Geekery: New Looks at ‘Solo’ – Teaching Holochess to a Wookie
New clips from the movie star three iconic characters playing games: Chewie, Han Solo, and Lando Calrissian. One of them isn’t a happy camper after his last turn.
That’s one mopey Chewie and an opponent that apparently hasn’t learned the rules: never let the Wookie lose at holochess, the Star Wars universe’s take on the ancient game of chess. It’s nice to see Woody Harrelson, as Beckett, in his element here – it’s a great bit of casting.
Also released: a longer look at the fateful meeting of Han and Lando that’s been a blip in the trailers. The other players at the table are brilliant, and it calls back to the design of Chalmun’s Cantina in A New Hope.
Alden Ehrenreich is growing on me. If we didn’t have Harrison Ford’s performances to compare him to, I think he’d be totally accepted as Han Solo. He’s got the right degree of cockiness and is sly while being charming. New audiences are going to be more ready to accept him than die hard, older fans.
That aside: the cinematography in these tight quarters in both clips is great. The camaraderie and attitude of the characters are promising – the cast list has always been a high point for me. The more they show of this movie, the less I worry about it. The big question is whether or not more people can let go of the Han they’ve come to love and accept a different version of him.
Solo: A Star Wars Story hits theaters May 25th.
