Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” is a nightmare-filled story with dream-worthy screen quality that is growing increasingly likely to dominate at the Oscars.
The film, set in 1930s Mississippi, follows two twin brothers, Smoke and Stack, who come back to their hometown to open a “juke joint” but are faced with a multiplying group of evil vampires along their journey.
The film includes important elements of African American history: Hogwood, the man who sells Smoke and Stack the joint, is implied to be a member of the Ku Klux Klan, which is why the twins explicitly tell Hogwood to stay off the property. The vampires spreading hatred act as a metaphor for institutional racism, allowing the historical and horror elements to blend together. Films with historical elements have previously performed well at the Oscars, and the ones in this film truly elevate and deepen the story. The combination of history with horror ensures that the film is viewed as part of a continuous story rather than a random event.
The historical setting is brought to life through characters’ styling and makeup choices. “Sinners” is also nominated for Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling, which is appropriate considering the high quality and detail of the subtle yet thoughtful makeup. Giving the vampires glowing eyes allowed the audience to observe the gradual transition of characters into vampire form.
In addition, the cast has outstanding talent. Michael B. Jordan stunned audiences with his ability to act as both the characters of Smoke and Stack. Smoke has a much deeper, grounded sense about him while Stack is slightly more charismatic. Even so, they are brothers, so Jordan gave them shared elements as well. In an interview, Wunmi Mosaku, who plays local Hoodoo practitioner Annie, said that Jordan’s transition between playing the two characters was so seamless that it was unnoticeable.
Miles Caton played Sammie Moore, a young man who is hired to play at the twins’ joint. Caton did a wonderful job at capturing Sammie’s naivete and innocence while still being able to convey his strength. In one scene, Sammie disagrees with Smoke and stands his ground against him, but eventually retreats back to his fearful demeanor when Smoke threatens to shoot him. Caton possesses strong musical talent, which enhances his character building because he performs authentically without being overly worried about not sounding perfect. This is a perfect example of how utilizing a musically-gifted actor rather than training a non-singer can truly elevate the film.
On this topic of music, the film is extremely creative, filled with a hearty banjo, a harmonia, and other folk musical instruments. The music is regionally accurate, with mainly blues-style music fitting the southern setting. It also acts as protection, guarding Sammie from the evil that lurks within his town. That said, Sammie’s increasing talent and success symbolizes the devil, which is why his preacher father advises him to give up music. Sammie’s song “I Lied to You,” by Grammy-winning composer Raphael Saadiq and Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson, is nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars.
Overall, the film includes a wide variety of strong elements, such as the talented cast, the music, and the makeup. It is already making waves with 16 Oscar nominations, setting the record for most nominations for a film in history. The large number of awards the film received at the 2026 Actor Awards increases the likelihood of it doing well: Michael B. Jordan won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role and the film itself won Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.
