Solo is the origin of a lot of people’s favorite Star Wars character Han Solo. I was concerned about this since we didn’t see a single movie trailer till a few months before release and that the original directors were fired but I still had hope. Alden Ehrenreich does put effort into playing Han Solo while not being too much of a wink to the audience. He’s no Harrison Ford but it was better casting than Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker. Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian is the real stand out of the cast. He captures the same energy and likability as Billy Dee Williams from episode V and VI.

The new characters honestly were not that memorable. Beckett was just another mentor, Qi’ra was just another female Star Wars character and Dryden Vos was another mob boss villain. Beckett’s crew felt wasted since they die early in the movie and don’t leave an impact. Even Chewbacca felt like he was there just because he would become Han’s first mate. There’s only two new characters that I really liked. One is L3-37 who’s sort of like a female version of K-2SO (both badass). The other is Enfys Nest because I liked how it’s revealed that she’s a good guy fighting for the rebellion instead of another masked villain. I also like the chorus that plays whenever she’s onscreen.

Solo had some really good action but I think the best action scene was conveyex train heist on Vandor. I like the location (Star Wars really nails snowy planets), the design of the train, and the choreography. It’s a really fun action scene. The planet however is home to one of my main gripes with the movie. After the train heist fails they have to meet with Dryden Vos at his yacht which just so happen to be on the same planet. Han’s girlfriend who’s the reason Han was trying to get back to his home planet is also there too. Than when they have to find Lando for a ship it just so happens he’s on the same planet. It seems too coincidental that all these plot elements would be on the same planet.

Solo wasn’t the most necessary Star Wars movie that had to be made though it’s less unnecessary than a Boba Fett movie. It’s definitely not the strongest of the recent Star Wars movies. It’s still a fun movie about one of the best characters in the franchise.

Verdict:
+ Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo
+ Donald Glover as Lando
+ Train heist
– Plot conveniences
– Weak new characters

Score: B

And now, here are my top 10 favorite Star Wars movies.
10. Attack of the Clones
9. The Phantom Menace
8. Revenge of the Sith
7. Solo
6. Return of the Jedi
5. Rogue One
4. The Empire Strikes Back
3. The Last Jedi
2. The Force Awakens
1. A New Hope

Fun fact:One of the writers Rhett Reese wrote Clifford’s Really Big Movie. Deadpool is back and funnier than ever. Ryan Reynolds is still great and hilarious as Deadpool and I do like how his arc is more of trying to save a kid to prove he’s a good person. The comedy is still as great as in the first one. Some of the funniest moments include moments with Deadpool of course, the Celine Dion opening song, and the post credits scenes.

I said in my review of the first one that the villain was one of the weakest parts. In Deadpool 2 however there’s not really a clear main villain but more of characters with gray morals. Josh Brolin was a good choice as Cable and while we didn’t see much of the future he’s from we get enough to understand what he’s trying to do. Julian Dennison is likable as Russell and I do like how he enjoys being a thug or gangster. Both these character are the biggest threats but with understandable goals, Cable just wants to save the future while Russell is fueled by anger from abuse. The world of Deadpool is mostly populated by anti-heroes and anti-villains so this kind of fits.

Domino while not developed that much is still really cool. A lot of her comedy comes from how lucky she is. Her luck power also gives us some really cool action. Speaking of action the action sequences in this movie are much bigger and more epic. The best action scenes are probably the truck scene and moments with the Jugganaut who btw is better here than X-Men the Last Stand.

I do think Deadpool 2 does have problems with its story. Spoilers: In the end Deadpool sacrifices himself to save Russell but Cable saves him by going back in time. There are three reasons why I’m not a fan of this scene, reason one is that we all know Deadpool is going to live, reasons two is that there was no reasons for him to put on the collar, and three the part where we think he dies but still talks just go on longer than it should.  The only other flaw I have is no Stan Lee cameoL but too be fair he didn’t cameo in Logan anyway. Deadpool 2 is part two of his redemption from Wolverine Origins. It’s just as badass and funny if not better than the first.

Verdict:
+ Action
+ Comedy
+ Deadpool as usual
+ New characters
– Death fake-out

Score: A-

The Not So Great Gnome Detective

I skipped this when it was in theaters but recently it was showing at Mt. Hood Theatre which shows movies months after it’s release so I went and saw it. Gnomeo and Juliet was an odd retailing of Romeo and Juliet. I guess it was trying to be like the The Lion King (coincidentally both adaptions of Shakespeare plays, the main characters living and songs from Elton John). It was better than the animated seals version (I’m not making this up) but did people really want a sequel?

Sherlock Gnomes is played by Johnny Depp who plays the part just fine though is it me or does he sound like a British Jack Sparrow? He can be annoying and egotistical at times and really play up that fact that people like him more than Watson. Sherlock’s mind palace is in my opinion the only good part of the movie. It’s all black and white and in 2d animation. It’s animated smoothly and it looks really nice. I wish the ends credits had that animation than I would have stayed longer.

The movie is not really that funny. The jokes are really forgettable and mostly for kids instead of both kids and adults. Fortunately the stupidest jokes from the trailer like the gnome farting (how can a frigging gnome fart?!), no ship Sherlock or what the fertilizer are not in the movie. I think the only joke that was funny was the news reporting stolen gnomes and the police not being concerned and asking them to never called them again.

There is a plot twist that is so pointless. In the middle of the movie Watson falls of a building literally screaming the Wilhelm Scream (seriously?!) and is thought to be dead. Then it turns out he was he stole all the gnomes just to prove he was as smart as Sherlock but then it turns out that the gargoyles worked for Sherlock’s arch enemy Moriarty. Speaking of Moriarty, that villain is so ugly. Its like the Pillsbury Doughboy and Bendy from Fosters Home for Imaginary Friend had a baby. He’s also very annoying because it gets really irritating when a villain calls themselves evil all the time. Wouldn’t it had made sense for him to also be a gnome like Sherlock instead of that butt ugly thing? Ratigan is 10 times the Moriarty he’ll ever be.

Sherlock Gnomes was the sequel nobody asked for yet got made anyway. While I have seen worst movies this one just felt unnecessary. Gnomeo and Juliet is a way better movie though that doesn’t say much. Why Sherlock Gnomes was grennlit is a mystery no one wants to solve.

Verdict:
+ Sherlock’s mind palace
+/- Johnny Depp as Sherlock
– Moriarty
– Pointless twist
– Unfunny

Score: D+

FYI this review is filled with SPOILERS, not fake spoilers I mean real spoilers. You have been warned. Ten years of Marvel movies have all led up to this. We’ve met so many great superheroes and now we finally get to see all of them (except Hawkeye and Ant Man) together.

I was worried that Infinity War would be too crowded because of all the superheroes but this movie managed to feel too crowded by splitting them up. I love the interactions between Iron Man, Spiderman, and Doctor Strange. The interactions between Thor and the GOTG were also fun too. I will admit the plot with Captain America and the heroes with him was kind of weak compared to the others. His story was mostly setting up for the climax of the movie. Now let’s talk about the villain that’s been build up since The Avengers, Thanos. Thanos is surprisingly more complex than most of the Marvel villains and is not your generic take over the universe villain. His view on balance by killing only half the population is very interesting. His relationship with Gamora is also well done and when SPOILERS: he kills her to get the soul stone he feels sad about doing it. He may be powerful but he still has emotions and that makes him one of the best villains in the MCU.

The action as usual is really good. My favorite action scene was when Iron Man, Doctor Strange and Spiderman meet Starlord, Drax, and Mantis because it shows them using their abilities against each other. I also really liked the fight between them and Thanos because of how the heroes are trying to keep him from using the stones. The Wakanada fight was kind of your standard Marvel army climax but it does lead to a outstanding ending. Speaking of the end, SPOILER alert: Infinity War goes all End of Evangelion on us. Thanos gets all the infinity stones, snaps his fingers and characters start turning into dust including Black Panther, Doctor Strange, the GOTG and Spiderman. I do find it weird that mostly the old characters except Rocket and Nebula are alive. Still it’s a very emotional and well done cliffhanger and makes you wonder what’s going to happen next.

I could have used a little more Hulk but there probably building him up for Part 2 next year. Avengers: Infinity War is one of the best superhero movies and best movies of 2018. It would’ve taken a miracle to top Black Panther and Avengers Infinity War was that miracle. Happy 10^th anniversary Marvel Cinematic Universe!

Verdict:
+ Awesome action
+ Character interactions
+ Cliffhanger ending
+ Thanos
– Captain America story

Score: A+