Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018 movie) = Finished

This movie chosen by a "Fennelsher" patron.

SOLO FRICKING ROCKS, ACTUALLY

Can we talk for a second about how much of a miracle this movie is? 

It was essentially handled by two distinct creative teams (three if you count the scriptwriters, who had their own vision of the project), and still feels like a cohesive product in tone and narrative. It's got some of the neatest action setpieces in the Star Wars cinematic universe, and adds new technology, outfits, and world components to a visually-established world without the added elements feeling out of place (despite having some wild breaks from what we've seen in Star Wars canon to date). Three actors representing some of the most charismatic figures in cinema are replaced by younger versions, for the most part to stellar effect. It's an unnecessary backstory for a smuggler with a heart of gold, that somehow sets up both his eventual hardening, and the base of sincerity at his core. It's a heist movie, and daddy issues, but Star Wars.

It's a heist movie

and daddy issues

but Star Wars

and Woody Harrelson is your daddy

Ron Howard is among the most versatile directors in cinema. He jumps between genres and worlds with more ease than the mermaid in Splash (which he also directed). From Cocoon, to Apollo 13, to The Da Vinci Code, to the fricking Grinch movie, the man knows how to work under restrictions of every form imaginable and pull something competent (if not exceptional) from the mix.
He can do...basically anything?
Basically anything.

And he chose to do this.

Seeing the final result, I think I understand why.

Solo is the ultimate example of working under restrictions. You've got stakeholders on executive and creative levels, all with varying amounts of input. You've got a cast already signed on, and significant amounts of footage already shot. You've already got a media maelstrom surrounding your project, looking for blood in the water. On every level imaginable, this project was a mess.

So they called in Ron Howard--and you know what?
Everything works.

I like Alden Ehrenreich's Han Solo--a lot! I can see how his character evolves into the Han we know and love, even more so than Donald Glover's exceptionally theatrical Lando. Woody Harrelson is your dad. Chewie remains the best boy in the galaxy. The narrative beats land, and they land well. A chapter of supposedly redundant ground managed to surprise me, and it's a visually-stunning watch, too. Edited just right, if you didn't know better, you wouldn't know there were seams in this project at all.

This was never destined to be loved by diehard Star Wars fans, no matter how much it tried to appeal to them. The lack of an opening credits crawl alone will spell its doom in the eyes of some. However, what Solo is, is a well-directed, exciting, funny, and essentially Star Wars adventure played out across a canvas that should have been a complete and utter mess.

F*ck the haters.