This weekend marks the one year anniversary of the film Sinners, a film that transformed the American film industry and flipped our modern interpretations of the post-antebellum South on its head. On multiple levels, Sinners is revolutionary — from the novel distribution deal writer-directer Ryan Coogler inked with Warner Brothers, to the groundbreaking production that earned Oscar nods in nearly every category from music to cinematography. On its face, Sinners seems to be a simple story of a family trying to reach an elusive dream, thwarted by mythical, evil forces. However the layers of story and performance are so intricate, the movie requires multiple watches to even attempt to capture its meanings. A year later, I feel I still may not do it justice.

Spike Lee’s newest film Highest to Lowest, starring the inimitable Denzel Washington, came to streaming via Apple TV this weekend and I, for one, was excited to sit with this film once more. When I saw it in theaters a few weeks back I was in awe of the soundscape, the beautiful shots and creative settings. But all of that came second to the plot, which was as rich, varied and fast paced as the jazz music that served as the soundtrack for much of the film.