Movie Reviews: Solo

Solo: A Star Wars Story is the newest offering from the new batch of Star Wars films. Despite reviewing well, it's not done very well in the cinemas. It had a lot of problems during filming, including the lead actor, Alden Ehrenreich, needing an acting coach due to bad performance. They also changed director half way through filming due to creative differences and loads of it had to be reshot. I think these stories, coupled with The Last Jedi not being very good, and the last Star Wars film only coming out a few months ago put people off going to see it. Or perhaps it's a wider problem with the cinema industry in general. Our cinema has halfed its prices lately to encourage more people to come in. It's great for us, of course, but also a little concerning. All that being said, I did enjoy the film. The acting coach clearly did his job well, and I enjoyed all the performances, especially Donald Glover as young Lando. The story works well for the most part and there are some cool scenes, like a futuristic train heist and the surprise return of an underused character from the prequels. Speaking of underused characters, this film has one too. An underused crime boss centipede lady who's sensitive to sunlight. She was cool, for her minute of screen time. There was also a funny droid, as usual, this one voiced by a woman and very into rights and freedoms for droids. So that's something new. I do feel like the end had too many twists though. One would have been fine, not the six or seven we were thrown. I also think that this film didn't particularly look like a Star Wars film. I suppose it could be argued that this doesn't particularly matter in a wide galaxy, with lots of different things going on. I also wasn't too keen on what they did with the Kessel Run. It just seemed like what they did with it didn't particularly fit with what we already knew about it, and as if they just wanted to include it for the sake of covereing everything we know about Han Solo, rather than because it really fits into the story. But on the whole I enjoyed it and would recommend it. I think it's a shame a lot of the fans didn't come out to watch it.

Mugs

Here are a few cool mugs we've acquired.

This one is my favorite.   The man on it is Uncle Iroh from Avatar.   He finds a flower and isn't quite sure what species it is.   It's either a deadly poisonous one, or one that makes very good.  Well, he tries it, it turns out to be poisonous and he gets very ill.   His line while debating whether or not to make tea is "Delectable tea or deadly poison?" and that's what's on the mug.   I think it's pretty funny.   And of course I love Uncle Iroh.

This one is fun.   It's a mug shaped like a camera lens.   Very appropriate for a photographer like me.   It's a little difficult to use as it doesn't have a handle and the lid comes off easily, but it's still fun.

This one is a Star Wars one.  It has a load of different characters' lightsabers on it and when you put hot liquid in it the lightsabers light up!   Very fun and clever.

This is another one that changes when you put hot liquid in it.  It's Alice talking to the Cheshire Cat.   When you put hot liquid in it the Cat disappears.   Fun! 

Android Games: Sequels and More

Having previously blogged about my favorite Android games to do so again might seem a bit redundant.   However, I feel that things have moved on a lot since 2012.  I feel like there's now more choice, and yet somehow at the same time more standardisation as biggish games companies have emerged.   More often it's the same people behind two of your favorite games.   It feels more like an established industry now rather than just people throwing things at a wall to see what sticks. 

I'm going to start off with some sequels to established "classics".   First Angry Birds Star Wars.   I'm not going to lie, when I first heard about this it sounded truly bizarre.   But it works!   It really really works.   They kind of combine story and character elements from Star Wars with game play from the original Angry Birds, with a little of the physics from Angry Birds Space thrown in.   There are brand new elements you can use such as "Luke" birds with lightsabers, and somehow it's really good fun.   It doesn't feel like just some bizarre money-making merchandising at all.   It's great!

Next another sequel, Temple Run 2.   Again, this was a game I was a little sceptical about.   Temple Run is already perfectly good as it is.   What possible reason could you have for making a sequel?   Is this basically just going to be a graphics upgrade?   But no, the Temple Run people have done it again!   While gameplay is essentailly the same, they have genuinely added more elements to the game to make it more fun!   As well as walls to run along there are now ropes to swing on, hills to go up and down, rivers to ride down and crazy mine cart rides.   There are more obstacles and more special powers.   It's great!

The next game is called Jelly Splash.   It's pretty similar in format to a lot of the King Saga games (LINK) but made by a different company.   You have jelly candies on your screen and you have to draw lines through ones that are the same colour and they all disappear.   You amke jellies to achieve different goals, such as clearing the screen of grey slime, freeing trapped jellies and bringing diamonds down to the bottom.   Like the King games this one has many different levels to progress through.   It's good fun.

 


Finally, another game that is a variation on Jewels.   There seem to be loads (LINK) of these types of games around.   This oone is called Zookeeper Battle.   You have a grid of different zoo animals, and you have to match lines of three of more of the same animal.   When you make a match they vanish.   Some of the animals give you attack points, and others give you defense points.   You have got a very small amount of time to gain as many points as possible and use the points to battle it out against an opponent.   Winning gives you certain rewards you can use to biuld up your Zoo, which allows you to play little side games against a computer opponent.   It sounds fairly dull, but it is pretty addictive.   You get really into trying to increase your World Ranking against other players.