There’s something about the current landscape of movies that feels repetitive. More often than not, I walk into the cinema or press play on a movie on a streaming platform expecting to feel something different. I chase that feeling—that escape—that comes from being moved in a new way after watching a film. In some ways, I guess you could liken it to the effect of alcohol or other intoxicants people keep taking, trying to feel the first high that they will probably never feel again.
For me, movies are that thing. Not that I’m addicted to them (even though that wouldn’t be the worst addiction, depending on how you look at it), but I feel like I’ve been let down more often than not lately—leaving the theater or logging off with the same feeling of having seen the same thing again.
I saw a thread on X (formerly Twitter) that linked this feeling to personal growth and a taste that evolves with it. And while I agree, I also think it’s a result of this new era of filmmaking where studios rely heavily on reboots and remakes—aiming to capture Gen Z’s attention while reigniting Millennials’ and Boomers’ love for cinema. But in doing so, they’ve put less focus on original works that actually give me the emotional aftereffect I crave.
It’s been a while since I felt that spark. But Ryan Coogler’s Sinners broke the streak. At first glance, it looks like just another vampire horror movie, which in itself isn’t new. But once you start watching, you realise how different it is.
It’s one of those rare films that blend music, the supernatural, and action within a tight space and timeframe, while also touching on real societal issues like racism, crime, loss, and the search for belonging.
Most vampire films use the trope of compulsion—vampires charming others to do their bidding. But in Sinners, the entire movie—the story itself and Ryan Coogler’s direction—is the compulsion.
For the first time in a long while, I felt like I was watching a vampire movie I hadn’t seen before. And beyond that, I was watching a story I’ve seen play out in many films and TV shows, but never told quite like this—in this form, this time, and this way.
It’s made me believe in original movies again. Even though Coogler’s next project is a remake—The X-Files—if we can keep getting originals like Sinners from him and other standout directors like Christopher Nolan, then maybe, just maybe, mainstream Hollywood can return to delivering films that give me—and perhaps you, reading this—the blissful feeling you get when you watch something truly worth your time, energy, and money.
One of those rare movies you feel deep in your soul, so much so that you need a few minutes or hours just to gather your thoughts and explain to someone else how good it was.
Additionally, it’s almost refreshing to see actors star as main characters who play twins or doubles. In the past two months, Warner Bros. has released three separate films featuring major stars playing twins or doubles: Mickey 17 with Robert Pattinson, The Alto Knights with Robert De Niro, and now Sinners, starring Michael B. Jordan.
It’s no surprise that they’ve all been good movies. However, Sinners is without a doubt the best of the three.