A quick note: you'll notice that my camera feed is missing in this episode. I encountered an unexpected technical issue with Zoom during the recording that prevented my video from being captured, though thankfully, Alise's video and all audio are unaffected. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and I will immediately implement new checks to prevent this issue in the future. The conversation itself is fantastic, and I hope you enjoy it!
In this episode of The Austin B Media Podcast, I sat down with five-time guest Alise Chaffins to discuss Sinners after seeing it a couple of weeks ago.
What's The Movie About?
Ryan Coogler's latest film, Sinners, is set in 1932 Louisiana as brothers Smoke and Stack arrive to open their own juke joint.
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Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
02:21 - Recommendations and Recent Watches
06:37 - Sinners' Central Premise
09:23 - Our First Thoughts Coming Out of the Theater
13:26 - Our Final Rating for Sinners
14:03 - Who Should Watch Sinners?
15:59 - Viewing Experience: Dolby Atmos, IMAX, and the Importance of Sound
18:44 - Spoiler Warning
19:12 - The "I Lied to You" Musical Scene
22:52 - Vampirism as a Metaphor
23:47 - Shared Histories of Oppression
28:28 - Layered Themes, Religion, Delta Slim, and Rewatch Value
31:03 - Deeper Dive into the Title
34:51 - The Most Compelling Characters
40:27 - Plot Twists
46:41 - Ryan Coogler's Style
47:51 - The Chinese Characters & Subtle Historical Layers
52:32 - Is Sinners Ryan Coogler's Blank Check Movie?
55:32 - Box Office Reception, Original Movies vs. IP, and Industry Narrative
01:01:39 - The Technical Elements of Sinners
01:06:25 - Interpreting the Ending(s)
01:14:35 - The Most Impactful Deaths
01:16:30 - The Vampiric Lure, Villains with Understandable Motives, and Appropriation
01:23:51 - Austin's Reassesment & Effectiveness of Social Commentary
01:30:30 - Final Thoughts
01:33:03 - Where to Find Alise
Where to Watch Sinners
You can watch Sinners in theaters now. Additionally, you'll be able to watch the film on digital platforms starting on June 3rd, 2025, on VOD and digital platforms, followed by a 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD release on July 8th, 2025.
Where to Find Our Recommendations
Alise's recommendation - All seasons of The Handmaid's Tale are streaming on Hulu.
My recommendation: Stitch! The Movie is streaming on Disney+.
Where to Follow Me
Where to Follow Alise
Until next time!