So, I just saw The Sinners movie, and I am flabbergasted. I want to preface this by saying I had no idea what the movie was about before watching it, but now it all makes sense. All I knew was that MBJ was in it.

First of all, I see why it premiered Easter weekend. This movie aligns with a lot of the nudges I’ve been getting and is a very clear artistic representation of concepts that have been introduced to me—like the true purpose of Christianity, the true purpose of hoodoo, spiritual protection, divine union, societal pressures, etc.

Let me give a mystical recount of my experience watching it. As I was watching—seeing the Black community, the log houses, the farming, the harmonious segregation—this intrusive thought came through: “That’s really how it was.” I thought, I guess I’m not watching this alone. Sounds odd but it was more of an idea that came from outside rather than within. My people were with me—meaning my ancestors. And after watching the entire movie, I see why. I got the sense that this wasn’t propaganda meant to keep us stuck in the loop of trauma and Black strife. I had the awareness that this movie was F.U.B.U (which is rare).

I loved that MBJ played twins. It was very symbolic. I felt that the partners chosen for each twin were symbolic, too. One was with a octoroon—hot-headed, determined, but didn’t show any depth beyond grief and passion. The other…Now. When I saw the Florida water and gris-gris bags, I thought, NOT THE HOODOO PRIESTESS!! Aṣẹ. I loved it. She was wise, intuitive, strong.

As the movie progressed, I found myself overwhelmed. I even had to tap to ground myself. I mentioned earlier that I felt my people with me. There was a scene that visually showed the connection between the past, present, and future. It played out musically, but it was also a nod—a reminder. We never walk alone. I knew that just watching the movie. Even before that scene, I whispered to my husband how lucky we are—how our ancestors live through us. Beyond log houses and farming, we are currently living their wildest dreams. Aṣẹ! Even when we’re resting, we’re living their wildest dreams.

Seeing them in the juke joint playing the blues, with the past shown through dancing egungun, the nod to Parliament Funkadelic, hip hop… the ancestors twerking, and the present-day girls twerking too, lol—it was a beautiful visual representation of the ancestral link we all share, and how it is always present.

Now, the movie gets deep—and I really see why it dropped Easter weekend. I don’t talk about religion much on here. Call it a witch wound, but I don’t have time to argue religion. I don’t care. 

When the scene came where the vampires were dancing in a circle with white eyes… I knew this was about religion. One priestess who came into my awareness teaches about the implications of giving a certain deity your “soul to keep.” She preaches that we must venerate our ancestors and stop practicing certain traditions because you’ll get lost in the astral and stuck on the lower realms. In the movie, the hoodoo priestess literally says this. If the “vampires” get you, your soul is stuck and you can’t be with the ancestors. In the movie, the entity can only come for your soul if you invite it in. If you do, it bites you and turns you into one of them. You gain everlasting life—but stuck on this realm in limbo. That’s key. Because if you listen to prayer and certain rituals, you are evoking and giving consent.

I told my husband, “Oh this came out Easter weekend—this is DEFINITELY about religion.” SURE ENOUGH, when Sammie prays, the demon vampire prays with him. He said the same people and same words were the ones that turned him into this vampire, lmao. Now ain’t that something? That says a lot. So… who are “we” really praying to? It’s not funny, but it was a very colorful way of showing the implications of worshipping that deity.

In the end, the brother who was with the white-passing octoroon had his soul taken. Now, I won’t get too deep into that because “love is love,” but… yeah. The brother with the hoodoo priestess was protected by the mojo bag. He didn’t succumb to vampirism, and he was able to pass on to the other side and be with the ancestors.

That part made me a little sad because so many religions teach that ancestor worship is evil—and that when you die, you’re just gone until some deity decides to resurrect you. But little do they know, ancestor veneration is the only way to be with and hear your people on the other side. Giving your soul away keeps you stuck in limbo.

I know it’s a deep, scary concept, but it’s all around us. The story you’re given is considered sane and true, but the flip side? That’s seen as crazy. But if you really think about it… you’re literally giving your soul to a deity through verbal consent. Point blank, period.

Overall, this was a great movie. I love that the military/warrior twin let his hoodoo priestess divine counterpart guide him—because he ended up making it to the other side, in the astral. Love to see it! 

I know a lot of these concepts will go over the heads of people who aren’t into hoodoo and are still indoctrinated by the church, but it was a beautiful film. 10/10