So the big movie this weekend is the new one from Marvel, the third movie in the Thor franchise, Thor: Ragnarok. Now I've always liked the Thor movies, but they've always been sort of the red-headed stepchild of the Marvel universe, the movies you sit through so you can get to the good stuff with Iron Man or Captain America. Marvel has decided that ain't the case anymore, and they went all out for this new Thor. First off, they hired director Taika Waititi, a guy best known for offbeat indie comedies like What We Do In The Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople. And he has, essentially, turned Thor into a comedy, while also cranking up the epicness and the weirdness and the scope that this franchise has always been capable of - every frame of the trailer looks like it would make an amazing cover for a Led Zeppelin album. The movie sees Thor trapped on the other side of the universe without his hammer and forced into gladiator fights to the death - and one of those fights just happens to be The Incredible Hulk, Thor's fellow Avenger! I've heard the movie described as Marvel's take on a buddy comedy road trip movie between the two of them as they have to make their way back to Thor's home Asgard before it gets destroyed, and I am all about that concept. Tom Hiddleston is back as fan-favorite Loki, the villainous Goddess of Death Hela is played by Cate Blanchett, and even Jeff Goldblum is in this movie! I can't wait, and all signs indicate it's one of Marvel's best movies yet.

Also out this weekend is A Bad Moms Christmas, the sequel to last year's Bad Moms which starred Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis and Kathryn Hahn. This one adds those characters' own bad moms to the mix, who are played by Cheryl Hines, Christine Baranski and Susan Surandon. I haven't seen the first one, but feel like I heard pretty good things when it came out; it sounds like this one isn't nearly as good, and that it's largely the same jokes in a Christmas setting, despite a really incredible cast trying hard to sell it.

Finally, this one's out in limited release, but it's getting such massive critical acclaim I figured I should mention it - Lady Bird, the directorial debut of actress Greta Gerwig is out this weekend. This has been playing festivals for a while and has gotten phenomenal reviews out of every one, and I'm a big fan of Gerwig through the films she co-wrote and starred in for Noah Baumbach, Frances Ha and Mistress America. It's a comedy about the relationship between a teenage girl and her mother during a rapidly shifting economic landscape, and stars Saoirse Ronan from Brooklyn as the daughter and Laurie Metcalf as the mother. This will probably expand to more theaters soon, but it's worth checking out if it's near you.

So Thor will likely be awesome and Lady Bird is great if you can find it - and until next time we'll Meat at the Movies.

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