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Steven Spielberg isn’t a director I’d typically associate with guilty pleasure movies. The legendary filmmaker has crafted some of the most important movies in the history of cinema, and there’s certainly nothing “guilty” about loving the likes of “Jaws," “E.T.,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “Jurassic Park” and “Schindler’s List.” But his 2018 sci-fi blockbuster “Ready Player One” fits the bill. I can acknowledge this movie has issues, but I can’t help but enjoy it. This nostalgia-stuffed romp arrived on Netflix as part of the streaming service’s sizeable wave of new library additions at the start of the month, and it’s already found its way into the Netflix top 10 most-watched movies list. As of writing, it sits in the No. 7 spot, and I won’t be surprised to see it climb even higher in the days ahead, as it’s such an entertaining crowd-pleaser. Based on Ernest Cline’s novel of the same name, it’s set in a virtual reality world known as the OASIS, and is crammed full of eye-popping set pieces and so many references to pop culture touchstones that half the fun is spotting all the familiar faces in the background. You could pull apart its flimsy narrative and thinly-sketched supporting cast, but when a DeLoren is racing down crumbling New York streets with King Kong in the background, it’s hard not to get swept up in the excitement (and yes, that’s a real scene). What is ‘Ready Player One’ about? Set in a dystopian future, people escape the bleakness of their real lives by entering a virtual world known as the OASIS. Here you can be anybody you want to be, and can fulfil your wildest fantasies, from becoming a legendary war hero to winning a white-knuckle death race. Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan), known in OASIS as Parzival, is one such day-dreamer who escapes the ruins of Columbus, Ohio, by spending his days in the vast virtual world. However, when James Halliday (Mark Rylance), the creator of the OASIS, dies, he leaves behind a quest to find a hidden Easter Egg. Whoever finds it will gain full control of the OASIS. The race is on! With an evil corporation on the hunt, with sinister plans to turn the virtual world into an ad-infested hellscape, Wade must team up with a plucky group of fellow underdogs to find the clues that lead to the egg and save the OASIS from the clutches of big business. Should you stream ‘Ready Player One’ on Netflix this week? “Ready Player One” is a blockbuster that leans heavily on spectacle. As you might expect from a flick set primarily within a virtual world, the effects are laid on extremely thick. But Spielberg knows how to handle a large-scale production, and even the reliance on green screen isn’t a drawback because, after all, the OASIS is a digital world, so it feels very thematically appropriate that many scenes within it don’t quite look like our real world. To find the Easter Egg, Wade and his allies, which includes love interest Art3mis (played by “House of the Dragon’s” Olivia Cooke), must complete a series of challenges. The first is a breakneck race through the streets of New York as the city collapses and classic movie monsters crash into skyscrapers. It’s a complete blast, and in these moments (and there are several more), it’s hard to get too hung up on the fact that Wade is a milquetoast protagonist or the main plot is extremely silly. The second challenge is equally thrilling, and playfully spooky (but still very PG-13). It sees Wade and friends step into the world of “The Shining,” which is an utter delight for fans of the classic Stephen King horror movie. One of the most common criticisms of “Ready Player One” is that it’s basically a series of over-the-top action set pieces strung together with endless references to pop culture (particularly ‘80s pop culture). But here’s the thing: Cline’s novel is the same. “Ready Player One,” both as a movie and a book, is a big nerdy adventure full of nods to geek culture. So, you can’t really blame Spielberg for sticking close to the core of the source material. Let’s not forget that fan service does have its place. “Ready Player One” is not even close to high art, but I can’t deny that I always crack a smile when Wade shows off his replica of the Sulaco from “Aliens” (My personal favorite ‘80s movie) or when The Iron Giant leaps into action in the third act battle, a skirmish that is so vast it gives “Avengers: Endgame” a run for its money. It’s a blockbuster that leaves its eye-watering $175m budget very much on screen, and while you could pick apart the routine romance subplot and the cynicism of leaning on “remember this…” nostalgia in favor of telling a more developed story, “Ready Player One” is just a complete blast. And despite its numerous flaws, I always end up grinning like a little kid every time I rewatch it. When it comes to blockbusters, that’s enough to keep me satisfied. Of course, if you’re looking for something with more substance, or you just don’t feel like playing “spot the pop culture reference” for almost two and a half hours, then “Ready Player One” is far from the only new arrival on Netflix in the past few days. The big red streaming service just added more than 40 movies, and there’s bound to be at least one that appeals to you. But if you want some midweek blockbuster escapism, “Ready Player One” is pretty rad. 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