Long before The Sopranos, Max (nee Home Box Office), specialized in bringing box office movies into your home without the puritanical editing that TV networks employed. That may sound ridiculous now that we can rent anything we want without getting off our couch. But back in the day? Revolutionary!
Speaking of revolutions, Fourth of July is here, and that means Sinners is available to anyone with Max, less than three months after its theatrical release. Current numbers put earnings over $360 million and rising.
Why is Sinners so great?
No spoilers—here’s why.
Director Ryan Coogler (Black Panther, Creed) is a master of tension building, world building, action, and character development. The cast of Sinners is the size of a small town—yet individual characters get little moments that make every interaction, every triumph, smile, dance, and death incredibly impactful. It’s cool to find out that an exceptional action hero director also has a love for horror. Everything he shows us demonstrates an unflinching honesty. It’s almost accusatory, which is probably why different viewer demographics feel different ways about it.
It's no secret that Michael B. Jordan has an intense and vibrant screen presence. What was new to me was the subtlety with which he plays twins Smoke and Stack as distinct characters with different vocal styles, stances, gaits, and fight or flight responses. It’s stunning and masterful. Sinners is the performance that proves Jordan isn’t merely a good actor—he’s a great actor who better get an Oscar for this.
The women in this movie are splendid. All of them. It’s probably no coincidence that the best women-in-horror since The Descent also occurs in the movie that mentions cunnilingus more than any non-porn movie I’ve ever seen. Annie and her magic, Mary and her brashness and honesty, Pearline’s incredible voice, and Grace Chow’s impressive bravery in the face of the bad guys. These women are smart, scrappy, and all portrayed as desirable despite an array of non-traditionally attractive body types.
The villains? So many. So scary. Some are of the mundane, others aren’t. Cultures are crossed, timelines are explored, and magic is everywhere—or is it? Are the bad guys the ones in real estate, like in real life? Maybe the villains are the guys who just robbed the mafia? Or the ones trying to steal cargo? Or the guy who doesn’t want his son to play guitar for anyone but Jesus? Or are the villains the ones who continue to repeat the same mistakes over and over? Maybe the villain is Riverdance itself.
You and your friends might interpret Sinners differently. That makes this an excellent movie to watch in a group or via an online watch party. It’s scary, dramatic, unexpected, witty as hell, and you will never guess what’s coming next, even as you realize what genre you’re in and what tropes you should expect.
And thanks to Max, you can watch it this weekend without also spending $40 on sodas and snacks.
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