No because that one movie Sinners is coming out soon and once I saw that one possessed white dude or vampire white dude or whatever he is I immediately said “Yeah no I hope white people don’t watch this movie because then they’re going to make it all about him because he’s a medium attractive white man with fangs even though Michael B Jordan is right there” because they always DO
"There are legends of people born with the gift of making music so true, it can pierce the veil between life and death. Conjuring spirits from the past and the future." SINNERS (2025) dir. Ryan Coogler
thinking about the vampire remmick in sinners coming from a same place of oppression as the people he's terrorizing, thinking about him using the music that his oppressed ancestors played to perpetuate the cycle of domination that they were a victim of, thinking about him trying to use his background to make sammie think they're on the same side when he's trying to take his gift for himself and use it for evil, thinking about him using his talents to destroy communities instead of healing them and bond his people together the way sammie does, music as the vessel of love through generations of black people against a white man that wants to take it for himself, vampirism in the movie being represented as a continuation of the south's racism, one that wants to appropriate the culture ("your memories become my memories") by using it to destroy the community, ryan coogler... genius i'm afraid
One of my favorite aspects of Sinners how they use the musical scenes to build tension. Because they start out small, with just Sammy and Stack in the car, then the performance with Slim at the train station, and then working up to the scenes in the barn.
The first juke sequence is the most visually stunning, of course. It's chaotic but overwhelmingly positive, beautiful, and joyous. When we move to Pearline's song, things start to darken. The thumping stomps are timed with the twins beating the man with the loaded dice. We've already seen violence in the film, but this is a steep escalation intentionally set to music.
Then, we think the tension is going down when the ******** show up (no spoilers 🤫), but they are so immediately unsettling that we never feel at ease. Their music is sweet and their voices are soothing, but it's a front, one that fractures pretty quick but shatters completely with the Rocky Road to Dublin.
Rocky Road is a perversion of the first juke scene, twisting the joyful chaotic energy of the dance into a masterfully disturbing parody, where the full evil and madness (and twisting of spirituality) of the ******** is put on display.
It's just such a good way to build the narrative. I love love love how serious they were about making music the keystone of every filming decision.
House of Flying Daggers 十面埋伏 (2004) dir. Zhang Yimou
People don’t understand how hard it is to get over your own personal hell. Like I give so much credit to them for literally stepping into the fear to help Janet. This is a huge example of co-regulation
If I see one more “Remmick doesn’t understand race bc he sees himself as Irish” post. You know what they did when they were given the chance?
Assimilate into white culture. Remmick knew what he was doing and he knew the way he was doing it was wrong. In the end he was chasing power not his ancestors.
We know what the Irish experienced in Ireland and the US but what did they do when they had the chance? “I don’t want to be treated like they treat black people!” They chased that white privilege and protection.
"unracist those motherfuckers" vs what is said about sammie's family's church... i know what you are. how about the themes of colonialism and abusive religion that remmick perpetuates. how about remmick's co-opting of black culture. how about remmick paying no regard to a young and gifted black man's autonomy because he wants his gift to serve him. "i want your stories, i want your music"— i do not think painting remmick as this kumbaya singing advocate of peace and equality was the message in this movie, but showing that racism is not just klansmen who say the hard r and lynch black people (which is essentially what remmick was doing as well). even the music he plays says this— the blending of cultures as sammy transcends time with his music, you see all sorts, but remmick is solely focused on white music, his irish heritage is his only focus in his music. "unracist those motherfuckers" no! he just made them a different form of racist! juxtaposition lol.
also michael b jordan as a blood-soaked sweating shirtless vampire thank u ryan coogler. thank u god.
the comparison of the Irish experience to the Black experience, finding out that Remmick comes from a time when the Irish were colonized... while still acknowledging that he was able to use that privilege to escape the vampire hunters... and the first thing he did was un-racist those fuckers in the home he ran in to.
and the absolute juxtaposition of Sammie escaping the vampire hivemind with his life, only to go back home to the church where he is expected to give up the music of his life to assimilate into his father's church
Ryan fuckin Coogler the man that you are
i'm not going to shut the fuck up about this movie
JACK O'CONNELL as Remmick Sinners (2025) dir. Ryan Coogler
Adam Bakri as Ali Khan Shirvanshir in ALI AND NINO (2016) dir. Asif Kapadia