Solo:
*** SPOILERS***
Going back to 1989 we were introduced to a young ‘Indiana
Jones’ played by the late River Phoenix in the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Last
Crusade’. For 15 minutes we learned how he got a scar on his chin, his first
time using a whip, the origin of his fear of snakes and after 15 minutes we
leapt ahead a few decades to the Indiana Jones we all know and love played by Harrison
Ford, for the rest of the film. As much as River Phoenix did a good job we
wanted to see Harrison Ford for the film. Likewise for me when ‘Young Indiana
Jones’ came to TV in the early 90’s: I never watched it. If I want to watch
Indy I want it to be Harrison Ford. Ford IS
Indiana Jones.
Now we have this new ‘Star Wars’ film called ‘Solo’ which is
about a young Han Solo. When I originally heard of this film I was not excited
for it. In fact my response was “Why?”
There are certain things that should not be touched and a
backstory movie about Han Solo without Harrison Ford should not have been done.
Ford IS Solo and he was not in
this film at all. The cast:
Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo: Woody Harrelson as Tobias Beckett: Emilia Clarke as
Qi'ra: Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian: Thandie Newton as Val Beckett:
Beckett's wife, a fellow criminal and member of her husband's crew. Phoebe Waller-Bridge as
L3-37: Lando's droid companion and navigator.
Now the cast is good enough, in fact Donald
Glover is amazing as a young Lando, but I didn’t want to see anyone else
playing Solo. Ehrenreich was alright as a young Solo (other than he seems a lot
shorter than Harrison Ford) but this film would have been better in my opinion
if it had been a split movie with an older Han completing a mission his younger
self began decades earlier. It could have been a film with flash back scenes
like the TV series ‘Lost’, and that way Ford could have been in it. It could
have been pre-Force Awakens.
The story was ok, nothing great. I
really don’t like the notion that Han was the money that founded the Rebellion.
Han and Chewies first meeting kinda fell flat for me and the ‘Kessel’ run did
not live up to the legend it was in my mind all these years.
Solo was an alright ‘Star Wars’ film,
but it was not great. Some critics have slammed the film and have called it a
flop. I definitely do not think of it as a flop. Unfortunately for ‘Solo’ they
had some stiff competition such as ‘Avengers’ and ‘Deadpool 2’. Also why did
they release it only 5 months after ‘The Last Jedi’? They should have kept it
as a Christmas release and I think it would have done better at the Box Office
I’d
give it a solid 2.5 stars out of 5.
Deadpool
2:
***
SPOILERS***
Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson / Deadpool: Josh Brolin as
Cable: Morena Baccarin as Vanessa: Julian
Dennison as Russell Collins / Firefist: Zazie Beetz as Domino:
T.J. Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead: Jack Kesy as Black Tom Cassidy:
Now this was a fun and funny
film. Ryan Reynolds once again was born to play this character. The addition of
Cable was great and I look forward to future installments in the X-Universe of
movies with Brolin’s ‘Cable’.
This film as almost as good as
the first, but the first film did an amazing job introducing the character and
having it as an origin story.
There’s not much more I can say
other than if you liked the first ‘Deadpool’ you will like this one.
I give it a solid 3.5 stars out of 5.
And
finally the ‘Space’ channel up here in Canada has cancelled one of my favorite
news/entertainment programs: Innerspace. This was a show similar in style to ‘Entertainment
Tonight’ which aired weekdays. The hosts would interview celebrities, go to
conventions and other places to bring us geek entertainment news. I have been
watching this program for 9 years now and I have had the good fortune of
meeting the hosts at a couple of conventions now. They have always been
welcoming and kind to us fans.
Bell
Media made a big mistake by cancelling ‘Innerspace’ and it will be missed.
