joint with their newfound wealth. The juke joint is a smash hit, but the bewitching sound of their cousin, Sammie’s (played by Miles Caton) voice and guitar ultimately attracts evil in the form of vampires.
One of this film’s strongest features is definitely its central theme of music and culture, especially how it has changed over time, and specifically how we need to embrace the new whilst learning and remembering the past. At the beginning of the film, they explain how it is rumored that some people are born with the gift of making music so true, that it can channel between life and death. Despite the healing this gift brings, it can also attract evil. This message is perfectly encapsulated by the scene when Sammie first plays at the juke joint. The scene (as well as others from the movie) were shot with a 65/75mm IMAX camera, which gives it this powerful and unique touch. As Sammie plays, he transcends people and time through culture which has been passed down through generations. This scene is so utterly captivating and it is just beautiful to watch as Sammie channels the past, present and future of black music.
Sinners also manages to interweave the long-lasting effects of systemic racism, mainly through the characters of Smoke and Sammie. It is relayed in the film that Smoke’s father is not a good man, having abused him and Stack as young children. This instills in Smoke that he too, is a bad man. Believing this ultimately and unfortunately leads him down a path of crime with his brother Stack. Smoke’s perception of life parallels Sammie’s because of one simple reason, free will. Smoke has been raised to think that there is no free will, that you are from which you came from. Sammie, in lieu, remembers that past but he does not let it affect his future. He breaks free from a predetermined path and instead, paves his own.
Sinners has gone above and beyond with its ability to transport you into this world that Coogler has beautifully set up. The performances the actors gave to this movie are absolutely incredible and it allows you to just get engulfed into the movie. Not only that, but the story line is also spectacularly well-written and it is obvious how much time everyone who worked on this movie put into it. It is films like this that truly give me hope for the future of cinema.
