It’s evident that Creed director Ryan Coogler pays close attention. He’s the kind of guy who feeds off anything of value, anything that makes him sharper or more attuned. An Oakland dude, educated but no elitist, couldn’t be a dweeb if he tried. You can feel the spark, the nerve, the engine…he types fast and furious like Justin Chang. Coogler will never be anything or anyone other than himself. A fan of Precious and Inglourious Basterds, he’s one of those guys who will always make movies for audiences, but he also has that keen hunger thing, a taste for heights and expansion. But after Black Panther, he’d be wise to get into something more personal or, you know, maybe in a Fruitvale Station-ish vein. More of a real-deal people movie. Heroism and triumph can turn stale at the drop of a hat.