WAKANDA FOREVER! That’s right, the highly anticipated film Black Panther is here. There has been so much hype surrounding the cast and soundtrack that it broke pre-sales ticket records. And who knows? It may break other records as well, once opening weekend concludes. I know you’re thinking, “Is this movie really that good?” As someone who bought their ticket WEEKS in advance, I was not disappointed. Let me tell you exactly why this movie made me smile:

1. The diversity is insane in this movie.

We all know Black Panther is a nearly all-black cast. But when you actually *see* the movie, you experience the diversity you forgot Marvel was lacking. Think about it - The Avengers are having epic showdowns around the world, but little interactions with the natives are shown. In Black Panther, you have every opportunity to witness the beautiful scenery and culture of Wakanda. And some pretty wicked costumes too.

2. The villain is so believable, you forget he's a villain.

I wouldn’t be spoiling much by saying Michael B. Jordan plays the baddie in this movie. But his backstory is so authentic! He’s the three-dimensional villain Marvel should have shown us a long time ago. Definitely some memorable moments in this film, especially some of the fight scenes!

3. Gorgeous women being unapologetically bad*ss.

Lupita Nyongo leads the pack of women in this movie as a fearless lead. She’s beautiful, confident and competent. She may be the love interest, but she isn’t the only star of the show. There are quite a few lovely female characters that have depth, soul and pretty cute outfits. Oh and Letitia Wright is my new girl crush! She is so adorable as Princess Shuri.

4. The dialogue packs a mean punch.

The screenplay is poignant in that it gets to the core of interactions between us as people. Some of the one-liners can really hit you in the gut, while others may you think. There’s a few funny moments in there, but the more tense moments carry great weight. The writers don’t assume the audience can’t put 2 and 2 together to get 4. For that, I am quite thankful.

5. The soundtrack is friggin awesome!

Kendrick Lamar (Top Dawg Entertainment) produced and curated the soundtrack for this film. Which means the action scenes have pretty great background music. The score fits seamlessly into the film, adding tension where it needs to. Other times, it gives the film a edgy, futuristic feel. You can check out some of the songs on Kendrick Lamar’s Spotify.