Pop Culture Thoughts

Rating: 8/10 (25 December 2018)

With the help of the best CGI effects money can buy, director Taika Waititi's phenomenal entry in the Marvel Universe manages to hit all the right notes while never feeling overstuffed nor overstaying its welcome. Somewhere between an 1980s arcade game and a graphic novel come to life, along with shades of Netflix's "Stranger Things," the movie moves along at a brisk pace, with Chris Hemsworth easily carrying the movie through an abundance of charm, screen presence and good will. Cate Blanchett makes a fantastic villain here, but the movie belongs to Jeff Goldlbum, all flash and sleaze as a shameless promoter. Watch for the incredible costume and set design, which fill every frame with abundant color, imagination and creativity.