Now Playing


Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.

Solo: A Star Wars Story
Starring: Aldon Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Paul Bettany, and Donald Glover
Synopsis: "Star Wars" films are events. Or, at least they used to be. This is now the fourth new "Star Wars" film in as many years, and it's fair to wonder if we're getting some creative and audience fatigue. "Solo" had a lot of promise. Han Solo, originated by Harrison Ford, has long been among the favorite, if not THE favorite, "Star Wars" character of all time. Yet his background and backstory remained somewhat a mystery. When Disney bought Lucasfilm and first announced a "Solo" movie, it seemed like a no-brainer. But the production was troubled. There were rumors of difficulty in getting performances, and original directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were removed mid-way through production. So the "Solo" we are seeing is what was cobbled together from all that after Ron Howard took to the director's chair. And it's fair to wonder if there is a better version of this story out there somewhere, but we'll never know. What we do know is this was the first of the new "Star Wars" films to be parked in the summer, and it has easily received the most tepid critical and commercial reception of the new wave. And that seems about right. As a long-time "Star Wars" fan I'll say "Solo" was fine, and at time enjoyable, but was easily the weakest of the new four films. That being said, it's better than the prequels and even a middling "Star Wars" film is better than most of your other options. But what seems to be bumming people out is that idea of what could have been versus the movie we have. But let's consider the movie. I won't ruin the plot here, but suffice to say the film touches on a lot of insider references from the original films. It gives us the story behind how Han Solo met Chewbaca, how he met Lando (Glover) and how he got his famous ship. There is a lot of fun fan service here, and this movie works as a decent action/heist movie, also. In some ways that makes summer a more ideal landing spot for it. And the production is solid, there are some funny lines, and there are some good performances. Ehrenreich was never going to be Harrison Ford, but he does a decent job in the role and, in some ways, works to make it his own. Harrelson seems to be having fun, and I always enjoy a solid performance from Clarke. Perhaps the most fun performance in the film belongs to Glover, who brings a lot of flair to the role of Lando. If this film didn't carry the weight of fan expectation and the burden of the moniker "Star Wars," people might view it differently, myself included. As it is, I enjoyed the film for what it is, but I couldn't help think that is should have been better..
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action/violence.
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

 Upcoming Releases:
Friday, June 1: "Adrift," "Action Point," "Upgrade"
Friday, June 8: "Ocean's 8," "Hereditary," "Hotel Artemis"
Friday, June 15: "Tag," "Incredibles 2," "Superfly," "Gotti"
Friday, June 22: "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom"
Friday, June 29: "Sicario: Day of the Soldado," "Uncle Drew," "The Hustle"

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju...
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more