Sinners is a sensational, stylish and soulful fusion of genres. This is exactly the kind of ambition and originality we need more of from major studios. Ryan Coogler hasn’t just delivered one of the best films of the year, but arguably the best of his impressive career. There are a lot of different elements here, working in harmony to achieve something wholly unique and memorable. It’s a viciously entertaining vampire flick, but there’s so much more to it, which is what makes it truly special. This is a thematically rich story that celebrates black culture as well as an examination of oppressive hardships and cultural assimilation. It’s also a beautiful tribute to the roots of blues music, in which the music itself becomes just as alive as any of the film’s characters. There’s a scene where music transcends time that’ll be talked about for years. You can’t ignore the ambition, and although on paper it may sound like a messy mashup of genres and ideas, the end result is undeniably ...
A great prequel isn’t so much about the what, but about the how and why that lead to the events we already know. Rogue One took a small plot hole from A New Hope and not only fixed it, but gave it meaning. Over two seasons, Andor has delivered a truly spectacular lead up to Rogue One, filled with purpose and emotional resonance, further elevating the entire original trilogy in the process. Season one played like a series of connected arcs - four smaller stories woven into a larger narrative. Season two, by contrast, is more singular in its focus. It has the urgency of a story heading toward a known endpoint, with a clearer sense of direction and finality. While there are still some detours and character-specific side plots, everything here feels more tightly connected to the series’ inevitable conclusion. These twelve episodes work overtime to bridge the gap between Andor and Rogue One, while never feeling forcibly tied to canon. It delivers more brilliantly detailed...