Kessel Runner

Classic Star Wars’ iconic smuggler and privateer-turned-reluctant hero is the subject of the latest Disney SW (not SJW) movie, the second such stand-alone story following the surprisingly good and hugely successful ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.’  ‘Solo: A(nother) Star Wars Story’ seeks to further expand and enrich the SW cinematic vault by fleshing out one of the franchise’s most beloved characters, the one “who always shoots first.”  You tell 'em, Wil.

 

1:56 - 2:00

Sure, we all know that Han Solo is Leia Organa’s husband and sire of Kylo Ren, that he accomplished the “impossible” feat of making the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs with the Millennium Falcon, and that he unsuccessfully tried to turn his son away from the Dark Side.  But who is he really, and how did he develop into the man he will become?  ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ answers these questions and more by delving into the checkered past of this complex, “morally flexible” character, showing us how his life’s harsh circumstances – and unique opportunities – made him a true Star Wars legend.

 

In the titular role, Alden Ehrenreich was more than adequate as the early twenty-something Solo, a fiercely independent and cocky maverick who had no doubt that he’s destined to become the “Best Pilot in the Galaxy.”  As a stand-alone film, ‘Solo’ is smaller and more focused than the typical run-of-the-mill SW “event” movies, and the screenplay by veteran SW scribe Lawrence Kasdan (and his son Jonathan) tends to play it on the safe side, but all this do not make the Space-Western Adventure caper any less enjoyable thanks to the capable stewardship of director Ron Howard. 

 

Grade: A-
 

Kiss him like you miss him

Marvel’s (and quite possibly comicdom’s) most uninhibited, homoerotic and LOAO superhero is back for more mayhem and shenanigans in ‘Deadpool 2,’ the much anticipated follow-up to the unapologetic and NSFW 2016 superhero parody which set a box office record for an R-rated comic book movie (so take that, ‘Watchmen’ and ‘Kick-Ass’!).  Whether that feat was due to parents unwittingly taking their kids to see it while assuming it’s “just another PG-13 Marvel movie” had been put to rest, considering that the $125 million domestic opening weekend take of DP2 (snicker) was only a slight drop-off from the original’s opening weekend gross of $132 million.

The vigilante hero in sexy tight red spandex who can’t be killed proved that — warning, spoilers ahead — even dismemberment twice (once by self-inflicted explosion and the other by the hands of Juggernaut) can’t keep him “down” for long or diminish his ability to deliver well-timed snarky one-liners as he develops a soft spot (hey, watch it) for a chubby kid who will later be known as Firefist and tries to stop Terminator, ahem, time-traveling supersoldier Cable from killing the kid in order to prevent him from murdering Cable’s family in the future.  Returning from the first film are metal-skinned Colossus and spunky Negasonic Teenage Warhead, as well as a slew of new characters such as Foxy Brown aka Domino, lucky sole survivor of Deadpool’s short-lived gender-neutral mutant superteam “X-Force.”  Nuff said.

As a fan of everything X-Men back in the ‘80’s (the John Byrne/Marc Silvestri era) and ‘90’s (the Jim Lee/Rob Liefeld period) who devoured virtually every comic book with an “X” (or “Mutant”) in its title, ‘Deadpool 2’ is like a wet dream come true.  If anything, I enjoyed DP2 even more than its predecessor, as the katana-wielding “Fourth Wall” breaker demonstrates that he’s no longer the selfish anti-hero he used to be and has a heart-of-gold.  The fact that the movie’s also a laugh riot and playful homage to the ‘80’s in its soundtrack and cinematic references (e.g., ‘Flashdance,’ ‘Say Anything’) is only icing on the cake.  Thanks, Canada!

Grade: A+ 

P.S. I probably shouldn’t have to say this, but do stick around through the end credits.  You’ll thank me later, believe me.

The Mother of All Wars

‘Avengers: Infinity War’ is the latest installment in the much ballyhooed Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the third of a planned four films in the all-star super team’s mega-blockbuster franchise.  After fan fave Joss Whedon (‘The Avengers,’ ‘Age of Ultron’) departed to take over the rather lackluster ‘Justice League’ from Zack Snyder for DC/Warner, The Avengers franchise was put into the talented and capable hands of the Russo Brothers (‘Captain America: Winter Soldier’ and ‘Captain America: Civil War’), whose pre-Marvel filmography as directors comprised of only two movies including the 2006 rom-com ‘You, Me and Dupree.’

Unless you’ve locked yourselves into a closet, I’m sure you all know that the Avengers, dis-assembled due to their philosophical differences as chronicled in ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ had split up and scattered to the four winds.  Only a world-shattering threat can hope to bring them back together against a common cause.  This threat came in the form of hulking, granite-chinned Thanos (Josh Brolin, who’s also Cable in the upcoming ‘Deadpool 2’), a demigod hailing from Titan who seeks to collect the “Infinity Stones” and cull the universe through his brand of controlled genocide, what he calls “balancing the universe.”  This hombre is so badass that he made even the Hulk tuck his tail -- if he had one -- between his legs.  Well-meaning (in his mind at least) but misguided, only the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Sorcerer Supreme master of the mystic arts Doctor Strange can stand in his way.  But is even all that power arrayed against him enough?

I don’t really have to tell you how good this movie is, do I?  Chances are, you’ve probably seen ‘Infinity War’ by now (if not, what the hell are you waiting for, goddam it?).  If I have to describe A:IW in one word, it would be "Epic." In two words?  "Epically Awesome!" of course. This film has already broken all kinds of box office records including the single weekend gross previously held by ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ swatting it aside like Thanos dispensing with so many Avengers.  Like Thanos, ‘Infinity War’ is a juggernaut that seemingly can’t be stopped, and it hasn’t even dropped in China (due this Friday) yet.  Why can't DC movies be like this?

Grade: A