The ‘Black Panther’ enthralls

“Black Panther,” the year’s biggest hit – and the best Marvel entry since “Iron Man” – is a truly glorious movie experience.

Chadwick Boseman stars as T’Challa, an African king who must defend his homeland against his thronesnatching cousin Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan.) Along the way, T’Challa is aided by a cadre of powerful women (Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright.)

Director Ryan Coogler (“Creed”) swirls together original characters, breathtaking action scenes and surprisingly complex themes – and makes it all look easy. “Black Panther” is a rarity: a genuinely affecting superhero epic. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu.

Also new to VOD and Streaming

Bent: “Crash” co-writer Bobby Moresco is back with an intriguing thriller about a New Orleans cop (Karl Urban) who winds up in prison after accidentally shooting an undercover agent and being framed by a local mobster. After his release, Urban not only wants revenge but also aims to figure out how and why he was set up. Soon, he’s investigating a car-bombing, a crooked pastor and a mysterious federal agent (Sofia Vergara.) If you think too much about it, “Bent” never makes much sense but while it’s unfolding, it has a jittery elegance about it. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu.

My Friend Victoria: Here’s a French drama which powerfully illustrates how race and class can shape lives. As a youngster, orphan Victoria (Guslagie Malanda) spends a day at the home of a wealthy white classmate. The experience affects her as she drifts from job to job, unable to find her place in the world. Malanda doesn’t have the chops to convey Victoria’s inner turmoil but the movie stays with you, casting a haunting spell. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu.

Anon: In this futuristic drama from “In Time” director Andrew Niccol, Clive Owen stars as a detective investigating a series a murders. Crime has become almost obsolete thanks to new technologies which have rendered privacy obsolete. Still, as Owen

digs, he discovers that a woman simply called the Girl (Amanda Seyfried) appears to be the culprit. But somehow the Girl has managed to delete herself from any and all visual records. What is behind the deception? On Netflix.

The Fencer: Based on the true story of Estonian fencing champion Endel Nelis, this crowd pleaser takes place in the years following the end of World War II. Nelis (Mart Avandi), fleeing the Soviet secret police, winds up teaching fencing to youngsters in a remote Estonian village. When the kids quality for a tournament, he must decide whether to keep a low profile and save his own skin or risk everything and accompany the youngsters to a tournament in Leningrad. Even though “The Fencer” is predictable, it’s so crisply directed and performed that it remains a cut above most sports movies. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu.

Teen Titles

Batman Ninja: In this groundbreaking anime feature, East meets West as the Caped Crusader travels back in time to medieval Japan to do battle with Lord Joker, who seeks total domination of the feudal states and final elimination of Batman. Can Bruce Wayne’s alter ego gain the advantage to stop the Joker from rewriting history? On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu.

I Kill Giants: Strikingly similar to “A Monster Calls,” this uneven drama tracks the adventures of an unbalanced teenager named Barbara (Madison Wolfe) who spends every waking minute setting traps for monsters she believes are about to attack her seaside Jersey town. Even though the bullying storyline feels overly familiar, it’s easy to get swept up in Barbara’s dilemma, which gets more dire as the movie goes along. There’s also a nice turn by Zoe Saldana as the guidance counselor who knows that the lonely high-schooler is in need of a helping hand. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu. The Shannara Chronicles - Season Two: If you’re a fan of fantasy, this Spike TV series should be on your radar. Set in a post-apocalyptic world called the Four Lands, the action pivots on a sinister organization called The Crimson which is hunting down magic users. Our heroes are a trio of misfit badasses (Malese Jow, Ivana Banquero, Austin Butler) who must stop bad guy Bandon (Marcus Vanco) from resurrecting a creature even worse than The Crimson: the Warlock Lord. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu.

For the Kids

The Loud House - Season

1, Volume 2: Get ready to see Lincoln and his sisters crank up the craziness in 26 new adventures. There’s episodes devoted to double dates, snow days, Sadie Hawkins dances, roughing it in the wild and surviving a night out with a pair of zombie sisters. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu.

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