I watched a black women review on Sinners on YouTube from May (I know I know it’s July) but she was mainly talking about Pearline and Annie and how they both with the Mammy and the Jezebel stereotypes. And HONESTLY I don’t know how to feel about it, but this does show me that many black women saw Sinners with a different lens because I never have I thought that Annie was written to be shown or seen like a Mammy from many reviewers. She also noted how Annie in her love scene with Smoke was shown as more masculine than Smoke which to me is crazy because wasn’t Mary also shown as masculine at the juke joint when she was talking to Stack? I mean was both of them shown in way though? I really don’t know.
I really don’t understand why so many black women have a problem with Annie portrayed as she is or maybe that can’t accept the fact that Ryan Coogler wrote THIS character the way that he wanted to, and it not his fault that you and everyone else didn’t like or understand it. And this shows how people criticize everything without even taking a minute to think about, but no people wanna agree because to them they are making really good points without many evidence to back that up.
(Side Note some people in the comments were saying that they dress her like on purpose because everyone else included Mary and Pearline had better dress than her, and also someone stated that Annie looked old and unattractive.)
Michaels Venus (in Capricorn) Conjuncts (transforms through) Wunmi’s Neptune (in Capricorn)
in his eyes Wunmi turns muse. She is an ideal. Her dreams and ideals are the perfect blend of compassionate and groundedness. She believes in working for one’s highest dreams. This sends a lightning bolt up Michael’s heart as this is his idealized vision of what a woman should be. There is a pedestal that Wunmi is placed on in Michael’s eyes. She is the perfect type of woman. There is a risk of rose colored lenses but on a higher level there is such compassion between the two because they really bring out the best in each other.
Michael B Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld
Michaels Venus (in Capricorn) Conjuncts Hailee’s Moon (in Capricorn)
in his eyes Hailee is a grounded force of nature. With his love nature in Capricorn, He admires her emotional strength and steadiness without relying on it. He instead allows her to relax and come out of her shell with open arms of complete understanding. There is a warmth here that is exalted. Both of them feel totally understood by the other and this makes for a very sweet and anchoring bond.
"Oh, hold still baby." Annie tells you as you squirm while Annie puts your hair into a braided crown. You whined, complaining.
"Ow, mommy, that hurts!" You thought to yourself.
Annie sighs in satisfaction while smiling at your cute chubby face. Your hair was down in a braided crown and you were wearing a frilly lilac colored dress with shiny white shoes with flowers on the buckles.
"Like a cute lil' doll." Annie coo'ed while blowing raspberries against your cheek, making you laugh. Smoke walks in with his pipe in hand, which alerted Annie.
"Elijah!" She scolds. "I told you you can't be smokin' when they get here." Annie lectures Smoke, much to his dismay.
"Annie, y'know I'on smoke much in the house nor around Y/N." Smoke points out.
"Yeah, but I'on want my mama to be like I'm lettin' anyone smoke 'round our child." Annie defends, referring to her mother. Smoke flubs his lips.
"Do they really have to be here?" Smoke asked. "Y'know how they get when it comes to things." He recalls.
"I know but I've been plannin' Y/N's birthday for weeks, so they ain't gon' be able to change a thing." Annie announced proudly. Smoke chuckled at his wife's confidence.
"Today's gon' be a good day today for Y/N." Smoke states as he places a gentle kiss on Annie's forehead. You babble something to grab Smoke's attention.
"What, you want a kiss too?" Smoke asked before placing one on the apple of your cheek. You giggle in satisfaction as you grab Smoke's beard. Smoke chuckled blissfully at the sounds of his daughter's happiness. Annie couldn't help but be in awe.
"Why can't you stay lil' forever?" Smoke coo's at you. "That way you ain't gon' never leave my arms."
"Smoke, she's gon' grow up into a beautiful woman 'n it happens day by day." Annie points out.
"I know but I'm makin' the most of it every day, hour, minute, 'n second." Smoke acknowledged as he lifted you up. "Papa's lil' girl."
"I love papa." You thought to yourself as you placed your hands on Smoke's cheeks.
Once everything was set, Annie heard a knock on the door.
"Ah, that's them." She muttered out as she took two strides to the door to open it up.
On the other side of the door were two elderly folks: One short and plump woman with glasses and her hair done in a silver bun and one tall man, who has his face stolen by Annie, with short hair that was grey on the sides and a thick grey beard.
"Antonia! Bonjou!" The elderly woman greets as she engulfs Annie into a big hug.
"Bonjou papa and maman." Annie greets back in Creole. Smoke was sitting on the recliner with you in his lap. You looked up at the two elderly folks walking in, who locked eyes with you immediately.
"Granmé's baby!" The elderly woman squeals as she rushes over to you and picks you up out of Smoke's lap. She placed kisses all over your chubby face before getting a good look at you.
"Ohhh, you's just so cute I could just eat you up." Your granme commented. She then examines your hair. "Antonia, when was the last time you did this girl's hair?"
Confused, Annie replied,
"Just an hour ago." Annie replied, dumbfounded.
"Well, her scalp looks a lil' dry." Your granme critiques. "Use more grease in her hair."
Smoke watched as Annie frowned before getting up from the recliner.
"They startin' up already." He thought to himself while cleaning his pipe. "Just keep calm for Y/N 'n Annie, Elijah." He mentally tells himself.
When both of the parents walked in, Smoke cleared his throat before greeting them.
"Afternoon Antionette, Beauregard." He greets in a polite tone.
"Hey, it's sir to you boy." Beauregard lectures like he was a drill sergeant. "Thought you's a solider 'n soldiers always refer to the elderly as sir or ma'am."
Smoke's lip curled but he quickly fixed his face.
"'N y'know you ain't s'pposed to be smokin' around the baby." Antionette lectures while taking the pipe out of Smoke's hand.
"I wasn't even smokin'." Smoke defends.
"Still, don't be havin' no pipe around my grandbaby." Antionette tells Smoke, voice condescending.
Smoke grumbles but then his mood shifts when he sees you reaching out to him. Before Smoke could grab you out of Antionette's arms, she immediately turned away and walked into the kitchen with you in your arms still, making Smoke miss his chance to hold his babygirl.
"Hey, I wanna be with papa!" You thought to yourself as you reached out for Smoke. Due to you being an infant, you couldn't voice your request to your grandmother.
"Antonia, what food did you make for the party?" Antoinette asks Annie.
"Our usual dishes maman." Annie replied.
"Did you make it how me 'n grandmama made it?" Antionette asked as she examined one of the dishes.
"Yes ma I did." Annie replied.
Antionette takes a bite before turning towards Annie to give her critique.
"Well, the food's a lil' dry but it'll do." She commented.
"I spent the whole day yesterday cookin'." Annie pointed out. "Plus I still had to take care of Y/N as well so, o'course I'll have to be away from the kitchen for a spell." She reasoned.
"When I had you, I was able to cook with one arm while you were sleeping in my other arm." Antoinette recalls with a hand on her hip.
"Why you ain't have 'im watch her?" Beauregard jumped in while pointing at Smoke.
"He was workin' the other nigh' papa." Annie replied.
Beauregard scoffs.
"At that filthy ol' sawmill turned juke joint?" Antoinette asked. "That ain't a real workplace." She points out.
"Well where can you work when you've been nuthin' but a criminal for most of your life?" Beauregard wonders.
This angered Smoke as he balled up his fists but then did a deep exhale to release the anger that was building inside of him. Smoke didn't want to lash out in front of you.
"This is gon' be a long ass day." Smoke thought to himself.
When more guests started to come, Annie noticed her mother eyeballing everyone else.
"Where's lil' Y/N at?" Cornbread asked, excited to see your face. "I wanna see my lil' niece."
When Cornbread tries to reach out to pick you up, Antoinette pulls you away like Cornbread was trying to hurt you.
"Uh uh! You go wash your hands." Antoinette tells Cornbread like he was a grubby little child.
Cornbread frowns and makes another attempt, only for Antoinette to smack his hand. Cornbread snatched his hands back.
"I'on know you well enough for you to pick up my grandbaby." Antoinette tells Cornbread. Cornbread was dumbfounded.
"I'm one of her uncles." He points out.
"And? That don't mean nuthin', go wash your hands before you pick up my grandbaby." Antionette tells Cornbread.
Accepting defeat, Cornbread walked off to go wash his hands.
"But my hands are clean, I shower befo' I got here." Cornbread muttered out.
Therese was sitting on the couch, holding Cornbread Junior, right next to Mary. She sneered at Antoinette.
"I know this woman did not put her hands on Cornelius." She muttered to Mary.
"Righ', she treatin' him like he has diseases or sumthin'." Mary agreed. "I ain't wanna say anythin' 'cause that's Annie's mama but earlier, she tried to block me from comin' in 'n Annie had to tell her that I'm family too." She recalled.
"Mama or not, she bet' not touch Cornelius again." Therese grumbled as she continued to rock Junior.
Annie sighed, completely frustrated at her mother's behavior. She then looks over at her father to see him talking to the twins.
"So, y'all still work at that ol' juke joint huh?" He asks Stack. "What an interestin' example you're settin' for Y/N." Beauregard commented sarcastically.
"Only example we settin' is that as long as it pays, it's a job." Stack defends. "My brotha told me what you said befo' we got here." He tells Beauregard.
Beauregard shrugs his shoulders.
"What? Workin' at a juke joint or one that's made from an old sawmill ain't a real job." Beauregard states like it was a fact.
"Better than pickin' cotton in a hot ass sun." Stack rebuts.
"Y'all young men...y'all leave the Delta for a few years 'n y'all come back like y'all some classy folks." Beauregard insults.
"Least we here 'n we providin' for our families." Stack defends.
"Nah, he is." Beauregard rebuts while pointing at Smoke. "You just married to some white girl."
Stack sucked in his teeth as a smirk cracked on his face. Annie knew that smirk meant that he was gonna fight so she quickly hurried over to the twins and pulled them into the kitchen.
"Annie, I swear I'm 'bout to lose my shit 'f that nigga talks down to me one more time." Smoke growled out. "I'on care 'f he's your daddy at this point."
"Sayin' that we ain't settin' a good example for Y/N 'n shit." Stack adds in.
Annie sighs.
"I knew I shouldn't have told 'em about the party." Annie thought to herself before she spoke. "It's almost time for cake anyway, so once we get that out the way 'n open gifts, they'll be gone." She tells Smoke.
Smoke nods, acknowledging Annie's words.
Annie gathers everyone around for the cake. You were in Antoinette's arms when Annie set the cake down.
"Oh, I remember this." You thought to yourself. "Last time papa blew out the candle with me." You recalled.
You then reached out for Smoke so you two can do the candle blowing but Antoinette kept you in her arms.
"Hey, lemme be with papa." You thought as you began to squirm, trying to free yourself from your grandmother's grip.
Everyone began to sing Happy Birthday while you were still reaching out for Smoke. Smoke noticed you but held off, assuming that Antoinette will hand you to him after the song. However, he was completely wrong.
"C'mon baby, let's blow the candles out together." Antoinette tells you.
You began to whine.
"Antoinette, she wants to do it with her d-"
Before Annie could get the sentence out, it was too late.
Antoinette blew out the candles, thinking that she was doing it for you, then Beauregard clapped along with everyone else. Your lip trembled, upset that the moment wasn't with your dear ol' papa, then you began to cry. Smoke felt heartbroken and thought,
"I knew I should've taken her out her arms sooner."
Antoinette thought you were just being fussy, so she tried to soothe you, but to no avail.
"Mama, she wanted to blow the candle with Elijah." Annie calmly pointed out.
"Oh, well, I didn't know." Antoinette simply stated as if that statement will undo what she did. "'Sides, she has to learn that everyone will want a turn to help blow out her candles."
"Don't say it like she's incapable of doin' that in the future." Smoke tells Antoinette, a vein popping out of his forehead. "In this moment here, she wanted to do it with me since we did it last year."
"Well, some things aren't gon' be the same." Antoinette rebuts. "It ain't that big of a deal." She dismissed.
"Clearly it is to her." Annie pointed out, referring to you who was still crying.
"Well, we can relight the candle 'n y'all can have your moment." Antoinette offered.
But it wouldn't make a difference since the moment was already gone.
"It ain't gon' be the same for her." Smoke argued back.
"Well, don't get mad at me." Antoinette argues back. "I ain't know that was y'all thing since we didn't come to the 1st one last year."
"'N this is why." Stack thought to himself.
Beauregard jumps in to defend his wife.
"Righ', so I'd advise you to lower that voice when you speakin' to her." Beauregard warns.
This was when Smoke was at his breaking point.
"Y'know what? Let's take this outside then." Smoke challenged.
Annie, Antoinette, and Stack's eyes grew wide.
"Oh shit..." Stack muttered out.
Smoke and Beauregard walked out of the house and there was just complete silence. Antoinette looks at Annie for her aid.
"You really gon' let your husband figh' your father?" She asked Annie.
"Damn straight." Stack answered.
"I wasn't talkin' to you." Antoinette scolds Stack.
"But I answered for her." Stack replied back.
Antoinette finally sets you down as she hurries outside to try to diffuse the situation. Finally free from your grandmother's hold, you waddled outside behind Annie and Stack to see your papa and grandfather going toe-to-toe with each other.
"Wow, what a scene." You thought to yourself, somewhat used to the violence that Smoke always brings.
You began to waddle around a bit before stopping to see your grandparents' truck, which looked similar to Smoke's blue truck.
"Papa's truck..." You thought to yourself as you began to waddle to the back and climbed into the truck, thinking it was Smoke's truck. You sat there happily since this was yours and Smoke's favorite spot to be in whenever the weather was nice, so you sat here and waited for Smoke thinking that you'll be able to spend time with him after the fight.
However...trouble came afoot.
"Y'see that truck righ' there?" One robber whispered to his sidekick.
"Yeah, it's a nice one too." The sidekick agreed.
The leader looked over the truck to see if Smoke and the others were still distracted then nods to his sidekick.
"Move! Go!" The leader whispered to his sidekick as they both left the bushes and ran towards the truck. The leader picked the lock and opened the truck door then began to hotwire the electric circuits to get it to work. You heard the truck starting up, which surprised you as you looked to see Smoke and the others still by the porch, yelling and fighting.
"Hey, who's drivin' the truck?" You thought to yourself.
When the engine started up, this caught Stack's attention as he turned around to see the truck pulling off.
"Hey!" He yelled out as he ran after the truck.
Annie gasped once she caught a glimpse of you in the back of the truck as the truck continued to drive off.
"MY BABY!!!!" Annie shrieked out.
Smoke let's Beauregard go.
"Was that..." He begins, unsure if it was his truck that got stolen.
"That was my truck!" Beauregard yelled out.
Smoke sighs in relief that it wasn't his truck, however, everyone else began to come outside to see what was going on.
"The hell's goin on?" Bo asked.
"We heard Annie scream." Grace adds in.
"Smoke, what happened?" Sammie asked.
"Some bastards boosted my truck!" Beauregard yelled out.
"'N Y/N was in the back of it!" Annie screamed out.
Everyone gasped, but Smoke's eyes grew wide.
"Y-Y/N was in the back?" He stammered out.
"I ain't stuttered boy!" Annie yelled back, heart racing rapidly.
Smoke saw red!
He stormed back in the house along with Annie who was equally blinded with red fury.
"W-what's gon' happen?" Sammie stammered out.
"Smoke's 'bout to bring the fire." Stack replied.
The two robbers laughed as they continued to drive the truck into town while you were in the back, completely scared.
"I want my papa!" You thought to yourself. "I want my mama!"
You began to cry and scream in fear, which got into the ears of the leader as he looked into the rearview mirror to see you. He hit the brakes quick.
"Hey, what 'chu doi-"
"There's a baby in the back!" The leader yells as he quickly gets out of the truck and runs to the back. You looked at the leader with tears in your eyes.
"W-who is this man? Where's mama 'n papa!?" You thought as you continued to cry.
"Where the hell did a baby come from?" The sidekick asked.
"I'on know!" The leader yelled back.
"Should we return it to the parents?" The sidekick asked.
"No stupid 'cause they gon' get the truck back as well!" The leader reasoned.
"But takin' the baby with us is kidnappin'!" The sidekick yelled back.
All the yelling was making you completely distressed, which angered the leader.
"Shut up! Stop cryin'!" He yells at you.
This makes you begin to scream at the top of your lungs then the leader covers your mouth.
"Someone help!" You thought to yourself as you squirmed.
This began to attract people as everyone began to pop their heads out from the shops.
"The hell y'all lookin' at!?" The leader yelled out. "Can't a man discipline his child!?" He lies.
Your screams grew muffled against his hand.
"'F you don't shut up I wi-"
Before he could finish his sentence, the leader hears a gun cock and whirled around to see Smoke holding his pistol.
"Put...her...down." Smoke growled out.
The leader didn't want to accept defeat as he backs away with you still in his arms.
"You ain't gon' do nuthin'." He teases Smoke. "One wrong shoot 'n you'll end up hurtin' this lil' girl." The leader points out.
The sidekick chuckles as he pulls out a gun and aims it at Smoke to protect his leader.
Smoke felt his heart drumming against his ribcage as you looked at him with tears in your eyes, pleading for help. If Smoke did try to shoot the leader then he might hit you in the process and get shot as well by the sidekick.
"Fuck..." Smoke grunted out.
However, the leader watched as Smoke's eyes grew wide like he had seen a ghost. The leader thought that Smoke was afraid of him.
"What? Ya scared now nigga?" He chuckled out. "Scared that you'll shoot ya babygirl?" He taunts Smoke.
"Don't make...any movements at all..." Smoke warns the two robbers.
"Or what?" The sidekick asked.
However, the sound of a shotgun cocking was the answer to the sidekick's question.
The two robbers turned around to see Annie--eyes black as coal-- welding a double barrel shotgun. She had a perfect aim at both of their heads if they even so much as laid a scratch on you or Smoke.
The leader's confidence depleted as he stared into the eyes of a scorned mother whose child was in danger. All of a sudden, there was the sound of another gun cocking as the two robbers turned to the side to see Stack aiming a pistol at them as well along with Cornbread cracking his knuckles ready for a brawl.
They were outnumbered 4 to 2!
"Drop the girl 'n leave the truck...befo' your brains end up paintin' that truck red." Stack threatened.
"Y-you really think I'm scared of some guns?" The leader's voice cracked. The sidekick felt like he was gonna piss himself.
"Oh...I never saw Uncle Stack this mad along with Uncle Cornbread." You thought to yourself since this was the very first time to see your two happy and goofy uncles looking dead serious.
Annie's voice roaring out enough to scare the two robbers into complying.
"HURRY UP 'N GIVE ME BACK MY DAUGHTER!"
The robbers admit defeat as they quickly set you down and run off. Not before Stack shot them both in the legs, causing them to fall over.
"Gah damn what 'chu do that for!?" The leader yelled out.
"This nigga thought we was gon' let 'im walk out in one piece?" Stack scoffed.
Smoke ran up to you and picked you up.
"Are you okay!? Did they hurt you!?" Smoke asked while checking your body for any injuries. Once it was confirmed that you were okay, Smoke dropped to his knees and hugged you tight. You felt Smoke trembling then you heard him sobbing.
"Papa's here baby, papa's here." He sobbed out.
Annie kneels down to Smoke then presses a kiss on the top of your head. Smoke then lifts his head up to Stack and Cornbread.
"Stack, drive the truck back to the house." He instructs his younger twin before getting up.
"What were you thinkin'!?"
"She could've gotten hurt!"
"Or gone for good!"
"This shouldn't have happened 'f you hadn't picked a fight!"
"SA ESE!" Annie yelled out, silencing her parents.
The house went silent and all everyone could hear was Annie's heavy breathing.
"Both of you, out." Annie tells her parents while pointing at the door.
"Beg ya pardon young lady?" Beauregard asks.
"You heard what she said." Smoke chimed in. "Both of y'all get the hell out our house."
"Antonia! We're your parents! You can't kick us out!" Antoinette tells Annie.
"Who acts like y'all were the ones who invented parentin'!" Annie fires back. "This was s'pposed to be a nice day to celebrate Y/N turnin' 2 but y'all just had to critique everythin' like y'all were the ones who planned this party for weeks!" She lashes out. "None of this would've happened 'f y'all just accept that every parent is different!"
Once Annie was done, her parents were silent.
"Now, I ain't the type to tell ya twice but 'f you don't leave voluntarily, I'll have Uncle Cornbread escort you out." Smoke warns the parents as Cornbread stands up.
"Y'know he's the tosser at our juke joint so he has no problem gettin' physical." Stack adds in.
Admitting defeat, Antoinette and Beauregard left the house without another complaint.
Once they were gone, the atmosphere grew still and silent.
"'F any of y'all got any gifts for Y/N, just leave 'em on the table." Annie sighs out.
Everyone left the house one by one after leaving your gifts on the table and once the house was empty, it was just Annie, Stack, and Smoke.
"Ohhh, I probably shouldn't have yelled at 'em." Annie groaned out.
"Hell nah, they deserved that shit." Stack assures Annie. "They actin' like they know Y/N more than you do."
Annie sighs.
"I'm just...I just want what's best for Y/N 'n today was s'pposed to be a happy birthday for her 'n she almost got kidnapped." Annie explained.
Smoke presses his forehead against hers in a loving manner.
"I'll say this...God is good, God is good." Smoke muttered. "I'm glad they didn't get too far."
"You did a nice job protectin' her too." Stack adds in. "This is my first time ever seein' you hold a gun."
"Smoke taught me how to shoot." Annie explained. "Didn't think I was gon' ever hold a gun in my life but after today..." She adds in.
Smoke grabs Annie's hand and squeezes it before getting up to check on you. He walked upstairs to the nursery room to see you fast asleep in your crib--tuckered out from the crying and screaming.
The sounds of his footsteps creaking against the floorboard woke you up as you turned your head and see Smoke.
"Papa..." You rasped out reaching out to him. Smoke scoops you up into his bulky arms.
"Happy birthday Y/N..." Smoke begins. "Always remember that me 'n ya mama loves you so much."
