Movie Review: Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Solo: A Star Wars Story is directed by Ron Howard, and tells the story of a young Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) as he meets Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), encounters Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover), and stows away on the Milenium Falcon amidst a crew of smugglers.
  This movie is the second "Star Wars Story" to hit theaters. Once Disney acquired LucasFilm, the company announced that they would produce spin-off movies which aren't apart of the episodic trilogies, but have connections to them. 'Rogue One' was a surprisingly underwhelming movie which felt rough and unfinished in some parts. Leaving us with terrific action sequences, but nothing in the way of substance or story.
  I went into 'Solo' apprehensive about those very things. From the reviews I had read and the trailers circulating, this appeared to be yet another film with so much to flash, yet no story to show for it.
   Fortunately, I was wrong..well mostly. Solo is a very entertaining and fun movie which incorporates fleshed-out characters and humor to create a lighter Star Wars experience. It's not anywhere near as good as the original or sequel trilogy, but I found myself liking this movie better than Rogue One, and certainly better than the prequel saga. That said, Solo does not arrive without its flaws.
  The first forty minutes drag on, and the film takes a while to realize that it is at it's best when it just throws up its hands and decides to have fun. Yet that first act feels like the script is trying to find that right note to hit. Which it eventually does; leading to some satisfying action sequences and more than a few great jokes that land. The characters have been done better this time around. Alden Ehrenreich as Solo is great as he brings to life everything that made Harrison Ford's incarnation of the character work. Donald Glover is spot-on as Lando (sometimes eerily) and his character was fun and interesting throughout the entire movie. Emilia Clarke excels as Qi'ra: a fresh new addition to the franchise. And Chewbacca's scenes are gold from a galaxy far, far away.
  Beckett is played by Woody Harrelson, who somehow, manages not to steal this film with his acting. His character is enjoyable, but there isn't really anything super remarkable about him. That said, the writing behind these characters if consideraby better than in Rogue One.
  I suppose the biggest 'downer' of this movie, is that since the film suffers with pacing, and rarely goes for deep explorations with these characters, we're left with a light, entertaining Star Wars movie that goes more for the eye candy and "fluff" than we know this series is capable of.
  Personally, I didn't mind it. Summer blockbuster season is in full swing and I went in expecting the movie to not reach the emotional heights as 'Empire Strikes Back' or 'The Last Jedi' did so well. Yet the movie did call me back once the credits began. I was drawn to this movie and want to see it again. I think it's a very competently directed, fairly well-written, light piece of Star Wars lore that serves as a very suitable bookmark, leading up to A New Hope.
  Oh yeah, and that last scene..built for those hungry for nostalgia, and it satisfied your writer quite a bit.
  2.5 stars = B-

Movie Review: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

In 2005, fans were raving with excitement over the release of Revenge of the Sith. This movie was everywhere; constant television spots, tons of food promotions, and burger king even released a series of hard/plush figures from the movie (I've still got three of mine). This was the film everyone had waited six years to see. Audiences were ecstatic to see how Lucas would depict Anakin Skywalker's (Hayden Christensen) turn to evil as he became Darth Vader. Instead of creating a character arch for Anakin, Lucas chose to put the majority of Skywalker's turn into one 140 minute movie. ROTS surprised me in more ways than I was expecting. This is a good Star Wars prequel movie, or should I say the only good Star Wars prequel movie. The previous two installments had not impressed me whatsoever, and so I was fairly ready to walk out of this movie with those same criticisms. While the wooden acting and forced romance is still intact, the boredom is not. ROTS is constantly entertaining. The visuals (no longer eye candy meant to wow hungry audiences) hold up far better than in Phantom Menace and AOTC. This movie takes place three years after AOTC and deals with Anakin Skywalker as he succumbs to the dark side under Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid). Meanwhile, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Yoda (Frank Oz) lead resistance campaigns across the galaxy. There is a lot to behold throughout this movie. Most notably several effective fan-service moments. Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) makes an appearance after Yoda must defend the wookies against General Grievous (Matthew Wood). Then there is the final act where we meet a newborn Luke & Leia. The film concludes with Anakin becoming Darth Vader, which is easily the weakest of these throwback cameos. His role in the movie is brief, which is beneficial because performance-wise, Vader's role is fairly weak. As said above, there is still the romance between Anakin and Padme (Natalie Portman), but since Christensen delivers a much better performance, the love story does not feel as heavy-handed and forced. It is never the highlight of the film, but even with Portman's lackluster performance, we still get many good scenes with her and Anakin. The largest issue rectified in this final prequel movie, is the emotion. ROTS is a very dark film with a somber, if not depressing, tone that carries throughout a large portion of the movie. The previous prequel movies did not deliver a true emotional conflict. This one does and it is mega-successful. The implications in this script-Anakin's infamous encounter with the younglings- is one of the many emotionally stirring moments. That said, while the raw emotion succeeds, ROTS suffers when it comes to tone. In the first two acts, the film bounces back and forth between a lighthearted duel with Obi-Wan and Grevious, and Anakin succumbing to Lord Sidious's rule. The score and the scenery awkwardly juxtaposes and creates an odd rift between these two stories. While they come together at the conclusion, ROTS does definitely feel fragmented in places. Overall, Revenge of the Sith is the only good prequel movie. It is emotional, entertaining, and is visually enjoyable. Fans of Star Wars will appreciate this movie, as I did, but this is a far more darker and mature film than Star Wars has gone before. Three stars= B

Movie Review: Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)

Most fans of Star Wars unanimously agree that Attack of the Clones-the follow up to The Phantom Menace (1999)- is the worst entry in the entire franchise. Yet there is a rift here; AOTC has a 66% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and various critics (CinemaScore for example) gave the film an A- based on their audience poll. Yet another movie that I loved as a kid, and also another film that I have reviewed on this blog before, Attack of the Clones saves itself in the last act, but that does not erase the memory of the first two which are (more often than not) cringe-inducing. The film stars Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Frank Oz. So ten years after the events of Phantom Menace, Anakin (Christensen) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (McGregor) return to the Jedi council and reunite with Padme (Portman) who needs Skywalker's protection from a mysterious assassination attempt. Anakin and Padme go off to Naboo, where the two slowly fall "in love". I suppose the biggest down-side of AOTC is the forced romance between Anakin and Padme's characters. There has never been worse chemistry between actors then the one depicted here. Not only is it awkward and forced, but since neither of these two give anywhere close to a good performance, the entire story with these two is flat and lifeless. Portman surprises here; whereas she is usually stunning her in performances, her acting in this movie was atrocious. As was Hayden Christensen's whose portrayal of Anakin is cocky and unlikable. Ewan McGregor does some good work here: constantly falling victim to the poor script and wooden dialogue Lucas writes. I must also remark that excluding the final act (which is sort of awesome) Frank Oz's portrayal of Yoda feels stale and unremarkable. As does Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu. The latter, in particular, doesn't have the depth or even just the compassion that a high-order, Jedi knight should possess. On the good side, AOTC is entertaining all throughout. Something Phantom Menace neglected, which caused it to become a science fiction snooze-fest. I was never bored by this movie, even when it gets flat and uninspired (which it does on more than one occasion). I'm also a fan of Christopher Lee, who fills Darth Maul's shoes, as former Jedi Count Dooku. His acting, as well as Ian McDiarmid's performance, is one of the very few positives we can extract from this movie. As always, the musical score by John Williams is filled with the fantastical wonder that should accompany any Star Wars movie. And as I said before, the ending battle sequence is terrific and exciting. A much needed change compared to the forced romance and poor visuals that consumed the first two acts. The ending of this film marks the beginning of the clone wars, which was then made into a movie and two separate TV series. This was a hard film to review, because there are so many bad things, but one really great thing at the end. Therefore the grade and rating of this movie are actually somewhat harder to put one's finger on. Overall, Attack of the Clones is poorly acted, with non-convincing visuals, and a script that turns very flat, very easily. However, the movie is very entertaining, and provides us with a kick-ass battle sequence as its finale. Two stars= C+

Movie Review: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

It would be easy to walk out of "The Phantom Menace" and say you loved it. Many did back in 1999, and nearly nineteen years after the film's release, the hype has worn off and people have openly dissected the first of Lucas's prequel trilogy. I reviewed this movie a little over three years ago. It was back when I first began reviewing films and the review is...to put it lightly....not all that great. That said, for the sake of nostalgia and sentimentality, I will leave that review up. When I first saw "The Phantom Menace" (roughly twelve years ago) I loved it. My young self was riveted by the space battles, Darth Maul, and seeing young Anakin Skywalker. Years have gone by since I watched this film from beginning to end, and seeing this film in its entirety awakened me to a harsh truth: The Phantom Menace is not a very good movie. This has been talked about and disputed for years. In fact, so have the following two Star Wars prequels. This is without a doubt one of the most hated film series of all time. And before I review Phantom Menace, I will disclose with full honesty that I do not hate this film in the slightest. There are good things about this movie, but they are suffocated by the negatives which eventually consume the movie as a whole. Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) is a jedi master who travels with apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) in an effort to protect Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) from the revival of the sith. Along the way, Qui-Gon meets Anakin Skywalker, a slave on the planet Tatooine, who he senses is strong with the force. I said there are positive elements to Phantom Menace and that was no lie. John Williams score for this film is wonderful and I was thoroughly intrigued by Darth Maul (Ray Park) the apprentice of Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid). The last battle sequence between Darth Maul, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Qui-Gon Jinn was highly entertaining and saves a rather stale film. The rest of Phantom Menace, to sum it into one word, was boring. At this point in film history, no Star Wars film had ever felt flat or boring. However, Phantom Menace broke that track record and meanders for the majority of its 133 minute run-time. The sub-plot of the film revolves around a trade negotiation involving Queen Amidala (Portman) who is being coaxed by Palpatine (McDiarmid) to sign a contractual agreement. Not only is this a snooze-fest, but the political subplot is muddled and confusing. Which brings me to my next flaw; that visual muddling happens whenever the film relies on CGI. Not only do the special effects look dated in 2018, but in many sequences (like the Podraces) the CGI is so poorly filmed and constructed that it becomes blurry and misshapen. The race sequence--which I love in a nostalgic way--is truly an eyesore. Speaking of Anakin Skywalker, Jake Lloyd received a ton of hate for this role. I don't blame him or his acting in the slightest. Lloyd was doing the best with what he had (a so-so script and odd expectations). While reading about this movie, I stumbled upon a quote from producer Rick McCallum. He said that Lloyd was "smart, mischievous, and loves anything mechanical-just like Anakin." This strikes me as odd because nothing in that gives us any indication about his acting abilities. The casting for this film was so hap-hazard there really is nobody to blame except the production company.  It's hard for me to criticize a Star Wars film. Writing the Rogue One review was one of the harder pieces I had ever written on film. To that I will reiterate that I do not hate this film. There are positives, but they are overshadowed by the negatives which seem to dictate the majority of this movie. I still have an Anakin Skywalker, pod-racing mug from '99. Then there's the poster of young Anakin looking downwards, while the shadow of Darth Vader looms near, still hanging in my bedroom. The film's impact on pop culture and the world of film can still be felt today, and while there are definitely many cons, the pros still live. Overall, The Phantom Menace is boring and poorly made, but that doesn't stop the film from having iconic elements that live in the Star Wars hall of fame eternally. Two stars= C

Movie Review: Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

"This is not going to go how you think" Luke Skywalker utters in one of the few promotional glimpses for The Last Jedi. Easily one of the most anticipated movies of 2017 and a follow up to the excellent Force Awakens (2015). Rian Johnson takes over the direction this time around, seamlessly integrating the next chapter following JJ Abrams outstanding work on the previous film. His camera movements and techniques when it comes to the look and feel of the movie are quite unique. Without spoiling anything (because everyone watches Star Wars for the camera work....duh) Johnson takes on cinematic techniques that mesh well with the overall thematic elements. Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac truly are "the spark." Boldly taking all characters in new directions, The Last Jedi is truly an unpredictable, shocking at times film that will fill any fan of the franchise, or just the casual film lover, with the gleefulness that cemented the original Lucas trilogy. So at the end of Force Awakens, left on a literal cliffhanger, we saw Rey (Ridley) approach Luke Skywalker on an unknown island. As the Williams score roared alive, Rey holds out her lightsaber for the legendary Jedi master; a sign of desperation in a time where darkness reigns. Picking up directly after that, this film follows Rey as she goes on a journey of self-discovery with Luke (Hamill) who delivers the greatest incarnation of the "young" Skywalker we have ever seen. Meanwhile, the resistance (led by General Leia Organa/Carrie Fisher) are in a tug of galactic space warfare with the First Order (Headed by Adam Driver's Kylo Ren). Johnson takes the humor tactic, which was hinted at briefly in The Force Awakens, and comes out with guns blazing. This movie had me cracking up in several moments. The humor is fresh and feels original and...if I don't say so myself...well deserved. Every character in this film is given a very sharp arch that is satisfactory to a holy degree. Kylo Ren defies all expectations when dealing with Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) the latter of which was greatly under-utilized in the previous installment. Kelly Marie Tran as Rose was a fresh face and a character with a unique and powerful energy. Laura Dern as Admiral Holdo was good, but there is not too much background with her. Benicio Del Toro shows up as DJ, who gets involved with Finn and Rose's mission. His character was not as strong as I would have liked. He's  light-hearted and at times devilish in his portrayal of this character, but Del Toro adds little weight to this shining ensemble cast. My only flaw with the film, is that during the first act, the pacing felt off. There was too much emphasis on making a galactic war film which then was remedied by the entrance of Luke and those two subsequent acts. Other than that, the rollercoaster that is The Last Jedi made me smile and laugh, all while delivering an emotional and powerful story. Four stars= A

Movie Review: Liberty Heights (1999)

Liberty Heights was written and directed by Barry Levinson and is the semi-autobiographical story of his upbringing in a devout Jewish family during the 1950s. The film stars Adrien Brody, Ben Foster, Orlando Jones, Bebe Neuwirth, Joe Mantegna, and Rebekah Johnson in the leads. Right off the bat, 'Liberty Heights' showcases excellent screenwriting from director Levinson. He is an extraordinarily talented writer and his script is highly underrated, as are his abilities in general as a filmmaker. This witty dialogue is what makes this movie so fresh and relentlessly entertaining. As are the performances, which across the globe, are astounding. Adrien Brody as Van is so good here and captures the essence of this Jewish family in a time when they didn't mingle with other social groups. Also great is Joe Mantegna, who for the majority of this film, leads a separate narrative from his two sons, this being the slower one. The movie revolves around Ben (Foster) who falls in love with Sylvia (Johnson), an African American girl. These two families not only dislike each other, but the film is set up against the backdrop of a Jewish-African American conflict. There is a wider social issue at stake here and Levinson's film (just over two hours) takes the clearest microscopic view and brings it into everyday life. This is a great-looking movie which primarily relies on dialogue to thrust the plot forward. The soundtrack and the adaption of the period is also very remarkable. What plagues Liberty Heights is the heavy-reliance on dialogue and witty humor, which makes the film more entertaining rather than engaging. I was never engrossed by the pulse of this film, intrigued a lot yes, but I would never nominate this movie for an Oscar because it doesn't have that depth. The other problem this movie has is Joe Mantegna's story line. I thought his story (while eventually meaningful) was slow and didn't interest me anywhere near as much as Van and Ben's romances. There is poignancy in Liberty Heights, but it doesn't dig deep enough to get to the greater ideas. I was never bored though, for this is a highly well made and very methodically constructed period piece. Overall, Liberty Heights is light-hearted and entertaining, but it does have slower elements and aspects of the plot that aren't as engaging or thought provoking. This movie still manages to hold a light to Levinson's underrated filmography. Three stars= A-

Movie Review: A Scanner Darkly (2006)

In the near distant future, America has lost the war on drugs and the police maintain constant surveillance under their citizens. And this plot, of Richard Linklater's 2006 A Scanner Darkly, a film starring Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr, Woody Harrelson, and Winona Ryder, is the fun and entertaining science fiction that asks, "what if"? Filmed in live action first, then transferred into animation (Linklater wanted to give the film a trippy effect) the movie focuses on a group of drug addicts, one of whom works for the government, and their building paranoia about which one of them is "the rat". That is more or less the story, for A Scanner Darkly is a very dense movie. It covers a wide range of themes and ideas throughout it's 100 minute run time. Robert Downey Jr and Woody Harrelson are by far the greatest performances. Stealing every scene they're in, these characters are given far more of a role than one would expect from a film about lazy, drug addicts. Winona Ryder does shine in the few scenes where she's on screen. That leaves Keanu Reeves, and while he is far from bad, his performance doesn't have as much life to it as we've come to expect from him. The animation is so perfect for a film about paranoid drug addicts that it almost feels impeccable in places (especially the opening scene). The color is grimy and gives this film a dirty, used look. For the entirety of 'A Scanner Darkly' the entertainment value was high, and most importantly, the story keeps asking you to think. This isn't a popcorn movie as some science fiction flicks become. Linklater's movie (based off the Philip K. Dick novel) continuously poses questions about morality, government control, drug addiction, and the existence of reality itself. It's a very deep, extremely thought-provoking movie with stellar animation. As for the negatives, this movie has two flaws that contradict themselves. On one hand, there's a little bit too much exposition. Especially in the beginning where the scientists are reciting, what sounds like, paragraphs about 'Substance D'. In other areas, the film feels as though we're missing essential details. This is not the trippy, incoherent style that was done intentionally, but A Scanner Darkly does occasionally seem to only be speaking to fans of the novel. When this film first came out, some critics did label this as being exclusively for fan's of Dick's book, but it doesn't go that far. Yes there are moments where more explaining would be good, and yes there are other times where far less exposition is needed, but the movie doesn't burn itself in these attempts. The film is never great, but it is a fun and enjoyable movie that succeeds in being more than just eye candy. Overall, A Scanner Darkly is a fun ride, but it does have some issues when it comes to exposition and sometimes only speaks to fans of the source material. Three stars= B