Last night, as news of "SOLO: A Star Wars Story"'s box office numbers dropped, I found myself staring at Twitter like some people (supposedly) watch car accidents. Everyone seemed to want a reason.
The troubled production was blamed. "Star Wars" fatigue. The "hatred" of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," Oversaturation. A male lead. No one wanted or asked for this story.
Honestly, all of it makes me laugh, but in a very irritated and frustrated manner. First off, the fact that anyone thinks "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is bad still baffles me. Truly. How is that possible?
Also, did we not just have three "Star Wars" films with female leads? Why would an audience reject "SOLO" for that reason? And if the reason so many "fans" dismissed "The Last Jedi" was because they were tired of seeing a female lead (that was a story, folks) shouldn't they have flocked to "SOLO?"
And I must have missed the boat when it was announced the we had to ask for films before they were made.
Just like I envision fanboys in their basements complaining about "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" while simultaneously playing with Rey action figures, I see certain journalists buzzing around what they hope desperately will be the carcass of "Solo." I recently rewatched "Rogue One" and looked at some of the reviews, and they are truly laughable. They are not accurate. It's a good movie. Well acted, exciting, and beautifully shot/directed.
"Solo" was fun, not perfect, but fun. Most of the reviews reflect that. But for some reason, it's a bomb both critically and commercially. Without the reshoots, this might not have been a financial "disaster."
Either way, I need to stop bashing the bashers. It's something I always seem to do here when I get frustrated with a criticism wave that seems to be born out of something completely unrelated to actual thought or true criticism.
I blame Twitter. Yet...since I do not publish every day I fear that if I leave Twitter no one will read my work.
Next...
I see a pattern with the films I have enjoyed this year, so far. They are different and imperfect. Or seemingly imperfect. "Final Portrait," "Disobedience," "Black Panther," and now "Solo: A Star Wars Story." These are films that I enjoyed but at one point or another found issue with.
I don't know about you, but I don't want studios to start making things "perfect" because you get middle of the road...not garbage...but something else altogether. Baby food?
A couple of nights ago, I watched another imperfect movie, "They Remain." The film is written and directed by Phillip Gelatt, based on a short story "-30-" by Laird Barron. Two scientists, Jessica and Keith, played by William Jackson Harper and Rebecca Henderson are analyzing the biology of a site where a Manson like cult did some very bad things. Jessica is a self proclaimed obsessive, who is unable to let go once started. Keith...well...he is there to get the job done in a much more chill fashion.
They set up camp in a super modern tech pop up of sorts, which is quite the (deliberate) contrast to the wooded surroundings they are analyzing. There are a few early scares (I started watching this late at night, alone...which is exactly the setting you should see it) set to a score of impending doom.
They discover what I initially thought was an animal tusk (they keep talking about how animal behavior was supposed to tell them more about the cult. ????) but seems, from everything I'm reading this morning, to be an artifact of some kind. At that point, things, such as reality and perception go a bit sideways for Keith.
There are two big issues I have with the film. We are given a great opportunity to see two characters lose their shit heading toward an ending that is destined from the start to be bonkers. And we get half of that.
Keith begins to lose his grip on reality, and it makes the film 50% unsettling. But with Jessica, instead of taking a perfect opportunity to transition her cold, clinical work ethic to balls to the walls obsession, she becomes flip? Keith says, "where were you?" and Jessica replies, "right here." Why not: "Right here. I have to figure this out. I need to know what happened to these people! LEAVE ME ALONE!"
I don't know why she was written/directed/acted in this manner, but it could have worked so much better. Particularly with her last line in the film.
And the other big issue I had was the boobies. The film was much scarier when we saw less. Then suddenly we see a big breasted cult follower dancing around all hippy dippy, later licking the "artifact" in question. And while Keith goes insane with a gun, Jessica, is full frontal for us and him to see. Hmmm... Not the best choice, in my opinion.
That all being said, I actually enjoyed the film. Sure, I would like to go back in time and give everyone some notes on how to make it better, but alas, it is what it is. And it's interesting. Perhaps give it a double feature viewing with "Annhialation."
You can watch "They Remain" on VOD tomorrow, Tuesday May 29th.
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