Solo

Going in: I had read that this was not what it had promised, which didn't surprise me. John Williams had the same problem with his score: how do you improve on something iconic?

Popcorn: 7/10. The movie wasn't bad. There were some fun parts in it. If there wasn't "Star Wars" attached to it, the expectation might have been lower and it would have been a little better. I'll probably buy it, but only as a completionist.

Art: 6.5/10. As I told a friend, this movie was fun but I just didn't care. When I have that feeling, I always go back to character.

Acting: 2/3. I didn't see anything that really set anyone part - save Donald Glover. I loved his portrayal of Lando. Emilia Clarke was good as well. And Woody Harrelson was good as well. I didn't even mind Alden Ehrenreich, although I think some of the criticism against him is unfair. Of all them, he has the least latitude to explore and experiment.

Music: 2/2. Okay, if I'm being honest, this is more of a 1.5. The composer really used the music to his advantage. I missed having a definable theme, but that's a common problem in movies these days. There were some moments that just hit at the right moment.

Filming: 1/2. There were some glorious shots in the beginning, but it was really the CGI that stood again. Again. (I don't mind CGI; I just wish I didn't say it all the time). The shots were staged well, but nothing really stood out.

Art Dept: 1/2. It was gritty by design so beauty wasn't the thing. I think set design played things well and in retrospect, there was a lot of homage done to the franchise.

Editing: 1/2. There was one time right before the third act that stood out for me. I had that nag to check my watch and I kept having it. I forget this is normal after the Marvel movies over the past 6 months combined with Deadpool.

Story: 2/4. The story was formulaic. I know a lot of people blamed the acting, but I think this was one of those times when they were directed that way. My biggest problem was with the character of Han. He had no arc. He had betrayal and heartache, but those themes were cast off to the side and he was basically the same character at the beginning as he was at the end - except that he had the Millennium Falcon (which honestly, when he and Chewie started flying it? That was a high point).

Directing: 2/3. I like Ron Howard, but this had little emotional resonance for me. It was enjoyable but I really just didn't care.

Production: 1/2. I think the character was worth telling, but I had a hard time getting into this story. I don't think anything was misleading. This just had to be exactly right and it turned out mediocre.