Movie Review: 'Solo' doesn't fly well in his own film

Lucasfilm/Walt Disney

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018, directed by Ron Howard. USA, English, Color, 135 minutes) When you thought the Star Wars franchise was heading up from a forgetful opening trilogy that set up the backstory to the landmark space opera, "Solo" brings it right back down to the level of the first three episodes we wish we could forget. 

Because "Star Wars" is so well known studios can make any film they want that is based on the original trilogy so long as the Star Wars tag is attached to it. It's a full-proof way to make money without guaranteeing that the quality will be there. The problem with that is there is no mystery left to anything; we are force fed explanations behind characters and stories that sometimes aren't warranted just so the studio can make a few bucks. Han Solo was such a cool, rogue character in the fight against the empire that I never really cared to know his origins, and why do you need to? He's a standalone icon in cinema who should have been left on his own and not used for a cheap plot that was ruffled together for this film. 

Movie Reviews: 'The Shape of Water' and 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' are exciting, lovable films

Lucasfilm

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017, directed by Rian Johnson. U.S.A., English, Color, 152 minutes) Grab your lightsaber and favorite droid because you'll be in for a good time with the latest "Star Wars" movie. After dishing out a lot of fan service in "The Force Awakens", the seventh episode in the "Star Wars" franchise, "The Last Jedi" really opens up its potential with a methodical film that gives us deeper characters and emotions than its lighter predecessor. Now that audiences have been reacquainted with old friends and have welcomed new ones, we can get into the meat of this new trilogy. The First Order continues to drive out the Resistance as Rey tries to lure Luke Sykwalker to help with the cause and Finn and Poe try to keep ahead of the Order's trailing forces.

Movie Review: Unraveling the mystery of 'Blade Runner 2049'

Blade Runner 2049 (2017, directed by Denis Villeneuve. U.S.A., English, Color, 163 minutes) There's a lot I'm not allowed to say about the the long-awaited sequel to the acclaimed 1982 sci-fi staple "Blade Runner". Therefore, I will not. I can, however, talk about the film in broad strokes, and provide some notes about other random things related to the Blade Runner world.

First, this is a very attractive sci-fi film, perhaps more beautiful than the original. Set 30 years after the original the streets have been "cleaned up" a bit it seems, not so much the dingy apocalyptic setup we were accustomed to. Perhaps it's the advancement in technology that leads the original to have a really run down and dirty look when compared to this film. I did admire the production values of "Blade Runner 2049," it certainly made watching the film worthwhile.

'The Hateful Eight' is Tarantino's best in years

The Hateful Eight (2015, directed by Quentin Tarantino. U.S.A. English, Color, 187 minutes [roadshow version])

Admittedly, I haven't been a fan of Quentin Tarantino's most recent films. 

Though a majority of film buffs think his 2007 effort "Death Proof" is his worst film, I think that B-movie throwback to kick ass racing chicks is one of his best. It was with that film a new wave of Tarantino came into play: the direct homage.

Following "Death Proof" was the Nazi revenge tale "Inglourious Basterds" and then the slave revenge talker "Django Unchained". I wasn't a huge fan of the latter selections, finding them overly talky and extremely violent lackluster efforts as Tarantino pays homage to the similarly-titled 70's films he took the plots that he replaced with his stylized conversations. 

Anyone can rehash something and add tons of violence to it, but who cares? 

When I saw the trailer for "The Hateful Eight" came out, I didn't even watch it, but commenters on IMDb said it would be another movie filled with tons of talking and some violence. That sounded accurate, and I wasn't terribly motivated to see it.

The commenters were right, so right, and in the best (worst?) possible way.

Movie review: 'Snowpiercer' is a Train Ride to (Frozen) Hell.

Snowpierecer (2013, directed by Bong Joon-Ho. USA/Korea, Color, 126 minutes. In English and Korean with subtitles) Think of the most horrendous train ride you've ever been on and times that by a hundred. This pretty much describes the post-apocalyptic movie "Snowpiercer". Much like the non-stop track the titular train barrels along on, you wish there was at least one stop you could get the hell off at.

It's 2031, and all of the world's inhabitants are stuck on a train cruising around the globe after an experiment to combat global warming in 2014 puts terra firma in another ice age. Curtis (Chris Evans) and a few of his conspirators in the squabble cars at the end of the train plan to overtake the engine and gain control of it, but in order to do that they need to pound the allegorical messages of the film into the viewers heads.

Steeped in so much of its own political seriousness about global warming and military rule, "Snowpiercer" comes off like a serious film that wants to discuss these issues but is really nothing more than dribble that would make up a Sylvester Stallone film. And no, using drab imagery as to compare the train to those that transported Jews to the concentration camps doesn't give you a pass for seeming serious. What a cheap trick that was.