Cheerful Ghost Radio Episode 25: "Solo: A Star Wars Story" Review, Part 1

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/29/2018 at 10:44pm

As with much, i'm going to say that if you want to partake in the comments here to expect spoilers.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/29/2018 at 10:59pm

Yep, thanks Jon. I updated the post with that warning as well.

And as an aside, sorry for my sick-sounding self. I must have gotten whatever Tim had. From across the country.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 05/30/2018 at 07:52pm

So Solo met my expectations, which is: it is fun, but nothing mind blowing. To me, Han and Chewie are the least interesting characters in the movie. All the other characters were great and saved the movie for me.

I really hope Lucasfilm rethinks their strategy of basing these "Star Wars Story" movies on existing characters. I think it makes it harder to care for the characters when you know where they end up. If they use existing characters and make the movies prequels, they better have a very strong character arc (which Solo did not have for Han). Otherwise I would like to see the characters in a non-prequel setting. For example: for the Boba Fett movie, set it after Return of the Jedi. Maybe have it set up like an Unforgiven movie. I think that would be cool.

As far as more Star Wars releases per year, it doesn't sound like they are going to do that after Solo under-performed.

As for the two Star Wars Story movies, Rogue One was the better film IMHO.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/30/2018 at 07:58pm

They’d have to retcon Boba dying in RotJ for that to work. But I could get behind someone finding his armor near the sarlaac pit and taking over his name and contributing his legacy. That would be awesome.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/30/2018 at 07:58pm

*continuing

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 05/30/2018 at 08:06pm

We don't know that Boba died in RotJ. He went into the Sarlacc for sure, but it takes "over a thousand years" for a Sarlacc to digest someone.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/30/2018 at 09:00pm

Unless he managed to take off his armor while inside the sarlaac and escape, he’s dead. Jaws eventually dug into the pit and killed the sarlaac and took a lot of stuff from its stomach, including that armor.

That’s according to Aftermath, and LucasFilm’s new canon policy is there’s only one canon, no levels of canon, and every story decision is approved based on whether it violates anything previously done.

So they have some wiggle room for Boba surviving (like a suuuuuper low chance) but he wouldn’t have the armor. Or there would need to be some crazy exposition for it to work.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 05/30/2018 at 10:04pm

Ah, so it was covered in a novel? I am failing at being a star wars nerd. :)

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/30/2018 at 10:49pm

Hahaha nah, it’s hard to keep up with all of it. My wife has done a better job of it than I have.

But yeah it’s been covered just by the armor moving around a bit. But I mean technically there’s still no body. Probably LucasFilm being coy with us.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 05/30/2018 at 10:56pm

Travis, will you write up a Travis' Notes version of Star Wars so we have all the info? :)

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/30/2018 at 11:50pm

I already did: https://starwars.wikia.com

;)

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/31/2018 at 02:03am

> I really hope Lucasfilm rethinks their strategy of basing these "Star Wars Story" movies on existing characters. I think it makes it harder to care for the characters when you know where they end up. If they use existing characters and make the movies prequels, they better have a very strong character arc (which Solo did not have for Han).

I'm not sure I disagree with anything you said. With that, my guess is that they are doing these (and i've talked about this before in comments) prequel films while they rev up the new films POST Episode 9. They have Rian Johnson and the Thrones brothers (whatever their names are) for those movies but while they are getting those going and the TV shows and other new movies they want to mine stuff and the past seems like a temporarally safe choice.

> As far as more Star Wars releases per year, it doesn't sound like they are going to do that after Solo under-performed.

Marvel did it. I bet Lucasfilm can get the formula right too.

> As for the two Star Wars Story movies, Rogue One was the better film IMHO.

The more I think about where Solo lands the more i'm not sure. I know it's better than most of the prequels but i'm not sure about where it sits with Rogue One? I hope to see it again before part 2.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/31/2018 at 02:31am

Also wanted to link to a YouTube video I watched recently called "What We Want From a Star Wars Movie?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeUGLUYYYNQ It's a great breakdown and covers why some people might not have appreciated aspects of The Last Jedi.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/31/2018 at 02:35am

I'm really not sure where I'd put Solo in terms of better or worse than Rogue One. Rogue One was SO good in my opinion but I do get the issues people had with it.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 05/31/2018 at 03:45am

We all know we really want a Jar Jar Binks movie.

jdodson Admin wrote on 05/31/2018 at 04:01am

I'd honestly go opening night if there was one.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 05/31/2018 at 05:03am

“Mesa want your money: A Jar Jar Binks Story”

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/31/2018 at 02:41pm

I would totally go to that and try to avoid all spoilers. I would want to experience the train wreck

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 05/31/2018 at 05:42pm

I've heard some fun speculation that the Solo/Boba Fett/Obi Wan movies could be a quasi-Darth Maul/Crimson Dawn trilogy. From what I've read and seen, Darth Maul and Obi Wan have a pretty extensive history in the animated shows, so an Obi Wan movie with Darth Maul in it might have to be a retelling of the animated story (so it's probably not likely). It would also be fun for Han and Chewie to be minor characters in the Boba Fett movie.

(I've still not seen Solo, but I've seen a lot of reactions and breakdowns. And I heard a podcast on it too Here's a really in-depth, fun breakdown of all the references and details in Solo: https://youtu.be/fKLHggsywpo )

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 05/31/2018 at 06:05pm

Interesting chat with Ron Howard about Maul here: http://www.slashfilm.com/solo-reveal-explained/

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/31/2018 at 10:54pm

I meant to post that here last night Will. I love how he just didn't know who was going to fill that role, but Jonathan Kasdan wrote it so that it would lean toward Maul.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 05/31/2018 at 11:04pm

There's something that Jon and I talked about in the episode that I've been thinking about. Jon thought it was out of character for Han to give Enfys the loot instead of taking it himself. I mostly agreed but upon further thought, I think it makes sense. And my wife thought this was too obvious to even talk about it so... maybe we're slow :D

So in A New Hope, Han is only in it for the money, until he shows up to help in the crucial moment of the Death Star battle to help.

In Empire, we aren't entirely sure what's happened in the intervening years but Han is about to leave to save his own ass until he finds out Luke is in trouble and he risks his life to save Luke.

Han isn't a rogue scoundrel who only looks out for himself, even in the beginning of when we knew him. He's a good person who had terrible experiences and has made himself INTO a rogue scoundrel to get by. But when it comes down to it he does what's right.

jdodson Admin wrote on 06/01/2018 at 01:07am

Yeah as I was thinking about the movie more the night I came back from the theater the more it made sense that they might make this The Maul Trilogy. Should be fun!

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 06/01/2018 at 02:41am

I just saw the movie so now I can partake in spoiler comments! Wow there's a lot to read about here. It took me a while, but I finally recognized Emilia Clarke, "Daenerys!" Wow that was difficult to place, since she's a brunette in this movie. I also thought that L3 was played by Gwendoline Christie, Captain Phasma, but I was wrong.

I thought it was a cool movie, some of it was beautiful (like when they escaped the maelstrom. I noticed the lack of a Star Wars theme music in the beginning, which didn't occur until Hans and Chewie were in the Falcon.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 06/01/2018 at 02:47am

Hans, the German smuggler.

;)

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 06/01/2018 at 03:06am

I also recognized Ron Howard's brother, so wasn't surprised to see Ron's name in the credits. I also saw the guy from the movie Willow, I believe. Oh and the main villain, he was Vision in the Marvel movies!

I also thought it was cool that Han knew Chewie's language. That was interesting. I mean he never talked to Chewie in his native language before, so that was really cool! Seeing Darth Maul surprised me, the ending twist was a surprise for me, but I guess I'm just gullible and twists in movies actually surprise me.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 06/01/2018 at 03:07am

Crap, I said "Hans" my bad! I made that mistake before.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 06/01/2018 at 10:00pm

Seeing Han speak Wookie was horrible! I have to disagree with you on that one Greg!

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 06/02/2018 at 04:13am

I would be somewhere in the middle of cool and horrible on this one. I kinda always thought of Shyriiwook as something that non-Wookiees couldn't speak, just like how humans can't purr. We can kinda approximate it but we don't have the right throat structure for it. Apparently, though, according to a canon reference book it's possible, just really hard on the throat if you aren't a Wookiee.

It was still cheesy to see it though.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 06/02/2018 at 04:46am

So, I'm getting the impression that I liked it more than you guys. That doesn't quite surprise me as I clearly like the prequels more than you guys. Is this correct? Did you guys not like it very much?

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 06/02/2018 at 06:04am

If you've heard the episode, Jon and I really liked it, and my opinion has stayed pretty consistent since things have gelled in my mind over the last week. My wife and I were planning on a second watch this past Monday but we both got some kind of virus that's worse than a cold. Bubonic chest cold? Yeah Bubonic chest cold.

I've never seen a movie where every single thing worked for me though, and maybe only one or two where nothing worked for me. And I have a spectrum of gripes. Nothing in Solo was really problematic for me, just minor nits. Hearing Shyriiwook spoken by a human was one of those nits but it did get a chuckle out of me if I'm honest. It just seemed out of place.

But yeah I plan on seeing it again at least once before it gets out of theaters and I can't wait for the home release.

jdodson Admin wrote on 06/02/2018 at 02:14pm

I’m sick right now too and my voice is pretty trashed.

I liked Solo quite a bit. The Han speaking Wookie was a fun cheese moment and I’m glad it’s there. It reminded me of Luke drinking milk straight from the sea cow. That said, I think I liked the sea cow scene more it was just so much fun.

jdodson Admin wrote on 06/02/2018 at 02:14pm

#notmyluke

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 06/02/2018 at 08:32pm

Solo was fun and I enjoyed it despite my problems with it. It was probably up there with the prequels for me, which I like.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 06/02/2018 at 10:27pm

Will, what does your ranking list look like? We talked about that a bit in the last episode comments

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 06/03/2018 at 12:37am

I haven’t thought of rank in a long time. This will take some thought.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 06/03/2018 at 12:52am

It seems I got the wrong impression, you guys do like it, even if you have some issues w/ it. @Will_Ball, that's cool that you like the prequels, too. I think maybe I'm not too picky, but I liked seeing how Darth Vader came to be.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 06/03/2018 at 01:43am

I like many things about the prequels. The only one that I would say I struggle to like is AotC. But there’s a lot of crap in there.

Greg I realized that you weren’t in the discussion on the last episode either, care to share your list?

I posted my (updated) list, along with Katie’s and my friend Hari’s (because he has a different take on it than I might, having grown up with the prequels), here:

https://cheerfulghost.com/Travis/posts/3712/cheerful-ghost-radio-episode-24-the-killing-snoke

And of course listen for Jon’s and Tim’s.

I still don’t know where I’d put Solo.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 06/03/2018 at 05:30am

I don't really care to make a list. LOL

jdodson Admin wrote on 06/03/2018 at 01:41pm

Aw. Everyone needs a Star Wars List.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 06/03/2018 at 04:47pm

My Star Wars list:

Star Wars
Everything else

😄

jdodson Admin wrote on 06/03/2018 at 06:28pm

Wills list:

1. Ewoks an Endor Adventure
2. Star Wars: The Clone Wars
3. The Holiday Special
4. Solo: A Star Wars Story

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 06/04/2018 at 05:04am

Ok, I still think my first list is the most accurate one, but here is where I stand as of right now:

6
5
4
7
8
Rogue One
Solo
3
1
2

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 06/04/2018 at 05:45am

Just heard a discussion about a different movie (Infinity War) and one of the guys made the point that *all* movies have plot holes/nits. It's bad if it takes you out of the movie, but if it's something you realize days later, then it's not that big of a deal.

That could probably be applied to a lot of the Solo discussion. Sounds like people mostly enjoyed the movie, but there were minor issues (but like Travis says, you can say that about every movie), but nothing bad enough to take you out of the movie :)

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 06/04/2018 at 05:47am

(Also, I listened to the podcast halfway through, and listened to others, then originally commented here, then eventually listened to the rest of the podcast and realized the Maul Trilogy was discussed by Jon and Travis lol. I don't think this is the only place I've heard about it, but now at least realize I wasn't contributing anything new to the discussion about that lol)

jdodson Admin wrote on 06/05/2018 at 03:48am

> Just heard a discussion about a different movie (Infinity War) and one of the guys made the point that *all* movies have plot holes/nits. It's bad if it takes you out of the movie, but if it's something you realize days later, then it's not that big of a deal.

That's true. I think though, movie pendantry is becoming a hot take arms race. Like I love talking about it to have a fun nerd moment with friends but I think it's a becoming new wave cynicism that's taking over fandom and becoming really toxic. What amount of nits makes a movie bad? I don't really know, but I know when people can't seem to let things go. Like I've seen lots of movies I didn't like and I can't remember them at the moment because I stopped caring a long time ago. Ok I thought of a bad movie I didn't enjoy, Spiceworld! Can't remember anything about it, but I remember not watching all of it and not much else.

> (Also, I listened to the podcast halfway through, and listened to others, then originally commented here, then eventually listened to the rest of the podcast and realized the Maul Trilogy was discussed by Jon and Travis lol. I don't think this is the only place I've heard about it, but now at least realize I wasn't contributing anything new to the discussion about that lol)

Yeah, i'm sure lots of people had that idea too. Thing is when it turns out to not be true, i'm not going to create a Twitter account attacking whatever director that didn't reward my fandom in the way I wanted them to. PLACATE ME STAR WARS OR I'LL NEVER STOP HATE TWEETEREREASDFASDFASDFASDFASDF