Sinners: One Night Of Raving I Wouldn't Want To Attend

A horror musical, this film follows the return of twins Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) to their Mississippi hometown in 1932. Desiring to settle down and leave their troubled pasts behind, they plan to create a business, unaware that a great evil is waiting to welcome them back home.

This was a great movie, one that seamlessly blended the supernatural with humor and adventure. I found myself laughing more than expected, and I would say the rest of the audience agreed with me. It was really nice to experience an unexpected levity during a film that was predominantly dark. Based on that, the storytelling was amazing; there was so much detailed world building, with all the necessary characters and relationships fleshed out really well. But spoiler alert: don't get too attached to most of them, I learned that the hard way.

I really enjoyed the representation, how elements of the movie demonstrated broader themes. Villain Remmick (Jack O'Connell) and his followers of vampires depict the brutal and all-consuming impacts of racism. The juke joint represents a safe haven, a location where the African American community and culture can thrive independently. There's also a visible dichotomy between the twins: Smoke wears blue clothing, representing goodness and heroism while Stack wears red, signifying corruption and evil. Even in their love stories, as Smoke is married to the balanced, caring Annie (Wunmi Mosaku) while Stack falls in love with the reckless, fiesty Mary (Hailee Steinfeld).

The soundtrack was similarly amazing, demonstrating an incredibly talented cast and the important use of music for the plot. The twins' cousin Sammie (Miles Caton) loves to make music, and the transcending power of it summons spirits in one of the coolest montages I've seen in a movie of recent date. It was an incredibly creative story that captivated the entire audience with its successful jumpscares and great script writing.