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| "I come off like a viking, right?" |
Surely we've all heard of Thor by now, but if you're not familiar with Something Borrowed or Jumping the Broom, we'll take a closer look at all three after the jump.
Thor. PG-13.
There isn't any denying that Thor is going to be big. God-like numbers, not to put too fine a point on it or anything. Or make a pun. Because I'd never do that in my blog. But if you're betting against Thor to take the top spot, you're going to lose money. It has everything a summer blockbuster needs - beautiful women, great action, and wonderful special effects. Also, to its advantage, it has everything a great movie needs - intelligent direction, a sharp screenplay, and way above average performances. It's quite literally a film for everyone. I was tremendously impressed by Christ Hemsworth as Thor and by Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, and was left struck by Kenneth Branagh's (you know, the Shakespeare guy) direction. For my full review, click here.
Something Borrowed. PG-13.
Let me see if I can follow this. If I take four Kate Hudson movies, roll them into one, and then stab my eyes out, I get Something Borrowed, right? I think that's right. I'm having trouble even keeping up with the plot here - a girl has a thing for her best friend's soon-to-be-husband, and doesn't know what to do, while a few other people have things for each other, and there's a wedding. In there, also, I'm sure, there's a movie. It'll just take some searching for. The thing about most romantic comedies is that they aren't hardly as clever as they're supposed to be. Most of them just wind up being something mindless for two cute kids to do on a Friday night after dinner, or before a party, or something. Take romantic comedies like Love, Actually or (500) Days of Summer and then you have an excellent film. I'd write this one off until there's nothing else to see.
Jumping the Broom. PG-13.
This one is a bit easier to follow than Something Borrowed. Two African-American families, both from different sides of the tracks, come together and hate each other because one of their kids is marrying the other. I'm going to go ahead and guess that this turns out okay in the end, but only after nearly calling the wedding off. I'm also going to call this film out on its title - it has to be "a black thing", for some reason. Jumping the Broom is a term that comes from the days of slavery when slaves weren't allowed to get married. So, the betrothed would simply jump over a broom to symbolize jumping into a new life together, and boom. They were married. So, the all black cast, plus that pointed title, make this Death at a Funeral (2010) with an agenda. And I have a hard time abiding movies like that. Full disclosure, Soul Food is one of my very favorite movies. But, that had a point. This is just froth. More Barbershop than anything else, I'd bet. But, if I'm wrong, I'll gladly eat my words.
There you have it, folks. Go out and see a movie. It's been a long week; you've earned it. And if you're going out, see Thor. Or get extra popcorn to throw at the screen if you wind up in Something Borrowed.
