Juke Joint
Sinners was the perfect movie for Easter weekend.
The universe saw the things I have asked for in 2025 and delivered. In my last few posts, I have talked about blues music, bourbon, and good-looking men, and this film gave us all of it. I wasn’t following Coogler’s work schedule and I learned of this film when I was invited to go see it. Vampires. 1930’s. Juke Joint. I believed I would enjoy the atmosphere, I walked away with a vampire film in my top three of the genre. This film has been out for less than seventy-two hours, I can’t talk about the plot much, but I’m revisiting some of the characters.
Annie
Annie is a shining light. Wunmi Mosaku takes over any film or show she is in. She won me over with Lovecraft Country and she wifed up Michael B. Jordan in Sinners. She’s not just the supporting character either. When the chips fall, not only does she know exactly what’s going on, she comes up with a plan. This is the one you want on your team.
Smoke
Smoke is the level-headed twin married to Annie. The biggest bit of fantasy in this vampire flick is that when Annie tells him something, he listens the first time. Even the vampires respected this rare specimen. I used to say Jordan was too skinny to be Creed. I was wrong, he just aged gracefully and is hitting forty looking amazing. He didn’t even put it on in the face like most, he has the movie star gene that only added it onto his chest, biceps, and thighs. I was in a packed movie theatre in Marina del Rey and when Coogler went for those close-ups, you could tell by the energy in the audience that he accomplished exactly what he was aiming for.
Pearline
Pearline is the girl that if you walk into a party and see her, you wonder why you even bothered doing your hair before leaving the house. Her performance and solo song in the film should really make the rounds on social media because she was stellar. To have the ability and confidence to wear a form-fitting satin sheath dress on a hot and humid Mississippi summer night is a flex that most of us will never attain. Celebrate it and immortalize it to film.
Bo
When Bo walks out into his shop, my first thought was, “Hello, Bay Area, nice to see you”. There is a swagger that one can only achieve as a Bay Area native. I was reminded that the director was one of us as well, and then it hits me, I’m watching a Bay Area movie. I love what Coogler did with the character of Bo. He lives in Mississippi, he has a full-on Mississippi accent, thank you.
Mary
Mary is our spiritual advisor for 2025. She is the love interest to Stack. Anyone who willingly chooses to dance with the devil after learning their identity is an interesting person and you have to respect the courage. I like her energy and if I ever earn a Clarksdale Crossroads moment, I’m grabbing that immortality lotto ticket, and no matter the circumstances, I’m coming to take you with me. Promise.
Stack
Smoke may be the level-headed one, but it’s Stack who enjoys the wins. Stack had dreams and he laid them brick-by-brick and saw them to fruition. At one point he’s asked what the end game is and his reply is simply, “freedom”.
Slick
You can’t have a movie in Clarksdale at a Juke Joint and not have someone that plays the guitar like the legends. Slick delivers and anyone who is a fan of music will understand that it’s when you’re in the epicenter of that moment - that’s when they find you. You can’t tap into a song, a story, a work of art, without someone noticing. Take it as a compliment when it’s the scary ones that find you.
I’ve said that time goes around and around and we’re all at different parties until we see one another again. This Juke Joint threw a very memorable party.