By Nicarlyle Hanchard / The Jambar
There were many fun and engaging movies to watch this summer. I watched a few, and previewed the discourse of others. That said, “Sinners” was one of the best movies shown this summer. I am not here to convince you of this — or myself to be convinced otherwise.
I enjoy supernatural shows and movies. I appreciated that this movie was borderline historical fiction. There were many people researching and making videos about the history of the blues, the Mississippi Delta and Chinese settlement in the area, among other historical topics the movie commented on.
The scene that stuck with me was the burning of the veil during Sammie’s performance in the Juke Joint. The entire scene of the “I Lied to You” song, narration, characters and imagery sent chills down my spine.
My initial thought was of the torn veil in the synagogue when Jesus died, which is quite ironic considering the story behind Sammie’s song. However, it could also be viewed as an excellent juxtaposition — be it intentional or not.
To continue, when Delta Slim told Sammie that the Blues weren’t forced on Black Americans like Christianity and it was brought with them from home, I cracked a smile. I know the history of some religions is a sensitive topic to some, but that line took me back to my Caribbean history and religious education classes in high school.
At the time, learning of the different ways the enslaved and formerly enslaved had to integrate their culture into that which was forced on them, was somewhat unsettling — learning why they did it and what would happen if they didn’t.
In retrospect, I admire their bravery and determination to not forget their home. That said, seeing the attempts of their descendants to retain aspects of their culture discussed positively in a mainstream movie gave me chills.
That takes me to the negative attitudes that surround the retained and integrated aspects of African culture by their descendants in the former colonies. Why is it degraded and lambasted? Why were, and are, those who want to share in a piece of history relevant to them viewed as less than?
I ask these questions as someone from the Caribbean who speaks a language that resembles, maybe faintly, one that was spoken by my formerly enslaved ancestors. A dialect often described as “broken English,” but is a language in its own right.
And yes, I know that “Sinners” spoke specifically to the Black American experience, but as a former student of history and a Jamaican, I could not help but recognize the similarities.
I am a realist when it comes to art consumption. I look for the human elements in a piece to analyze and validate the themes. Sometimes, I look too deep to find themes that relate to me — it can either add to the experience or take away from it.
Again, “Sinners” was one of the best movies released this summer. I believe it is a well-researched and well-produced film — definitely worth the watch and inquiry.