Solo ISN'T Tanking Because of "Star Wars Fatigue" ...

Solo is tanking because Disney doesn't care about old Star Wars Fans, you know, the ones with money and one or two generations of children. 

Star Wars fans NEVER get fatigue. There could be a new Star Wars film every weekend and it would make millions every time 

IF

the writers cared about the fans.

But the Disney writers only care about themselves and how clever they can be in their own heads.

I've been watching it all from the sidelines. 

I saw people upset at the Force Awakens and how it was just a safe retread of The Last Hope. Some of us gave it a pass even though we were horribly disappointed about being lied to about seeing our three icons together again. 

I saw hundreds of negative reviews about Chuck Wendig's Aftermath trilogy because of his unique writing style and his immersion of United States politics into a galaxy far, far away. And he sure isn't helping himself or Star Wars franchise by calling fans, who were around long before he was born, names and that they are angry, racist, white men.

Sorry, not true. I'm a woman and Hispanic and I'm mad at the direction of the franchise as time goes on. 

Though I didn't read Chuck's Star Wars books, I saw hundreds of negative reviews. I saw hundreds of positive ones as well. It's still a best-seller. 

In Chuck's defense, he's an excellent author in horror and writing guides, but his unique style was jarring and unsettling for the Star Wars franchise. Some fan divide came there as some loved his quirky narrative and some hated it. The things that the fans didn't like from what I could discern included American politics, characters who some people call "social justice warriors," earth jargon, sexual orientation, and such. This is proving to be a theme in some of the other books and the new movie saga trilogy. And the spin-offs.

Disney is trying new things. Disney is testing a new direction. Disney has often been cutting edge and certainly was in its infancy, so it's not unexpected that Disney is trying to modernize Star Wars and taking a few risks. 

I went to The Force Awakens for only one reason. To see what happened to Luke Skywalker; what was he up to now? Was he married? Did he have kids? Was he a Captain or Governer or ruler of a Kingdom or teaching new Jedis? I didn't give a damn about Han Solo and was very curious about what happened to Leia. 

I wasn't the only one going to see Luke Skywalker. I was disappointed. So, I went along for the ride. It wasn't the movie I hoped for but I was going to be a good sport because I liked the character of Kylo Ren and some of the puzzles that were set up. Or at least, I thought there were puzzles set up waiting for eager fans to speculate about.

Thousands of us waited with bated breath for two years to see Luke's first words in something like thirty years. Quite frankly, I was in kind of a daze after the first time I saw The Force Awakens because I had fully expected the saga of Luke, Leia, and Han to continue with all three together from nearly the first frame. I expected them to be swept off on some kind of adventure that would NOT involve a Darth Vader type person nor a Death Star. I expected some of the catch phrases and lots of lightsaber battles. I expected lots of spaceships hurtling around and some newfangled alien designs. I also expected Han to die as I knew Harrison Ford wanted out of the series. 

But I accepted what we were given and played along.

In this age of social media, we all got swept up into the fun of theories and speculation. Dozens of questions were set up that we got excited about, so many teases, so many exciting ways the eighth movie could go.  So many of us spent two years writing articles, making videos, going to Star Wars Celebration, Comicons, buying toys, books, rewatching The Force Awakens to mine for clues about where the series would go. We thought Star Wars was an ongoing story, a connected universe with connected players and clues. A soap opera in space. A western in space. A simple fairy tale about good and evil with space wizards and an ancient religion. 

Star Wars is a comic book fun time. 

But those of us who were engaged, who bought toys, books, games, were in for a rude surprise in The Last Jedi.

Fans with certain expectations set up from the narrative structure of the previous seven movies were given the equivalent of a pie in the face. 

Yes, TLJ was beautiful to look at. 

There was some cool stuff.

But there were huge disconnects. It was more like a Saturday Night Live episode (jokes that don't work and all). 

And when we weren't subjected to thumb-on-nose plotlines, we were given ill-timed jokes and American politics. Free the animals but don't go back for the children. And how did the kid know to tell the story of Luke Skywalker as it happened and could move a broom? Am I allowed to think that he's a special force user related to someone in the universe or will I be mocked for thinking that? Now everyone can use the force and it's a galaxy of mind readers?

I'm all for experimental. I'm all for giving chances and that's why I'm being trying to be okay about The Last Jedi.

But fans are angry. Not because Luke was old and depressed but because of lazy storytelling. it's easy to toss a lightsaber away than to give an emotional moment to fans who have waited a long time to hear Luke speak. 

It was lazy to make him a child abuser instead of showing Snoke seducing Kylo and other interesting backstory stuff. Maybe show how the children who escaped the destruction of The Jedi Training Camp became the Knights of Ren. Maybe show Luke running off to kick Snoke's ass for luring little Ben to the Darkside.

And why was Kylo named Ben Solo? Leia and Han never knew Ben Kenobi. I never understood that unless Leia had visions of him since she has The Force?

We had to watch a lazy slow ass chase movie instead of cool stuff like Kylo talking to ghost Vader.

We were already depressed Carrie Fisher is dead and then to just kill off Luke for no reason...THAT is why Solo is tanking.

Some of the Disney people are mocking the fans. Fans that CARED about Luke for forty years, who were invested emotionally and financially in him and the franchise, who likely spent thousands on themselves and children on Star Wars merchandise over forty years. And now they are mocked for caring that the character they wanted to see have a cool story was just humiliated with the milk stuff, fallen from a hero to a child abuser, was a coward, did a Skype call and dropped dead. Meanwhile, Snoke made other people do Skype calls and didn't die. I don't believe Snoke nor Luke are dead anyway. Anymore. I suspect Abrams will bring Luke back. He sees the backlash and hopefully will be a hero and bring back Luke. 

If Disney brings back Luke, then maybe sales will pick up again. It's easy in a magical universe to make him not dead. Luke never saw Ben or Yoda or Anniken as he died though Luke saw Ben when he was dying in Empire Strikes Back, so it's very likely Luke's not dead at all. He could have just gone off to rejuvenate somewhere and come back stronger with a great plan to stop Kylo without killing him. Also Kylo hasn't seen his grandfather's ghost yet either. Why not?

These are the things fans want to see. More Luke. We just wanted a bit more time with him as new characters are introduced.

We are told all through The Last Jedi to Kill The Past and everything we loved about Star Wars was killed right in front of us, and then we're supposed to support a movie about a dead iconic character as a young man when we're not supposed to care about the past or history.

Star Wars fatigue, there is not.

How many times have the marathons been on TV in recent years? Almost every weekend and they are endlessly watched. 

Star Wars fans have no fatigue. They could watch a new Star Wars every day like a soap opera, which is originally was until recently. 

Star Wars is an addiction, a way of life for many people. Thousands of people. People with money.

I've been watching the unrest forming on YouTube for months now. I've seen channels like Geeks and Gamers who had less subscribers than I did in January when I first found them now grow to something like 50,000. All SW fans who love SW and are soo upset by the direction it's taking. Many in the comments sections are calling for boycotts and guess what, Disney?  THAT's why Solo is tanking.

Solo is a fine little movie. I had fun seeing it. But because of Johnson and his attitude in his movie towards the original fans and towards unhappy social media fans, the rage from SW fans is being shown towards Solo. SW fans won't see Solo in the theatres because they want Disney to listen to them. They want the basic premise to return and to have good storylines for Legacy characters.

Star Wars fans are voting with their wallets so that Disney will listen. They want the franchise to get back on track, for Luke to not be dead just yet, and to stop doing stupid stuff and lame jokes. 

That's all!

Han Solo Review WITH SPOILERS


Articles about Box Office:
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/box-office-solo-star-wars-150247663.html


https://variety.com/2018/film/news/the-tanking-of-solo-is-a-force-of-darkness-for-star-wars-1202828835/

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

I’m ready to chime in on Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

I come from it as the fourteen year-old-kid who saw the very first Star Wars the day it opened and then proceeded to go see it 27 more times that year in various theatres, even in Banff, Alberta when our orchestra played in a festival.

It spoke to me on some level. I loved the sound; it was new for the times. I loved the crawling opening credits, new for its time. I lived for the jump into hyperspace every time. Also a new special effect. So yes, I adored the state of the art bells and whistles for the seventies.

I loved the story. I liked Luke’s story the best, the teenager longing for more somewhere else. A male Dorothy hoping to go over the rainbow. And he does.

The story was simple, the characters are fairy tale archetypes, it was a basic battle between good and evil, a bit of magic/religion/occult energy, and so on. It all appealed to me plus I was a huge science fiction geek. This was also around the time that Stephen King came on the scene. But I digress.

I bought the soundtrack, the music soundtrack, the word for word dialogue soundtrack, books, comics, bubble gum cards, watched the talk shows and followed the actors careers, even read Postcards from the Edge. I wrote an essay about Star Wars in high school for one of my classes. Ah, the seventies!

When the next couple of movies came out, I didn’t really care for how they were going. I don’t know what I expected, but I wasn’t as hypnotised by them. I think it was after the one with Jar Jar Binks that I stopped watching. I didn’t see the Annikin growing up years. The commercials and other media didn’t and still haven’t compelled me to watch. I preferred my imaginary theories about how Annikin embraced the Dark Side.

I saw the Force Awakens trailer and was weepy and excited yet cautious. Would my heart be broken again? Would I hate yet another Star Wars?

I saw the movie the day it opened at a full house midnight screening in 3D with superdedupersound and reserved seating.

I saw it again today at one in the afternoon because there was a Blue Monday Special. If you had 500 Scene Card points, you could see a free movie. A movie of any level. So I chose the moving chairs, 3D, superdeupersound version and it didn’t cost me a dime.

Yeah baby, that’s how you see Star Wars!

I love the opening credits, the music. I love the homages. The movie felt like a comfortable old shoe. Sure some things were forced and obvious but it’s sort of a Star Wars tradition, isn’t it?

At any rate, The Force Awakens does a competent job setting up a story that will continue for two more movies.

Why I Think Rey Is Luke’s Daughter

When I first saw SW:TFA, I thought Rey was Luke’s daughter. Then I made the mistake of reading endless theories on the interwebs about how in the books, Ren and Rey are twins so that means Luke is her uncle and Han is her father. And certainly there are many scenes that suggest a family connection.

I was led down the Yellow Brick Road and even entertained other more elaborate theories about Rey's parentage with other characters including Ben Kenobee. Then I remember the basic premise of Star Wars. It’s always easy and obvious. So Rey is Luke’s daughter.

Today, armed with an open mind I watched for clues about who Rey is. My first Luke impressions were magnified more on second viewing.

Rey is left on abandoned desert planet as Luke was with his aunt and uncle on Tatooine. Rey is likely watched over by the junkyard owner.

Luke had a bit of the Force before his adventures began. He could shoot things and drive really well. When he met the gang, he was taught properly by Obi Wan.

Luke’s music is often played under Rey’s scenes. She even dresses like he did in SW.

Han and Leia adore her and on second viewing, they just might know her and are keeping their mouths shut.

Seeing the flashback again, this time with a shaky seat, in 3D, did she see her father load R2D2 with the map (like Leia did in the first movie)? Kylo Ren destroyed the school and formed Knights of the First Order, Rey was left with ”someone” on Jackku. So that was a child watching it all. She may have been training with the school as well or privately with her dad. He hid her from Kylo Ren. Since everyone knows Kylo Ren can read minds, no one speaks of it or admits it to keep her safe. She may even have played with that very light saber as a tiny child but had her mind wiped when she was left behind.

Kylo Ren

On first viewing, I loved the spoiled baby almost a sociopath teenage angst. Sort of reminded me of a certain young ruler in another country on earth. He also reminded me of Dandy on American Horror Story, my last year psychopath crush. I don’t find Kylo Ren as sociopathic as most other evil dudes. I believe he truly does have empathy and a soft side and feels bad for killing his dad but he’s trying to be the best ruler of the universe he can be. Snape, oops, Snoke told him to kill Han and he believes that Snoke knows best. But sadly as Leia and others said, he’s going to get fucked over in the end. Poor Kylo. He’s going to end up like the Joker or someone where you actually feel sorry for him even though he’s a murdering psychopath.

After my first viewing, Emo Kylo Ren was invented on Twitter. I love that feed. Then I saw Kylo differently. A goth like me!

The SNL skit of Kylo Ren as UnderCover Boss rocked. It hit all the right notes for a Star Wars nerd.

Today I watched carefully and enjoyed Adam Driver's Kylo Ren even more than the first viewing. He does a great job delivering empathy for Kylo whether he deserves it or not. And liking characters, whether good or evil, makes for some great duels and storylines.

Some people have made comments about how they see or don’t see Kylo Ren because they’re familiar with some of Driver’s other work. I myself haven’t seen the other shows he’s been on, so he’s fresh to me and I’m pleased with how he’s playing Kylo Ren. Kylo is very human and confused.

Kylo’s slash across his face isn’t that bad so he’d better not be all covered up forever in the rest of the sequels. He’s a good-looking guy (as most evil dudes are) and a slash will make him even more sexy. So don’t fuck it up whoever is directing the next one!

Kylo sensed Finn at the battle. Did he sense him because Finn too has the Force? Or because he sensed Finn’s fear and weakness and thoughts about defecting?

Kylo knew about Rey and her power because they’re cousins.

I love how Kylo hero worships Vader. It works very well in our current cult of the celebrity society.

Rey Learned Too Fast

No, she did not. She has Luke, Vader, and who knows who else’s blood in her. She was likely trained by her dad before she was left at the junkyard. Her fight scene was set up when we first meet her. Her pilot skills, her ingenuity, and her fighting skills all were showcased before she acquired the force from battle of the kin.

The Force Awakens

Rey’s Force awakens

Kylo Ren’s Force awakens

R2D2’s Force awakens

Finn’s Force awakens (why else would he suddenly deflect?)

Luke’s has been woken up.

Han gets to go back to sleep.

Chewie got highlights.

C3P0 got a red arm.

I’m Awake Now

I like how this film sets a firm footing on where we’re going from here. It’s a rehash of the first one and that’s just fine by me. It’s familiar enough, just complicated enough to keep watching and it’s easy to follow.

After all, as a published author myself, I'm well aware there are no new stories. It's how you tell the same old stories that counts.  I’m happy to follow these characters through a few more stories. 

I’m dying to know where Kylo Ren is going, if he’ll have a moment of remorse that will be his fatal flaw, or if he’ll go full throttle psychopath?

Will Rey endure months of temple meditating with dad or will they hop back onto the ship and go on an adventure?

I have lots more to say and will write more blogs.

Let me know your thoughts or any theories you want to discuss in the comments.