Creed

Creed accomplished the impossible: it revived the Rocky franchise by honoring its legacy while forging an entirely new identity. Ryan Coogler, who was only 29, directed a film that is simultaneously a love letter to Rocky and a declaration of independence from it. Michael B. Jordan plays Adonis Creed, the secret son of Apollo Creed, who travels to Philadelphia to convince the retired Rocky Balboa to train him. The result is the best Rocky film since the original.

Jordan's performance is electric. Adonis has Rocky's heart but Apollo's pride — a combustible combination that makes him compelling in every scene. He fights not for survival but for identity: to prove that he earned his place, that he is not just Apollo's son. Stallone, in his finest performance since the original Rocky, plays the aging trainer with a sadness and dignity that earned him an Oscar nomination. The scene where Rocky receives his cancer diagnosis and refuses treatment is devastating.

Coogler's direction of the fight sequences is revolutionary. The first professional fight is filmed in a single, continuous take — the camera circling, ducking, and weaving with the fighters in an unbroken shot that puts you inside the ring. The final fight against 'Pretty' Ricky Conlan is the most technically impressive boxing sequence since Raging Bull. Creed proved that legacy sequels do not have to be nostalgia exercises. They can be vital, original, and emotionally devastating in their own right.