Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Well this movie pissed me off in so many ways. This film is rather racist.  While it is has been exclaimed multiple times that this film contributes to diversity, having a film that features only a single race, with the nearly complete exclusion of others does not quality as diversity, unless you think that films like Blacula and Black Belt Jones contribute to diversity.

Another thing is that film is called Crazy Rich Asian, but it focuses solely on Chinese in Singapore.  While I understand that a large number of people use the term Asia to refer to East Asia and South East Asia, Asia is most obviously an extremely large continent, and by making a VERY broad generalization, in includes 5 very large cultural groups who live there, with the majority of Russia there, as well as more than half the the middle east, the stans, which were previously part of the USSR, South Asia (the Indian Subcontinent), and the aforementioned East Asia and South East Asia.  There is also a small peninsula sticking of the north western part of Asia, which for some inexplicable reason is given status as it's own continent, when several of the other groups inhabit areas larger than Europe.  While I realize that Europeans are the ones who made the maps and they wanted to give themselves special status, it irks me.

Anyhow, getting beyond that, and limiting our concept of Asia to cover both East Asia and South East Asia, it is still an area that includes a dozen countries.  The Asians of this film are ONLY Chinese, so the film would be more appropriately titled Crazy Rich Chinese, or an even more appropriate title would be Crazy Rich Chinese Singaporeans.  While Singapore itself does have 4 recognized ethnic groups which it draws it's four official languages from, this film not only completely ignores the other three groups, but they are completely absent from this film.

Even more so, the actors in this film don't feel very Singaporean to me.  While they spend the majority of the film in the land of la, no Singlish is heard.  And while a great number of Singaporean Chinese can speak Chinese, the film also has its American Chinese able to speak Chinese, which while quite possible, seems like a slight to all the Chinese Americans and Asian Americans who do not speak their ancestor's language.  In the case of most haoles, not only do they not speak the language of their ancestors, but no one gives that a second thought, even if they travel to the country of their ancestors.

One thing it does okay with is that kind of  "you have just taken your first step into a larger world" kind of thing, where the Rachael Chu enters a world she didn't know previously existed.  This is the same concept that was done with Star Wars (the Jedi Knights), Harry Potter (the world of magic) Men in Black (aliens living among us, in disguise), Shades of Gray and even Futurama (the WORLD OF TOMORROW) along with many other films.  While it worked well for Harry Potter for a while, as he encountered new and amazing things which he previously had no idea existed, the world that Rachel Chu enters is not as new or secret as that (there are dozens of reality shows that focus on rich people), so that the concept barely can be carried til the middle of the film.  I don't know how this concept will be extended into the next film in a way that would make it interesting, as there is nothing left to be surprising to her.

And of course it's good to see Singapore represented in a film thought the number of scenes that show actual Singapore in this film are extremely limited.

Let's be honest, just as was pointed out in the film, "small tits", which is much like this film has a flimsy concept to go on and isn't really able to be stretched out for an entire film.

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Strangely, this poster from Japan
calls the movie Han Solo.

This film was okay, as it wasn't as infuriating as the so called 'episode' films, in that it didn't go against the grain of the entire Star Wars saga.

 Strangely, the biggest problem is this film is that it had already been done, and done better.  It's plot is vastly inferior rip off of the episode "The Train Job" of Firely.  Joss Whedon, you are our only hope...

The film had a pretty good ending / solution to Han's predicament.

It was great to see the Falcon flying again.  And the actor who played Han did a good job , but he wasn't cocky or cunning enough to make me feel he was really Han Solo.

And while did it did have it's moments, it really didn't add up to much of a film.  George Lucas said that he wanted to make films that are like a roller coaster that you you can enjoy riding many times.  Unfortunately, with all of the new films (those made without George Lucas), they don't have any great scenes that stand out, which can be enjoyed alone and make the film worth watching multiple times.  One of the most impressive things about the original trilogy was that people would go back to see the film multiple times in the theater.  That alone, should really make those films the most watched films in history.  Now a days, with higher ticket prices and larger audiences (due to a larger population) films are recorded as making more money than the original Star Wars, but I don't think they they are getting the repeat business the original trilogy got, thus have a lower number of ticket sales if put in to perspective on the population at the time of it's release.

This film introduced to new (old) concepts into the Star Wars universe, which previously didn't exist in this universe, cleavage and wheels.  While in America and perhaps Europe, women feel the need to show cleavage at all times, this is not so for the entire world, nor does.  As much as I like cleavage, it doesn't have a place in the Star Wars universe (yes, I know Leia was showing some in the Throne Room scene at the end of Star Wars, as well as it being apparent in her slave costume, but they over did it in this film. This is a bit of a problem of the Star Wars novels, as they added in earth concepts which wouldn't exist in the Star Wars universe (coffee, or a similar stimulant drink, stood out).  The other thing is wheels, which didn't exist in the original trilogy, but were on front of the train in Solo there was a wheel.  Yes, the prequels had the WA-7 waitress droid on a wheel, and IG-227 tank had wheels of a sort, but still their absence is part of what defines Star Wars as being in a different galaxy, with a culture completely separate from our own.

One other thing is the use of the word "hell", which is a abrahamic religious concept.  That was used twice in Solo, but it has no place in the Star Wars universe.  "Hell" as also used in Empire, by Han no less, but it never should have been in that movie either, as again this is a galaxy with no connection to our earth culture.
One thing George Lucas mentioned in the past is you shouldn't explain things in a movie.  One problem that keep occurring is too much answering of questions, sometimes questions that didn't really need to be answered (midichlorians anyone?) This film sought to answer a number of question that had been on Star Wars fans since the original trilogy.  One big problem is that it tried to answer all the question in a single film.  I thought several of these needed a lot more background story, so they they should have been in different film (a Han Solo trilogy).

1) Why does that Falcon has that unusual shape/gap in the front?  I figured it was some kind of docking mechanism, after all the ship is referred to as a freighter.  It must dock, and be able to store freight.  Actually, this also made me wonder why they stored the coaxium in the smuggling compartments, as would think they would have a storage hold.  I would think the smuggling compartments were something that wouldn't be revealed by Lando so easily.

2) Where were the escape pods launched from that the officer mentioned after capturing the Falcon on the Death Star.  I've always figured they had to be originally on the projections on either side of the Falcon, one of which is just above the boarding ramp.

3)I would have expected that there would have been more to the game in which Han won the Falcon. And I wouldn't have thought Han would say he won her (the Falcon) fair and square in Empire, as being Lando was cheating in the game.

4)  How did Han get together with Chewbacca?  This is a back story I have imagined a long time ago, and a bit too long to add to this overblown rant.

5)  Why did Han say he made the Kessel Run in less than 12 par secs.  This film pretty much handles that as well as explanation I have previously heard or come up with.

6) Why can Han understand Chewbacca?  This film actually made the situation worse, as it didn't explain it, but made Han be able to speak Wookie with no explanation what so ever.  It also makes it seem weird the Han never speaks Wookie in the original trilogy.  I always assumed that Wookie vocal cords could not accommodate Basic (English) sounds, and "human" vocal cords could not create Wookie language sounds.

7) The origin of Han's last name.  This wasn't a question anyone was asking, though the answer is okay, but everyone else, except for Luke / Anakin has a name without meaning in English.

It seem odd that all all of these questions were covered in one film.  I find it hard to believe that all of these events happen in the space of a few days.  It makes it seem like Han only had the Falcon for a few days before he met Luke and Obi-Wan.  I would think that he had the Falcon for years, or even a decade before he met them.  I think the original Han Solo Trilogy was more suitable for a time frame, though those stories were lacking though greatly appreciated at the time, as there was VERY little available for supplemental Star Wars stories, prior to 1991.

This film also dove into the nearly previously Star Trek exclusive territory of technobabble, with their explanation of how they could integrate the droids navigation ability into the Falcon.  If the a navigation computer (which is mentioned in the original Star Wars) were vital to entering hyperspace, why wouldn't they have integrated that into the ship when she was designed.  It does make me wonder if that also accounts the necessity of astromechs being in X-wings and Y-Wings, though other ships seem to do fine without them.

Also, there was a some huge space octopus in the middle of the kessel run. This makes no sense to have a creature living the desolation of space, but it's hard to justify the space slug in Empire either, though it at least had a asteroid to live on.  There have been several media franchise that have creature that exist in the vacuum of space, which is impossible and getting more intolerable with each recurrence.

I have head that Johnnath Kasdan, after the film was released, said that Lando is pan sexual.  Is he a replicant as well???  Also, if I screw a sex doll, would that make me pan sexual???  I wish they would leave their ridiculous after that fact concepts out of their interviews.  Adding in this ridiculous 2017's earth concept detracts from the film.  In fact, I was rather surprised to see Lando so caring of a droid, considering how dismissive he was of Threepio when first introduced to him on Cloud City, so it seems out of character.  I have no problem with LGBT people having complete freedom to do as they wish, and having such character in media. If you want to make your original characters any type race, orientation or whatever, go head, but don't take established characters and alter them to fit trendy concepts.  This goes for the new Star Trek films making Sulu gay.  I LOVE the fact that George Takei is gay and played a straight character.

Also, while Darth Maul was a great addition to the Star Wars mythos, his death in The Phantom Menace was clearly definitive, so that bringing him back is utterly ridiculous, though I realize that they wasted a good character too easily.  Still, while he was a spectacular fighter, this film makes him out to a great tactician.  Is everyone in this universe a master of every trade?  That millenial idea of being good at everything, without working to develop skills is preposterous and detracts from the stories coming out of hollywood.  Yes, I know they brought him back for the TV show Rebels, and the Clone Wars (I think), but I would hope the movies take these things a little more seriously.

I was impressed to see Anthony Daniels name in the credits, but didn't see him in the film (though a quick internet check confirmed his appearance).  Still, that makes him the only actor to be in every Star Wars film released to date.

Ready Player One (2018)

While I have a lot of criticism of this film, I did enjoy it and didn’t have too many problems with it while watching it, though it did fall short in several ways.

So the main concept of the film is a blend between TRON and the Matrix, with a lot of pop culture references thrown in.  While it is an appealing scenario, and an enjoyable experience, it lacks creativity.

There is also an inconstancy with the way computers work.  The need to physically transport items or move doesn’t actually exist in a video world, but this could be a built in limitation of Oasis.

“A fanboy knows a hater”

This line was rather ironic, as it seems that a lot of the pop culture references were thrown in there to appeal to the audience, making me think the director was mere adding them for that purpose.

A number of the songs seemed like they wouldn’t be a fan boy’s first choice, as well.

It’s very odd to have a Japanese kid who wants to be a samurai, in full armor.  While that feels like an appealing stereotype in the west, its appeal in Japan is nearly non-existent.  It’s like thinking that most American’s want to play as Minute Men or Cowboys. A similar thing could be said about the Chinese boy wanting to be a ninja.  While ninja’s have a wider appeal, it is still a stereotype having that avatar belong to an Asian.

And thinking that Samantha’s birthmark would detract from Wade’s interest in her is ridiculous.  There are people who do feel their own birthmarks are a detriment, so I can see how the character might feel that way.  Still, it would more interesting to see if Wade could overcome any revulsion he may feel if Samantha was hideously ugly, or deformed, morbidly obese or even a man.

The quest themselves were too simple.

And anyone with even a little knowledge of Adventure knows what that game is most famous for.

First, a Delorean is a poor choice of car, especially if you have to drive it in reverse (as you cannot see out of the back, and looking out the window has a very limited field of view.  And did it really need to be driven in reverse, or could have just driven through the backwards course with his car facing forward?  Driving in reverse at high speed is extremely treacherous and difficult to control.

And the characters solution of shutting down the Oasis on Tuesdays and Thursdays is a ridiculous over simplification of the problem.  And what time zone would those shut downs be based on?  What about people in other time zone, or other countries?  What is someone’s schedule only allows them time to access the oasis on those days?  Or what if a person wants to log on for just an hour?  They are to be prevented from doing that, because some people have a lack of self-control?

Steven Spielberg is largely a horror director.  The majority of his films have the characters being terrorized by some kind of creature: Jaws, Jurassic Park, Gremlins.  In many of his films, the main characters end up running away from some creature, not fighting it in a brave battle, but just trying to survive, which is what happens in a horror film.  Even E.T. and other of his films had horror like situations. Many of his films I went into thinking it would be a fun movie, only to find a horrific situation unfold in the middle of the film.

The Secret of Kells (2009)

A collaboration between French, Belgian and Irish studios, I was surprised to find an Irish animated film, as this is only one of two that I know of to exist.

Stranger still, it is set in a Abbey, which doesn't seem like the kind of setting for a animated film.

It's great to see the Irish mythology come to life, as well as the music, which also captures that Irish feel.

While the animation has been praised, I felt the animation was a bit lacking as the animation style is quite simple, compared to and the CG features which are so plentiful today.

It is an interesting film to watch, but I feel that it doesn't make as big of an impression as some of the other animated films that have come out in the last decade.