Vin Diesel Calls Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners' One of the Year's Best Films

Taking to Instagram, Diesel shared a lengthy note reflecting on the journey of Sinners, which recently earned a record-breaking 16 nominations at the 98th Academy Awards.

"Having seen some great performances and beautifully executed cinematic storytelling, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on one such story...Sinners! Sixteen Oscar nominations. The most in the history of the Academy Awards... Wow, Sidney Poitier would be proud. What was once a door he had to kick open, has now become a stage where filmmakers of color don't just show up, they literally rewrite the record books. Profound. That is the continuum...", Diesel wrote.

The actor, known for the 'Fast and Furious' franchise, revealed that he first heard about the "vampire movie" through friends and later watched it with his family, who were already fans of Coogler's 'Black Panther.'

"So many great things to say about this film. The beautifully articulated portrayal of a twin's existence- myself, of course being a twin. The rich historical exploration of culture and the unsung heroes whose contributions shaped it. Naturally, I wanted to read more about the auteur who made it... Past his defiant insistence on being compensated fairly, negotiating an ownership reversion deal that does more for the plight... than most recent achievements in this industry. Past the box office dominance. Past the critical acclaim. I kept reading. And then I saw it," he added.

Vin Diesel went on to give a nod to filmmaker Ryan Coogler, expressing great pride in watching him standing on the "biggest stage in cinema."

"The grit, the culture, the soul... When I say the pride was through the roof, I mean it. To see a young brother come this far, to the biggest stage in cinema... all while preserving that unique voice and adding a deep, resonant spin on a classic cinematic trope? That's not just impressive. That's Oakland! Sinners is hands down, one of the best films of the year," Diesel concluded.

The nominations for the 98th Academy Awards were announced in January, with Sinners leading the race with 16 nods--the most ever for a single film. The previous record was jointly held by Titanic, La La Land, and All About Eve.

Starring Michael B Jordan in the lead, the supernatural thriller received nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Jordan, Best Supporting Actress for Wunmi Mosaku, Best Supporting Actor for Delroy Lindo, Original Screenplay, Casting, Production Design, Cinematography, Costume design, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound, Visual Effects, Original Score, and Original Song for 'I Lied to You', reported Variety.

The film has broken the record for the most nominations for a single film ever, beating previous record holders like 'Titanic', 'La La Land', and 'All About Eve'.

'Sinners' has also emerged as the seventh movie to be nominated in every technical category, reported Variety.

- ANI