Captain Marvel is Marvel Studios’ latest release, a truly unique movie about a photon-blasting superhero from outer space who fights aliens and teams up with Samuel L. Jackson. The film stars Room’s Brie Larson as the titular Captain Marvel, the aforementioned Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury (but with two eyes this time), and Jude Law. You should go see it for two reasons. 

A year ago, Marvel Studios released Black Panther and I wrote an article for my high school paper about its importance and why people should go see it. A few weeks ago, I wrote about the kinds of action movies people shouldn’t go see and the kinds of action movies people should. Last Friday, Marvel Studios released Captain Marvel and I might be beating a dead horse (apologies to all the horse fans out there), but as it turns out, my two opinion pieces didn’t completely eliminate all bias in the US, so I feel obligated to write a third. 

The first reason you should see Captain Marvel: it’s a genuinely great movie! Brie Larson does a fantastic job portraying Captain Marvel as a funny, tough and independent superhero. Co-directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck clearly execute their impressive vision. The music is a smooth blend of 90s guitar riffs and orchestral swells and every joke lands. Also prominent in this movie are some super cool space fights, great references to the comics it’s based on and one very adorable cat, but those are more personal reasons for why I think this movie rocks. Sure, there are a few good movies out in theaters right now, but Captain Marvel is right up there with them. 

The second reason that you should go see Captain Marvel is the fact that it’s worth supporting. Representation in media is critical when it comes to self-esteem and normalization. Kids who watch superhero movies need to see themselves up on the screen, but so far, the vast majority of the heroes up there have been white, straight, cisgendered and male. When it comes to female-led superhero movies, Captain Marvel is only the second in recent history and Marvel Studios’ first. If you want more women in the Avengers or on the Justice League — and if you possess basic human decency, you do — watching this movie in theaters wouldn’t be the worst way to make that happen. We could also march on Disney and Warner Bros., but there is no way this college student can afford a plane ticket to Hollywood right now. I can afford a movie ticket (at least for a matinee).

Just remember, the next time you’re going to the movies — which might be in early May if your professors are anything like mine — pass up Liam Neeson’s latest flick or the newest not-Pixar animated movie and catch a screening of Captain Marvel. Seeing an awesome superhero punch aliens and blow things up is a pretty fun way to cast a vote for better representation in movies.