The JK Vision - Geek, Film, Gaming & Foodie Blog

It's a whirlwind star of the year for big film releases. Infinity War, Deadpool 2 and Black Panther being the most notable thus far. It's easy for a movie to be lost in the blockbuster releases and sadly that seems to be what happened to Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Spoilers As Usual

Ron Howard as Director

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This is the fourth Star Wars film to be released since Disney took control of Lucas film. Sadly this film is probably most known for the multiple problems it ran into throughout production. The original directors, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, left the project just 6 months into production when notable director, Ron Howard, took over directing responsibilities. Howard, best known for directing The DaVinci Code, did an amazing job in taking a semi-completed film and turning it into a respectable movie that stood well on it's own away from the Star Wars franchise.

Howard had already experienced directing a space-set film after overseeing the production of docudrama Apollo 13 so when it was announced it was he that was going to complete the film I was pretty optimistic. I'm glad I was because this film was thoroughly enjoyable. Whether or not you were previously a fan of the franchise this film is still a great addition to the universe.

Notable Performances

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The film's lead character was portrayed by American 'Hail, Caesar!' actor, Alden Ehrenreich. He was the subject of another production issue report that claimed that Ehrenreich has to take acting lessons to improve his role as Han Solo. Looking back at the film you would either think "Eh, he didn't need those lessons." or "Wow those lessons really worked!".

Along with Donald Glover's appearance as Lando Calrissian, Ehrenreich was one of the stand-out performances throughout the whole film. The actor replicated Han Solo's mannerisms well all whilst making the role his own instead of doing a hard-copy of Harrison Ford's version.

The Story

The film has been criticised for not adding anything new to the franchise to which I have to sadly agree with. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, there wasn't really much more information injected into the Star Wars universe. It has a few little new bits of information like where Solo got his name and how he met Chewbacca but there was no new story-changing details.

That Darth Maul Cameo at the end though...

Final Thoughts

I would pay to see this film again. It's a shame to see how poorly this instalment has performed at the Box Office and it deserves alot more. To me, this film was far better than The Last Jedi and on par with The Force Awakens, both of which made a phenomenal amount of money.

The performances were fun and not pure imitations of the original versions. I am satisfied with the movie in general although I would have loved a bit more information to be added to the title character like his full boy-hood origin.

I would also like to say that L3 was one of the worst droids in the franchise an there was no point of her being there even if it was just for comic relief.

72/100
What did you think of the film? Let me know in the comments.

There are few things more frustrating than losing due to lag. Although there could be a few reasons for this. If nothing else works, then read on for what we believe are the best monitors!

Asus ROG Swift PG279Q - $430.67

Asus is a great brand for most PC related gadgets, and a monitor is no exception. It comes with an extremely quick refresh and low input lag, but that’s not all. As it comes with G-Sync screen tearing will never be an issue, and it eliminates the need for V-Sync too. On the other hand, this monitor does cost a pretty penny, so consider a different one if you’re on a budget.

Asus VG248QE - $239.98

Another awesome Asus model, this monitor is both fast and affordable. Plus, it also supports 144hz, however, it does use a TN panel. Still, finding a budget gaming monitor is hard, and this is definitely one to consider.

Acer Predator XB321HK - $1099.99

There are so many incredible features loaded onto this monitor that we can’t possibly list them all here! Still, great power comes with a great price tag, and this is definitely not one for the financially challenged. This monitor is large enough to benefit from 4k resolution. Not only that, but the IPS display also offers good viewing angles and vibrant colours. Unfortunately, gaming at 4k requires more GPU power than most people can afford, and it also requires an Nvidia graphics card to use G-Sync.

Acer XR382CQK - $799

If you believe bigger is better, then Acer’s got your back. This 38-inch widescreen curves in a way that adds to the immersion, along with also having 75Hz FreeSync enabled. Again though, this is definitely an upmarket purchase and we would only recommend it if you have some disposable income.

Alienware AW3418DW - $1298.99

Alienware has a history of creating some of the best gaming gear and this is no exception. This top-notch monitor comes with an incredibly high refresh rate, and much more. Although it does take up quite a lot of room and is pricey.

AOC Agon AG352UCG - $856.85

Not only is this ultrawide monitor curvy, but it also comes with G-sync. Keep in mind though that it’s huge; We recommend making sure that it will actually fit on your desk before purchasing.

BenQ PD3200U - $799

In addition to 4K UHD resolution, this monitor also comes with a large screen. Considering the tons of features it comes with, it’s a great value for money too. It doesn’t have too many cons. Although if you’re after something that can double as décor then this might not be for you, as the design is a bit bland.

Asus MG248Q - $279.99

Here we have a budget monitor which comes with 144Hz and Adaptive Sync. Combine that with the 1ms response time and you really can’t fault it. Definitely a machine to think about picking up if you don’t want to break the bank.

BenQ Zowie XL2540 - $499

High refresh rates, an easy setup and a great resolution are but a couple of the incredible features include on this monitor. It doesn’t come with G-Sync or FreeSync, as this monitor assumes you already own a rig capable of eliminating screen tears. Definitely one of the best gaming monitors, but not so great in other areas. Still, as this is a list of gaming monitors we won’t worry about that.

Alienware 25 - $449.99

The design on this is truly superb, plus it also boasts a high refresh rate and a response rate of only 1ms. With all that said, it’s not the cheapest of monitors and is only 1080p. It’s still worth considering though, as its smooth 240Hz refresh rate puts it a few rungs above most other monitors!

If you still doubt that you need a gaming monitor then consider this scenario:

You log into your League of Legends account to play a few chilled out matches, only to notice that your monitor is glitching. The next thing you know you’re staring at a grey screen, filled with frustration.

There’s a reason that the pros use monitors included on this list. Now we’re not saying that having good equipment is a substitute for skill, but it never hurts either.

This is sponsored post, written by Alex over at Unranked Smurfs.