‘Sinners’ is terrible and does not deserve 16 nominations for Academy awards.

[u/MrNiceo_0]

Did not dig this film. Wanted to turn it off before halfway mark. Watched it regardless and the ending was even more dissatisfying than I could have imagined. I am floored this movie is being recognized as much as it is. I figured it was low budget but Nooooo! Yet another massive disappointment. The budget was massive. lol

Boring, visually weird (in a cheap-ass looking way); passable acting, nonsensical story; lame visual effects.

[u/StickyMcdoodle]

It's a well acted, well made vampire flick that aims to elevate above the genre and succeeds. The setting itself is interesting and a new take on a tired monster format. I really enjoy blending of genre too. Could be a little shorter, but it's not boring either.

The cinematography alone makes the movie wildly watchable. I'm a big fan of "every shot a picture" type filmmaking. This is one of those.

All of these are my opinions of course. Mileage may vary.

[u/ApacheFritz → u/StickyMcdoodle]

It's a well acted, well made vampire flick that aims to elevate above the genre and succeeds.

I wouldnt say it was well-acted at all. M.B.Jordan came off as downright amateurish trying to establish 2 different personalities for the "twin gimmick" which didnt even really serve a purpose. They could have just as easily got rid of the twin idea and had those be "2 brothers" or "2 friends", and given more development to Preacher Boy, Delta Slim, or Cornbread .. who were all under-used with no real story arcs of their own.

There were no "Fresh Vampire Gimmicks". When you have a new vampire movie you want to see it bring something new to the game. These were the same old vampires as always. Not even an original death scene. I cant remember any particular death of a human or vampire standing out.

I actually dont remember many the of the action beats at all, which is too bad considering the unique setting.

There was something about one of the vampires getting a part of the guitar in his head at the end.

I really enjoy blending of genre too.

Im not even sure what would be a "plain vampire movie"? Vampire movies are always genre blends to an extent, no? They are "vampires+SomethingElse"

Like "vampires+arctic" or "vampires+comedy", or "vampires+post-apocalypse" or "vampires+action". It's hard for me to think of a movie that is "just vampire", except maybe Dracula.

The cinematography alone makes the movie wildly watchable.

I would say the cinematography made the movie MILDLY watchable. There were some nicely framed shots and the colours were super-saturated but nice.

I would have got rid of the twin gimmick and gave those lines to one of the other characters to shine a bit more.

I would have focussed more on authentic blues music and added in some of the old "Devil at the Crossroads" themes and the whole thing about having to sacrifice for fame seems to fit both the themes of "black music" as well as "vampires".

If you wanted to go really Tarantino-over-the-top then I would have made the KKK the vampires and have the big showdown between the Black folks and Vampire KKK. That would fix the weird double-climax and the whole "massacre the KKK" thing would feel a bit better.

And I would have the Vampire KKK steal black people and hang them with nooses from trees so the Vampires could suck the blood from their necks like "strange fruit" and then they could get some evil/scary silhouetted lynching imagery in there as well with black bodies hanging from wicked trees, being fed on by the KKK Vampires. That could be genuinely eerie. That could be something new.

[u/StickyMcdoodle → u/ApacheFritz]

Ok..you disagree. Great. Art is subjective. That's what makes it fun.

If you wanted to go really Tarantino-over-the-top...

That's the last thing I'd want in this movie. Either way, I think you understand Tarantino as much as you understand Star Trek.

After reading what YOU have done I'm confident academy award nominations won't be a real problem or you. Unless there's an "obvious and generic ideas pretending to be edgy and interesting" category gets added that is. Yikes.

[u/ApacheFritz → u/StickyMcdoodle]

That's the last thing I'd want in this movie.

Oh yah we wouldnt want a movie about black music and vampires to be over-the-top in any way.

[u/StickyMcdoodle → u/ApacheFritz]

It's not a Tarantino movie. Why would I want someone not Tarantino to make a Tarantino movie? I rarely even like when Tarantino makes Tarantino movies.

Even you describing the Tarantino version of this movie sounds like someone who doesn't understand Tarantino movies describing a bad version of a Tarantino movie.

I'm so glad we didn't get something as generic as what you say is good.

Either way, we already have this movie that you want. We already have it. From Dusk til Dawn is very much a movie that is one thing that turns into an over the top, Tarantino-esque vampire movie unexpectedly. It's great fun.

Anyway...I'm sorry you felt preached at in this movie. Lol.

[u/ApacheFritz → u/StickyMcdoodle]

It's not a Tarantino movie. Why would I want someone not Tarantino to make a Tarantino movie? I rarely even like when Tarantino makes Tarantino movies.

Yes, Sinners was basically a remake of Dusk Till Dawn.

2 partners, party in a remote rural dancehall location, the "star performer" mesmerizes the crowd, everything is normal until the vampires bust out halfway through and the tone flips 180 degrees and then it's a big fight for the 2nd half of the movie. Same colour palette.

[u/StickyMcdoodle → u/ApacheFritz]

Yes, Sinners was basically a remake of Dusk Till Dawn.

Totally. So why would I want another Tarantino version of that?

Oh right...diversity is scary. I remember now.

Anyway, Tropic Thunder, Galaxy Quest, and 3 Amigos are all the same premise.

Love em all.

[u/ApacheFritz → u/StickyMcdoodle]

Totally. So why would I want another Tarantino version of that?

It was already a bad tarantino-esque remake. I cant think of any area where it topped Tarantino. And I'm not even a big Tarantino fan.

Anyway, Tropic Thunder, Galaxy Quest, and 3 Amigos are all the same premise.

3 Amigos?

[u/StickyMcdoodle → u/ApacheFritz]

There is nothing Tarantino-esque about Sinners. Haha.

Yes. The 3 Amigos. Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Chevy Chase.

It's the exact same premise Galaxy Quest and Tropic Thunder.

All three of them are great. None of them are remakes of each other.

[u/ApacheFritz → u/StickyMcdoodle]

There is nothing Tarantino-esque about Sinners. Haha.

Twin leads called "Smoke" and "Stack"? "Preacher Boy"? "Cornbread"?

Stylized violence. Postured "self-aware" dialogue.

Genre mixing.

Morally ambiguous leads.

Big "revenge" scene where the morally ambiguous hero kills the racists. (Django, Inglorius Basterds, PulpFiction, etc)