Case and Sam are joined by Randy Allain from the Media / Lit podcast to ask "Who are your people?" Tune in for this dissection of Solo: A Star Wars Story!

 

Overview   In the latest episode of the podcast, hosts Case and Sam welcome guest Randy from Media Lit to delve into "Solo: A Star Wars Story," rating the film as 'fine' but flawed and assigning it a C grade. The discussion highlights Alden Ehrenreich's portrayal of Han Solo, praises Donald Glover’s performance as Lando Calrissian, and critiques the characters' limited screen time, particularly for Lando and L3. The conversation shifts to character dynamics, the film’s pacing, and the handling of complex themes such as slavery, with commentary on visual effects and significant plot elements like the Kessel Run. The hosts explore the film's production history, specifically the impacts of the directorial switch from Lord & Miller to Ron Howard, and suggest improvements for pacing and character development. They propose alternative narrative structures for the heist elements and discuss how to enhance character relationships and thematic portrayals. The episode wraps up with final thoughts on the film's relevance in the Star Wars universe and additional promotional content, including Randy's other projects and plans for future episodes. Notes Introduction and Overview (00:00 - 09:20)

• Podcast hosts Case and Sam introduce the topic: Solo: A Star Wars Story
• Guest Randy from Media Lit podcast joins the discussion
• The movie is described as 'fine' but flawed, given a C grade
• Criticism of the scene explaining Han Solo's name origin

Cast and Characters (09:20 - 18:56)

• Discussion of Alden Ehrenreich's performance as Han Solo
• Praise for Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian
• Criticism of limited screen time for Lando and L3
• Analysis of Emilia Clarke's character Kira and her role in the plot

Character Dynamics and Plot Elements (18:56 - 27:32)

• Examination of Han and Chewbacca's meeting and relationship
• Discussion of Woody Harrelson's character Beckett and his crew
• Criticism of the movie's pacing and overabundance of plot elements

Visual Effects and World-building (27:32 - 37:11)

• Praise for the design of droid character L3
• Discussion of the Kessel Run sequence and its importance to the plot
• Criticism of the movie's handling of slavery and oppression themes

Supporting Characters and Themes (37:11 - 48:41)

• Analysis of Paul Bettany's character Dryden Vos
• Discussion of Darth Maul's cameo and its implications
• Examination of the movie's themes of rebellion and criminal underworld

Production History and Directorial Changes (48:41 - 57:10)

• Discussion of the change in directors from Lord & Miller to Ron Howard
• Analysis of how the change affected the movie's tone and style
• Speculation on what a Lord & Miller version might have looked like

Critique and Improvement Ideas (57:11 - 01:07:49)

• Suggestions for improving the movie's pacing and character development
• Discussion of how to better integrate the heist elements of the plot
• Ideas for enhancing the relationships between characters

Alternative Plot Structures (01:07:49 - 01:20:24)

• Proposal for a more 'Ocean's Eleven' style approach to the heist plot
• Suggestions for restructuring Han's backstory and relationship with Kira
• Ideas for better integrating Lando and other supporting characters

Refinement of Improvement Ideas (01:20:25 - 01:30:44)

• Further discussion on making Han and Kira's relationship more familial
• Suggestions for improving the portrayal of the criminal underworld
• Ideas for better integrating themes of corruption and rebellion

Conclusion and Podcast Information (01:30:44 - 01:40:33)

• Final thoughts on the movie and its place in the Star Wars franchise
• Information about the hosts' and guest's other projects and social media
• Details about upcoming podcast episodes and related content

Action items Unassigned

• Check out Randy's podcast Media Lit and other work (01:36:05)
• Listen to Randy's appearance on the Socially Distanced podcast for their 200th episode Avengers draft (01:36:39)
• Join the Discord for ongoing conversations about the podcast topics (01:38:49)
• Listen to the Reignite podcast for discussions on Bioware games (01:39:08)
• Tune in to the next episode about Highlander 2: The Quickening (01:39:49)