Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton
Week of April 14, 2025
Sinners
Rated R for sexual content, language, and strong bloody violence
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%
In Theaters
Writer/director Ryan Coogler (Black Panther, Creed) teams up with Michael B. Jordan again for this supernatural thriller about a pair of twins in 1930’s Mississippi (both played by Jordan) who come back to their hometown, after a stint in Chicago, to open a juke joint. After buying a local sawmill, they hastily put together a band, featuring their young cousin Sammie (newcomer Miles Caton), a blues prodigy with huge potential, and Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo) a local legend as the band leader. Opening night begins to go off with nary a hitch, until a trio of music-loving vampires show up to try to crash the party. When the teaser premiered last fall, I didn’t know what to think of it. Was it a crime drama? Thriller? Horror flick? Musical? Race war? All I did know was that Ryan Coogler has an impressive resume and the likelihood of disappointment was low. On that last point I was correct. Sinners does not disappoint. It works on so many levels and its genre is hard to account for. It is a true piece of art with elements of all the above, elevating it to an almost indescribable experience that will simply leave you floored by the end. On that note, make sure you stay until after the credits roll. Obviously, Coogler is the glue that holds the film together. His writing is strong here and the directing is visionary. And Jordan serves as a great lead, playing two roles and having a fun time while doing it. One unexpected element is Miles Caton and his character Sammie who blows the roof off the place in a star-making turn that will leave audiences buzzing. And then there is the wind in the movie’s sails provided by Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson (Black Panther, Oppenheimer) whose musical vision is breathtakingly on display here. While it’s early in the year movie-wise, I can easily see this score being the one to beat come awards season. Rich in blues, classical and rock, the music is the palette the movie is being painted on, giving the film an almost ethereal feel and unforgettable quality. A
Sacramento
Rated R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
In Theaters
Lovable loser Michael Cera is about to become a father, but his neurosis is driving his wife (Kristen Stewart) nuts, and something needs to change for both of them. Writer, director, and costar Michael Angarano provides that catalyst for him when he shows up unannounced, wanting to take a road trip to Sacramento from Southern California in order to spread his father’s ashes. But nothing his friend says is on the level and the road trip turns into a chaotic circus with two unstable individuals trying to figure out their lives. If you like awkward comedies (and I mean super awkward), this might be a good buddy movie for you. It is quirky to the extreme and a bit of a mess. But I will admit that the humor isn’t for everyone, and its oddness can be a bit unsettling. Personally, and probably unprofessionally on my part, I was thrown off by Cera’s horrible beard, which he should have never grown. But aside from the nightmarish facial hair, the project just seemed off to me, which I feel was on purpose. There were moments I laughed, but there were more where I could tell they were trying to get me to laugh, unsuccessfully. At least it was short, but I would still only recommend a watch once it comes out on streaming and the only thing you have to lose is 90 minutes. C+