Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)- Stellar not Star Wars

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The legendary Ron Howard directs Solo.  He succeeds in part by drawing us deeper into the mysterious Star Wars pirate universe.  Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) now sports a double chin, but with an all star production crew, it's convincing enough.
Howard portrays another side of Solo and introduces new elements to a Star Wars flick.  Starting in Corellia, we learn more about this much mentioned planet, taking us into areas of Han's gritty youth. Then, we accompany Solo in a few action-packed smuggling missions.  Most of the movie, he struggles with his love for street urchin turned mafia lieutenant Qi'ra (Emilia Clarke). This fatal attraction added a new drama curve to Star Wars' idealistic fairy tale western romances. Solo's mentor, Beckett (Woody Harrelson) also injects a fresh role of unpredictability as only Woody brings to stage.  We are treated to seeing Solo's swashbuckling persona evolve toward the end.
The movie also benefits by injecting extra doses of classic Star Wars (fitting the title).  Various story lines, up to 10 some sites say, are explored.  George Lucas took more of a role in this movie than the other Disney episodes; actually starting the story since 2012.  The score returns to Star Wars Oscar winning composer John Williams.  Plus, there is a cameo appearance by an infamous past villain, leaving us with a scent of a sequel...
I really liked this movie, but I step this back to the Winning 25th yd. Line due to some continuity issues.  Ehrenreich had huge shoes to fill and wasn't Harrison Ford enough.  He seldom gives us that outlaw toothy grin and juvenile humor.  Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) deserved more development.  He's not just a "Beast."  I like the chapter book version, as a slave of the spice mines.  Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) was too scrappy and not charming and womanizing enough.  The main problem, though: the action was very edge-of-your-seats, but that distracted us from noticing the lack of cinematography by Bradford Young. So Young received such an Oscar nomination in Arrival.  That movie was a still life compared to this, which was Young's only sci-fi experience.  Star Wars requires shock and awe vistas, so far achieved by the other Disney episodes.  The Millennium Falcon was only briefly panned inside and out, nuf said.

*Lucasfilm/Disney.  Movie GIF of Solo and crew aboard the Millennium Falcon during a battle.  Alloy, Nicole Pomarico,                February 5, 2018, www.alloy.com/news/solo-star-wars-story-trailer-dropped/.