Sinners (2025) and how the perfect mapping of history, music and storytelling can keep cinema alive.

As expected for an article about a movie that came out in 2025, yes, yes I am starting this with the typical introduction about how “in a world with oversaturated streaming services, an overproduction of vertical content, the theatres still find a way to keep the narratives alive” I mean yeah, it is like that, but I like to think I see it from an outer scope, a scope that's not so pessimistic about the current situation of the quality of filmmaking, to be honest this argument where some say “This is not a film this is a movie” “this is just to make money” well for me it can be both, and for the wellbeing of this industry it should be like that, a movie like Sinners to me is a movie that helps keep that balance, and it's a filmmaking task that I hadn't seen put in many directors in a long time(lets say Nolan, Wes Anderson, Fincher, Peele) the credentials behind a director like Ryan Coogler say more already than anything we could put into words, he made Creed, he made Black Panther, and Sinners is a movie that reached the theatres worldwide and although it comes from the same director as those huge blockbusters it still holds that different essence that makes us say “they don't make movies like this anymore”.

Now WHY are we asking ourselves how why Sinners feels different as an experience, compared to past phenomenons like famous “Barbenheimer” where the sole release of two widely awaited movies back to back created a phenomenon that blew the box office away, Sinners arrived this year in a fresher-some would say nonchalant fashion, with a proposal inside the film that as we are used to see in new acclaimed movies, plays with the genre and the story it wants to tell. Is it all a metaphor? is the big menace of the film trying to project a message from the real world? With those brutal subtextual questions, Sinners raised the interest for many movie lovers and regular movie goers, and this is worth of mentioning because different from the ‘Barbenheimer’ phenomenon which gathered its public from before the world release of both projects due to the names involved in them Sinners gathered its public due to the challenging and fresh proposal of the film and the name of the stars in it (cause who doesn't like to see a collaboration between Coogler and Michael B. Jordan). When one starts the movie, from the very first sequence we are established in a historical moment that requires our attention and our seriousness where the main characters are already breaking the stereotypes of their time, the symbolical twins played by Michael B. Jordan who are empowered black men making big moves and a name for themselves in the town they're living in, casting a star like Jordan and then making him play twins is a something I like to call a Blockbuster-flex, and kind of a dream role for any actor(a hero), where he gets to play the full duality, and make a character out of each one.

Then we have the young talent, necessary in big movies like this, a new face that has the potential to become a big star, this time a stellar interpretation by Miles Caton who brings the perfect mix of interesting new face with familiarity as in you're not wondering who's this guy throughout the movie, he achieved a nuanced character who you care for, and even though you don't know who the actor might be, the boy's still likeable, he kind of brings the story together, he's key to the most important parts of the movie, and Hailee Steinfeld brings a new interpretation to the femme fatale, who wants more than just reconnecting with a past love. As we can see we have a formulaic set of characters, and formula doesn't mean repetition, when its well placed and written it will feel fresh, and the good writing that is put in this movie goes along like a soothing blues until all hell breaks loose and the movie change its course forever(as sinister as it may sound). To me a special highlight of this movie is the attention to detail, like any great movie, it's not about completing certain kind of standards, or using this or that element, but to know that every decision put in the film is there for a reason, therefore elevating the production value of the project, this special observations go to the visual aspect of the movie, the color just looks on point. As the movie is shot on film, the saturation, the aspect ration and the sets just look full of texture, and would definitely recommend watching this on a big screen, it will enhance the quality of the details. The music by Ludwig Goransson lets you get lost in the story, it builds up along with the images we see, and the story just works like a symphony.

I don't want to get into the spoilers of the movie, but all im going to say is that when the plot decides to change, it won't feel like an abrupt change, but like a smooth turn, and it'll be scary but it will be the shot of adrenaline a movie like this needs, then one understands why it's making everybody go see it. The ending is poetic, a great closure to a rollercoaster of actions and emotions, and what I loved is that this movie gives you that nice feeling after going to the theatre, where you are processing everything that happened and it just gives you a lot to think about. It stays with you, I feel like that's the feeling we try to get when we ask “why don't they make movies like this anymore” and the truth is the access to unlimited streaming, and the changing narratives over the years is something that Ryan Coogler noticed and grabbed everything that could feel classic in a movie and mixed it with the new techniques of storytelling in order to make this career milestone blockbuster, who wouldn't want to have a passion project made with unlimited budget, in the techniques that you'd like, with the dreamcast you'd like, a story that holds tribute to your family and represents your community, and on top of that is a success and is objectively liked by millions, that is how Ryan Coogler means to keep people going to the theatre.