Solo: A Star Wars Story

Director Ron Howard’s Solo: A Star Wars Story is a fun adventure for Star Wars fans and anyone who enjoys action films.

Here, you meet the characters from previous Star Wars adventures as they begin their careers and connect with each other.  Alden Ehrenreich as Hans Solo and Joonas Suotamo as Chewbaca meet Emilia Clarke as Qi'ra and Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, with Woody Harrelson and Paul Bettany playing the heavies.

The action and effects are top notch and support from actress Erin Kellyman adds to the fun with her surprise unmasking. 

However, the film’s tension is diminished as it is in all prequels from the fact you know the principal characters will survive for subsequent adventures.

Still, Solo: A Star Wars Story deserves the applause it was given by the fan base.

I give it a 3.9 out of 5.

Deadpool 2

Director David Leitch’s Deadpool 2 is an irreverent, funny, gross, sad, happy family film…albeit a very weird family.

The Deadpool writing team of Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are joined by Rob Liefeld and Producer/Actor Ryan Reynolds to create a more humorous and complex story than the original.

 

Here, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) is trying to save a young boy (Julian Dennison) with super powers, who is being stalked by a soldier from the future (Josh Brolin). 

Reynolds is admirably supported by Morena Baccarin as his beautiful wife, Zazie Beetz as the sassy Domino, Shioli Kutsuna as the ditzie Yukio, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al and Karan Soni as the wannabe hero Dopinder.

Fans of the original will absolutely love it.  New viewers may not get all the allusions, but, if you’re fans of action films, you’ll love it, as well.

I give Deadpool 2 a 4.6 out of 5.

Life of the Party

The setup of Co-Writer/Producer/Director Ben Falcone’s Life of the Party starts out with weak writing and directing and one disastrous casting mistake by Alison Jones and Kris Redding.   

But, as soon as the story kicks in…a middle-aged wife, who is hit with a sudden divorce and goes back to college to finish her degree…, Melissa McCarthy saves the film and captures the audience’s support.  She is helped by a team of young women, including Molly Gordon, Debby Ryan, Andria Arjona, Jessie Ennis and Heidi Gardner, along with Maya Rudolph.  With these women, the Casting team scores.

 

If you’re a McCarthy fan, stick with it and you’ll have an enjoyable time.

I give Life of the Party a 3.6 out of 5.