A Few Words About A few words about...™ Solo: A Star Wars Story -- in 4k UHD Blu-ray (2 Viewers)

[Josh Steinberg]

I think the idea is that the only streaming subscription service they’ll be on will be Disney’s upcoming app - so you’ll no longer find them on subscription services like Netflix.

I expect streaming purchases at digital retailers like iTunes and Vudu will be unaffected.

Completely different markets and products.

It’s like the modern equivalent of a movie studio starting their own premium cable channel and then not licensing their movies out for competitors like HBO any longer.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I think the idea is that the only streaming subscription service they’ll be on will be Disney’s upcoming app - so you’ll no longer find them on subscription services like Netflix.

I expect streaming purchases at digital retailers like iTunes and Vudu will be unaffected.

Completely different markets and products.

It’s like the modern equivalent of a movie studio starting their own premium cable channel and then not licensing their movies out for competitors like HBO any longer.

Got it, Netflix and Hulu are different than iTunes and Vudu with different business models.

 

[Wayne_j]

Yup, they aren't going to yank their titles from consumers who actually paid for them.

 

[dpippel]

Got it, Netflix and Hulu are different than iTunes and Vudu with different business models.

Like the others have said Robert, the Disney thing will only affect streaming services, not digital purchases. Could you imagine the uproar if it were otherwise? There would be mobs with pitchforks and torches looking for Iger's head.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Not to mention, why would Disney shut off that revenue stream? They’ll be more than happy to accept your $20 for a purchase or $5 for a single viewing rental from iTunes/Vudu.

I’m guessing they’ve done the math and believe that they can entice more subscribers to their future subscription service and get more money from those subscribers than they’re currently getting from one-time payments from Netflix.

 

[Ethan Riley]

Is there some trick to finding the extras on the Solo blu-ray? Where is the extras menu?

 

[TravisR]

Is there some trick to finding the extras on the Solo blu-ray? Where is the extras menu?

The extras are on disc 2.

 

[dpippel]

Well, I broke down, picked up the 4K UHD yesterday, and watched it with my wife last night. I liked it better the second time, but my reasons for not liking it remain. I do, however, think that this is one of the worst looking UHD titles I've seen. The black levels are terrible for most of the film, instead being an elevated brownish tone. In the space scenes starfields are gray, not black. It is NOT my setup, which is calibrated and looks stunning on other titles. Tried it in both my Oppo UDP-203 and Panasonic DP-UB820 with the same result. Just an ugly transfer. Pretty disappointed.

 

[Ethan Riley]

The extras are on disc 2.

Thanks. I found it. The third disc was hiding under the 4k disc.

 

[MielR]

Possibly, or perhaps more accurately, the "fans" are so tied to what they knew from 40 years ago that anything that doesn't fit that narrow little view of SW is automatically deemed to be "not good enough" without watching it.

I've always thought of the SW universe as a "narrow little" universe, and I think it was designed that way. Maybe that's why the Disney films all seem like re-hashes. I still haven't seen Solo. It's the first SW film I've never seen.

Star Wars films to me now seem like watching a tribute-band of your favorite rock group. So, most of the members of the original band are dead...that still doesn't make me want to see the tribute band.

I'll see Solo one day, I guess. The real reason I didn't go to see it is because TLJ soured me on new SW films.

 

[Jason_V]

I've always thought of the SW universe as a "narrow little" universe, and I think it was designed that way. Maybe that's why the Disney films all seem like re-hashes. I still haven't seen Solo. It's the first SW film I've never seen.

Star Wars films to me now seem like watching a tribute-band of your favorite rock group. So, most of the members of the original band are dead...that still doesn't make me want to see the tribute band.

I get it, but if we take a big step back, all we were ever following was the Skywalker story. Anakin to Luke and Leia. There is an entire universe of other stories that can be told which have nothing to do with the Skywalker's, logically speaking.

Anything, really, is a little slice of a larger universe. Just because we don't see it or it doesn't tie into what we are seeing is immaterial.

 

[MielR]

There is an entire universe of other stories that can be told which have nothing to do with the Skywalker's, logically speaking.

I know, and I guess I'm just not interested in that. I was never interested in the EU during the 80s and 90s either.

All I was ever interested in fit into 3 movies quite nicely. Seeing the band get back together (sort of) in TFA was nice, but to me, the wheels came off in TLJ.

 

[Dave H]

Solo: A Star Wars Story, reminds me of any series of young teen or YA books that keep on coming, as there's a perceived audience for them, but with evermore tired storylines, and little imagination.

I watched this last weekend and this is how I felt.

In fact, I'm about done with Disney Star Wars. It's very disappointing that haven't been able to do more with this franchise. Maybe Lucas in his later creative years wasn't too bad after all?

 

[Jason_V]

I know, and I guess I'm just not interested in that. I was never interested in the EU during the 80s and 90s either.

All I was ever interested in fit into 3 movies quite nicely. Seeing the band get back together (sort of) in TFA was nice, but to me, the wheels came off in TLJ.

Fair. I'll be happy to watch anything labeled Star Wars and enjoy it through the lens of "this is not Episode IV-VI and I need to understand that." Otherwise, I will forever be disappointed.

 

[Worth]

In fact, I'm about done with Disney Star Wars. It's very disappointing that haven't been able to do more with this franchise. Maybe Lucas in his later creative years wasn't too bad after all?

Compared to the prequels or Indy 4, I think Solo is a masterpiece.

 

[Dave H]

Compared to the prequels or Indy 4, I think Solo is a masterpiece.

Even over Revenge of the Sith?

 

[Tommy R]

Even over Revenge of the Sith?

In my book, definitely. I never understood the love Sith got on it's initial release. It's my 2nd least favorite SW movie overall, and only marginally better than Clones, my least favorite. (Yes, I realize that counts as admitting that Phantom Menace is my favorite of the prequels, I don't care )

 

[Mark-P]

Finally watched it. I enjoyed it quite a bit. No, it's not a full-scale epic STAR WARS movie, nor was it intended to be. It's what I would call Star Wars-lite, just a fun caper to augment the SW universe. I now understand why people think the image is too dark. The first half of the movie is intentionally murky for atmospheric reasons, which I totally understand. My issue was with the 3D conversion. Stereo D must have been really rushed or something because the 3D was so anemic with barely any noticeable depth, that I found myself distracted trying to see depth that wasn't there. So I did the unthinkable, at 45 minutes in I popped out the 3D disc and put in the 2D one to resume the movie. It was pointless to watch it in 3D when there was no immersion and it felt like a flat movie anyway.

 

[Tino]

Finally watched it. I enjoyed it quite a bit. No, it's not a full-scale epic STAR WARS movie, nor was it intended to be. It's what I would call Star Wars-lite, just a fun caper to augment the SW universe. I now understand why people think the image is too dark. The first half of the movie is intentionally murky for atmospheric reasons, which I totally understand. My issue was with the 3D conversion. Stereo D must have been really rushed or something because the 3D was so anemic with barely any noticeable depth, that I found myself distracted trying to see depth that wasn't there. So I did the unthinkable, at 45 minutes in I popped out the 3D disc and put in the 2D one to resume the movie. It was pointless to watch it in 3D when there was no immersion and it felt like a flat movie anyway.

On my LG 3D OLED ,I thought the film looked fine in 3D with plenty of depth. Especially in the train heist sequence. I was pleasantly surprised with the 3D actually.

Ymmv as you can see.

 

[Dick]

That the film was "dark" did not bother me. I simply find the 3D Blu-ray image to be rather ugly, as I assume it was in theaters. Ron Howard decided he wanted to be Spielberg (a la SAVING PRIVATE RYAN) and desaturate the colors to the point where numerous shots looked like black and white, like John Badham's ill-conceived re-imagining of his 1979 DRACULA, and as Howard did with his own IN THE HEART OF THE SEA. Plus, I am weary of films that look pale and yellow/brown, as this film does pretty much throughout. The 3D is disappointingly subtle...even depth is limited, and when there is a good-looking dimensional composition, it is cut so quickly you have no time to appreciate it (I don't think 3D works well with any film cut this quickly anyway...your mind hasn't time to adjust to the details of the shot before, whoops, being replaced by another and another and another, staccato-style). I did not find the characters especially engaging, and all the plot twists toward the end just kept compounding until I gave up, losing all interest in the outcome. If this "Stars Wars Story" franchise is to succeed, it needs to have writers, directors and actors who are more imaginative and engaged than those involved in SOLO. Only Woody Harrelson really leaves a memorable impression for me. I am glad to have the UK 3D disc, but I may never watch it again.