There have been quite a few excellent films in 2025, but few as compelling or memorable as Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, which finally comes to streaming starting today. Once you’re done with your 4th of July festivities, wind down your evening with one of the best movies of 2025.
Of course, this isn’t exactly a wind-down movie. The story is set in the 1930s in Mississippi and follows twin brothers, “Smoke” and “Stack” who have returned home after years spent as mobsters up north during the prohibition era. They’ve come home with their ill-gotten gains in the hopes of starting a juke joint for the local black community.
Things don’t go quite according to plan.
Both Smoke and Stack are played by Michael B. Jordan. They’re joined by Hailee Steinfeld, Li Jun Li, Omar Benson Miller, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Delroy Lindo and Jack O’Connell, who plays a mysterious stranger with his own plans for our heroes. The KKK makes an appearance as well, though they’re far from the most terrifying foes our heroes encounter.
This is a great movie on so many levels. Terrific action, brilliant performances, a tightly wound story that’s at once scary, sexy and bloodsoaked. Like other black horror films such as Jordan Peele’s Get Out, it takes a hard look at America’s past and the ways racism shaped this nation.
Sinners was a commercial and critical success, earning over $360 million worldwide against a production budget of around $90 million. This is an enormous hit for an R-rated original film, especially in a day and age when big franchises like the MCU dominate the box office.
The film boasts a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score with both critics and audiences. 97% of critics recommend the movie, while Sinners earned a 96% from audiences. This is one of those rare films that both groups seem to love equally.
Sinners is available now on HBO Max. Of course, if you want to watch it in all its 4K glory with the best sound possible, I recommend you order the 4K Blu-Ray version. Physical media still gives you the best picture and, more importantly with this movie in particular, the best sound. As action-packed and terrifying as Sinners is, it’s the film’s music and the way the music ties into the story that sets it apart from the rest of 2025’s offerings. The 4K Blu-Ray releases on July 8th.
You can read my review of Sinners right here.
Have you seen Sinners yet? What did you think? Let me know on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky or Facebook. Also be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me here on this blog. Sign up for my newsletter for more reviews and commentary on entertainment and cult
