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Shudder has been doing some amazing things recently with their horror films. From Clown in a Cornfield to Dangerous Animals and beyond, the team behind everyone’s favorite horror movies is now bringing us a new film with two stars fans LOVE!
Dafne Keen and Sophie Nélisse are starring in Shudder’s new film Whistle and look, that’s kind of a perfect pairing. Keen, who became a fan favorite as a young girl in the film Logan as X-23, has always been able to capture the anger and the emotion of her characters. And that matched with Nélisse’s performance as Shauna in the hit series Yellowjackets makes this one iconic pairing.
Shudder has been doing some amazing things recently with their horror films. From Clown in a Cornfield to Dangerous Animals and beyond, the team behind everyone’s favorite horror movies is now bringing us a new film with two stars fans LOVE!
Dafne Keen and Sophie Nélisse are starring in Shudder’s new film Whistle and look, that’s kind of a perfect pairing. Keen, who became a fan favorite as a young girl in the film Logan as X-23, has always been able to capture the anger and the emotion of her characters. And that matched with Nélisse’s performance as Shauna in the hit series Yellowjackets makes this one iconic pairing.
Now that Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ is available to stream digitally — and in Black American Sign Language — it is a good time for those of us that might have missed certain nuances to return to one of 2025’s best-reviewed films and see what sticks out on a second (or fiftieth) viewing. Here’s what stuck out to me.
The importance of invitations is immediately established
Besides the opening voiceover that establishes the intimate relationship between music and spirituality, one of the first lines we hear is Sammie being invited into the church by his father. Sammie’s ultimate fate has been the focus of many fan theories, including one that suggests he sold his soul to the devil, and one might be forgiven for momentarily thinking that his hesitation to enter the church, combined with his ability to do so seemingly being predicated on his father’s invitation, means that Sammie has joined the ranks of the undead.
There’s just one problem with that. Sinners, while highly imaginative, is still very conventional as far as its vampire lore is concerned: garlic hurts them, silver has great stopping power, and one of the only ways to truly defeat them is with a stake to the heart. What that also means is that Sammie can’t be a vampire in this opening scene because the morning sun would have cooked him long before he could complete his drive to the church. Still, what this helps establish is one of the film’s themes: A sanctuary, whether it is a church, a home, or a cherished juke joint, is sacred, and one must always be wary of who and what one invites in. There’s a reason Swedish writer John Ajvide Lindqvist titled his 2004 vampire novel and its later film adaptation Let the Right One In.
Adding to this, in a line I missed during a first viewing, when Sammie sees a guitar in his unnamed father’s church, his father says, “I brought it in here.” Once again, we see that someone is making a choice as to who or what can enter sacred spaces. The guitar makes Sammie’s father uncomfortable, but he risks “inviting” whatever risks it might bring in order to make his son more likely to enter his church. It is, like later invitations we will see in the film, one that will not end well for the father as far as his pastoral hopes for his son are concerned.
Smoke and Stack’s outfits reveal their character and backgrounds
Obviously, a first-time viewing will reveal that Smoke and Stack wear contrasting colors: Stack in his fiery red and Smoke in his cool blue. Besides telling us that these two adult twins no longer feel the need to wear cute matching outfits, it also allows the audience a shorthand of who is who before we can dive deeper into their character traits. However, there is more than meets the eye with the costume design.
Besides wearing different colors, Smoke and Stack also wear different subculture-specific accessories that reveal much about their Chicago affiliations. Stack, with his red fedora and tie combo, has all the trappings of a Prohibition-era Italian mobster. For reference, look at any image of Al Capone from this same time period. What you will see is a similar fedora-tie-vest combo as what we see on Stack. Contrast that with Smoke who brings a decidedly more Peaky Blinders flair to the table. That is no accident, as his scally cap, tweed suit, and blue button-up shirt are more typical of the era’s Irish gangs.
The visual storytelling here foreshadows the reveal that the guys have been playing both factions against one another in order to steal wine (from the Italians) and beer (from the Irish) that will supply their Mississippi juke joint. Other than providing an easy way to tell characters apart, this easily overlooked detail also lets audience members know that the Smokestack Twins are well apprenticed in the art of being a gangster.
Bo and Grace own two Stores: one for whites and one for Blacks
I’ll confess, on my first watch, I simply thought that Chinese-American couple Bo and Grace were very prosperous. In the shot where we follow their daughter Lisa from the general store Bo is managing to the grocery store Grace is manning, I figured that the most this scene signified was that the couple were effective business owners. On a second viewing, however, it becomes clear that Lisa is not simply crossing the street but also traversing worlds. One side of the town’s main drag is entirely Black while the other is wholly white.
As Chinese-Americans living in the segregated South, the Chow family represent part of the messiness inherent to a world divided by absolutist notions of “Black” or “white.” As histories of Asian-Americans living during segregation can attest, not falling into either category left one both freer and more restricted. You could exist in the white world, but you could not comfortably inhabit it. You could relate to the color prejudice experienced in the Black world, but your unique identity also made it possible to (in some cases, at least) attend alleged “whites-only” public schools. Bo, Grace, and Lisa Chow represent the limits of Black/white segregation that would almost be comical had they not also been so deadly.
Stack foreshadows his and Mary’s fate
In the scene where we are introduced to Mary, we learn about her romantic (and X-rated) history with Stack. Stack, ever brash and apparently unsentimental, tries to brush her off. For one, she is white-passing and married to a white man in St. Louis. One wrong eye on their interaction and any knowledge of her past could result in her being shunned from white society or, more likely, worse. In his attempt to protect Mary, Stack dismisses her rudely. As a result, she tells him to rot in hell. He responds, “Yeah, I will,” and adds that he will save her a room next to him.
This presages the fact that these two sinners will eventually be doomed to share a fate arguably worse than hell. According to Annie, vampires exist in a perpetual state of hatred because their souls are trapped and cannot rejoin the ancestors. They are cursed to live in the shadows, thriving on blood and manipulation. The only seeming silver lining is that Stack and Mary, as Stack teasingly promised, share this fate together. In a post-credits scene (that I stupidly missed during my first theater viewing), we see that they are still together, sharing this hellish existence with one another and even offering Sammie a place with them. Stack has finally allowed Mary fully into what is left of his heart.
Sammie named his own juke joint after Pearline
Finally, speaking of the post-credits scene, we see that the aged Sammie is still playing his heart out. But as Sammie jams onstage, we see the name “Pearline” blazoned on large display behind him. It seems that decades later, that night has left him scars of every kind, but that day, “before the sun went down,” was one of his brightest. And he has chosen to carry the best part of it with him to his dying day.
Sinners is now streaming on HBO Max.
The post 5 Things I Missed in ‘Sinners’ on First Viewing appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
We at Black Nerd Problems are happy to present an exclusive look at ANCESTRAL RECALL, a few days ahead of its release on August 6. If you haven’t heard of the latest from AHOY Comics, ANCESTRAL RECALL is a historical science fiction comedy from writer Jordan Clark (Aquaman, Star Wars Adventures) and artist Atagun İlhan (Poison Ivy, Milestone Universe: The Shadow Cabinet) about an eccentric abstract painter who taps into the literal power of Black History to solve a series of supernatural disappearances with the help of his wife and preteen neighbor.
The Milestone Initiative members masterfully blend science fiction and comedy to explore the importance of Black history, the connections between the past and present, and learning to push through difficult life changes.
In the original press release, “As Black history is literally being erased all around us, ANCESTRAL RECALL feels like an urgent call to not just preserve it but celebrate the links between our past, present, and future,” said writer Jordan Clark. “Melvin’s journey takes readers through time and space and introduces them to figures who are rarely seen in history books such as Jean-Louis Michel, the greatest swordsman of the 17th century and Cheryl Linn Glass, the first Black woman race car driver. The series is my love letter to those who paved the way and hopefully an affirmation for us here in the now.”
Melvin Warring is a famed abstract painter, known for some groundbreaking work in the late 80s, who now lives a reclusive life in East Oakland with his wife and business manager June. One day as he’s picking up June’s prescription after her hip surgery, a force suddenly overcomes Melvin, displacing him from time itself. Meanwhile Myran Kang, Melvin and June’s preteen next door neighbor, has noticed a string of disappearances: a few unhoused people who normally set up in the park, some people at her grandmother’s nursing home, a few of the bus drivers on her normal route… She has a feeling it’s more than a coincidence but can’t get anyone to listen to her — until June disappears too. As Melvin and Myran dig deeper into the mystery, Melvin finds he’s literally able to tap into the power of Black history when under duress and access the knowledge and abilities of Black people throughout time — everyone from writers and musicians to sword fighters and acrobats, transforming Black history into an actual super power. Will it be enough for Melvin and Myran to discover and disrupt the plans of the mysterious organization disappearing people and find a way to bring them back?
You can expect our review of the first issue next week.
About the Creators
Jordan Clark has been writing comics for over a decade, with work most recently being published by DC Comics and past stories at IDW, Image Comics, and Dynamite Comics. He was also selected as an inaugural member of the Milestone Initiative at DC Comics, which is geared towards uplifting a new generation of comic creators of color. He believes fiction has the power to imagine a better world and aims to tell stories that allow readers to imagine themselves in that better future.
Atagun İlhan is a seasoned illustrator who works primarily in sequential art, fantasy art, and book illustration. He was born in Turkey and graduated with a BFA in Animation. He pursued an MFA in Illustration at Syracuse University and is a graduate of DC Comics’ Milestone Initiative program.
About AHOY Comics
AHOY Comics debuted in the fall of 2018 with the bold promise for readers to expect more from its line of comic book magazines, featuring comic book stories, poetry, prose fiction, and cartoons. Brainchild of publisher Hart Seely, editor-in-chief Tom Peyer, CCO Frank Cammuso, and Ops guy Stuart Moore, the Syracuse-based indie publisher has made its reputation on witty satires, acclaimed creators, and commitment to bold and risk-taking storytelling — with critically acclaimed titles such as THE TOXIC AVENGER by Matt Bors and Fred Harper, SECOND COMING by Mark Russell and Richard Pace, BABS by Garth Ennis and Jacen Burrows, HOWL by Alisa Kwitney and Mauricet, THE WRONG EARTH by Tom Peyer and Jamal Igle, JUSTICE WARRIORS by Matt Bors and Ben Clarkson, the quirky monster anthology PROJECT: CRYPTID, and many more.
For more updates on AHOY Comics, visit them on X, Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram.
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The post EXCLUSIVE: An Eccentric Painter Taps into the Literal Power of Black History in ANCESTRAL RECALL appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
By now, you’re probably still on a head high from the electric six-episode premiere of Marvel’s Ironheart last month. If you’re anything like us, you’re itching for more of Riri Williams and her squad, but a second season is simply too far away. Although not confirmed, we’re all hoping we will see more of Ironheart in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday, but that, too, is a little ways away. So what can you do in the meantime to get more of Riri and her wild adventures? We’ve gathered a list of a few comic book runs that’ll allow you to dive deeper into her character, her origin story, and might even hint at where Marvel Studios may take her character next.
Invincible Iron Man Vol. 3 (2016)
Every hero has their beginning, and for Riri, it was in the seventh issue of Invincible Iron Man #3 in 2023. Sidenote: that was a mere 10 years ago, so this would mark one of the fastest introductions of a character that led to a film or series shortly after. While she is briefly teased as an MIT student, we get a glimpse of our future Ironheart building what looks to be armor similar to War Machine. We later learn more about Riri, including how she is a bit more unconventional in her ways of coming across materials for her projects (in other words, she steals them). She eventually catches the eye of Tony Stark and the rest is history.
In the ninth issue she suited up for the first time, so it’s quite a moment to see her humble beginning from broke genius to determined hero. While this is essentially our first encounter with Riri, it isn’t her breakout run of comic books. Still worth the read if you want to know her origin through and through.
Ironheart (2018)
This series hits a little different as it was written by the talented Eve Ewing, whom added to the experience of a Black female character. Ironheart was released in 2018 and was Riri’s first solo series that fully allowed readers to peel back the layers of her story and who she is as a person. These issues will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions as we see Riri determined to make a name for herself through her journey. Many fans of the character will tell you this is THE series to read if you want to start anywhere as it truly captivates every trial and tribulation she had to go through to end up fighting alongside some of the strongest heroes. She also crosses paths with Miles Morales, which is an exciting moment as we are eagerly await their teamup on screen. While we currently don’t have an actor cast as a live-action Miles, many fans have called for Into the Spider-Verse’s, Shameik Moore to take on the role.
Champions (2019)
By now, it has been four years since Riri caught people’s eye and now she has been tapped to fight alongside a younger group of heroes called Champions. The final issues in the series are complete fan favorites as Mephisto’s son, Blackheart, manages to control Riri and turn her against her Champion squad. If you watched the series (which, who hasn’t by now), then you know Sacha Baron-Cohen was introduced as Mephisto, so this storyline being adapted in future projects isn’t a long shot at all.
The Ms. Marvel-led team battle Blackheart in issue #10 is quite an exhilarating read. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige made several comments that lead audiences that he has learned a lot from past abysmal releases, so he might have the juice to deliver what the fans really want with these upcoming projects. Fantastic Four: First Steps is a good example of the Marvel Studios team really showcasing how invested they are in doing this right. In an interview with Empire Magazine, he said, “I was around for those early Fantastic Four movies… and like all of the pre-MCU movies, I learned a lot. I always thought, if we ever got creative autonomy ourselves, we might do things a little differently… It was a different time… there was still a bit of a fear of being silly.” With that being said, no official word has hit the street, but IMDb has a Champions series listed under Ironheart star Dominique Thorne’s credits, sparking a lot of conversation.
Infamous Iron Man #8 (2017)
This is an interesting read that not only could possibly tease what happens with Riri, but might also give some clues into what Doomsday could tap into. Infamous Iron Man features Victor von Doom donning the Iron Man armor while Stark is deep in a coma. Riri attempts to defend his image and, while we have no official word whether Thorne will reprise her role in Doomsday, it would be s tragic miss if they don’t allow the idea to play out on screen that Robert Downey Jr. is the actor behind Doom and Stark. These issues show Riri’s drive and strong will to do the right thing, and she is determined to take down Doctor Doom as he seeks to tarnish Iron Man’s legacy. Her heart and soul is on full display, so this run of comic books is a must to truly learn about our girl.
The post Ironheart Comics You Should Read This Summer appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.