Solo: A Star Wars Story gets passionate mixed reviews

Movie Title: SOLO: A Star Wars Story

Grade:  B

Rating: PG-13,

In a Nutshell:   It’s always really fun to watch a movie with an enthusiastic crowd, especially fans of a beloved franchise like STAR WARS.  I've been a fan ever since I was a young girl when the very first one hit the Big Screen.

The audience clapped every time a significant moment of introduction appeared on the screen, like when Han Solo got his name, when he met Chewbacca, and when he first set his eyes on the Millennium Falcon.  The audience I sat with cheered and clapped, but I admit I was surprised at how small the audience actually was.  Where is everyone?  Apparently, they’re busy Tweeting about how much they don’t like this movie.

After a lot of directorial drama and studio politics, Ron Howard directed this prequel after saying no to the gig 18 years ago when he was asked to direct Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.  This becomes the first time an Academy Award-winning director ever made a Star Wars film.  Was it worth the wait?  I'd love to hear what YOU think!

                                                            

Tips for parents: 

• Lots of fighting and violence with a very high body count.
• Some profanity.
• Han Solo and his team are in perilous situations almost all of the time.

Uplifting theme: 

• Good vs. evil
• Hope
• Trust and deceit
• Friendship
• Loyalty

                                                                 

Things I liked:

• This new edition to the franchise includes fan favorites like Woody Harrelson, Paul Bettany, Donald Glover, and of course, Emilia Clarke.
• Alden Ehrenreich does a good job as Han Solo.  He’s charming and playful enough.  Some fans are complaining that this movie doesn’t deepen Han’s character, but that's due to the writing, not to his acting ability.  I finally remembered where I had seen Ehrenreich before...the movie Hail, Caesar! 
• Lots of fun, new creatures to entertain and delight audiences.
• There are a lot of impressive action sequences and CGI.
• I saw the film in 3D, but it’s also good without it.
• There is a fun cameo appearance at the end of the movie that made the audience squeal.
• Chewbacca is so awesome. 
• There are some respectful nods to former episodes.

Things I didn’t like:

• A lot of people are complaining that the movie feels like an obvious money grab. 
• A lot of the scenes are shot in dark places, so it might be hard to watch the movie on a TV or computer monitor once it goes to DVD or streaming.
• I was kind of hoping that the movie would include something that tied into how Han Solo (Harrison Ford) got that scar on his chin.
• While we get to meet the interesting L3-37 droid, the absence of R2-D2 and C-3PO is definitely felt.  It's the first time they are both missing from a Star Wars movie.
• Some lines seen in the movie trailer don’t actually appear in the movie.  In fact, some of the scenes don’t appear in the movie at all! 
• The pacing could use some help.
• I wanted an emotional moment that would make me cry, but it never happened for me.
• There’s no real evil villain that makes us shudder.
• "Social justice warriors" and Kathleen Kennedy are being criticized for always casting "strong" women in certain roles in the name of diversity, often weakening the impact of those characters.  What do YOU think of that?  There is a reveal in this movie that made the audience audibly roll their eyes, as in "Oh brother!"

Funny lines:

• “You’re 190 years old?  You look great!” – Han
• “What should we drink to?” – Qi’ra

“Let’s drink two and see where it goes.” – Han

• “You will never have a deeper sleep than when curled up in a Wookie’s lap.” – Rio Durant (voiced by Jon Favreau)
• “Sorry I punched your face.” – Beckett (Woody Harrelson)

“It happens more often than you think.” - Han

Interesting lines:

• “I’ve got a really good feeling about this. – Han
• “Assume everyone will betray you and you will never be disappointed.” – Beckett (Woody Harrelson)

“Sounds like a lonely way to live.” – Han

• “I don’t know if he said ‘tribe’ or ‘family’.” – Han

“What’s the difference?” - Beckett

                                

                                          @trinaboice

Moby-Dick meets Hollywood: In the Heart of the Sea

I write several different blogs, but this one is supposed to be all about writing.

Moby-Dick is one of the greatest novels of all time and now we have a retelling of the epic story through the movie   In the Heart of the Sea!

Here is my movie review for it, shared from my movie review blog called "Movie Review Maven."

Grade:  A-

Rating:  PG-13, 2 hours 1 minute

In a Nutshell:     1820. A giant, vengeful whale.  A ship.  A determined captain.  Man vs. beast.  Imagine Entertainment and Director Ron Howard create a visual masterpiece with unbelievable cinematography, sailing you to the “edge of insanity.”

This seafaring yarn graphically illustrates how Herman Melville’s famous novel Moby-Dick came to be.  While the screen definitely captures your attention, the storytelling has movie critics disappointed.  I was entertained and intrigued, as well as disgusted and exhausted. 

As always, the book is better than the movie, but these special effects are innovative and effective.

Uplifting theme: 

• “Can man bend nature to our will? – Captain Pollard  (Benjamin Walker)
• Persistence and tenacity will see you through.
• Integrity is worth more than reputation or money.

Things I liked:

·         THOR!  If you’re not in awe of the giant whale, then you have handsome and studly Chris Hemsworth to stare at.

·         Believe it or not, I actually like it when there are water spots on the camera lens.  That tells me there was real water in the scene and not just CGI.  Then again, some of the scenes made me wonder if the water spots were CGI!  If so, nice detail!  The water scenes are so well done that sometimes you even feel like you’re going to get splashed on.

·         The scene with the blood raining from above was disgusting and extremely powerful.

·         I liked learning more about Melville, the author of Moby-Dick, and played by Ben Whishaw.

·         How did they get some of those amazing scenes?  Drones? 

·         Interesting camera angles.  I also love how the camera goes under the water and back above the water seamlessly.  Great underwater scenes.  You might feel like holding your breath.

·         I thought the whale pins were cool.  In order to earn one, young Tom Nickerson (Tom Holland) is told that “you have to thrust a killing lance into one of the largest beasts to grace this earth.”

·         I love the mention of Nathaniel Hawthorne.  Tom Nickerson asks “Have you read Hawthorne, Mr. Melville?  There’s a writer, great writer.”  Apparently, Herman Melville was quite taken with Hawthorne and even dedicated Moby-Dick to Hawthorne whom he compared to Shakespeare and called a genius.

·         Great sound effects, although sometimes a bit too loud.

·         I’ve always liked Charlotte Riley and wonder why we don’t see her more often.  She was really great in Ridley Scott’s medieval drama “World Without End.”

·         I’m always impressed with characters who rise above their temptations, like Cillian Murphy’s character, Matthew Joy. His resolve to not drink alcohol, even when things got tough, was inspiring and not seen often enough in movies.

·         I love that they included a quick shot of the words “Call me Ishmael” on the screen, which is the first sentence in the book Moby-Dick.

Things I didn’t like:

·         See it in 3D if you can, unless you get motion sickness.  You might get sea sick watching some of the scenes.  Just close your eyes for a few seconds and you’ll be fine.

·         Some scenes have so many loud noises between people yelling and waves crashing and boats creaking that you can’t quite understand what anyone is saying.

·         Animal activists will find many of the scenes unnerving.

·         I’ve never understood how all those sails and ropes work, but it’s always fascinating to watch sailors work it.

·         The scene that shows the ocean view from Owen’s house looks terribly artificial, but all of the other CGI scenes were very believable.

Interesting lines:

·         “Sometimes, the fewer questions one asks, the better.”   - Matthew

·         “I’ll come back as quick as a summer’s eve.” – Owen

“Just come back.” – Peggy

·         “Without you, the world plunges into darkness.” – Pollard senior

·         “Monsters, are they real or do the stories exist to respect the sea’s dark secrets?  The question both vexes and excites me.” – Herman Melville

·         “The whale?  So, it’s true?” – Melville

“Yes.  Too much is true.” – Nickerson

·         “The devil loves unspoken secrets.” –  Melville

·         “No right-minded sailor discards what might save him.” – Owen Chase
*    "We will surely perish out there." - Captain Pollard
       "We might also survive."  - Mr. Chase

Tips for parents:   

• The sailors draw a picture of a topless woman.
• Some profanity.
• Several intense scenes with lots of blood and guts. 
• Skeletons of dead guys might frighten young children.
• Explain to your kids that a “greenhorn” is the old-fashioned way of saying “newbie”.

Sailing definitions:

Doldrums: an equatorial region of the Atlantic Ocean with unpredictable and often no winds

Port side:  left-hand side of a ship

Squall:  a sudden violent storm

I always do all the “talking” in these reviews, but I want to hear what YOU liked and didn’t like!  Please comment below!