Ryan Coogler calls Sinners both a Delta and a Chicago movie—and shares who gave it a personal stamp of approval.

With Sinners, Ryan Coogler has cooked up a cinematic dish that’s both nourishing and bold, deeply personal and broadly resonant. It’s a film that promises to haunt audiences in the best way possible.

The story centres around Melvin Junko, a geeky janitor who's regularly picked on by the local bullies. When a prank goes awry, Melvin falls into toxic waste, turning him into a disfigured mutant known ...