I’m not normally drawn to boxing movies, but there’s nothing to criticize with this one. The story is so strong and the acting is incredible by everyone involved. It’s a very moving, powerful film with a clearly stated central theme and message that avoids being preachy. It avoids the tired manufactured drama of lesser films but lets the story carry itself by the sheer weight of its sincerity. Smartly, the director Ryan Coogler tells the story in a way that the audience doesn’t need to have seen any of the Rocky films to understand everything that’s going on in the story. Absolutely impressive cinematography with more oners than Spielberg and to think about than its predecessors, this film is one of the all-time greats for film snobs and popcorn flick lovers alike.