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Solo: A Star Wars Story (Ron Howard 2018)


Jay

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1 hour ago, Fargo said:

All the early reactions are just paid PR. It's worthless to read into.

 

Disney hasn't stuffed the critics' coffers. This is just plain, unsubstantiated nonsense and most reasonable people know it. Please provide some tangible data or evidence to support your ludicrous claim.

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1 minute ago, Fargo said:

Your post is 100% false. Paid by Disney.

 

Even if this is a joke, you need to grow up.  Until then, you are ignored for never contributing any thing worth reading.

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1 minute ago, Disco Stu said:

 

Even if this is a joke, you need to grow up.  Until then, you are ignored for never contributing any thing worth reading.

 

Thanks for setting me straight. This is serious business, after all. I hope I don't get ignored on this website. 

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28 minutes ago, mstrox said:

If Disney hadn't cut me that $400,000 check, I would have had to downgrade my review of The Last Jedi from "good as hell" to "crap as butt."

 

watch your language. this is a serious place.

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1 hour ago, Disco Stu said:

This is 100% false.  Not saying the reactions shouldn't be taken with a grain of salt.  But these people are not paid by any one to have a positive reaction.

 

I don't think it's fair to assume all of the early reviewers in the mouse's pocket, but to suggest there's no shilling whatsoever is either naive or worse, disingenuous. These aren't Pauline Kaels, Andrew Sarrises or Stanley Kaufmans. They're by and large reviewers of fast food, not film critics. Salt without vinegar.

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16 minutes ago, Sharky said:

 

I don't think it's fair to assume all of the early reviewers in the mouse's pocket, but to suggest there's no shilling whatsoever is either naive or worse, disingenuous. These aren't Pauline Kaels, Andrew Sarrises or Stanley Kaufmans. They're by and large reviewers of fast food, not film critics. Salt without vinegar.

 

Oh sure, these are movie bloggers who are essentially pawns in PR campaigns and I'm sure they feel pressure to remain positive for fear of losing access.

 

But that ^ is a nuanced understanding of the pitfalls of coverage of media megacorporations, rather than childish conspiracy nonsense.

 

But also, I neither want nor need all critics or media reporters to be loquacious intellectuals a la Kael.  It's what makes writers like that special, after all.

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I think it’s more likely, rather than being paid, Disney just selectively chose who could and couldn’t see it, as those they chose were more likely to give the film a favorable reception. They’d pick a comic book reviewer over a high art film critic. It’s still disingenuous on Disney’s part, but not the same as paying critics, assuming my speculation is correct

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The "enthusiast press."  Heh heh.

Now I have seen some tweets that weren't completely over the moon.  Just generally positive.

 

The most frequent "criticism" I saw is that the first act isn't the greatest.

 

 

Criticisms like that tend come more into focus once it's seen by people who aren't seeing it at a glitzy celebrity party.

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Quote

The first act of SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY can be hit and miss clunky.

 

Quote

#SoloAStarWarsStory has a bit of a rough start, but it was a blast of of an adventure.

 

Funny, a clunky first act was a common criticism of Rogue One as well. Hopefully it won't become a "thing" with these spinoffs.

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26 minutes ago, John said:

Funny, a clunky first act was a common criticism of Rogue One as well. Hopefully it won't become a "thing" with these spinoffs.

 

It was a common criticism, but one that I didn't hold - so hey, if this opens like Rogue One, I'm down.

 

Still not expecting a ton, just based on the subject matter.

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2 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

But also, I neither want nor need all critics or media reporters to be loquacious intellectuals a la Kael.  It's what makes writers like that special, after all.

 

She only now reads as a loquacious intellectual because of how far film criticism has fallen and the fact that so few today can truly write. In her day Kael was a relatively accessible, populist firebrand, and one of the first critics to propose the radical claim that cinema was every bit the equal of theatre. To her, moviegoing was a sensual delight, an embodiment of jouissance. She absolutely despised intellectual detachment or ivory tower posturing of any kind (I imagine she'd tear Fincher and Nolan to shreds). The total opposite of someone like John Simon of course, who's just a bitchy snob and a frustrated theatre critic.

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She was a great, entertaining writer, but hardly my ideal of a film writer.  David Bordwell is more my speed, a knowledgeable but unpretentious academic.  More measured and analytical.  But of course, the medium of film criticism would be much less rich and interesting without her.

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A small comment by John Powell on Star Wars music and what he has tried to do with his score:

 

 

I'm really curious to hear it!

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1 hour ago, Disco Stu said:

She was a great, entertaining writer, but hardly my ideal of a film writer.  David Bordwell is more my speed, a knowledgeable but unpretentious academic.  More measured and analytical.  But of course, the medium of film criticism would be much less rich and interesting without her.

 

Not really a Bordwell fan myself, as you could probably guess. He's fine as an academic, but I find his writing too staid and systematic. I guess I like writers that capture my imagination. Lester Bangs was great at that.

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What do people here think about Richard Brody? I think he is interesting or at least can be at his best, but I am not a big fan. For me Rosenbaum reigns supreme among living film critics, even if I disagree with him every now and then. I do agree more with Brody on Damien Chazelle for instance - I don't get the praise for La La Land - a movie Rosenbaum thinks is great. I can't say any prominent film critic I know of has impressed me with their comments or knowledge of on/of scores - it tends to be lacking category, unless it is a jazz affair I guess, then it tends to get picked up by either Brody or Rosenbaum in particular. I don't think I have ever seen Brody comment positively on a film score that wasn't jazz unlike Rosenbaum who rarely but nonetheless sometimes comments on the score.

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I forgot about Ignatiy Vishnevetsky - I agree, he is one of the best. Disagree with Brody on Williams obviously (he is not a fan).

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13 hours ago, mstrox said:

 

Or, it's a pretty straightforward movie but then there's a big spoilable twist in it.

 

Based on what I can glean from other social media posts, it’s this.  And it’s out there.  So, y’know, set your Twitter mute list to include every possible word that may relate to this movie.

 

(I’m muting all of Star Wars Twitter atm)

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12 hours ago, mstrox said:

 

Based on what I can glean from other social media posts, it’s this.  And it’s out there.  So, y’know, set your Twitter mute list to include every possible word that may relate to this movie.

 

(I’m muting all of Star Wars Twitter atm)

 

Knowing your Twitter fame, I'm surprised they didn't give you an advanced screening! They could sponsor you as Star Wars Dad or something, you could be the next big digital influencer!

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That's always a much better impression than the kind of people who go to the premiere.

 

The ones from the premiere of The Last Jedi made that film sound like a quasi-religious experience!

 

Still not going to see that film!

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Solo: A Star Wars Story is currently sitting at a relatively solid 72% on Rotten Tomatoes and now has an official critics consensus:

 

Quote

A flawed yet fun and fast-paced space adventure, Solo: A Star Wars Story should satisfy newcomers to the saga as well as longtime fans who check their expectations at the theater door.

 

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I hear there are several intense sequences where you are not sure if Han, Chewie, or Lando will survive. Sounds exciting. I wonder if he might challenge that Kessel run, probably not.

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Not sure if they'll survive? They're in the OT!

 

Still I'm expecting to be as entertained with this film as much as I was with Rogue One. The takeaway from R1 was the impressive CGI which is an example where I think it wasn't used excessively enough to notice it. The takeaway I'm expecting from Solo is the music :D

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4 minutes ago, Batman's Diet Coke said:

I heard there's one shot directed by George Lucas. 

Yes this was confirmed by Ron Howard on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

 

European Premiere of 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' At the Palais Des Festivals During The 71st International Cannes Film Festival

Can't we have a bloody Star Wars event where the people aren't escorted by stormtroopers?

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1 hour ago, JoeinAR said:

I hear there are several intense sequences where you are not sure if Han, Chewie, or Lando will survive. Sounds exciting. I wonder if he might challenge that Kessel run, probably not.

With the vast majority of popcorn flicks, do you ever seriously wonder if the good guys will survive?

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My reaction to the 'joke' was different, seeing as Qi'ra knows who Han really is, which is a clone. So, yes it is plausible for the Ehrenreich Solo die, but Ford's will live on (or not). 

 

:P

 

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