Ryan Coogler you have done it again — constantly raising the bar for us all, and doing it flawlessly.
The 38-year-old filmmaker is responsible for global hits such as Black Panther and the Creed franchise, and his latest creation Sinners — Coogler’s first completely original project — not only collected $48 million during its domestic opening weekend, but enraptured audiences with its performances and nuanced themes. That sort of traction with a horror film is pretty extraordinary!
Michael B. Jordan stars as twins “Smoke” and “Stack” Moore, who leave behind a life of organized crime in Chicago to return to their small hometown in 1930s Mississippi. After reuniting with friends, family and old flames to establish a juke joint as a safe haven against the racism in the Old South, an unexpected, supernatural threat presents itself. Though these creatures aren’t only hungry for blood, but a warped sense of community? The expertly layered writing dives into profound complexities. Examining religion, race and the power of music, this hybrid genre film also explores ideas of ancestry, colonialism and cultural appropriation. While it’s not directly based on a true story, the origins of the film stem from Coogler’s personal life, influenced by the passing of his blues-loving Uncle James.
With all that said, Sinners is pretty one of a kind. Not to fret — if you’re one of those people headed to your local IMAX screen to experience it for the fifth time, we have some other recommendations for watches in between your next trip to the theater or until it begins streaming.
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Dev Patel’s directorial debut similarly touches on deeper concepts — corruption, the caste system, religion and oppression — in this underdog action story. In the fictional Indian city of Yatana, our protagonist “Kid” spends his nights wearing a gorilla mask and being beaten bloody in a dingy underground fighting club. Finally, an opportunity comes along to infiltrate a high-end nightclub frequented by the city’s elite. Little by little, Kid’s motives are revealed, and the plan for revenge becomes tangible. Not only did Patel pour his heart and soul into the unflinching storytelling, but the actor even broke his hand and some toes putting his all into the stunt work. Fun fact: Both Sinners star Jack O’Connell (playing Remmick the vampire) and Patel got their start on British TV series Skins.
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If you’re looking for more of Ryan Coogler’s work, check out Oscar-winning Judas and the Black Messiah. Directed by Shaka King and co-produced by Coogler, this true story follows William O’Neal’s (LaKeith Stanfield) acceptance of a plea bargain to avoid prison time, in exchange for becoming an FBI informant tasked with monitoring the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, and it’s captivating Chairman, Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). The film garnered six nominations at the 93rd Academy Awards. Kaluuya won Best Supporting Actor for his role, and the film’s Best Picture nomination marked the first for an all-Black producing team in the history of the ceremony. The Skins connections run deep! Kaluuya also began his acting journey on the late 2000s show.
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Wait a minute, hear us out on this one. Ryan Coogler himself said inspiration for Sinners came from this absolute wildcard source material. So while nothing out there will be exactly like double Michael B. Jordans fighting evil, why not check out some of the movies that influenced it? (It was nominated for an Oscar too!) Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) discovers the dire consequence of his many years of embarking on dangerous journies– he’s burned through eight of his nine lives. Facing mortality for the first time, Puss sets out on a new quest to restore his lives by finding the mystical Wishing Star. Other iconic voices in the animated adventure include Florence Pugh, John Mulaney, Olivia Colman and Salma Hayek.
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No, not the Britney Spears one. According to The New Yorker, there’s a myth in Clarksdale, Mississippi that famed, real life bluesman Robert Johnson sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for superb guitar mastery. If you were enthralled by the transcendence of blues music Sinners, and the idea of the supernatural, Crossroads is your next watch to dive deeper into its roots. Young guitar player Eugene (Ralph Macchio) learns of a lost Robert Johnson song, and breaks Johnson’s old companion Willie Brown (Joe Seneca) out of prison to search for it. The pair travel the South immersing themselves in the blues and eventually coming head-to-head with the Devil himself. Like Sammie’s father said, “You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s gonna follow you home.”
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Thirsty for more vampires? For increased bloodshed, bloodsuckers and carnage, you can always revisit this exhilarating horror. Titular human-vampire hybrid and black leather trench coated Blade (Wesley Snipes) dedicates his life to avenging his mothers death and eradicating the creatures of the night. The superhero film became a first major success for a Marvel character movie, and remains a reliable rewatch over two decades later as we continue to mourn Mahershala Ali’s rendition.
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Jamie Foxx stars as Django — a slave offered freedom in exchange for helping a bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) hunt down a pair of vicious slavers known as the Brittle Brothers. Their successful mission leads them to hunting down more criminals, landing on the plantation of Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) where Django’s wife is still enslaved. Brutal and bloody, this Tarantino screenplay is perfect if you’re hungry for another Southern-set period action thriller.
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Sinners takes a spin on and joins the territory of classic vampire-siege films. In one of its closest comparisons, From Dusk Till Dawn, outlaws Seth Gecko (George Clooney) and his brother Richard (Quentin Tarantino) take a family hostage and escape to Mexico after a deadly bank robbery. Hiding out at a strip club, the Titty Twister, until a guide arrives at dawn to take the fugitives to a safe place for criminals, the brothers discover they’ve stumbled into a nest of vampires. Some slight differences– the vampires in this flick are quite more kitchy compared to the red-eyed, taloned demons in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and it’s much more b-rated as you may be able to tell.
Claire Waheed is a recently graduated freelance writer currently based in Texas. She loves all things pop culture and new adventures.
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