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We’re making our way through April and we’re closing in on the summer movie season. But we’re getting some great movies this month. Below is a look at the new movies I saw this week. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Sinners (Theaters)
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Wunmi Mosaku, and Jack O’Connell
Synopsis: We’re moving closer to the mid-point of the year, and new releases are starting to pick. That makes it a perfect time for the latest film from writer/director Ryan Coogler. Sinners is a throwback to the past that tells an engaging and fiery original story filled with great songs and great performances. We drop to October 1932 in Mississippi. We quickly meet Sammie (Caton), who has clearly had a rough night. He stumbles into his father’s church shaken and battered. His father asks him to drop the piece of a guitar he’s clutching and turn his life over to God. Flash back 24 hours, and Sammie is quickly finishing his work in the cotton fields. He quickly gathers his guitar, and despite the warnings of his father, he sets out to have a day of freedom. He is quickly picked up by his cousins—Twins Smoke and Stack (Jordan)—who are back after a time working for Al Capone in Chicago. Now, they plan to use the money and liquor they’ve acquired to open their own juke joint. With just a few hours to go before the planned opening in an old sawmill, the twins split up. Stack and Sammie head out to collect some entertainment. They make a pitch to Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo), who agrees to come play. While recruiting, Stack also runs across his old flame Mary (Steinfeld), who is still bitter about being left behind. Smoke, meanwhile, heads downtown for provisions. He connects with old friends, Bo (Yao) and Grace (Li Jun Li), who own a set of stores in town. They agree to bring the food and the signs to the party and help get the joint rolling. His last stop is to his former flame, Annie (Mosaku), with whom he shares a sad history. He recruits her to help at the Juke Joint, as the flame of their passion rekindles. Smoke, Stack and their crew get things ready and open. The party is going strong but soon an unexpected guest arrives. Remmick (O’Connell) appears to be a simple musician, but he’s harboring a dark secret. At first, he and his friends are turned away, but they refuse to leave and soon the danger is real. If you’ve seen the trailer for Sinners, you know what the twist is here. The film is a vampire film, and while it starts as an interesting period piece that has some great characters and music, the second half is action-packed. This is a bloody thrill ride that takes you on a journey and doesn’t let go. I loved the production and the arc of the story here. Coogler both wrote the screenplay and serves as the director. He clearly has a vision for the film and delivers that artfully. I really enjoyed the twists, but I enjoyed the first half as we build these characters, these histories, and the world around us. The film features some great performances. Jordan fills a dual role, and he does a great job creating two, distinct characters. It’s a great lead performance that comes alive on screen. But it’s not just Jordan. Caton is a great find, providing some good supporting work and some incredible musical moments. Meanwhile, Mosaku and Steinfeld are great in their roles as the women in the lives of Smoke and Stack. Each has an interesting relationship and some great moments that help build up the story. Lastly, what really sends this over-the-top is the great production and the fantastic music. The score from Ludwig Goransson is incredible, and the original songs will stick with you after you leave the theater. This is a riveting film that delivers some of the best work on screen I’ve seen so far in 2025. It’s well worth checking out.
Rating: Rated R for strong bloody violence, sexual content and language.
Verdict: Four and a half stars out of five

The Wedding Banquet (Theaters)
Starring: Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone, and Bowen Yang
Synopsis: There are themes in storytelling that are timeless, even if the stories themselves evolve over time. That’s why we see classic films and shows being given new life. It’s an opportunity to update the story for a new age and new challenges, often adding new wrinkles. That’s the case with The Wedding Banquet, a new comedy that opens in theaters Friday. While this particular iteration is new, the basic idea comes from the past. It’s an adaptation of a film from Ang Lee of the same name that was released in 1993. While the world has changed, some themes remain timeless. In this new version, we’re introduced to two couples who are close as family. Lee (Gladstone) has been out and proud for years. She owns a house, passed down by her family, that she shares with partner Angela (Tran). The journey of self-discovery was different for Angela, as her relationship to her mother, May (Joan Chen), who is now quite supportive. But it wasn’t always like that. Now, Lee and Angela are ready for the next step. Lee has undergone two rounds of IVF, but it’s failed to produce a child. The procedure is expensive and taxing—emotionally and physically. They aren’t sure they have the cash or the strength to do it again. But Lee wants a child. They share their home with Chris (Yang) and Min (Han Gi-Chan), who live in the guest house. Chris and Angela met at college and, after a failed hook up, realized they could be friends and support one-another. Min is the grandson of a wealthy family from Korea. They’re also a traditional family who don’t realize he’s gay. When Min is facing an expired Visa, he proposes to Chris. He wants to marry the man he loves, but Chris isn’t ready. He also doesn’t think Min is ready to blow up his life by coming out to his grandparents. But Min is determined to stay—so he hatches a plan. Min proposes marrying Angela to get a green card. He offers to give them the money needed to continue their IVF journey. It seems crazy, but Angela agrees. When Min’s conservative grandmother, Ja-Young (Youn Yuh-jung), comes to participate in the wedding, things get crazy quickly. This is an updated take on the original, which focused on a gay man who needed to find a bride to stay in the country. The legalization of marriage for everyone in the United States changes the possibilities here, but this twist on the story keeps the same basic idea. But it allows for things to be updated into a modern era that add some wrinkles here. Doubtless you’ll be surprised where this film ends up. There are some wild twists and turns that add wrinkles and some humor to the story. But this isn’t a straight comedy. Some of the moments that work best here are the dramatic ones that allow this cast to show its range. I particularly enjoyed Tran as Angela. She’s given a tough and strange arc throughout the film and handles it all well. This is a great turn for her in a different kind of role. I also quite enjoyed Yuh-jung, who is great as the grandmother. She has some great emotional beats, lifting all the scenes she’s in. Overall, this was a satisfying film that offers laughs, pathos, and plenty of heart. It will entertain audiences and provides something a little different in theaters.
Rating: Rated R for language and some sexual material/nudity.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five