Black Panther

THE GIST: After the assassination of his father, T'Challa assumes the throne of Wakanda and the role of Black Panther. Wakanda is more scientifically and technologically advanced than any other nation on Earth, but it has chosen to keep this a secret, presenting itself to the world as an impoverished third world country. T'Challa must now figure out how to lead his nation in a fast changing world that has already been attacked from outer space. His worldview is also challenged by Killmonger, who claims the throne for himself.

So many superhero movies have come before, but Black Panther feels like a breath of fresh air. One of the few superheroes who is a minority, the film showcases a cast that's almost completely Black.

Furthermore, even though the lead is male, females feature prominently in the Wakandan society and women play some of the most important roles.

Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan go head to head supported by Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya, Winston Duke, Martin Freeman, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis, and Sterling K. Brown.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A cool story, a well-written screenplay, great direction and acting, superb visual and sound effects, and a wholly imagined and utterly breathtaking cityscape make for a great cinematic experience.

Grade: 8.5