Star Wars Day

  Happy Star Wars Day!

Star Wars Day is an informal holiday that celebrates the Star Wars franchise. Fans of the franchise have celebrated this day since the first Star Wars movie came out in 1977. The usage of this date as "Star Wars Day" is because it's a bit of a pun. "May the Fourth", as in "May the Force be with you!" 

The first Star Wars movie actually was released on May 25, but again, the "May 4" pun. That day has been celebrated as Geek Pride Day. In 2011, the first organized celebration of Star Wars Day was performed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada by the Toronto Underground Cinema. The celebration included a costume contest and showing of fan films. 

The Star Wars franchise is considered one of the most successful live-action film franchises in history, having made over $10 billion in the box office over the last nearly fifty years. It also has greatly expanded to other mediums: television, novels, comics, cartoons, etc. It has fired the imaginations of fans the world over, inspiring other directors like Peter Jackson and Christopher Nolan. And to this day, it's still going strong. So, enjoy some Star Wars today! Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! If you like what I write and want to give my blog some additional support, please make a donation to my Ko-fi! See you next time!

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Trailer, My Thoughts

The term "Skeleton Crew" basically means the minimum number of personnel needed to maintain something, like a ship or a business. Skeleton crews are often used in emergencies to maintain the most vital and important operations. In the Star Wars universe, that term is going to take on a whole new meaning. 

Created by regular collaborators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford, Skeleton Crew is set around the same timeframe as The Mandalorian. A coming-of-age story, it tells the tale of a group of youths who make a discovery that takes them around the Star Wars universe, and they need to find their way home. The series stars Jude Law, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, and Nick Frost. The show was filmed from September 2022 to January 2023. Let's look at the trailer!

Peter Schilling's "Major Tom (Coming Home)"! I love that song!

Speed can kill, kids. Be warned.

Being a kid can be rough, but if your dad is the principal, that makes it a LOT worse.

I get the feeling that girl has beaten some dudes with that shovel. 

Awww, small Max Rebo.

Yeah, they're totally going to touch something. 

AAAAAND THERE GOES THE HYPERDRIVE!

It's okay! Jude Law is here! He'll get those kids home!

I like the surly robot.

Well, this looks like a very cute little show for kids. I would not be surprised if some kid becomes a Star Wars fan from this show. I think I may watch this with my nieces. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! See you next time!

Star Wars: The Acolyte Trailer, My Thoughts

When it comes to the Jedi, they had been described as many things. Priests. Peacekeepers. Defenders. Intellectuals. In the dying days of the Star Wars universe's High Republic era, a Jedi knight is going to have to take on another role: detective.

Production on The Acolyte, an upcoming Star Wars television miniseries for Disney+, was announced on May 4, 2020 by Lucasfilm. The show was created and will be showrun by Leslye Headland, who had started work on it after finishing work on the TV show Russian Doll. This show would be the earliest-set live-action Star Wars series at this point. 

What is The Acolyte about, you may ask? Well, as I said earlier, it's about a Jedi having to play detective. A Jedi Master having to investigate a series of crimes which unveils dark forces. Let's look at the trailer!

"Your eyes can deceive. But your mind should also be...Korlan, stop dreaming about pizza." Mmm...pizza...

Yeah, if my eyes see a giant monster about to bite my head off, I'm not going to question it.

I'm thinking food. And video games. And a good comic book.

Ooh, force ninja. Makes sense, one of Lucas's inspirations behind Star Wars was samurai movies. 

At some point, the Jedi are just going to have to admit nothing makes sense.

I like the Force ninja. I want to see more of her. 

Well, I like this teaser. It doesn't reveal too much, just enough to whet the appetite. I have been enjoying Andor and The Bad Batch, so I will give this a shot. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it around! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

Ahsoka Trailer, My Thoughts

In 2008, the animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars debuted a teenage Jedi Padawan named Ahsoka Tano. She was named in homage to Indian king Ashoka the Great. The padawan to Anakin Skywalker (the future Darth Vader), the character was disliked by fans at first, but eventually became a fan favorite. She would go on to appear in the follow-up animated series, the sequel series Star Wars Rebels, and even make a vocal cameo in The Rise of Skywalker, voiced by Ashley Eckstein. She would even get her own novel. 

She would make the jump to live-action in the second season of The Mandalorian, portrayed by Rosario Dawson. Dawson had expressed interest in playing Tano, and would reprise the role in The Book of Boba Fett. And now, Ahsoka is getting her own miniseries on Disney+, with Dawson stepping back into the role. Let's look at the trailer!

🎵 "Flyin' along in mah spaceship!" 🎵

War is inevitable? Well, that'll be true with that attitude!

Aw, come on! Those troopers had two days left before they could retire!

"The Force is drunk again."

Thrawn is back?! As someone who enjoyed Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy, this gets me excited!

RIP, Ray Stephenson.

Hera and Chopper! and Sabine! I've got to watch Rebels some time.

Well, this looks like a fun series. I've been enjoying Andor, so I think this will be fun as well. I never watched Rebels, so I hope that this show doesn't leave me too lost about the characters from that show coming here. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

Star Wars Day

Today is Star Wars Day! Yayyyy!

On Star Wars Day, fans celebrate the long-running Star Wars franchise! I celebrated it today by watching some Bad Batch before I went to work. I like that show. Hope you had a good day today!

Andor Trailer, My Thoughts

In 2016, the film Rogue One premiered. It told the tale of a group of misfits from the Rebel Alliance who band together to steal the plans of the Death Star from the Galactic Empire. It was this film that introduced Rebel intelligence officer Cassian Andor, portrayed by Mexican actor Diego Luna. Luna is now set to not only reprise the character, but also executive produce a prequel: Andor. Set five years before the events of Rogue One, it tells the tale of how Andor grew from a cynic to one of the Rebel Alliance's greatest unsung heroes. The series is planned to have 2 12-episode seasons leading up to Rogue One. Let's look at the trailer!

Ah, what a beautiful night in this little spaceport! Nothing can certainly go wrong here.

That dude has been working so hard on his new epic drum solo. This is it. His chance to reveal it to the world!

"By the FORCE, Jerry! What did you eat?! Nothing can make a man belch like that!"

That ship looks like it's going a little low. Oh no...IT'S GONNA CRASH! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!

You know something is crazy if all these people want to see it.

Nice touch with timing the music to that dude hitting the bell.

"May I help you?"
"Yes. Have you seen this pig?"

I mean, yeah. Have you seen the Empire's mess hall?! At breakfast time, there's twelve varieties of pancakes at breakfast time! Mmm...pancakes...

In the Star Wars universe, elevator operators scream "Going left!" or "Going right!" as well.

"You'd think being a high-society rebel spy would be more exciting, but...not really. Mostly, I just get high-ranking Imperials drunk. They get loose-lipped when they drink."

Well, this was...pretty interesting. I think I'll give it a shot. I enjoyed Rogue One, so I think I'll enjoy this, too. 

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, and wear a mask! See you next time!

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

I love LEGO games. I have for years. I've played most of them: Marvel Super Heroes, Batman, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, Star Wars...Hey, there's another LEGO Star Wars game now, isn't there? Yes, there is: LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. 

The Skywalker Saga? Yes, that's what the three main trilogies (Original, Prequel, Sequel) in the Star Wars series are called. This game, the sixth in the series, is the first to cover all nine films. The Force Awakens, the first film in the Sequel Trilogy, got its own LEGO game in 2016. This game is the first time The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker gets the LEGO treatment. With that out of the way, let's look at the trailer!

Ah, I see they're going to be going with voiced cutscenes, like the LEGO Marvel and DC games.

WHEEEEE-Oops. Well, that's the hazard of a LEGO lightsaber.

I have to say that this looks really nice graphic-wise. 

That'll hurt!

Heh heh, dancing AT-ST. Get funky with your bad self!

Wow. That's a lot of ships.

Heh heh, flying Ewok.

I admit, I want to play this. I have played and enjoyed the previous LEGO Star Wars games, so yes. I am going to get this one, too. It'll be fun to play through all nine main Star Wars movies. I can imagine the DLC packs will be referencing the various spin-off media like The Mandalorian. This game looks like quite a ride, and I can't wait to jump on it!

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get vaccinated and boosted! See you next time!

Obi-Wan Kenobi Teaser, My Thoughts

After the events of Revenge of the Sith, the Star Wars galaxy was not in the best of places. The Galactic Empire reached its vile tentacles all over, and heroes seemed to be in short supply. However, one past hero of the Clone Wars is still out there: Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is an upcoming mini-series set a decade after Revenge of the Sith. It had started out as a spin-off film written by Iranian screenwriter Hossein Amini but was reworked by Amini into its current form after the box-office failure of Solo: A Star Wars Story. A shame, as I liked that film. This will feature the return of Ewan McGregor as the titular character as he embarks on an important mission. Let's look at the trailer!

We're opening with a dessert. Mmm, dessert...

No wait, we're opening on a desert. A desert. My bad. Anakin would hate this. After all, sand is coarse and irritating. And it gets everywhere.

OH MY GOD, THANOS DUSTED THE LUCASFILM LOGO!

Aww, Ben watching over Luke.

"The key to hunting Jedi...is patience. Patience...and a lot of booze. Hunting Jedi will drive you to drink."

Obi-Wan looks so bored on that ride.

"Jedi love helping people. They get their rocks off by helping people! So, if you see someone helping people, kill them. They might be a Jedi. I am very smart."

Yeah, the Empire are not playing around here.

I get the feeling that lady is going to be one of, if not the main protsgonist.

Jumpin' buildings, greeting folks, Jedin' around the world!

"Grievous ain't the only one who can do that helicopter lightsaber trick!"

SHE'S PACKING A LIGHTSABER!

And a lot of action here. Makes sense, this is a Star Wars adventure.

Well, count me in to see this. I've been enjoying the Star Wars stuff that has been coming out. The Mandalorian, Book of Boba Fett, etc. This looks like it'll be another winner to me. I am excited to see McGregor portray an older, more cynical Obi-Wan, bridging his younger self and Alec Guinness's elderly Obi-Wan from the first Star Wars film. I cannot wait for this.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get vaccinated and boosted! See you next time!

Book of Boba Fett Trailer, My Thoughts

 Let's look at the trailer!

I imagine if that spider bit a person, you wouldn't get spider powers, you'd just turn into a monster.

"Welp, gotta go be awesome."

I get the feeling that Temuera Morrison is just really enjoying himself doing this.

Those Tusken Raiders are going to be screaming a lot, aren't they?

Miss Shand's got a point, cat-face. Jabba was never one to listen to anybody unless it was complimentary.

Hey, Fett's turning out to be a better boss than Jabba already!

This looks like it will be a fun show! I can't wait to watch it!

May the Fourth!

As the title says! May the Fourth be with you!

Hope your May Fourth was a wonderful one. Take care of yourselves, and each other. Stay safe, stay healthy, and wash your hands often! May this and every day after be a good one for you.

Movie Review: Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

The battle between the Resistance and the First Order reaches its climactic end in the third and final film of the Star Wars sequel trilogy: The Rise of Skywalker. So, was this a worthy end to the Skywalker Saga, or was it a podrace wreck? Find out in my review of The Rise of Skywalker!

With the Resistance on its last legs, former stormtrooper Finn, Resistance pilot Poe Dameron, and burgeoning Jedi Knight Rey must muster their forces for one final stand against the First Order. However, the problem is that an old evil has found a way to return from the grave, and our heroes may not be able to prevent darkness from covering the galaxy. I apologize if I come off a bit vague when talking about this movie, but I want to remain as spoiler-free as possible.

With J.J. Abrams back in the director's chair after The Force Awakens, it features the return of many cast members from the previous two Star Wars films. We also have Naomi Ackie and Domhnall Gleeeson joining the cast as respectively a new ally and a Resistance member. Ackie got a nice bit of screen time.

What I loved about the film was the big action set pieces. The final battle was astounding. It was one of the coolest final battles I had ever seen, right up there with Avengers: Endgame. It was a joy to watch. You have to see it in the theater. It's just...just beautiful.

There were appearances that surprised me, and some of the ending scenes, including the final scene. I watched this film with my dad, and he found it a bit confusing in places. I didn't quite share it, but I knew more about the Star Wars mythos than he did.

I have heard this film got some criticism for seemingly not following up on The Last Jedi, but I don't think it was completely warranted. I liked seeing Poe's fully becoming the leader of the Resistance, and Finn being a true Resister, which was started in the last movie. I did wish Kelly Marie Tran's Rose got more screen time, though.

I enjoyed The Rise of Skywalker, despite some headscratching moments. It's not a film you should overthink. There were some emotional moments, great battle scenes, and some nice surprises.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you enjoyed it, spread it around! See you next time!

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Final Trailer, My Thoughts

Back in April, I gave my thoughts on the teaser for what would become the ninth main entry in the Star Wars series. The film would become known as The Rise of Skywalker. Well, the final trailer has come out, so let's take a look!

Ah, the jungle. Peaceful, quiet...and can be hot and sweaty.

Run, Rey! RUNNNNNN!

Nice cut there.

Yes, Finn. Those pancake stacks are really that big.

Is Rey aware "Run Through the Jungle" is just a song.

Wow, the Resistance recovered quick. But yeah, I can imagine the First Order has really ticked off a lot of people, so they would have no problem finding recruits.

Hey, Rose Tico! Glad to see she's recovered from the injuries she got in The Last Jedi.

Looks like Rey is on some defensive barrier on the sea. A very angry sea.

"Rey, I'm cold, I'm wet, and there are space wolves after me! Let me inside!"

Ooh, big space glacier.

Wow. That's some throne. Can't be that comfortable if it was made of rocks.

Was that Palpatine's voice? I heard his laugh in the last teaser. Will we be seeing him in some form in this movie?

Wait, was that Star Destroyer in the ground?! Those things can burrow?!

That's a lot of ships.

"Hey guys! Ready for some ADVENTURE?!"

Hey, a lightsaber fight at sea. Kudos to this trilogy for giving us a variety of backdrops for lightsaber fights.

That's not a boat, dude.

Wait...is C-3PO gonna die?

Aww, Leia... Yeah, October 21st was Carrie Fisher's birthday. That's why this trailer was released today.

I love this version of the Star Wars theme. It's so grand, operatic, and triumphant.

Space horseback riding!

That is going to be one incredible space battle.

"The Force will be with you. Always." I love that Luke and Leia say it together. The Force will be with them.

I am insanely hyped. This looks awesome! I can't wait to see this movie! I loved the last two, and this one looks to be great as well! I know this saga is going to end with a bang!

Star Wars Pinball Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

Back in April, I gave my thoughts on the announcement of Star Wars Pinball. I remember looking forward to this game, as I like pinball and I'm a casual fan of Star Wars. But now the game has arrived! Let's take a look at the launch trailer!

The tables look really awesome!

Hey, a Rogue One table! I enjoyed that movie. I also own the novelization. I'll have to read through it again sometime.

And then Boba Fett took a laser to the knee. Yeah, I know. Old meme is old.

It would be awesome if one of these tables had an FPS mini-game in them. Take advantage of the video game medium! Do things you can't do with real-life tables! Go nuts!

19 tables, huh? Well, for the amount of money GameStop charges for this game, I'd better get a lot of tables!

I think that's a Return of the Jedi-themed table. I recognize the Endor battle.

...Play in Vertical Mode, huh? That's neat. Wait, do you have to turn the Switch on its side to play it in this mode?!

Choose a side, huh? I get that the whole Light Side/Dark Side thing is a part of the Star Wars mythos, but what is this for? Does this game have some sort of Story Mode?

Hey, a Star Wars Rebels table!

And of course, in a Star Wars game, you can use the Force. I can imagine it would go towards helping aim the ball for better shots, or saving yourself from losing your ball.

I'm guessing that these are tables based on A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back.

Well, I am sold! As I said, I love pinball, and I enjoy Star Wars, so I think I'll get this game at some point in the future.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! See you next time!

The Mandalorian Trailer, My Thoughts

Five years after the Galactic Empire fell in Return of the Jedi, the galaxy is in chaos. It's a time where the lawless became the law. It was the time of bounty hunters and mercenaries. And among them...was the Mandalorian.

The Mandalorian is an upcoming TV series for the Disney+ streaming service, due to release in November. It tells the tale of the titular character's adventures in the outer reaches of the galaxy. What's a Mandalorian, you may ask? Well, they're a race of people in the Star Wars universe. You guys know of Boba Fett? Well, he's a Mandalorian.

The show will be run by Jon Favreau (You may know him for directing the first two Iron Man films. He also played Happy Hogan), and it boasts quite a cast: Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Nick Nolte, and even legendary German actor/director Werner Herzog. So, let's take a look at the trailer, revealed at the D23 Expo!

Wow, I bet some Stormtroopers are going to be wanting those helmets.

Oh, I bet those Stormtroopers regret not being able to aim.

That's a neat ship. And what a pretty planet.

"Ahhh, another day of bounty hunter, another dollar." Or...credits? Hey, what is the currency in the Star Wars universe?

I still am amazed they got Carl Weathers for this.

Oh look, they're flying over Dune! Watch out for sandworms!

When you're a bounty hunter, making a cool entrance is part of the job.

I think we just met some of the characters.

Heh. That Twi'lek must be lonely.

A bit of Western homage in those shots. Makes sense, I think Westerns were an influence on Star Wars.

"For the 500th time, I am NOT Boba Fett!"

Hey, IG-88! I remember him from Shadows of the Empire! That was a fun game! I hated him.

So, what is a Mexican Standoff called in the Star Wars universe? A Mandalorian Standoff?

"Bounty Hunting is a complicated profession." True, but you get to be your own boss.

I think he just broke the face of an Ood.

Huh. The Mandalorian has his own version of webshooters.

Hah. Dude in carbonite.

Well, I have to say, I am intrigued. I admit, I am a bit more of a...casual fan of Star Wars, mainly thanks to the Sequel Trilogy. I do want to watch this, as it seems like it will be quite good. I get a Western vibe to it, which is kind of neat.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, spread it around! See you next time!

Star Wars Episode IX Teaser, My Thoughts

The Star Wars sequel trilogy is rolling on! At the Star Wars Celebration, we got the teaser for the newest Star Wars film, the one that brings the Sequel Trilogy to the end. Let's take a look!

Hi, Rey! How ya been?

Take a deep breath, Rey. You're gonna need it.

I think she's been reading those Jedi texts she made off with The Last Jedi.

Makes sense it'd be her fight now. She's pretty much the last Jedi right now. Get it?

Run, Rey, ruuuuuuun! That TIE Interceptor is hot on your tail! I've heard this scene was compared to the famous scene of Gregory Peck running from the biplane in the 1959 film North by Northwest. That makes sense. Star Wars was an homage to old scifi serials, so I can

OH MY GOD! THAT IS NUTS! REY IS NUTS!

I see Kylo Ren has taken up pro wrestling. How long until NXT signs him?

Looks like he fixed his helmet.

Hey, Finn and Poe! How you doing? I like that Finn's got Rey's staff. And hopefully Poe has actually learned something since his screw-ups in TLJ. I'll bet Rose is still recovering from the injuries she took at the end of TLJ.

Aww, BB-8 made a friend. Good for him.

HYPERSPEEEEEEEEED! They may have to go to...Ludicrous Speed.

Hey, Billy Dee Williams is back as Lando! Awesome!

Podracing's become some serious business by the Sequel Trilogy.

That medal could have been Han or Luke's.

Oh yeah, this is Carrie Fisher's last movie appearance. That's sad.

In Luke's case, that's literal. Force Ghosts, anyone?

I thought that was a mountain at first, but that's no mountain. It's a space station. That's wreckage from the Death Star. Imagine what Rey could scavenge from that thing!

...that's Palpatine. That's Palpatine's laugh. Could his Force Ghost be haunting the Death Star wreckage. Would make sense as Vader killed him there. Also, the old Legends EU established he made clones of himself. There could be a clone there.

The Rise of Skywalker, huh? Well, I think that may have something to do with Kylo Ren. All the people are theorizing that it may mean Rey is a member of that family, but remember, there is already a Skywalker in this Trilogy: Kylo Ren. You know, Ben Solo? Leia's son? Luke's nephew? He's a Skywalker. I think it means the former Ben Solo will get the focus of this film. Maybe he's still got a bit of a mental conflict going on.

But there is also another theory going around. That "Skywalker"...becomes essentially a mantle. That Jedi will call themselves "Skywalkers". That would actually be interesting to see. I am also hoping that like The Last Jedi deconstructed Star Wars, we see Rise of Skywalker reconstruct it.

Either way, I am incredibly hyped for this movie! I can't wait for it! I have really enjoyed the new Star Wars trilogy so far! Bring this movie on!

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you enjoyed it, spread it around! And if you want to give this blog some additional support, please drop a tip in my Digital Tip Jar! It would be greatly appreciated! See you next time!

Star Wars Pinball Announcement Trailer, My Thoughts

Star Wars is undoubtedly one of the most popular franchises in history. Besides the movies, the franchise has touched toys, comics, television, and yes, video games. Star Wars and video games have had a long history, dating back to 1979 with the Kenner table-top Star Wars Electronic Battle Command. Over the years, Star Wars games have been released on practically every computer, handheld, and console in existence, from the Apple II to the Atari 2600.

There's another form of gaming that the franchise has touched: pinball. In 1980, a pinball table was released by Hankin based on The Empire Strikes Back. It would be the last pinball table released by said company. In 1992, a pinball table based on the original trilogy was released by Data East. Sega Pinball released Star Wars Trilogy in 1997. Like the 1992 Data East table, it was based on the original trilogy. And in 1999, Williams released a table based on The Phantom Menace.

The game I'm going to talk about here is virtual pinball. Basically, pinball in video game form. I am a bit of a fan of pinball, so I have played my fair share of pinball video games. And it turns out that Zen Studios is going to take us to the galaxy far, far away with Star Wars Pinball for the Nintendo Switch! Let's take a look!

Wheeeeeee! We're gonna blow up a Star Destroyer!

R2-D2! Don't just stand there beeping! Go get the spare Oscillation Overthruster! We're gonna need it out here!

This is the thing I love about virtual pinball. The tables can do things that the real-life tables never can. Having people jump around on the table, little spaceships flying around, it's awesome.

19 tables. That's a lot of tables.

I liked Rogue One. The novelization is pretty good, too.

Oh man, that Return of the Jedi-based table is so cool!

Again, you'll never see stuff like this on real physical tables.

Stormtrooper with a flamethrower? It's got to be a Force Awakens-themed table.

Fly, Rey! Fly for your life!

Well, this seems fun! I would love to get this game! Tables based on the Original and Sequel Trilogy films as well as Rogue One and Solo? That is awesome! According to the video description on YouTube, the reason for the whole Light vs. Dark Side thing is part of some online thing. Maybe the next trailer will reveal more. All I know is right now, I am hyped. I want this game.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you enjoyed it, spread it around! And if you want to give this blog some additional support, please drop a tip in my Digital Tip Jar! See you next time!

Movie Review: Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Han Solo. One of the Galaxy's greatest smugglers, he would eventually become of the Star Wars universe's greatest heroes. But, how did he get his start? How did he become the man we know from the Original Trilogy. Well, Solo: A Star Wars Story promises to explain how this happened. Did it fly high or crash and burn? Let's find out!

Han Solo was a young man from the planet Corellia who dreamed of flying. However, he was trapped in debt to a local crime boss and was determined to escape with the girl he loved. As part of his attempt to flee, he joins the Imperial Military Academy hoping to fly. While there, he joins a crew of thieves and begins his life as a criminal outlaw.

Alden Ehrenreich picks up the iconic blaster of Han Solo. I have to say, he does do an alright job portraying a younger Solo, but I do feel he didn't quite broadcast the cynical nature the character is supposed to pick up at the end of the movie. But he is still fun to watch.

Another strong point of the film is Donald Glover, who is taking up the role of Lando. He is definitely one of the film's strongest points, as his Lando is amusing as anything. I also loved the character L3-37, voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. She was a hoot. I also enjoyed seeing Paul Bettany as the villainous crime lord Dryden Vos. His character was the standard "affable villain", but he was just so delightful in the role. Emilia Clarke brings a seductive charm to her role of Qi'ra, Han's thief love interest.

The film does feel a bit uneven in places, but that is mainly due to the behind-the-scenes chaos during the filming (Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the original directors of the film, were fired part way due to "creative differences" leading to Ron Howard taking over the directors' chair). There are plenty of twists in the film's story. It does make sense, considering that this film focuses on the Star Wars universe's underworld, where trust is cheap. There was also a character appearing that shocked me. I'm not spoiling it.

So, should you see Solo? Well, I say give it a look. It doesn't add a lot to the overall story of Star Wars, but it does maintain a tradition of the franchise: Giving everything a back story. It's got great action and laugh-out-loud moments, and it's a nice breather from the previous heavier film, The Last Jedi. It's a fun way to kill a couple extra hours.

Heh heh, looks like I did manage to put out one more blog entry before my trip to Las Vegas after all. I hope you all enjoyed it. See you all in about a week!

Solo: A Star Wars Story Trailer, My Thoughts

The Star Wars movie train is rolling along! Last month, I looked at the teaser trailer for Han Solo's...well, solo prequel movie, and now the full trailer is out! Let's take a look!

The trailer begins with a shot of the sky. The guitar twanging gives it a very Western feel. It's appropriate, as Westerns inspired Han Solo.

That shot of Han and his blaster is totally from a Western. Ten parsecs and draw, pilgrim.

O hai, Lando. Hustling, I see. I wonder if he ends up winning the job of Cloud City administrator in a poker game. Knowing Lando, he probably did.

Kind of weird seeing Emilia Clarke without the white hair, blue dress, and in a setting that has actual technology.

Seeing the people walking in the desert with waht looks like suitcases makes me think of Spaceballs for some reason.

So, Han's joining a criminal crew as a getaway driver, huh? I wonder if this film will explain the Kessel Run. And Woody Harrelson is awesome.

What happened to Paul Bettany's face?

Man, the Millennium Falcon looks so different without the decades of grime and jerry-rigged repairs.

Heh heh, Star Wars homaging The Great Train Robbery. Awesome. This film is supposed to be a "space Western", after all.

Wait, that Wookiee that Chewbacca is with. That would be so hilarious if that was revealed to be Mallatobuck. You know, his wife from the infamous Holiday Special.

Chewbacca's 190? Han is right, Chewy doesn't look a day over 88. What's his secret? I'm guessing pushups, situps, and plenty of juice.

Oh, man! This movie looks like it'll be a ton of fun! I want to see this!

Solo: A Star Wars Story Teaser, My Thoughts

The Star Wars universe is expanding! During the Super Bowl, we got a teaser for the latest side-story Star Wars film, Solo, focusing on a certain Corellian space smuggler. A longer teaser has come out, but I haven't really gotten to it until now. So, let's take a look!

Like the original Big Game teaser, it starts with a man flicking switches. I think that's the same footage.

So, Han Solo has been on his won since the age of 10? No wonder he turned out the way he did.

Boy, many years later, if that flight academy was an Empire one, they are going to kick themselves when they realize what this led to. You know, him clearing the way for Luke to fire the torpedoes that blew up the first Death Star? Yeah.

Boy, it's weird seeing the Millennium Falcon not looking...grimy.

Liking the flashes of Han's crew. I'm guessing Woody Harrelson's character is the one that gets Han into the wild world of space smuggling.

Something very Western about that shot of the gun's holster being opened. Appropriate if it's Han doing it, as I think the character was inspired by Westerns.

Yeah, they're fine, they're fine THEY ARE NOT FINE.

This sounds like it will be rather fun. I like that the films are expanding and exploring backstories and filling in some gaps in the timeline. It's neat to see how Han got to be the cynical smuggler he started out as in the original trilogy.

Solo: A Star Wars Story Super Bowl Teaser, My Thoughts

When Disney acquired Lucasfilm, it was a no-brainer that new films would be coming. Among those were a couple of "anthology" films that would not be directly connected to the main Star Wars series. The first one of these films was Rogue One, which focused on the story of how the Rebellion gained the plans to the original Death Star, which allowed them to destroy it in the first Star Wars movie, A New Hope.

Now, with the Super Bowl, a new teaser for the second anthology film is here: Solo, focusing on a young Han Solo and younger Chewbacca before the events of the original Star Wars trilogy, including meeting Lando Calrissian and presumably obtaining the Millennium Falcon. Let's check it out!

The trailer begins with...a man flicking some switches. Yeah, in the Star Wars universe, you have to flick lots of switches to make something work there...except for lightsabers. Lightsabers are special.

We then see a man asing another man if he wants to make a difference. In the Star Wars universe, asking that always leads to an epic adventure.  

Star Destroyer floating through a...nebula? Cloud? Can Star Destroyers enter atmospheres? Either way, it looks cool.

Ahh, Empire officer man is recruiting. You see, that's how the Empire gets you. They promise epic adventure and visiting exotic locales, but you end up in white armor getting shot while somehow losing any ability to aim straight.

Best pilot in the Galaxy. I know a guy who said that once. Ended up eating an asteroid.

Hey, Millennium Falcon! Yeah, I figured this movie would tell how Han obtained it.

Oh hi, Lando! Yeah, that's Donald Glover, he's the new Lando. Well, the young Lando. Looks cool.

Hmm, I enjoyed Rogue One, so I am hoping this is good. Looks like it might be. Can't wait!