Ryan Coogler pulls it out of the fire with the overstuffed, gorgeously wrenching Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. A powerful tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman combined with Marvel myth-making at its most thoughtful, the film admirably attempts to fill an irreparable void left by its star’s untimely passing. Wakanda Forever strikes sometimes delicate, sometimes clumsy balance between an all-caps comic book movie and an intimate tour through the stages of grief. Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, and Tenoch Huerta are the most formidable trifecta Marvel has seen in years. Minor spoilers ahead…

An uplifting celebration of blackness, Black Panther represents a momentous turning point in black cinema. Ryan Coogler has crafted one of the most poignant explorations of African culture and what it means to be black. The main character just happens to kick ass and wear a cat costume. Mild spoilers ahead...