Emilia Clarke in Han Solo – What Role Will She Play?

A bombshell in Star Wars casting news dropped on Friday with Emilia Clarke being announced to star in the new young Han Solo movie. As a huge Game of Thrones fan who loves her portrayal as Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons, this casting news is fantastic. She has had a few cinematic misses, but I think she could be a perfect fit for a galaxy far far away. This leads to the question of what role should she play in the Han Solo film? Everyone I assume will jump to her being a love interest for the smuggler, but she might fit more into an adversarial role.

Clarke can play aristocratic, as seen in Game of Thrones. Why not have her play an Imperial Captain or Admiral chasing after Han? Kathleen Kennedy has hinted the film could be a heist movie, and I think Clark could play a brilliant villain off of Alden Ehrenreich. She could be tasked for hunting down the people who pulled off the heist.  She can be cold and calculating which would make for a perfect an Imperial. This doesn’t mean she still couldn’t play a love interest in the film. She could be chasing him down, but also be attracted to him.

She could also be another smuggler who is working with him, or she could have just a minor role. I don’t think they would have made a major announcement if she had a minor role in the film. She is going to be a major player in the film more than likely. Clarke probably will be a love interest of some sort. The team could pull from the old legend stories and have her be a Rebel sympathizer who manipulates Han to help her. This would be another way to go, and would show why Han is a little jaded at the start of episode four.

There will be much more speculation before the movie comes out, but I would prefer her be an Imperial who has to chase Han down rather than a love interest. Whoever she plays, adding talent is always a good thing, and I’m glad Clarke hasn’t gotten tired of acting in genre movies. I doubt these are the only offers coming to her, even after the slight misses of Terminator and Me Before You. She is a star and a good talent and adding her to the Star Wars universe can’t be seen as a bad move on anyone’s part. 

Cars 3 Official Trailer - Teaser (2017) - Review/Thoughts

Disney/Pixar's released its first teaser for the third installment of the Cars franchise. Many in the critic community turn their noses up to the Cars franchise. Numerous people think the two previous films in the franchise are some of the worst to be made by Pixar. 

I thoroughly enjoy the first Cars film, and still think it is a good Pixar movie. I enjoyed watching it with my kids, and would gladly still watch it if my youngest wanted to pop it in. The second is another story, and is probably the worst Pixar movie. It isn't a horrible film, but it is below the standard for the rest of the Pixar library. 

The teaser for Cars 3 promises a different type of film. My guess is it's going to follow either the Rocky 3 or 5 format. Let's hope if it's the latter they do a better job. Cars 3 looks to deal with struggle and overcoming obstacles. This has been the framework for many great sports movies, and with Pixar at the helm they can do a great job at telling this type of story. 

What did you think of the short teaser? Do you car about a Cars 3? Comment and let me know. 

Star Wars Rebels S3E7 Iron Squadron Recap/Review (Spoilers): Where Are We Going?

Fun and enjoyable, but what’s the main story?

The seventh episode for season three of Star Wars Rebels, Iron Squadron, is another fun solid episode, but again didn’t seem to add much to an overall season story narrative. There isn’t much wrong with the episode and it was enjoyable to watch, but there isn’t any actual impact on the Rebels overall. The possibility for an overall effect on the season is if Thrawn is using each of these engagements to lay an elaborate trap for the crew of the ghost. This could be the case with the number of encounters Thrawn has observed and the data he has accumulated. The only issue with this is how slowly the narrative is taking to develop, and the small amount Thrawn has been shown in the season.

With each week I keep expecting the for the main narrative for the season to kick in, and each week the show doesn’t deliver. I enjoy watching every week, and this week was not an exception. The adventure with the Iron Squadron was fun. The action was well done and it was interesting to see another group of kids standing up to the Empire. The running joke about the Star Destroyer was also well done and got me to chuckle. These fun side missions still leave me wanting something more from the show. There should be an overall narrative and arc for the season, and for the past four or five episodes the show does not seem to be going anywhere.

I believe in Dave Filoni and he knows what he is doing, but I’m not sure why all of these episodes are placed together. Last season had an issue with momentum and with episode placements to keep the tension and story moving along. Clone Wars was at its best when it had three or four episodes packed together to tell one cohesive story. Maybe the entire season will do this, and once the big picture is revealed these episodes will make sense with how they were placed within the season.  As of now it seems the show has no overall direction on where it is going.

The show has not shown since the first week Ezra and Kanan training with the force. Ezra had been delving into the dark side for months, but one mission and conversation with Kanan and he is back to being normal? There should be more development with this, and I’m sure there will, but where is it? This story aspect should be peppered in throughout some of these side mission episodes. We should still see Ezra struggling, unless he isn’t going to actually succumb to temptation.

What is going on with the overall Rebellion? We see aspects in these side missions of fighting, but not the overall picture. There needs to be a through line for what the group is doing instead of just randomly fighting the Empire. I had thought it was going to be investigating what happened at Geonosis, and the crew finding more information about the Death Star. There is an episode coming up where the description hints it could be about this, but the it shouldn’t be a one off episode. The first half of the season should have built to them finding out about the super weapon.

Star Wars Rebels is still entertaining. I enjoy waking up on Saturdays making breakfast and watching it on my computer with my twelve-year-old son. He is even becoming frustrated with the show. After today’s episode he said, another episode that didn’t go anywhere. If the target demographic for the show is starting to get bored it’s a bad sign. Granted he may not be an accurate representation of his demographic, but it still is a little troubling. Hopefully the next few episodes start to build towards a good mid-season finale, but the next two descriptions look like side missions. The last two episodes before the break deal with Maul and Ezra which will be great, but again the show should have built to these episodes, instead of sticking them before the mid-season finale.

What do you think of Iron Squadron? Did you like it or do you think it should have utilized to a season story arc along? Comment and let me know. Like, share, subscribe, and all that fun stuff. 

Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them – Movie Review: Still Magical

Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them starring Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterson, Dan Folger, Alison Sudol, Colin Farrell, directed by David Yates, and with the screenplay written by J.K. Rowling. Fantastic Beast takes place in New York City during the roaring 1920’s, and fifty to sixty years before Harry Potter is born. It follows the story of Newt Scamander who is traveling to release a Magical Creature back to the wild.  Events go awry in the city and some of his animals escape from his magical suitcase.  At the same time his creatures begin to run around the city another dark force or creature is terrorizing the magical and non-magical people of New York.

To say I’m Harry Potter fan might be an understatement. I love the series and jumped on the bandwagon when the fourth book was released. Having another movie separate from Harry Potter, but set in the Wizarding World is fantastic. Just the fact we are escaping back into the magical world was enough to sell me on the movie. My thoughts on this film might be slightly skewed because I enjoy the magical universe J.K. Rowling created to a major degree. I really enjoyed Fantastic Beast, and thought it had the perfect amount of fun charm, message, and hints of the darker world which make up the core of most Potterverse books and films.

The performances for the most part are great. Eddy Redmayne loses himself into the role of Newt. The only issue I had with his performance is the mumbling he did throughout the film. It was hard to hear what he was saying about the animals and what they could do. This was more than likely a character trait of Newt, but maybe they could have highlighted his quirkiness another way. I think the other standout of the film is Dan Folger who plays the muggle or non-mag as they are called in America. He is the audience for the film showing the sense of wonderment a person introduced to the magical world would have. His slight comic relief, but sweet and good natured persona adds a great touch to the film overall. I liked Katherine Waterson character Tina who is a disgraced Auror trying to get her job back. Something however seemed a little off with her performance, but overall it still worked within the framework of the film. Alison Sudol plays her sister Queenie in the movie and quietly steals the show every time she is on screen. Her ability to mind read and turn situations on their head played into the overall fun nature of the Fantastic Beast.

On the flip side of the heroes is Colin Farrell’s Auror detective, Graves, whose motivation isn’t completely understood until the very end of the movie. He keeps interacting with a troubled and abused boy, Credence played by Ezra Miller. Credence’s foster mom beats him and wants to expose the wizarding world. The woman wants to bring Wizards and Witches into the light to persecute them. Graves wants and needs Credence to find a child for him. We don’t find out why until closer to the end of the film. If there is one slight miss for the movie it is with Farrell’s character. The ending of the film helps explain this to a degree, but I would have preferred more motivation for him provided throughout the story.

The underlying message the film has, like any good Rowling story, is about not hiding who you truly are and the damage it can cause. I liked the slight twist Yates and Rowling had in the story, and while I probably should have seen it coming the setup had me fooled. It is overall a very well put together film. The action is fun, the story engaging, and the message is subtle. It is a fun movie which also has a ton of heart and love put into it. The ending might have been too neat, but when you have magic I guess anything is possible. Fantastic Beast is well worth seeing, and worth seeing multiple times in the theaters if you are a Potter fan. If you are just a casual fan or want to see a fun film it is still worth checking out.

What did you think of Fantastic Beast and Where to Find them? Like it or love it, not like it? Comment and let me know. Like share subscribe and all that fun stuff. 

Star Wars Catalyst – Book Review: Bridging The Gap

James Luceno, author of Star War Catalyst, is a master in character development. Tarkin and Darth Plagueis are both examples of how he wove stories about characters who exerted their will on the galaxy. Catalyst is no different in showing the motivations of the two main characters and how their decisions ultimately lead to the development of the Death Star. Catalyst is a Star Wars fans Star Wars book. It takes a deep dive into how and why the Death Star took so long to develop after the end of Revenge of the Sith until A New Hope. Along with this it gives a great introduction to two of the main characters in the upcoming Rogue One A Star Wars Story.

Star Wars Catalyst isn’t for the uninitiated. A Star Wars fan thinking of getting into the reading the books shouldn’t jump off with Catalyst. The book is a great primer for Rogue One, but it is not an action packed adventure which will hook the general fan. It’s a slow burn character story about the machinations of Orson Krennic and the idealist scientist he manipulates to his cause in Galen Orso. Luceno’s weaves and interesting and plausible story as to how each makes their contributions to the Death Star. The book is more about political intrigue and how well-meaning intentions can be used against good people.

Krennic is shown to be a political climber who is looking to gain power at every level. He looks for every angle to gain more standing and uses numerous schemes to gain control. He is put in charge of the Death Star construction and planning because he is an engineer but also because he knew how to maneuver to get the job. On the opposite side of Krennic is Galen Orso who just wants to create a power source which can be used by everyone in the galaxy. At the start of the novel he is trying to produce synthetic Kyber crystals so he can provide power. The war between the Republic and Separatists force him to abandon this work, but the rise of the Empire and fall of the Jedi allows him access to true Kyber crystals. This allows him to start his research and figure a way to harness the Kyber crystals power.

Catalyst is able to show how each of these characters goes about accomplishing their goals. Galen sacrifices some of his principles, or turns a blind eye to what is happening around him.  Krennic has little to no consciences when it comes to accomplishing his goals.  If there is one criticism for the book it is how evil Orson is for the story. There is no grey to him, he manipulates his situations to better himself and the Empire. By developing these characters Luceno shows how the Death Star is constructed. Each choice these characters make either impede or advance the construction of the super weapon. This is a true prequel to Rogue One and gives fantastic background on major characters in the new film.

The book is a great introduction to Galen and Orson along with Galen’s wife Lyra. Luceno is able to flesh out these characters in order to make the Death Star construction interesting. There had to be a reason why the construction of the Death Star took so long to complete from the end of Revenge of the Sith until the start of A New Hope and this book provides the reason. If fans of the series are at all interested in these reasons or they want more backstory for the characters found in Rogue One then the book is a must read. I don’t think it is a must read for casual Star Wars fans, and in fact it might be disappointing if they are not into more political or character studies.

If you have finished Catalyst let me know what you thought. If not does it sound interesting. Comment and let me know. 

Hidden Figures Official Trailer 2 (2017) - Review

The second trailer for the film Hidden Figures hits all of my personal movie buttons. It's historical period piece about the space program during NASA's early days. With a cast anchored by Octavia Spencer and Kevin Costner it has the talent in place to be good. I am a sucker for this period of history about our race to beat the Russians to space and the moon. Coupled with the civil rights movement the time period is rich with historical significance. 

The second trailer gets me excited for the film, but so did the first. I probably would go see this movie blind based on the subject matter alone. I'm just that much of a history nut and fascinated by the space race. Telling a story about African American women within NASA during this time is perfect. I'll be there as close to opening night as I can, and hope the movie lives up to the real life characters these women portray. 

These women helped put a man in space over fifty years ago. Just let that sink in for a moment. They hurled a man into space on a rocket and he survived with technology our kids would consider antiques. We are all still waiting to be able to do the same. 

Thoughts? 

Disney Buying Netflix? Star Wars Live Action Soon After?

Speculation started to run rampant yesterday as stories popped up about Disney possibly buying Netflix. The House of Mouse is a massive media conglomerates and adding the premier streaming service to its stable of business is probably a smart move. If Netflix is going to get absorbed, which I’m not a huge fan of, Disney is probably the best to get taken over by. Disney and Netflix already seem to have a good partnership with Marvel shows and the recent agreement to release all of the new Disney movies on the streaming service. Disney buying them out is just another logical step.

If this were to happen my mind immediately jumps to Lucasfilm, and if a Star Wars live action streaming show will follow. There have already been rumors about a possible Netflix show for Star Wars, and if Disney were to buy them I would assume it would be a certainty. Disney does own ABC and there isn’t a show on network television yet. There have been rumors about this as well, but I would rather a show go to Netflix. The way Marvel has utilized the streaming service for gritty intense shows gives me hope Lucasfilm would do the same.  I would love to see a live action show about the Old Republic and the rise of the Sith army, or a live action show involving the Hutts and the gangsters of the universe. I’m not sure either is in the cards, but a grittier darker Star Wars story is something a big chunk of the fan base is clamoring for.

The Star Wars universe has just begun to scratch the possibilities for the franchise. I understand some not wanting to water down the product, and thinking more shows and movies takes away some of the luster of Star Wars. One special thing about Star Wars as fans we only had the movies and books and comics. There was a massive buildup and anticipation between the start of each new trilogy. It made each new movie a special event. As a rabid fan I don’t need this extra bit of excitement. I just want more Star Wars in any form as long as the product is stellar. Nothing coming out of Lucasfilm would indicate they would make a bad product. They take their time with everything and a Netflix show would be more of the same.

Who knows if the rumors about Disney acquiring Netflix are true, but if they are I’m hopeful to get more Star Wars. Disney buying Netflix makes business sense, so it isn’t surprising talks are possibly happening. If it does happen hopefully Disney continues to let Netflix operate independently which they seem to do with many of their acquisitions. There are too many great things coming out of Netflix which I wouldn’t want jeopardized, even if it meant not getting more Star Wars.

What do you think? Is this a good movie for Disney, and if so what type of Live Action Star Wars show would you want to see? Comment and let me know.