This year, when people talk about movies and the Oscars, many are talking about a film called “Sinners.”
“Sinners” is a spooky, slow-moving horror film directed by Ryan Coogler, a director who has quietly made significant changes in Hollywood. With this film, he enters a movie genre that the Oscars usually ignore—and he’s doing something new again.
For over ten years, Coogler has been a significant figure in the movie industry, particularly within the Black community. People often compare him to someone like Christopher Nolan because of how much he’s done. He started by telling the true story of Oscar Grant’s last day in “Fruitvale Station.”
Advertisement Then he brought new life to the “Rocky” series with “Creed,” and made history with the superhero movie “Black Panther.” Coogler excels at crafting movies that seamlessly blend personal stories, social issues, and popular entertainment.
Now comes “Sinners,” a movie that made a lot of money and got great reviews. It could change both Ryan Coogler’s career and how the Oscars see horror movies. If things are fair, Coogler should be added to the short list of Black directors who’ve ever been nominated for Best Director — a list that includes John Singleton, Lee Daniels, Steve McQueen, Barry Jenkins, Jordan Peele, and Spike Lee.
The Oscars often ignore horror movies because they’re seen as too noisy, too scary, or too strange. Even classics like “Psycho” and “Rosemary’s Baby” didn’t get the awards they deserved. Only a few, like “The Silence of the Lambs” and “Get Out,” have actually won big. But now that movies like “Substance” have gotten five nominations, “Sinners” doesn’t seem like a risky pick — it feels like the right time.
Michael B. Jordan, who has worked with Coogler for a long time, plays twin brothers named Smoke and Stack. His acting is so good and different in each role that it’s hard to believe it’s the same person. Jordan didn’t get enough credit for “Fruitvale Station” and “Black Panther,” but now he deserves Oscar attention. There’s also a new actor, Miles Caton, who plays Sammie “Preacher Boy” Moore with the same bold energy that made Daniel Kaluuya famous.
Another actor, Delroy Lindo, who should have already won awards, gives a powerful performance as Slim. He was unfairly ignored for his work in “Da 5 Bloods” and deserves lots of praise now. The rest of the cast is full of life too: Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Li Jun Li, and Hailee Steinfeld.
This cast is so strong that they should be up for the new Best Casting Oscar, and the casting director Francine Maisler could be the first winner. Movies like “Dune: Part Two” and “Past Lives” showed that amazing films can come out early in the year. “Sinners” might follow that path, just like “Black Panther” did.
Coogler reunites his exceptional team, featuring Hannah Beachler for set design, Ruth E. Carter for costumes, and Ludwig Göransson for music. They all could win Oscars again. The film’s look is created by Autumn Durald Arkapaw, who makes every shot beautiful and full of emotion. She has done great work before, like in “Teen Spirit” and “Loki,” and this could finally be the year a woman wins for best camera work. Only three women have ever been nominated for this award.
What makes “Sinners” special is that it deeply treats horror. It’s not just scary — it’s emotional. It makes you feel, not just jump. It mixes fear with memories and survival. It’s both personal and political, and the vampire-like spirits in the story show that haunting feeling.
For Coogler, winning awards isn’t the goal. What matters to him is telling powerful stories that make people think, feel more love, and keep going strong. “Sinners” doesn’t just ask for attention — it makes people reflect. For many, it’s one of the most important movies of the year.
Ryan Coogler is always moving forward. He’s not going to stop now.
Source: Variety