“The horror film has never been as accepted as a mainstream storytelling genre, or a more powerful mirror of troubled times, as it is today. Rooted in the intertwined histories of Black cultural achievement and racism in America, Sinners is destined to be regarded as a landmark of the genre. Twin brothers “Smoke” and “Stack” (Michael B. Jordan, in a remarkable double performance), back from the trenches of WWI, use money stolen from the Chicago mob to purchase a sawmill and open an exclusive juke joint for a Black community in Mississippi. The irresistible energy of the music and dance emanating from within draws a coven of immigrant Irish vampires to the crowded club doors; at first they modestly request entry as fellow entertainers, but soon they are picking off locals before mounting a ferocious, climactic assault. Coogler uses vampirism as a metaphor for the complex history of racial “passing” and assimilation in America is profoundly affecting, as is the film’s inclusion of marginalized Chinese and Native American characters in the film’s horrific—and historically accurate—portrayal of the nation’s culture of prejudice. Sinners may be set in 1932, but it calls for serious reflection in 2025.” –MoMA, The Contenders
A 2026 Academy Award nominee for Best Picture, Director, Lead Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay, Casting, Production Design, Cinematography, Costume Design, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound, Visual Effects, Original Score, and Original Song.
