The MCU's Phase 5 may be on the way out, but movies like Thunderbolts* and The Marvels also offer levels of quality where some are better than others.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe officially kicked off in 2008 with Iron Man, and is still going strong nearly two decades later with its 36th feature film, Thunderbolts, opening in U.S. theaters on May 2.

Yes, Thunderbolts* is literally a superhero movie about has-beens fighting off depression. It's more than a little on the nose, given Marvel's trajectory. But what's welcome about it is the lack of pretension, the relatively minimal burden of franchise lore, and the general competence with which the requisite action and comedy beats are assembled.