Spider-Man: No Way Home

...as it brings together past villains such as Dr. Octopus, Electro, Green Goblin, Lizard, Sandman, and a few other characters from past versions. They have returned thanks to the multiverse, an inter-dimensional portal accessed by the stern Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) in a spell gone awry intended to restore Spider-Man's (a winning Tom Holland) anonymity after Mysterio outed Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Far From Home.

The multiverse functions as a Macguffin of sorts. It's the jumping off point for Marvel movies to do what they do best, and No Way Home doesn't disappoint, thanks to that tried and true formula of good-natured banter and giddy CGI set pieces. I liked how it taps into Electro's awesome power. I kind of imagined that Electro, played by Jamie Foxx, perhaps, and this is a big perhaps, could be a crime-fighting consultant in some future movie. And Willem Dafoe gave a tortured performance as Norman Osborn, fighting hard to silence the diabolical inner voice of Green Goblin.

All Marvel pictures have non-preachy messaging. No Way Home touches on grief, vengeance, and also makes a case for humanity's redemptive nature.