“Cinematography does it all for me,” Grammy-winning musician Raphael Saadiq told IndieWire over Zoom.

The R&B icon, who has seen decades of success as a solo artist, as a member of the groups Tony! Toni! Toné! and Lucy Pearl, and as a writer/producer for everyone from Erykah Badu and Earth, Wind & Fire, to Alicia Keys, John Legend, and a few key names he’ll get into later, has been explaining the way films have inspired a few of his biggest hits.

There are the more obvious examples from his working relationship with the late director John Singleton,like “Me & You” from “Boyz n the Hood,” or “Ask of you” from “Higher Learning,” but the one he likes to talk about is a song called “Keep Marching” from his 2008 album “The Way I See It.” The filmmakers behind “The Express,” about the first Black college football player to win the Heisman Trophy, reached out to him as they wanted a Black artist to write a song to replace the Elvis Presley temp track they were using for a montage. Saadiq studied the scene and completed the task, but “they never called me back for the song,” he said. “So, I took the song away from the movie and put it on my album, and it’s my biggest licensed song ever.”

“Problemista” Review: Tilda Swinton’s Performance is a Masterclass in Unsettling eccentricity

asif Kapadia’s “Problemista” isn’t a film easily categorized. Part dark comedy, part surrealist nightmare, and wholly original, the film centers on Alejandro (Rudy Mancuso), a struggling content creator who lands a bizarre job interviewing candidates for an eccentric billionaire, Elizabeth (tilda Swinton).What follows is a descent into a world of increasingly absurd challenges and a deeply unsettling power dynamic.

Mancuso, known for his online work, delivers a surprisingly grounded performance as Alejandro, a man desperately trying to navigate the American dream while battling crippling self-doubt. He’s the audience’s anchor in a film that frequently threatens to float away into the abstract. However, it’s Swinton who truly dominates the screen. Her portrayal of Elizabeth is a masterclass in unsettling eccentricity. She’s simultaneously captivating and terrifying, a woman whose whims dictate Alejandro’s fate with a chilling detachment.

The film’s strength lies in its willingness to embrace the uncomfortable. Kapadia doesn’t offer easy answers or neat resolutions.Rather, he presents a series of increasingly bizarre scenarios that force both Alejandro and the audience to confront the absurdity of wealth, ambition, and the immigrant experience. The interview process itself is a relentless gauntlet of psychological tests and outlandish requests, highlighting the dehumanizing nature of seeking validation from those in power.

While the film’s surrealist bent might not appeal to all viewers, those willing to surrender to its strange logic will find a rewarding and thoght-provoking experience.”Problemista” is a bold and unconventional film that lingers long after the credits roll, prompting questions about the price of success and the masks we wear to survive. It’s a testament to Kapadia’s vision and a showcase for two exceptional performances, especially Swinton’s unforgettable turn as the enigmatic Elizabeth.

Raphael Saadiq Finds His Sweet Spot in High-Concept Projects – and Why He’s Perfect for them

Raphael Saadiq is a master of sonic world-building. From his work with Tony! Toni! Toné! to his critically acclaimed solo work and scoring for projects like “Lovecraft Country” and “Praise This,” Saadiq has consistently demonstrated a knack for crafting immersive and emotionally resonant soundscapes. He often references his own five solo albums he has released so far to “small movies in my head” as a way to make a point about why he is best suited for high-concept work. “I love great stories, and I love challenges,” said saadiq. “But more than that, I love working with people that really love what they do. It really helps me out to see somebody else have the passion for what they do. It means I have to really respect the art and the craft that somebody took time in their life to work on. And if they invite me into it for whatever amount of whatever piece it is, I want to deliver.”

!LaToya London, Raphael Saadiq, and his fellow ‘Lovecraft Country’ composer, Oscar nominee Laura Karpman at Deadline’s 2025 Sound & Screen Film – Reception.

D’Angelo’s influence and a Generational Love of the Blues Fuel D’Mile’s Oscar-Shortlisted Song for ‘Rustin’

D’Mile, the songwriter behind “I lied to You” from “Rustin,” a track currently on the Best Original Song oscar shortlist, credits director Ryan Coogler with sparking the song’s creation through a vivid storytelling style. “The way he told the story, he led me to write for the blues, for the preacher’s son,” the character who would end up performing the song.

Saadiq’s love of the Blues is generational, with his father being from Texas, and his mother from Louisiana. Though he grew up on the West Coast,he had gone plenty of times to the local Blues bar Eli’s Mile High club with his late brother D’Wayne Wiggins,one of the members of Tony! Toni! Toné! So listening to Coogler conceive of this juke joint as the centerpiece of “Rustin,” Saadiq said,”I know what that looks like. More than that, I know what it feels like . . . I’ve seen that movie in my head.”

the songwriting process quickly moved to a collaborative session with the film’s composer, two-time Oscar winner Ludwig Göransson. “Me and ludwig just sat there and just played guitars for an hour or so, just jamming and just laughing, stuff like that. And then he was like, ‘OK, you want to sing it? You’re going to go ahead and write it now?’ So then after, we came up with the guitar riff, and then I just went and jumped in my bag and wrote the lyrics,” said Saadiq.

Upon seeing the finished film, Saadiq was struck by the song’s evolution into a broader exploration of Black musical history. “You put Run DMC under it, you put disco under it, you put Hendrix under it. Ludwig is such a scientist/professional at basically doing anything, whether it’s music, R&B, whether it’s Childish Gambino, whether it’s scoring. He’s a very focused dude,” said the musician of his co-writer. “When he said he’s going to make this thing into 17 things, I was like, ‘Man, have at it.’ And when I heard it, I was just like, ‘wow.’ Every time I watch that scene, that big scene, I’m just sitting there like, ‘Wow.’ As it hits home.”

Saadiq recognized the collaborative spirit surrounding the project,highlighting the contributions of Coogler,Göransson,and “Rustin” star Miles Caton,who sings “I Lied to You” and co-wrote “Last Time (I Seen the Sun),” the other “Rustin” track on the Best Original Song Oscar shortlist. He emphasized that he was working among visionaries who consistently elevate each other’s work. “ryan just puts all the bells and whistles behind it. Same with Beyoncé, same with…

Raphael Saadiq on Finding the Perfect Voice for “Sinners” and Why His Oscar-Nominated Song Is the Movie

[Image of Miles Caton, Raphael Saadiq, and Ludwig Göransson performing onstage at the 39th American Cinematheque Awards. credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety]

Raphael Saadiq considers Miles Caton to be perfect casting – a testament to the work of Best Casting Oscar-shortlisted Francine Maisler, who discovered the 20-year-old. “It couldn’t have been a better person to do it than Miles. He sounds young, but he sounds old.He sounds spiritual, and he sounds very evenly keeled. He knows what to do, when to do it. He’s always thinking,” he said of his fellow performer. “That kid is always thinking about how to do better, and that’s what it takes.”

When performing “I Lied to You,” Saadiq says the most crucial thing to convey to the audience is, “It’s not a track inside a movie. It is indeed what the movie is.” He invokes another Oscar-winning music film to solidify his point about the song’s interconnectedness to “Sinners” as a whole, adding, “It’s like ‘Purple Rain’ in ‘Purple Rain.'”

Prior to the current awards season promotion and performances – which have led to a Hollywood Music in Media Award and nominations at both the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards – Saadiq had been touring his one-man show “No Bandwidth,” which delves deeper into his musical history. “After 30 years, I told all the stories in one night, and so many people got to hear the stories,” he said. Seeing the scene in “Sinners”…

‘Sinners’ Premiere at Oak Cliff Film Festival: A Dark, Provocative debut

The Oak Cliff Film Festival (OCFF) saw the premiere of ‘Sinners,’ a new film from writer/director Courtney Hope morrison, and it’s a debut that leaves a mark. The film,a dark and unsettling exploration of female rage and societal expectations,immediately establishes Morrison as a filmmaker to watch.

‘Sinners’ centers on Brianna (played with fierce intensity by Kate Lyn Sheil), a seemingly ordinary woman who begins a series of increasingly violent encounters after a particularly frustrating experience with a misogynistic doctor. morrison doesn’t offer easy answers or justifications for Brianna’s actions. Instead,she presents a raw,unflinching portrait of a woman pushed to her breaking point.

The film’s strength lies in its refusal to shy away from uncomfortable truths. It’s not a story about a “good” person doing “bad” things; it’s a story about the simmering anger that many women feel in a world that often dismisses or minimizes their experiences. Morrison masterfully builds tension, creating a sense of dread that permeates every scene.

Sheil’s performance is captivating. She embodies Brianna’s vulnerability and rage with equal measure, making her a complex and compelling character. The supporting cast is equally strong, particularly James Jagger as the object of Brianna’s initial frustration.

Visually, ‘Sinners’ is striking. The film utilizes a muted color palette and claustrophobic framing to create a sense of unease. The sound design is also particularly effective, amplifying the film’s unsettling atmosphere.

While the film’s graphic violence may not be for everyone, it’s important to understand that it’s not gratuitous. It’s a direct response to the violence that women face on a daily basis, both physical and emotional. Morrison uses violence to expose the underlying power dynamics at play.

Key Takeaways

• ‘Sinners’ is a bold and provocative debut from Courtney Hope Morrison.
• Kate Lyn Sheil delivers a powerful and nuanced performance.
• The film tackles arduous themes with unflinching honesty.
• Morrison’s visual style and sound design create a deeply unsettling atmosphere.
• ‘Sinners’ is a film that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

‘Sinners’ is a challenging but ultimately rewarding film.It’s a must-see for anyone interested in independent cinema and films that push boundaries. Courtney Hope Morrison has announced herself as a notable new voice in American filmmaking.