REVIEW: “SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY” – SPOILER FREE, “FIRST REFORMED” & “RBG”

May 25, 2018 thedhk

For the first time in a long time I am not stoked about a new “Star Wars” film. This week is “Solo: A Star Wars Story” – spoiler free of course. The Ethan Hawke vehicle, “First Reformed” and what should be a required viewing piece, “RBG.”

I was apprehensive about “Solo: A Star Wars Story” from the moment they announced it. We don’t kneed to know Han’s back story. He’s better as a man of mystery. Also the casting of Alden Ehrenreich is something I can’t get over. He doesn’t look like he could grow up to be Harrison Ford. Joonas Suotamo, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Paul Bettany and Jon Favreau also star. Ron Howard directs.

There’s also “First Reformed” which stars Ethan Hawke as a pastor in a small church in upstate New York. Written and directed by Paul Schrader, who wrote “Raging Bull” “The Last Temptation of Christ” and “Taxi Driver” – the film is for lack of a better word, preachy. It also stars Amanda Seyfried and Cedric the Entertainer

Finally there’s the Ruth Bader Ginsberg documentary “RBG” which I think should be required viewing. It gives a fascinating look into Justice Ginsberg’s life, relationships, and the historical cases she’s argued.