My 12-year-old has a friend -- actually, let's call her a frenemy. She burns my daughter time and again, betraying her trust. And yet, my seventh grader keeps letting her back into her life. After all, they are in the same friend circle and have the same classes, so my girl feels it's easier just to accept her. As a parent, it’s frustrating to watch.
In Thor: The Dark World, the audience feels that same kind of angst for Thor. Our hero knows better than to trust his brother Loki, yet, he loves him deeply. When something threatens their kingdom and their family, is Thor right or wrong to trust Loki again, even when he knows better?
Movies are all about second chances, full of wayward characters who are given love, friendship and understanding and then, WHOMP, completely turn around their lives.
In my life, I've given lying friends opportunities to redeem themselves because I was influenced by movies like The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink. Stick by someone and eventually they’ll turn around, is the message Hollywood likes to give – even in the new release About Time, a family member is loved into sobriety. As a parent, I’m appreciative that Thor 2 demonstrates there’s no easy solution and, indeed, no darker world than deciding whether to spurn or embrace a deceitful sibling.
Here are three movies to see with your family this weekend.
1. Thor: The Dark World. This sci-fi story is heavy on the sci, especially with intelligent and capable scientist Jane Foster. Just be warned: the film is heavy on Asgardian and alien carnage.
2. Ender’s Game. The sad truth is most kids today can relate to being bullied, so there’s nothing more thrilling than seeing a bullied boy use his wits to triumph over his attackers and become the military leader of Earth.
3. Free Birds. It seems like a wacky premise, but honestly, if you were a talking turkey who found a time machine wouldn’t you fly back to the first Thanksgiving to make sure your race was “off the menu”?
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